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Diwali: Yogasanas To Beat The Ill Effects Of Pollution
Know about few of the best ways to fight the ill effects of pollution during diwali.
As pollution in the metros peak to hazardous levels, we are left to deal with its consequences on our health and mind. So what secrets does Yoga have to help us deal with the ordeal of increasing toxicity?
Not just physical health, pollution and traffic significantly decrease energy or the Prana, the subtle life force, in the body. Imagine coming home after driving for two long hours in heavy traffic, where you did not do much in terms of physical activity, yet you feel totally exhausted.
Not only on the physical level, pollution affects our mind as well. It reduces the efficiency, clarity and decision-making ability. Yoga restricts the effect of pollution where the physical aspect is concerned, at the same time keeping it healthy and more immune to the problems of pollution.
Gaurav Verma, Regional Director, Sri Sri Yoga helps us with some tips and tricks to manage the hazard with Yoga.
1)
Pranayamas
To
Help
You
Breathe
Through
It
There
are
different
kinds
of
pranayamas
or
breathing
exercises
that
increase
the
capacity
of
lungs,
make
them
function
to
their
fullness
and
flush
out
the
toxins
from
the
system.
Some pranayamas can be done in a particular climatic condition (hot climates) like the Sheetali or Sheetkari Pranayam. There are also pranayamas which can be done in any climatic conditions and any place at any time. Some of these are given below-
A) Ujjai Breath- Ujjai or victory breath, taught in The Art of Living programme, requires the practitioner to breathe by constricting the vocal chords.
B) Nadi Shodhan- It is also called the alternate nostrils breathing. Nadi translates to subtle energy channels and Shodhan is understood as clearing. This breathing exercise clears your subtle nerve channels, balances the movement of life force through them, leaving you feeling calm and energized.
- Sit comfortably, spine erect and shoulders relaxed. Place your left hand on the left knee, palms open to the sky.
- Take the index finger and middle finger of your right hand and place it in between your eyebrows
- The ring finger and little finger will be on the left nostril, and the thumb on the right nostril.
- Press the right thumb down on the right nostril and gently breathe out gently from the left nostril.
- Next, breathe in from the left nostril and then press down the left nostril gently with the ring finger and little finger. Remove the right thumb and breathe out from the right.
- Again, breathe in from the right and breathe out from the left nostril. These steps make one round of alternate nostril breathing. Repeat the cycle for at least nine times. Keep your eyes closed all the time.
C) Bhastrika- Bhastrika or bellow breathing is a powerful breathing exercise that involves breathing out forcefully. This pranayama stimulates the tips of Naadis or nerve centres in the body and maintains the flow of blood circulation.
D) Kapaal Bhaati- This is a rapid breathing technique from the level of the stomach. This Pranayam uplifts the energy from Manipura Chakra or the naval centre to Agya Chakra which lies between the eyebrows. Literal meaning of Kapaal Bhaati is bringing the radiance to the forehead.
It prevents one to be affected by the pollution. With the help of pranayams, the lungs start working to their full capacity, and one can save oneself from various diseases like asthma, blood pressure, as well as restlessness and mental agitation.
•
Keep
your
spine
erect
and
sit
comfortably
in
Sukhasana
or
easy
pose.
•
Place
your
palms
on
the
knees,
facing
the
ceiling.
•
Take
a
deep
long
breath
in
and
•
Exhale,
while
pulling
in
your
stomach.
In
this
step,
pull
your
navel
all
the
way
back
towards
your
spine.
The
exhalation
should
be
forceful
and
voluntary.
•
You
can
place
your
right
hand
on
your
abdomen
to
feel
the
contract.
•
After
the
forceful
exhalation,
the
inhalation
is
automatic.
When
you
relax
the
navel,
the
body
breathes
in
automatically.
You
do
not
make
an
effort
while
breathing
in.
•
Once
you
breathe
in,
exhale
and
again
pull
your
navel
in
as
much
as
you
can.
•
Each
round
consists
of
20
such
breaths.
Practice
3
such
rounds.
•
While
doing
the
practice,
keep
your
attention
on
the
abdomen
region.
2)
Building
Immunity
To
Pollution
People
differ
in
their
capacity
to
deal
with
pollution
on
the
physical
and
mental
level.
There
are
ways
we
can
increase
this
capacity.
