Pranayama - Modern

Bhasthreeka Pranayama
Position: Sit in Sukhasana/Siddhasana/Padmasana. If you are not able to sit down. you can sit on the
chair & Practise.

Method: This is deep and Rapid Breathing Technique. Using Force, inhale Deeply till Your lungs upto
diaphragm are filled and exhale with the same force. Continue this for 2 to 5 Minutes.

Benefits: Total relief from Headache, hafe headache, migraine, asthma, other lungs problems, incurable
cough, sinusitis, allergy, throat's thyroid and para thyroid problems. This helps in inhaling and absorbing
more oxygen which helps in the proper functioning of our body cells. Regular practice of Bhasthreeka
helps eliminate body fat, lower total cholesterol & raise HDL cholesterol which is a good cholesterol. This
Pranayama helps in balancing 3 humours Wind(Vatha), Bile(Pitha) & Phlegm(Kapha) in the body. the
disorder of these 3 humours will cause trouble to the body. It gives firmness in movement of vital energy,
thereby bringing peace to the mind & vital energy move from mooladhara chakra to sahasrara chakra.
This is called Kundalini awakening.

Caution: People suffering from high blood pressure should not Practise this pranayama. Breath should
be filled only in lungs till diaphragm and not in stomach.
Other Instructions: This can be done in 3 speeds - Slow <Medium & fast.Initially start practicing slowly
and after a few weeks, get into medium pace and gradually switch ove to fast pace.

Sheethalee Pranayama
Position: Sit in Sukhasana I Siddhasana I Padmasana. Place your hands on the knees. Observe Dhyana
mudra.
Method: Exhale through nose. Stretch out tongue and make it curved shape (half moon
shape). Inhale deeply and slowly through this passage made by the tongue. After 5 counts, exhale from
nostrils. Repeat for 3 to 4 times depending on the requirements.
Caution: Asthmatics, phlegm-natured (kapha prakruthi) should NOT do this. People suffering from
tonsilitis should NOT practise this. During winter, if necessary, it can be practised once.
Benefits: Do this when you want to drink water. You can postpone drinking of water for about one and
half hours. Drinking of water is prohibited while practising pranayama and yogasanas. This pranayama
can be practised to quench your thirst and hunger also. This pranayama has the potential to reduce bad
cholesterol, improve blood circulation and purify the blood by flushing out toxins.
You will find cure for high BP and bile (pitha) problem will go away. People having knee pain should
practice this for 3 to 4 times to get rid of the pain after practic'ing concerned postures which is explained
in page number 27.

Baharee Pranayama
Sit in sukhasana / siddhasana / padmasana. If you are not able to do so, you can use chair to practice
pranayama.

Method: Using force, breathe out and don't breathe in for 5 to 8 seconds. Then resort to normal
breathing. Likewise repeat for 4 t05times.
Caution: People with high BP and pregnant mothers should NOT do this pranayama.

Benefits: Fickle mindedness will vanish and problems in the abdomen will disappear. Digestion improves
and wisdom becomes sharp. Entire body is cleansed. Besides making the semen to flow upwards, all
disorderliness in the body will move towards orderliness. As Kapalabhathi creates slight pain in the weak
parts of abdomen, this pranayama can carry energy to the affected parts thereby removing the pain.

Anuloma Viloma Pranayama

Sit in sukhasana / siddhasana / padmasana with your back straight either on the floor or chair.

Method of Practice
1. Close the right nostril with right thumb. Inhale deeply and slowly from left nostril till lungs uptil diaphagm
are filled. Please give attention NOT to fill breath in the stomach.
2. Close the left nostril with tips of middle and ring fingers. Exhale slowly emptying the lungs from right
nostril.
3. Then inhale deeply through right nostril and still holding the left nostril with middle and ring fingers' tips
and
4. Exhale fully and slowly from left nostril after closing the right nostril with right thumb.
This is one round. Repeat this for 25 times or 15 to 20 minutes. Your right hand may experience
tiredness. In that case, alternatively, fingers of your left hand may be used for closing nostrils. You may
take rest intermittently if you feel tired and resort to pressing acupressure points to make optimum use of
time. Practicing this Pranayama regularly, profound energy which lies in circular form in Mooladhara
Chakra will awaken and move upwards which is called Kundalini Awakening. In Vedas, it is called as
'Urdhva Rethas'.
While practicing this Pranayama, chant the 'Om' manthra mentally.

