Pranayama helps in recovery and restoration of good health.
This is a complete one-of-its-kind book on the widely known yet little understood science and practice of yogic pranayama. Written specially for the uninitiated, the book traces the origin of pranayama, clarifies some of the common misconceptions, discusses the significance of practice of pranayama in maintaining good health and, most important, explains in detail the practice of pranayama — its different components and varieties, the various asanas, bandhas, kriyas and mudras.
The focus of the book is practical, with each asana illustrated and each photograph accompanied with explanatory text.
There is a separate section of how pranayaina helps in recovery and restoration of good health and how the practice of different and specific asanas can speed up recovery from common ailments, aches, pains, postural defects, diabetes, obesity, stomach problems, piles, asthma, arthritis, gout, etc.
1 | What is Pranayama | 9 |
Pranayama is control of breath | 11 | |
How did pranayama originate | 13 | |
Why do we breathe at all | 14 | |
Why should we control the breath | 16 | |
What can pranayama do | 18 | |
2 | Misconceptions About Pranayama Removed | 20 |
Pranayama is not for the householder | 20 | |
Pranayama is dangerous | 22 | |
Pranayama should begin only after mastering | 22 | |
Yama, niyama, and asana | 23 | |
Pranayama should be practised only after initiation | 24 | |
Pranayama gives unusual powers | 25 | |
Pranayama nullifies the effect of heat or cold | 26 | |
Pranayarna gives the capacity to hold the breath infinitel | 27 | |
Pranayama prolongs life | 28 | |
Beliefs regarding relation of pranayama with food | 28 | |
3 | Before Making A Beginning | 30 |
Proper arrangements for training | 30 | |
Fitness of the student | 32 | |
Age for starting pranayam | 34 | |
For Both the Sexes | 34 | |
Selection of the place | 35 | |
What to wear | 36 | |
Time of practice | 36 | |
Diet and food habits | 37 | |
Combination of pranayama with other activities | 40 | |
Regularity of practice | 40 | |
Measurement of time | 41 | |
A clear nasal passage | 42 | |
Preparing the seat | 44 | |
Postures suitable for pranayama | 44 | |
Sukhasana | 45 | |
Vajrasana. | 46 | |
Swastikasana | 46 | |
Siddliasana | 47 | |
Padmasana | 48 | |
4 | How To Practise Pranayama Three components of pranayama | 52 |
Yukta pranayama | 56 | |
Breathing through one nostril | 58 | |
Making a beginning | 60 | |
Introduction of kumbhaka (retention) | 68 | |
Application of Bandhas (holds) | 72 | |
Jivha Bandha | 74 | |
Jalandhara Bandha | 74 | |
Uddiyana Bandha | 74 | |
Mula Bandha | 76 | |
Three grades of kumbhaka | 78 | |
Incessant abdominal breathing | 81 | |
Holding the breath out | 84 | |
5 | Varieties of Pranayama Anuloma-viloma | 86 |
Ujjayi | 89 | |
Suryabhedana | 89 | |
Bhastrika | 90 | |
Shitali | 91 | |
Sitkari | 91 | |
Bhramari | 92 | |
Moorcha | 94 | |
Plavini | 95 | |
6 | Pranayama A Key To Good Health | 98 |
Importance of good health | 98 | |
What constitutes health | 99 | |
Mechanism of breathing | 101 | |
Exchange of gases in the lungs | 102 | |
Nervous control of respiration | 104 | |
Breathing under abnormal conditions | 105 | |
Effects of pranayamic breathing | 107 | |
Erect sitting posture | 108 | |
Relaxation of the body and mind | 109 | |
Filling and emptying of the lungs | 111 | |
Influence on ventilatory rate | 111 | |
Pressure changes in the thoracic and abdominal cavities | 112 | |
Exercise of the muscles of respiration | 113 | |
Activation of hitherto silent areas of the brain | 114 | |
Pranayama: a key to good health | 117 | |
Digestion | 117 | |
Circulation of blood | 118 | |
Respiration | 119 | |
Secretion | 119 | |
Excretion | 120 | |
Reproduction | 121 | |
7 | Co-ordination of various functions | 121 |
Pranayama For The Cure of Disorders Cause of ill health | 124 | |
Environmental conditions | 125 | |
Heredity | 125 | |
Moderation of behaviour | 126 | |
Faulty Diet | 127 | |
Work and Rest | 127 | |
Cleanliness and Hygien | 127 | |
Pollution | 128 | |
Lack of exercise | 128 | |
Stress | 134 |
Pranayama helps in recovery and restoration of good health.
