YOGA AS A RASAYANA

By : Dr.Sushanta Meher, B.A.M.S.(Hons.)(U.U.)
Guides: Dr.R.K.Acharya, M.D.(Ay.)(B.H.U.),PhD (B.H.U.)
: Dr. B.S.Swain, M.D.(Ay.)(Kerala)

(Presented at National Seminar, Bhilai, CHHATISHGARH in 2007)


INTRODUCTION

The word “Yoga” is derived from “Yujir Yoge” , literally means "union" or "to join together" in Sanskrit. It has the same root that gives rise to the English word "yoke," as in "to yoke together," and refers to the union of body, mind and soul.

There is a very famous concept in Yoga philosophy. According to it a person's age is determined by the flexibility of his spine, not the number of years he has lived.

DESCRIPTION

However, Yoga can be described as-
(1) Yoga has been described as "the union of mind, body, and spirit," which addresses physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions toward an overall harmonious state of being.

(2) Yoga is defined as a "simplification of consciousness" that decreases the extraneous matter that causes pain and suffering and leaves clarity about the true nature of reality.
(3) It has been hypothesized that yoga may benefit health through mind-body interactions. In yoga, poses are held for varying lengths of time using gravity, leverage and tension.

(4) Yoga is not mind over body. This is the harmony between them. Mind is used to dignose/perceive & guide the body.

As a whole it can be said that, the interaction of body and mind is the central concern of the entire science. It is believed that as the body and mind are brought into balance and health, the individual will be able to perceive his true nature; this will allow life to be lived through him more freely and spontaneously.

TYPES OF YOGA

Though Hathayoga and Rajayoga are described in different texts, the Astanga Yoga of Patanjali is regarded as the frontliner of yoga and have eight branches, which are-

1. Yama - Ethical Practices

2. Niyama - Ethical Practices

3. Aasana - Physical practices Sensorial Practices

4. Pranayama - Physical practices Sensorial Practices

5. Pratyahara - Sensorial Practices

6. Dharana - Meditative Practices

7. Dhyana - Meditative Practices

8. Samadhi - Meditative Practices


Ethical Practices-
YAMA-Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya & Aparigraha
NIYAMA-Soucha, Santosha, Tapa, Swadhyaya & Ishwarapranidhana.

ACTION OF YOGA

Practically, Yoga focuses on 3 major points –
1. Postures (gentle stretching exercises),
2. Breathing exercises
3. Meditation.

(1) Postures :
 Many of the asanas have animal names, such as the fish posture and the cobra posture. This is because yogis devised their asanas partly by observing how animal instincts work in the wild. When animals are sick they would only eat certain herbs and grasses. Similarly, they would stretch and contract muscles in various postures instinctively. Yogis also observed how animals relaxed.

 Asanas are also based on a sound knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. Yogis knew that placing the body in certain positions would stimulate specific nerves, organs and glands. For example, the shoulder-stand posture causes the blood to be directed by gravity to the thyroid gland, and the tucking in of the chin causes a gently squeezing action on the gland.

 Yoga balances all three doshas, and different poses have different effects. Forward bending postures cool Pitta dosha.
Twists are good for Kapha because they stimulate digestion.
Backward bends are heating, and thus balancing to Vata types, as long as the person has the strength to do them. Yoga postures tone every area of the body, and cleanse the internal organs of toxins.

 The position of the asana causes an increase in blood circulation to the specific target organ or gland.

 The position of the asana often produces a slight squeezing of the organ or gland.This has the effect of massaging the organ or gland and stimulating it.

 Yoga's effect on the spine is to increase its flexibility. This ensures a good nerve supply to all parts of the body, since the nerves from the spine go to all the organs and glands.

 Asanas make nerves light, removes bodily diseases, exchange of electrons, flow of energy etc.

 Marmas are focal points of prana, and nadis are streams or channels of prana, both found within the subtle body. Marmas work like capacitors to boost the flow of prana. These energy amplification points are stimulated by certain asanas.

 Only at a particular angle of the dorsal spine performs normal functions such as the heart pumps efficiently in Urdhva Dhanurasana. This is logical as certain angles compress the heart.

 Stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands, the sluggish cells are rejuvenated, on which the growth, health and vital strength of a person depends, lymph fluid is relieved from the legs and ankles and with regular practice prevents the buildup of fluid in the legs and feet, soak brain fresh blood & prevent cerebral atropy as like in Sirsasana (inverted posture).


(2)Breathing Exercises :
 Yogic breathing techniques are a vocabulary for communicating between the higher cerebrocortical (mind) brain, and the lower limbic and hind-brain autonomic structures.

 Breathing through one nostril results in increased activity on the opposite side of the brain. Some experts suggest that the regular practice of breathing through one nostril may help improve communication between the right and left side of the brain. Studies have also shown that this increased brain activity is associated with better performance.

 The various diseases caused by disturbed homeostatic state of.autonomic nervous system like obesity, hypertension, hyperthyirodism, diabetes, gastric acidity etc. can be prevented by Nadishodhan Pranayama, Bhastrika Pranayama etc.

