Energizing or Prana charging
Till now we have been focusing on the flow of prana in a specific region of the body. An exercise will be discussed which aims at charging or activating the flow of Prana in its entire path. The duration is about 15 or 20 minutes.
The body is divided into 3 regions.
1. Region below the navel (nabhi) center. The energy flowing here is called apana.
2. Region between the navel center and the throat center. The energy flowing here is called prana.
3. Region above the throat center. The energy flowing here is called udana.
Practice
Sit in Padmasana.
1. Let the thumb touch index and the middle finger, rest the hands on the thigh.
Inhaling imagine the apana as flowing-in from the right foot toe to the navel center.
Exhaling imagine the apana as flowing out from navel centre to the left foot toe. Repeat 5 rounds.
2. Let thumb touch the ring and little finger. Hold the hand at the navel level.
Inhaling visualize a stream of white light or prana raising from the navel to the throat.
Exhaling visualize the same prana bifurcating at the throat and flowing down through the arms back to hands.
Repeat 5 rounds.
3. Let the thumb touch middle and ring finger and rest hand comfortably.
Inhaling imagine udana raising from the throat and spreading upwards.
Exhale normally.
Repeat 5 rounds.
4. Clasp the fingers. Left hand thumb should be straight and right hand thumb and index fingers should surround to it. Rest the hands near the naval. Linga Mudra
5. Inhale and exhale in such a way that the whole body expands inhaling and contracts/shrinks exhaling; total awareness of body.
6. At the end of this practice, meditate on the symbol ‘Ora’ concentrating on the ajria chakra (eyebrow centre).
Increasing Lung Capacity
Sit in Vajrasana.
1. Bring hands in the Namaskara Mudra on the chest with elbows kept horizontal. Breathing in, exert pressure on the palms and lower them to navel centre without seperating them. Come back breathing out.
Increasing Lung capacity
Repeat six rounds.
2. Hold hands in Namaskara Mudra. Breathing in, clasping
stretch arms at chest level fully, palms facing outwards.
Breathing out come back, (sketch a)
Repeat 6 rounds.
3. Breathing – in stretch arms at 45 degrees. Hold for 5 counts.
Breathing out come back, (sketch b)
Repeating 6 rounds.
4. Place clasping hands on the head palms facing upwards.
Breathing-in raise the hands to maximum position. Hold for 5
counts. Breathing-out come back, (sketch c & d)
Increasing Lung capacity
Repeat 6 rounds.
5. Place clasped hands on the head with the palms turned upwards. Breathing-in rise half way and cover the remaining part of the movement in 5 6 short in-breaths. Hold position for 5 counts. Breathing out come back-Repeat 6 rounds.
6. Sitting in Vajrasana place palms at the back (sketch e) with elbows close together. Lift the head and breathe in & out deeply 5-6 rounds.
Tension Release
1. Sit in vajrasana; stretch hands at chest level. Make a fist. Breathing out bring them to the chest. This is the starting
position.
Take a deep breath and breathe-out forcefully, flinging (throwing) arms straight at chest level.
Repeat 5 times.
2. Same as above; throw the arms vertical, pushing the arms to the maximum extent. 3 rounds.
3. Same as above; throw arms side ways to feel the expansion at the chest level. 3 rounds.
THE BREATHING OUT SHOULD BE IN SHORT BURSTS. Rest in shavasana 3-5 minutes.
Tension release can be done two to three times a day.