Fwd: Pranayama scores over a jog - Article in Deccan Chronicle/

[Guest guest]

Most respected Sir and honourble devoutees:

 

This message from our beloved moderator could not have come at a more

appropriate time. What has been scientifically proved and on which

inumerable studies have been done both in India and abroad, the conclusion

has always been consistent and uninamous, namely, Pranayama is undoubtedly

beneficial.

 

Alongwith all the other material bounties, the eternal Vedas have bestowed

on humans this wonderful gift. Many are not aware of this unfortunately

and are therefore unable to fully exploit.

 

Especially, those of us who wear the sacred thread wherein we are enjoined

to do the Sandhya daily until death. Not once, but several times during

the Sandhya the pranayama keeps on intervening. It has been very very

scientifically structured by none other than the eternal Vedas, the great

rishis, seers and other elevated beings. The Pranayama in the Sandhya is

to ensure purificaiton of the mind, nervous currents, internal impulses,

nerve signals and circulation etc. such that by the time the Greatest

Mantra Gayathri is about to begin the entire being is totally purified and

stands alone to receive the divine benediction.

 

The rough meaning of the word Pranayama is Prana + Ayama i.e elongating the

prana, the vital life force. Prana is not to be confused with breathing,

oxygen, air etc. Prana is Prana thats all.Prana is THAT force which is all

pervading and without which nothing subsists. It is a long journey to

discover the various gamut of the entire range of Prana. As a general rule

the concept implies that by trying to regulate, control, acquire mastery

over prana one can slowly progress to a stage when higher things can be

touched if not reached. Understanding dawns, intuition sharpens and there

is a definite inner change for the better. Normally, we breath

unconsciously from the level of the chest,thorax. We hardly use the

stomach, lower abdomen. And we are hardly aware of our breathing pattern.

 

In fact most of the orthodox Yoga schools all agree that Pranayama is to be

seprately dealt with and cannot be clubbed as a casual subject.. Even in

the Ashtanga Yoga of Sage Patanajali, pranayama occupies the center stage

after which one is lead into Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana all of which are

progressive stages of deeper levels of concentrations.

 

The bottomline is : if we can just ensure that we somehow do the daily

Sandhya three times, if feasible, with dedication after learning from a

reliable Guru/teacher, then thrice a day we are without our being aware

involved with Pranayama, the purifying effect on our well being, and all

round progress can be witnessed directly in the long run.

 

There are some who may scoff - and this writer has received mails from

certain quarters on this count - at this or prefer to do the pranayama

practices under Yogic systems taught undoubtedly by respected, learned Yoga

teachers, but lets not mix oil with water. If you have a sacred thread,

apart from any other practices which you may be involved in, Sandhya is a

must. Other practices, even though they may include Pranayama devoid of

neglect of basic duties (dictated by Dharma) may not be helpful in the

long run.

 

Om tat Sat

Tat tvam asi

=============================

Friday, September 19, 2003

 

Pranayama scores over a jog

Improves cardio-vascular efficiency: Study