First procedure : Bhastrika Pranayama
Sitting in a convenient meditative pose and filling the breath inside up to diaphragm through both the nostrils and then breathing it out gently is called bhastrika pranayama.
The noble resolution (siva sankalpa) during bhastrika
While filling the breath inside during bhastrika pranayama one should think (resolve) in his mind whatever is noble and pure in the Universe, such as divine power, energy, sanctity, serenity and bliss, is instilling into my body along with prana. I am getting suffused with divine powers. The pranayama done with this divine resolution is essentially beneficial.
The duration of bhastrika
There should be inhalation of 2½ seconds and exhalation of 2½ seconds in a rhythmic flow.
Thus by doing it non-stop, one can do bhastrika pranayama 12 times in one minute. One should do it for 5 minutes in one sitting. In the beginning one may have to take rest in between. It takes about a week to develop the practice of this pranayama for 5 minutes non-stop. Healthy persons and slightly sick persons should practise bhastrika for 5 minutes daily. Those who are suffering from cancer, lung fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, MS, SLE and other incurable diseases should do this pranayama for 10 minutes. Thus bhastrika is done 12 times in one minute and 60 times in 5 minutes. If done in two sittings in incurable diseases like cancer this praÆ’yama is best done 120 times. Normally pranayama is best done empty stomach. If for some reason one is not able to do pranayama in the morning it can also be done 5 hours after mid-day meals. If persons suffering from incurable diseases practise pranayama both in the morning and evening, they will soon benefit more.
Special precautions
- Those who are suffering from high B.P. and heart disease, should not practise bhastrika at vigorous speed.
- We should not inflate our stomach while filling the breath inside during this pranayama. If you fill in the breath up to diaphragm it will inflate the chest up to ribs, not the stomach. The name of diaphragmatic deep breathing only is bhastrika.
- Practise it at a slow pace in summer season.
- Those whose both nostrils are not properly open due to excess of cough or sinus problems, etc, should first close the right nostril and do recaka and pμuraka with left nostril. Then they should close the left nostril and do recaka and pμuraka with the right nostril at slow, medium or vigorous speed as per their capacity. Then in the end, they should do bhastrika pranayama using both ida end pingala energy channels. One must practise this pranayama for 5 minutes daily. Keep your eyes closed while doing this pranayama and meditate on 'OM' in your mind with each inhalation and exhalation.
Benefits
All kapha diseases like colds, catarrh, allergy, tuberculosis, asthma, chronic catarrh, sinusitis, etc, are cured. Lungs become strong and by getting purified air heart and mind also become healthy.
All the throat diseases like thyroid and tonsilitis are cured.
The three dosas become balanced. Blood is purified and toxins and foreign matter are expelled from the body.
Prana and mind get stabilized. This is helpful in prana- elevation and awakening of serpent power (kundalini jagarana)
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