It
is
a
given
that
pollution
also
affects
the
immune
system.
You
can
retain
your
immunity
by
following
Ayurveda
and
a
healthy
diet.
There are various schools of yoga teaching different methods like Kriya Yoga (practices like Sudarshan Kriya), Dhyana Yoga (meditation) and Hatha Yoga (perfected and steady physical postures) to be healthy and to save oneself from the increasing day to day pollution in the surrounding. They build immunity against pollution-related ailments over time.
3)
Subtle
With
Sukshma
Yoga
There
are
those
days
when
you
want
to
pull
your
hair
apart,
mince
and
tighten
your
fist?
Well,
tighten
your
fist
a
little
more.
In
fact,
tighten
your
whole
body.
Breathe
out,
squeeze
your
stomach
in,
frown
and
purse
your
lips
together.
And
now,
let
go
with
a
'haa'
sound.
This
is
one
of
the
many
Sukshma
Yoga
(subtle
yoga)
techniques.
The differentiating quality of this Yoga for relaxation techniques is that they are simple, short and subtle. You can do it anytime and anywhere - sitting at home, at your workstation or while travelling in a car, bus or in an airplane.
Sukshma
Yoga
takes
no
time
or
preparation.
These
little
exercises
open
up
subtle
energy
channels
and
in
a
session
as
short
as
7
minutes,
you
can
feel
a
highly
palpable
difference.
Simple
Sukshma
Yoga
instructions-
a)
Pinch
your
eyebrows
5-6
times
using
your
thumb
and
the
index
figure.
Did
you
know
that
we
use
72
muscles
to
frown
and
only
half
the
muscles
to
smile?
b)
Roll
your
eyes
5-6
times
clockwise
and
then
anticlockwise.
c)
Squeeze
your
eyes
tight
and
then
open
them
wide.
Repeat
this
for
10-15
times.
d)
Pull
your
ears
for
10-15
seconds.
Hold
your
ears
and
move
them
clockwise
and
anti-clockwise
(as
if
riding
a
cycle)
till
your
ears
become
hot.
e)
Move
three
fingers
(first,
middle
and
ring
finger)
from
the
jaw
line
to
chin
and
massage
your
cheeks.
You
could
keep
your
mouth
open
as
you
do
this.
Did
you
find
knots
in
the
space
between
your
jaws?
This
is
a
place
where
stress
hides.
f)
Open
and
close
your
jaw
8-10
times.
Open
your
mouth
and
move
your
jaw
side-to-side
8-10
times.
g)
Rotate
your
neck.
Breathing
in
take
your
head
back
and
breathing
out
touch
your
chin
to
chest.
Rotate
your
head
in
clockwise
direction.
Breathe
in
as
you
go
up
(first
half
of
the
circle)
and
breathe
out
as
you
return
to
the
starting
position
(second
half
of
the
circle).
Repeat
this
5-6
times
in
clockwise
and
then
anti-clockwise
motion.
h)
Shake
your
hands
for
2
minutes.
If
you
are
wondering
with
what
intensity
you
need
to
shake,
watch
how
dogs
and
cats
shake
when
they
don't
want
water
to
stay
on
their
bodies.
They
just
shrug
it
all
off
and
move
on.
So
shake,
shake,
shake
your
hands
and
slowly
bring
them
to
a
halt
and
sit
still.
4)
Yoga
Brings
Responsibility
And
Education
It
could
be
that
you
may
desperately
want
to
change
the
situation
and
bring
more
public
awareness
about
planting
trees
and
pollution
control.
You
may
release
advisories
and
direct
messages
to
this
effect.
All
of
this
will
fail
if
people
are
not
ready
to
act.
What you cannot do by preaching, Yoga can do by kindling self-awareness among people. This is so because Yoga brings a sense of responsibility. When one is aware and calm, he is left with more mind space to think and solve problems of the community as well. Yoga automatically kindles a sense of service.
About The Author:
Gaurav Verma, regional director, Art of Living Yoga is a senior international Art of Living faculty, who has taught the advanced Art of Living workshops like the Happiness Program, Sri Sri Yoga (level 1 and 2), Advanced Silence retreats, Youth Leadership Training Program, Apex (Art of Living's flagship program for the corporates) in several countries like US, New Zealand and countries in Europe, and the Middle East.
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