Caution: During summer, this should be practiced NOT more than 5 to 8 minutes.

Benefits
1. Nervous system will get purified by regular practice of this.
Body and mind become healthy, lustrous and energetic.
2. Diseases due to wind's (vatha) imbalance will be cured. That means, Arthritis, Rheumatism,
inflammation and stiffness in joints will be cured.
3. Cold, cough, sinusitis, eyes problem and other long lasting diseases are cured.
4. Balancing of wind (vatha), bile (pittha) and phlegm (kapha) will take place.
5. Mind filled with negative thinking will be replaced with positive thinking. Yogsadhak will experience
interest, spirit and bliss.
6. About 7% of the population is suffering from heart-related diseases. With the practice of this
pranayama for 3 to 4 months, about 40% to 50ro blockages in arteries can be removed. Cholesterol
collected in the heart's arteries will vanish and yogasadhak will be out of danger from Heart Attack. Since
vital energy flows freely in arteries ofthe heart, it is not necessary for heart surgery.
7. Practicing Anuloma Viloma Pranayama for 15 to 20 minutes regularly, Kundalini energy will move
upwards and flows through sushumna nadi and reach sahasrara chakra which is called Kundalini
Awakening.

Sheethkaree Pranayama
Position: Sit in Sukhasana I Siddhasana I Padmasana. Let your wrists on the knees. Observe Dhyana
mudra.
Method: Tongue should touch the place behind the upper front teeth. Upper and lower tooth lines must be
held tight while inhaling breath through the mouth making 'see, see' sound. And fill the lungs fully and
exhale slowly through nose. If you want, you can do Jalandhara Bandha after filling the breath in the
lungs. Likewise do it for 3 to 4 times.
Caution: While inhalation, let the teeth and tongue be firm on their respective places. Asthmatics, phlegm
natured (kapha prakruthi) and those who are suffering from tonsilitis should NOT do this. Do less in
winter.
Benefits
1. Dental problems will go away and jaws become stronger. Problems of piorea, throat, mouth, tongue,
nose will find cure.
2. Body becomes cool and light. Very useful to those whose body is hot and suffering from high BP.
3. Other benefits are like Sheethalee Pranayama.

Bhramaree Pranayama
Sit in sukhasana / siddhasana / padmasana.
Method of Practice: Place index fingers on the forehead facing each other. Close eyes putting middle
fingers on them. Give slight pressure on the sides of nose with tips of middle and ring fingers. Place little
fingers on the cheeks. Please look at the posture for placing fingers on the face properly.
Focus your attention in between your eyebrows. Close the mouth.
Inhale deeply and exhale slowly and gradually through nose making sound like a bee. Then let 'Om'
manthra be reflected / echoed in your mind. This is one round. Repeat this for 5 to 9 times.
Benefits
1. Mind cools down.
2. High BP, mind's anxiety will go away.
3. You will find solutions for the problems. Since you focus your attention on Ajna Chakra which is nothing
but Shiva's third eye and also called intuition will be unlocked. Hence problems and remedial measures
will meet each other.

Udgeetha Pranayama
Method of Practice

1. Sit in sukhasana / siddhasana / padmasana and observe Dhyana mudra.

2. Inhale deeply and chant Om manthra exhaling slowly through mouth.

This is one round. Repeat this for 5 to 9 times. While doing this Pranayama, let your mind be in the infinite
consciousness. Try to see the Almighty, the generator of the Earth. This helps in establishing bridge
between yogasadhak and God. Principles like 'Aham Brahmasmi' and 'Thathvamasi' reveal here.

Important: Breathing out through mouth should be so slow that your breathing should last for one minute.
This will happen gradually. Don't panic.

