Pranayama may heal and prevent illnesses, according to numerous ancient scriptures and contemporary experts such as Swami Sivananda, by restoring the equilibrium of the three humours, vata, pitta, and kapha.
Disease is produced by an imbalance of the doshas, according to Ayurveda.
- Surya Bhedana pranayama reduces vata and kapha doshas,
- Ujjayi pranayama reduces kapha,
- Shitali, Sitkari, and Chandra Bhedana pranayamas decrease pitta dosha,
- And Bhastrika pranayama reduces all three doshas at the same time.
According to the Hatha Tatva Kaumudi, diseases caused by aggravated pitta can be cured in three months by practicing Chandra Bhedana (inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right nostril), while diseases caused by aggravated vata or kapha can be cured in the same time by practicing Surya Bhedana (inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right nostril) (inhaling through the right and exhaling through the left nostril).
According to Swami Niranjanananda, pranayama may also be utilized to harmonize the brainwaves.
Yoga also claims that pranayama extends one's life.
- Every being, according to yoga, has a predetermined amount of breaths.
- They are spread across a longer time period by slowing down the breath; therefore, the total life expectancy rises.
Swami Niranjanananda claims that lowering one's regular breathing rate from 15 to 16 breaths per minute to 10 would increase one's lifetime to 100 years.
- By focusing prana in the problematic regions, pranayama may help to relieve chronic illnesses.
- The breath is held for this reason so that prana may be absorbed.
According to the medieval Hatha book Yuktabhavadeva, prana must be focused at the site of the illness in order to alleviate it.
- In practice, the yogi mentally focuses on a specific region during kumbhaka, and prana follows the mind to the necessary location.
- To improve the method's effectiveness, the kumbhaka duration is increased as the rate of prana absorption rises.
- The duration of kumbhaka, on the other hand, is restricted by the heart's oxygen requirements.
- As a result, skilled yogis slow down the heart to the point where oxygen consumption is reduced.
- This may give the appearance that the yogi's heart has stopped beating and that he or she is dead.
A team of medical experts, for example, observed and verified T. Krishnamacharya's ability to stop his heartbeat. Others admired Krishnamacharya's talent, but no one willing to put in the necessary three hours of Nadi Shodhana pranayama practice each day, coupled with an entirely milk diet, over decades.
You may also want to read more about Pranayama and Holistic Healing here.
