What pranayama does to you?
- It helps one to have a good appetite.
- It gives good strength, courage and cheerfulness.
- High standard of health, vigor and vitality can be achieved.
- Concentration and enthusiasm are enhanced.
- It delivers us from all diseases.
Pranayama involves exhalation or rechaka pranayama, inhalation or puraka pranayama and retention of breath or kumbakha pranayama.
It is a powerful tool to combat stress. Our mental states, feelings and bodily sensations affect the pattern of breathing. Positive thoughts cause regular breathing and negative thoughts cause uneven breathing. Correspondingly, in this stress filled lifestyle, it becomes imperative to practice yoga, correctly.
Swami Svatmarama says, "By the faulty practice of pranayama the aspirant invites all kinds of ailments". The aspirant should study the capacity of his lungs before embarking on the practice of pranayama. If he indulges in the wrong practice of pranayama, it will sap him of his energy. A wrong course of breath or over -enthusiasm could result in coughs, asthma, headaches, eye and ear pain.
