Pranayam

PRANAYAMA - To Improve Memory Power

Regular practice of pranayama along with asana is helpful for all round development and improvement of the memory power.

Bhastrika, Kapalbhati and Brahmari Pranayama are the best for this. They improve the memory power and cure forgetfulness. Please note that the descriptions below are summaries. Please look up the articles on the specific pranayama for detailed instructions.

KAPALBHATI PRANAYAMA
This pranayama supplies pure life energy to the brain. It increases the blood circulation in the brain and removes blood clots thereby improving the memory power. Other than this, the toxic and foreign substances from the body are evacuated. It cures cold catarrh, sinusitis, allergy, tension and other diseases. It is very useful in cases of phlegm, skin disease, asthma, heart disease, high and low blood pressure, depression, tiredness, laziness, sleeplessness, migraine, joint pain, etc. Obesity, diabetes, constipation, indigestion, gastric problem, disinterest and other disease are cured and it gives vitality. As a result the whole body becomes healthy and disease free.

Method & Video:
Be seated in a comfortable posture. Padmasana (crossed leg) and Vajrasana are the ideal yoga postures to practice pranayama. Place your hands on your knees. Feel relaxed. Focus on your breathing pattern.

Take a deep breath in and then release the breath out. Now inhale slowly and exhale with a great force. Your abdominal muscles should get expanded when you inhale and get contracted when you exhale.

The exhalations should be forceful. This exercise is similar to that of blowing your nose. The process of inhalation and exhalation should be constant. Make sure that while exhaling, you are throwing the air out from the lungs with full force.

Do not take much effort while inhaling the air. Complete the procedure of Kapalbhati pranayama by deep inhalation and exhalation.

You have successfully completed one round of Kapalbhati pranayama. A learner can do 3 rounds of Kapalbhati pranayama by doing 15 exhalations in each round. Take small breaks between each round. You can increase the number of exhalations and rounds of pranayama as per your convenience.

BHASTRIKA PRANAYAM
Health improves when the brain gets pure life energy. The prana and mind become stable, nervous weakness is cured and memory power improves. It cures the tridosha (vata, pitta, kapha) and problems arising from brain. This cures forgetfulness. It improves appetite. It is beneficial in case of low blood pressure, depression, sleeplessness, knee pain, cold catarrh, headache, diabetes, obesity, loss of appetite and asthma.

It cures thyroid and tonsils and other throat related diseases. It strengthens the heart and lungs. It is helpful in case of arousal of kundalini and prana.

Method & Video:
Sit in Padmasana. Inhale with full strength and exhale from both the nostrils as strongly as you can. Repeat inhaling and exhaling. Rest when you are tired or exhale completely after practicing this for 30-40 times.

Now place the hand near the nose and close the left nostril. Breathe from right nostril. Breathe in as much as you can, put Jalandhar Bandh followed by Moolbandh. Stop the breathe for some time. Remove the bandh and exhale from left nostril. This is one cycle of Bhastrika Pranayam. Repeat two to three times.

Caution:
Do not shake the body while inhaling and exhaling. Do not practice it in case of high blood pressure, piles, acidity of perspiration due to heat.

BRAHMARI PRANAYAMA

It cures brain generated problems, tension, worries, anger, sleeplessness, depression and other problems and improves the memory power. It cures anxiety and is useful in case of restlessness, high blood pressure, heart disease etc.

It cures diabetes, obesity, asthma, nervous weakness, and improve the memory power.

It is beneficial in case of gynecological diseases. It cures vata, pitta, kapha and other problems. It is also beneficial in case of headache, cold catarrh, etc.

Method & Video:
Sit in Padmasana and exhale from the nostrils slowly. Then inhale slowly. Inhale as much as you can and while exhaling produce a nasal sound. As if you are trying to produce the ma sound while chanting Om or like the honeybee whirling around the flowers. Produce this sound and exhale. Try to make this sound as sweet as possible. Close the ears with the thumbs in order to block the external noises and keep the fingers on the forehead. Inhale and exhale and produce the sound. Repeat this exercise for five minutes.

Caution:
Do not shake the body while inhaling and exhaling. Do not practice it in case of high blood pressure, piles, acidity or perspiration due to heat.