A
gentle push towards health: Yoga.
Context:
Having
seen a stack of daily thick and thin health problems in my family, i am taking
a prevention measure and watching the progress of my inside, i found it useful enough to be shared.
So this
is what my context here is about, it is a daily morning health session in
my 8x4 feet balcony from 10 to 11 am
that keeps us physically as well as morally fit.
Now you
can also benefit by just stumbling upon
my page, i am sharing the useful information right here.
Have
you ever thought just may be......, pain can be a friend??
It was
6 in the eve all the people around me were shouting basket basket, i had the
ball in my claws and dribbling it through all opponents when i reached near the
basket and bent my legs to jump for putting the ball to win the game, i felt a
pain in my back resulting into a lower jump and finally a lost basket ball
match.
Btw
this does not mean i was the hero of game other times and used to always score
a basket however i had a chance that day.
Well,
my concern here is about that pain in my back cause it kept on repeating every
time i bent myself for what so ever reason.Annoyed, i decided to tell my family
about the pain and when i started to grumble about it , Chill !! you are
lucky.... said my dad.
when i asked the reason, i was told this:
when i asked the reason, i was told this:
Pain
can be considered as friend many a times.
Look its simple, pain is usually the indication that something inside our body is Mal-functioning.What if our body stops transmitting these kind of indications to us, perhaps we wont be able to realize that there is some kind of problem inside and it may continue to grow.As a result we may not take required steps or may not consult the doctor and eventually end up with a large complication.
Look its simple, pain is usually the indication that something inside our body is Mal-functioning.What if our body stops transmitting these kind of indications to us, perhaps we wont be able to realize that there is some kind of problem inside and it may continue to grow.As a result we may not take required steps or may not consult the doctor and eventually end up with a large complication.
So
always consider the pain as an intimation that it is time to take necessary
steps towards healing the trouble. If at all
the pain is repeating one never avoid it ,find out the reason get the
right treatment.
However,
it does not mean that we should wait for any such kind of signals from our body
to build better health. As we've always
known prevention is a better opt.
"So,
you are lucky you have turned up at right time. You still have time to take
necessary steps to heal the problem and avoid any upcoming." and a patt on
my back .
Great !
i said , so wats the solution?
d:tomorrow
10 to 11am be with me.
tennn!
i cant wake so early dad you know this.(thanking dad in my mind cuz i thought
its far better than dad's waking time)
d:cool
so keep loosing those matches.
awwkkk
i will wake up dad.
Next
day at 9.15am i opened my eyes on alarm,watching my dad giving me a look. So
obviously ,somehow 10am i was fresh and ready.
Dad
took me to our 8x4 feet balcony which is always kept clean and vacant. I
started looking outside the grill ,birds were still chirping and being a winter
morning the sun was also mild on my face. I felt comfortable ,slowly started
feeling drowsy again, immediately dad
said "Sit down on that mat".
I sat
on the mat and dad followed me. Now next were the words dad uttered that made me progress my health.
Dad said:
Solution or even prevention from small and big
health problems is Yoga and proper diet.
Yoga ?
i asked in surprise and said ,dad i am just 22 and not even married ..
d: it
does not matter if you are 12 or 72 ,you go to gym to lift weights or not,you
are hefty or skinny..
Yoga is for every one who really cares for health.It's
just a mistake that few of us realise its importance late or some of us dont.
Yoga
nourishes mind,body and soul. If you are regular in yoga and have a proper diet,you can call yourself safe
from a lot of diseases.
!! It
really touched me, it was the first time i guess that i not wanted to make
my health only for basket ball match or anything such but for my own will.
i : Alright then dad where is the 3-pointer, i mean which is the place i need
to start with yoga for best.
d:
right here!
Below
is what i found useful to share on yoga and general health:
Before
reading ahead i would suggest people who are indeed keen to improve and
maintain their health or want to be aware of science of health i.e yoga, to
continue.
Others
can always come back and read furhter when they get interested in learning
about yoga.
1.Glimpse
on history and introduction of yoga:
Also called yog, this beautiful body beneficial science is in existence almost since Hindu culture began.Yog has its description also mentioned in Indian holy books like Vedas and Geeta.
Among
its important practices are aasans and pranayama, aasans are the positions and
pranayama specifies different ways of inhaling and exhaling air(breath).
Yoga is
said to nourish all important elements of human, namely: Mind,Body and Soul .
Also
yog when practised with dedication and devotion is said to give Moksha.
2. Instructions
you may find helpful before, while and after yoga:
-Practise
yoga on empty stomach,or keep a good gap of 2 hours after meal and milk.
-Prefer
practising after bath.
-Prefer
wearing loose clothes.
- Do
use a woolen cloth or a bedsheet on the floor , do not be in direct contact
with the floor.
-Have a
glass of water after yoga.
-Keep
eyes closed while practising to improve concentration.
-Breathing:While
bending forward exhale and while bending back inhale.
-Pregnant
ladies and elderly people/people with high blood pressure prefer light aasans and pranayama.