Kapalabhathi Pranayama
Kapala means forehead and bhaathi means brightness.That means this makes the sadhaka's mind
brightful, lustrous and blissful.
Position: Sit in sukhasana / siddhasana / padmasana posture with your back straight. If not, you can use
chair while practising pranayama. Correct posture is essential because the abdominal muscles must be
able to relax thoroughly when you inhale. Once you sit properly, begin the method.
Method: Inhale slowly without force and just when you're about to exhale forcefully, contract your
stomach muscles quickly and powerfully which will force air out through your nostrils. Likewise repeat for
15 to 20 minutes. Initially sadhakas may feel tiredness and slight pain in the waist. But after a fortnight or
so, this will disappear and one can practise for 5 minutes continuously. Sadhakas must practise this for 15
to 20 minutes daily to get desired results. Since it is not possible to practise for 15 minutes continuously,
sadhakas can intermittently indulge in pressing acupressure points.
Caution: Pregnant mothers and women under periods should NOT practise this pranayama. People with
heat body '1ature can practise only for 5 minutes. Heart patients and those who have undergone heart
surgery in the recent past of 1 year should NOT practise this pranayama. After 1 year, slowly they can
practise with diligent care, that too in front of yoga experts.
Important: While exhaling forcefully, think that you are sending out negative elements and also anger,
distress, selfishness, egoism. Let Omkar be lingering in the mind while practising Kapalabhathi.
Benefits
1. Face becomes lustrous, luminous and attractive. Asthma, other breathing difficulties, allergy, sinusitis
and heart problems will go away from the body and mind. Efficiency of heart and lungs will increase.
2. You can prevent and cure obesity, diabetes, arthritis, rheumatism, constipation, acidity, kidney
problems, prostate gland problem by practicing Kapalabhathi.
3. Practicing regularly will balance the sugar content in the blood and weight becomes normal according
to the height of a person. Person with underweight will gain and overweight will lose. That is the speciality
of this method.
4. Any blockages in the arteries of heart will be removed and cleansing will take place.
5. Calmness and firmness in the mind can be achieved.
Negative thoughts will go away from mind. Words like depression, apathy, negligence will vanish from the
dictionary ofyogasadhak.
6. Eight Chakras (plexes) will be purified and divine energy is filled in the body and mind.
7. All organs around abdomen will function more efficiently.
8. This is equivalent to jogging and clear metabolic wastes from the body.
Note: Since numerous benefits can be obtained from this method, yogasadhakas should not forget to
incorporate this in Their Morning or evening yoga formality. hence our ancient Rushi-Munis have called
this "Life giver of the earth"

Ujjayee Pranayama
Sit in Vajrasana if possible. Or else sit in any meditatable posture.
Method: Contract muscles of your throat as much as possible. Inhale through both nostrils making
buzzing sound and try to hold the breath in your throat while making Jalandhara Bandha. After a few
seconds, close the right nostril with right thumb and exhale forcefully from left nostril to derive maximum
benefit.
Initially, don't hold the breath for longer time. After a few weeks of practice, you will be able to do it for 8 to
10 seconds.
You can repeat this for 5 to 6 times.
Benefits: Cold, cough are prevented and/or cured. Reason for obesity is improper functioning of thyroid
and para-thyroid glands which will find solution. One doesn't need to consume tablets for a life time after
taking advice from one's doctor. Insomnia, mental agony, BP problem, tonsillitis, voice complications and
various other throat difficulties will find cure from this pranayama. Pain in the neck and upper parts of
spinal cord will vanish. It is rightly suited for singers. After doing this pranayama, do practice Shankha
mudra which has been elucidated in page number 60. Melodious nightingale's voice will be yours. Attempt
and experience the wonderful result.

Karna Roganthaka Pranayama

Position: Sit in Sukhasana I Siddhasana I Padmasana. Be in Dhyana Mudra.
Method: Inhale deeply through both the nostrils. Now close both nostrils and mouth with fingers of your
right hand. Attempt to send air out forcibly holding the nose and mouth tightly. In this situation, air moves
to interior areas of ears. Try this for 3 to 4 times and then breathe out from nose. Likewise repeat for 2 to
3 times.
Caution: People suffering from ear-leakage, red-eyed, and those who have undergone ear and eye
operation in the past one year should NOT practise this pranayama.
Benefits: Irritating 'Guny' sound in the ear will be solved. Helpful in curing deafness.