PRANAYAAM

I have brought to you a package of seven simple breathing exercises, These are enough to tackle all diseases". "The healthy can practise for two hours daily while the sick will have to put in more efforts". He urged the people to be moderate in their attempts and not over exert. He asked them to reduce medication as their health improved and not to stop medications all of a sudden. He also prescribed some simple stretching exercises to exercise the whole body.

"Do not go in for medication," was his constant refrain. "Whether it is allopathy, ayurveda or homeopathy, medicines should be the last resort if you wish for permanent relief. You cannot achieve good health without some physical effort on your part. Even those taking medicines should continue with the exercises. We are all being constantly bombarded with pollutants; without detoxification by way of deep breathing you cannot stay healthy".

"It is breath that keeps you alive. Nobody has died while breathing. Life and death is in God's hands but let us not hasten our end by neglecting the breath. The breathing exercises provide oxygen to the cells, rejuvenate them, and takes away toxic waste. It regulates, digestion, assimilation and elimination. My brothers, take deep breaths, follow my advice of healthy food, high thoughts and a simple life to be happy and lead a productive, patriotic, altruistic life. Poverty is not the absence of wealth, it is the absence of humane qualities, lack of manly abilities, and the absence of the desire to serve humanity."

"These breathing exercises will clean you at all levels. Disease will fall off and also your bad habits and passions. Good thoughts will replace your destructive tendencies. Patriotism and social skills will improve. Your ability to work hard will improve. All sloth will go, your body and minds will feel light, you will be filled with energy and become model citizen. But my brothers you have to practise what I tell you. It will not do if you just sing my paens and crowd around me for blessings. Baba Ramdev does not cure anyone, pranayam does. I am not here to preach, my yoga is not oratorial, it is practical. Do the yoga and feel the benefits."

What are these seven breathing exercises? They are;

1. Bhastrika : Take deep breath and release. Do it effortlessly, fill up your lungs and force

                     the entire breath out. Do it with a rhythm. Imagine that all the energy of the

                     Cosmos is entering into you. Feel that all your poisons are being expelled. Do

                     it for 5 minutes if you are relatively healthy. Repeat for another five minutes

                     if you are ailing, but gradually as you get accustomed. Bhastrika is very

                     important for all kinds of skin problems, however serious and however

                     strange. Not only leucoderma but also people suffering discoloration due

                     to burns have benefitted from sincerely practising this pranayama everyday.

2. Kapalbhati: Take in air into your stomach and push it out with a jerk. Only your stomach

                     should move and not your body. Your outbreath should cause the adams

                     apple to move as it pushes through the throat. Normally one should do this

                     for fifteen minutes, five minutes each three times. People with cancers and

                     other chronic diseases should do this twice a day totalling 30 minutes.

                     Swamiji places a great importance on this pranayam which he says will

                     help diabetes, regenerate insulin producing beta cells and also help the

                     organs in the stomach, the lungs and the heart. It will open blocked arteries

                     in the heart.

3. Bahya Pranayam: Take a deep breath and release. Completely push the stomach in

                      as you force the breath out and hold. Move you head downwards till

                      the chin is fully in touch with the upper portion of the torso. Hold this

                      position for 15 seconds and then move the head up as you breathe in. This

                      is to be repeated five to 11 times.

4. Agnisar:     Take a deep breath, pull the stomach in as you breathe out. Now hold the

                     breathe as you move the stomach in and out in a rhythmic fashion for 15

                     seconds. Then breathe in again. Repeat this three to five times. This helps

                     a lot with the digestive and eliminative process.

5. Anulom Vilom: Another very important pranayam. Sit straight, close the right nostril with

                     your thumb. Place the forefinger on the forehead, then breathe in deeply

                     with the left nostril. Now close the left nostril with the third and fourth fingers

                     joined together and breathe out through the right nostril. Take a deep breath

                     again through the right nostril, close it with the thumb, release the left nostril

                     and breathe out. This is one cycle. Repeat this cycle continuously for five

                     minutes. In total do it for fifteen minutes five minutes at a time three times.

                     This pranayam recharges the entire body, opens all closed apperatures,

                     sets right the entire flow of energy within the body and activates the chakras.

6. Bhramari:   Close the ears with your thumbs, with the second third and fourth fingers

                     close the eyes, rest the first finger on the forehead, keep the mouth closed.

                     Now take a deep breath. Release the breath through the nose while making

                     a loud humming noise with the throat. The noise should reverbate through the

                     entire body. Repeat the exercise five to 11 times. You will quite enjoy this

                     pranayam which will relax you and activate all the glands of the head.

7. Udgeeth:    This is also a very enjoyable pranayam. Take a deep breath and release the

                     breath through the mouth making the sound "Om". Repeat this five to 11

                     times. This puts you in touch with the divine element within you.

"Finish the pranayam exercises with a short contemplative meditation. Thank your Guru and God. Request the divine for a healthy, productive life. Then raise your hands, rub the palms to generate some heat and then place your palms on the face as slightly massage your face. This is the package of the seven pranayams."