-Choose
a quiet and cool place , relax yourself,take a deep breath, close your eyes and
imagine all parts of your body to be relaxing from head to toe then start.
General:
Have a
diet that contains fresh fruits.
Eat
considering the weather and eat moderate.
Spend
10 to 15 minutes in sheer peace daily.
3.
Aasans for common problems:
+ for back pain: Markta-asan / Makarta-asan.
+ for fat reduction: Dwichakrika-asan.
+ for stress busting: Makara-asan.
+ for tiredness: Bala-asan.
+ for diabetes: Suryanamaskar.
+ for back pain: Markta-asan / Makarta-asan.
+ for fat reduction: Dwichakrika-asan.
+ for stress busting: Makara-asan.
+ for tiredness: Bala-asan.
+ for diabetes: Suryanamaskar.
Markta asan |
Benefits:
Beneficial
for back ache and stomach ache.
Method:
Step1:
Lie straight on the ground,open your arms on the ground to match the level of
your shoulders.
Step2:
Fold your legs from knees as much you can.
Step3:
Bend your knees towards left so that it touches the ground and turn your face
towards right.
Step4:
Bend your knees towards right so that it touches the ground and turn your face
towards left.
Benefits:
Benefits:
Reduces
fats and helps better functioning of kidney.
Method:
Step1:
Lie straight on the ground with arms lieing straight heading towards the feet
and your palms touching the ground.
Step2:
Hold your breath,lift your leg completly and move it in a manner similar to
paddling cycle.
Step3:
Now lift the other leg and repeat.
Step4:
Paddle 10 to 15 times.
Step5:
Repeat above in the opposite direction of direction you chose earlier to paddle
,10 to 15 times.
Benefits:
Beneficial
for stress busting and mind relaxing.
Method:
Step1:Lie
down with your stomach facing the ground
Step2:Stretch
your legs about 1 feet away from each other.
Step3:Hold
the right arm with left hand and vice versa, now keep these folded hands below
your forehead.
Step4:Rest
your forehead on your hands , leave your body loose and let the mind rest.
Step5:
Keep in this position for 5 minutes.
Benefits:
Removes
tiredness of body and gives fresh feeling.
Method:
Step1:Lie
down with your stomach facing the ground
Step2:Keep
your left hand beneath your head on the ground such that palm of left hand will
be below the palm of right hand.
Step3:Move
your neck(face) towards right and rest your head on your hands.
Step4:Bend
your right leg a bit from the knee , making a position in which a child sleeps.
Step5:
Keep in this position for 5 minutes
Benefits:
Beneficial
for diabeties and complete body strengthening.
Method:
Step1:Exhale
deeply
Step2:
Shove your butt up, put your arms straight
aligned with your head on the ground.
Step3:
Now, lower your body down so that forehead, chest and knee touch the ground and
butt tilted upwards.
Step4:
Inhale.
Step5:Move
the upper portion of your body so that the head raises up and back forms
concave arch.
Step6
:Repeat steps above 10 to 20 times.
* Suryanamaskar has 7 postures above is 1 of most important.
4. Pranayama practise:
Pranayama
means extending the prana or breath.
Pranayama is meant to release out impure air from our body and fill our inside
with vital and fresh air.
Another
important benefit of Pranayama is it improves concentration, so if practised
before meditation, it doubles the benefit.
Two important pranayamas among many, namely:
i.
Anulom vilom:
Benefits:
Helps
in Sinus problems and normal cold.
Method:
Step
1: Close your eyes.
Step
2. Close your right nostril with your
right thumb and inhale slowly through the left nostril. Fill up your lungs to
the maximum.
Step
3: Hold your breath.
Step
4: Now close left nostril with middle
and ring finger and exhale through the right nostril very slowly.
Step
5. Now Inhale through the right nostril and exhale through
left nostril.
Repeat
this 7 to 8 times.
ii.
Kapal Bhati:
Benefits:
Helps
in blood purification and better oxygen supply in body.
Method:
Step1:Sit
in crossed leg position with your back straight.
Step2:Rest
your hands on your knees
Step 3:
Inhale deeply through both nostril, expanding abdomen and exhale such that it
contracts abdominal muscles.
how to
exhale here exactly:Pull the abdomen in by quickly contracting the abdominal muscles
and exhale through the nose.
Step 4:
Inhale again calmly.
Repeat
15 to 20 times.
All
above really help, you cant experience the benefits unless you indeed practise,
so just give a shot and also kindly spread the word.
If you
guys are keen for the rest of the details like different aasans and pranayama
of yoga that cover problems other than covered here, just lemme know of it and
i shall be helpful.
Note :
Kindly practise if you feel comfortable while performing, else take help.
Well,
hopefully i was able to inculcate the importance of yoga to ahleast few of us.
Smile :)
* Thanks to the book ‘Yog sadhna’ of swami
ramdev for information about yoga.
* Images
are hand drawn, reference from same book, thanks to diksha singh.