Pancha kosha 8 - Basics of Yoga Therapy

PRANAMAYA AND MANOMAYA KOSA WELLBEING

This will be followed by practice of Pranayama and meditation.
Pranayama practices can be simple practices such as nadi shuddhi, vibhaga Pranayama or sectional breathing, ujjayi, bhramari and other nada anusandhana techniques. Depending upon one’s physical condition, one can practice the rigorous practices such as kapalabhati or bhastrika Pranayama. The idea is not to get caught up at the body or Prana levels but to soften Prana and to come out of it and move further towards an inner journey for meditation. This is the way Patanjali designed his practices of Astanga yoga where in he gives the steps of yama niyamas followed by asanas and as next step. He gives pranayama which will be followed by pratyahara which is necessary preperation for dharana dhyana samadhi, roughly translated as meditation. All these things can be practiced in sequence from gross to subtle. In the case of patients who have serious health problems, such as cancer, need to practice those things which are more of a meditative and imagery type where they can influence recovery by developing harmony from inside out. Subtle practices like Pranic techniques, mind imagery techniques, and breath observing techniques can help. Similarly, the practices should be suitable to the person who is practicing and they should not be taxing. It is not that the disease governs the practice but the condition of the individual who is practicing is what takes priority and determines the techniques that should be used and more important is the techniques to be avoided.

-to be continued...