This is a complete one-of-its-kind book on the widely known yet little understood science and practice of yogic pranayama. Written specially for the uninitiated, the book traces the origin of pranayama, clarifies some of the common misconceptions, discusses the significance of practice of pranayama in maintaining good health and, most important, explains in detail the practice of pranayama — its different components and varieties, the various asanas, bandhas, kriyas and mudras.
The focus of the book is practical, with each asana illustrated and each photograph accompanied with explanatory text.
There is a separate section of how pranayaina helps in recovery and restoration of good health and how the practice of different and specific asanas can speed up recovery from common ailments, aches, pains, postural defects, diabetes, obesity, stomach problems, piles, asthma, arthritis, gout, etc.
1 | What is Pranayama | 9 |
Pranayama is control of breath | 11 | |
How did pranayama originate | 13 | |
Why do we breathe at all | 14 | |
Why should we control the breath | 16 | |
What can pranayama do | 18 | |
2 | Misconceptions About Pranayama Removed | 20 |
Pranayama is not for the householder | 20 | |
Pranayama is dangerous | 22 | |
Pranayama should begin only after mastering | 22 | |
Yama, niyama, and asana | 23 | |
Pranayama should be practised only after initiation | 24 | |
Pranayama gives unusual powers | 25 | |
Pranayama nullifies the effect of heat or cold | 26 | |
Pranayarna gives the capacity to hold the breath infinitel | 27 | |
Pranayama prolongs life | 28 | |
Beliefs regarding relation of pranayama with food | 28 | |
3 | Before Making A Beginning | 30 |
Proper arrangements for training | 30 | |
Fitness of the student | 32 | |
Age for starting pranayam | 34 | |
For Both the Sexes | 34 | |
Selection of the place | 35 | |
What to wear | 36 | |
Time of practice | 36 | |
Diet and food habits | 37 | |
Combination of pranayama with other activities | 40 | |
Regularity of practice | 40 | |
Measurement of time | 41 | |
A clear nasal passage | 42 | |
Preparing the seat | 44 | |
Postures suitable for pranayama | 44 | |
Sukhasana | 45 | |
Vajrasana. | 46 | |
Swastikasana | 46 | |
Siddliasana | 47 | |
Padmasana | 48 | |
4 | How To Practise Pranayama Three components of pranayama | 52 |
Yukta pranayama | 56 | |
Breathing through one nostril | 58 | |
Making a beginning | 60 | |
Introduction of kumbhaka (retention) | 68 | |
Application of Bandhas (holds) | 72 | |
Jivha Bandha | 74 | |
Jalandhara Bandha | 74 | |
Uddiyana Bandha | 74 | |
Mula Bandha | 76 | |
Three grades of kumbhaka | 78 | |
Incessant abdominal breathing | 81 | |
Holding the breath out | 84 | |
5 | Varieties of Pranayama Anuloma-viloma | 86 |
Ujjayi | 89 | |
Suryabhedana | 89 | |
Bhastrika | 90 | |
Shitali | 91 | |
Sitkari | 91 | |
Bhramari | 92 | |
Moorcha | 94 | |
Plavini | 95 | |
6 | Pranayama A Key To Good Health | 98 |
Importance of good health | 98 | |
What constitutes health | 99 | |
Mechanism of breathing | 101 | |
Exchange of gases in the lungs | 102 | |
Nervous control of respiration | 104 | |
Breathing under abnormal conditions | 105 | |
Effects of pranayamic breathing | 107 | |
Erect sitting posture | 108 | |
Relaxation of the body and mind | 109 | |
Filling and emptying of the lungs | 111 | |
Influence on ventilatory rate | 111 | |
Pressure changes in the thoracic and abdominal cavities | 112 | |
Exercise of the muscles of respiration | 113 | |
Activation of hitherto silent areas of the brain | 114 | |
Pranayama: a key to good health | 117 | |
Digestion | 117 | |
Circulation of blood | 118 | |
Respiration | 119 | |
Secretion | 119 | |
Excretion | 120 | |
Reproduction | 121 | |
7 | Co-ordination of various functions | 121 |
Pranayama For The Cure of Disorders Cause of ill health | 124 | |
Environmental conditions | 125 | |
Heredity | 125 | |
Moderation of behaviour | 126 | |
Faulty Diet | 127 | |
Work and Rest | 127 | |
Cleanliness and Hygien | 127 | |
Pollution | 128 | |
Lack of exercise | 128 | |
Stress | 134 |