 Fast breathing in stressful situations tends to overspill the electric signals over vasomotor centre thus increasing B.P. Pranayama in turn regulate breathing and hence may reduce the signal overspill from respiratory center, thus reducing B.P.

 Huge storage of energy in the solar plexus.

 Improves brain function and eliminates toxin from the body.


(3) Meditation
 Meditation is associated with increased blood flow in the frontal lobes, which correlates with decreased activity in the posterior parietal lobes.

 Decreases in blood flow in the left superior parietal lobe and increases in the left prefrontal cortex suggest the two areas work together to create a sense of space.

 There was also an increase in blood flow to the sensorimotor cortex, Increased activity was also found in the thalamus and midbrain.

 During meditation, areas of the brain that control logic, reason, association and orientation are "knocked out," creating a dream-like stage similar to that of sleep. This is known as a "higher state of consciousness."

 The stress-related, hypothalamus-pituitary axis is linked to the hippocampus, which undergoes increased activation during meditation.

 During meditation, the EEG showed an increase in alpha wave amplitude and activity and in some of the Yogis there was a loss of the alpha blocking response to all external stimuli.

 There is also an decrease in oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide elimination, along with a reduction in both rate and volume of respiration.

 Blood lactate levels were also reduced after Meditation. This led to TM being called a “Wakeful Hypometabolic State”.

 Corrects metabolic disorders.

Health Benefits of Yoga :
This information can grouped into three categories –
(1) Physical effects.
(2) Psychological effects,
(3) Biochemical effects.


(1) Physical Effects
 Exercises all the glands, nerves , ligaments, muscles etc.
 Stable autonomic nervous system equilibrium, with a tendency toward parasympathetic nervous system dominance rather than the usual stress-induced sympathetic nervous system dominance.
 Prevents formation of dark neurons.
 Decreases Reaction Time ,an index of the processing ability of CNS & Simple means of determining sensory-motor pewrformance.
 Pulse rate decreases.
 Respiratory rate decreases.
 Decreases Basal Metabolic Rate.
 Increases serum LDH level,(a glycolytic enzymeutilized during exercises to provide energy.)
 Blood pressure decreases (of special significance for hyporeactors)
 Increases Haemoglobin count.
 Cardiovascular efficiency increases.
 Respiratory efficiency increases (respiratory amplitude and smoothness increase, tidal volume increases, Vital capacity,(a critical component for good health) increases, breath-holding time increases)
 Gastrointestinal function normalizes ,control acid reflux and dyspepsia.
 In samadhi,one is able to reduce vital functions voluntarily to a level of profound Hypometabolism, called caloric restriction, wich in turn retard ageing,delays the onset of many diseases, other neurodegenerative diseases & debiliting conditions.
 Balances the Nervous-Endocrine coordination.
 Excretory functions improve ,cleanses the internal organs of toxins.
 Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase.
 Posture improves
 Strength and resiliency increase
 Endurance increases
 Energy level increases by oxidation of fats and other mechanisms.
 Weight normalizes
 Sleep improves
 Immunity increases

(2) Psychological Effects
 Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
 Mood improves and subjective well-being increases
 Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase.
 Increases mental competence and feel younger.
 Social adjustment increases
 Anxiety and depression decrease
 Hostility decreases
 Psychomotor functions improve:
o Grip strength increases
o Dexterity and fine skills improve
o Eye-hand coordination improves
o Choice reaction time improves
o Steadiness improves
o Depth perception improves
o Balance improves,
o Integrated functioning of body parts improves
 Cognitive function improves:
o Attention improves
o Concentration improves
o Memory improves
o Learning efficiency improves.o Symbol coding improves
o Depth perception improves
o Flicker fusion frequency improves

(3) Biochemical Effects
The biochemical profile improves, indicating an antistress and antioxidant effect, important in the prevention of degenerative diseases.
 Glucose decreases
 Sodium decreases
 Total cholesterol decreases
 Triglycerides decrease
 HDL cholesterol increases
 LDL cholesterol decreases
 cholesterol decreases
 Blood lactate level increases.
 Cholinesterase increases
 Catecholamines decrease
 ATPase increases
 Hematocrit increases
 Hemoglobin increases
 Lymphocyte count increases
 Total white blood cell count decreases
 Thyroxin increases
 Vitamin C increases
 Total serum protein increases
 Oxytocin increases
 Prolactin increases
 Oxygen levels in the brain increase.

Conclusion:

Yoga is a great gift that has its origin in Indian Civilization. In One side it is a science to convert ordinary person into a divine personality and on the other hand it provides ways for salvation. It is a process of total health. Data those were collected by me are significant and very surprising. Now a days there are several physical and mental diseases emerging throughout the world. Yoga can be an accurate solution for all these diseases. The need is to research and convert the aspects of theoretical knowledge into practical aspect in this field. In the last I would like to conclude myself that we should return towards our own Indian tradition and utilize our treasure of knowledge along with the scientific methods of western knowledge. We should try to mix up both the concepts to find out solution of complicated and acute problems.

THANKS