Care for Asthma
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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. The severity and frequency vary from person to person and they may cause fatigue, re-duced activity, sleeplessness and work / school absen-teeism. It is believed to be caused by indoor allergens (dust mites, pet dander and pollution), outdoor aller-gens (pollen, molds), air pollution, chemical irritants and tobacco smoke. Other triggers may be extreme emo-tional arousal (fear, anger), cold air and urbanization. There is no cure for asthma but it can be managed to enable people to enjoy quality of life. With medical support known triggers and irritants can be avoided. Short- term medica-tion for inflammation and prevention is available as well as long-term for more severe cases. Asthma is a major health concern since it is present worldwide in all economic lev-els. Among the 235 million people who suffer with asthma, it is most common among children. The WHO is working to improve access to medication by lowering the cost and upgrading standards. Although asthma does not kill on the scale of many chronic diseases, failure to use treatment ap-propriately or discontinuing treatment can lead to death.
STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED
- SIDDHAASANA
- NAAGA KUMBHAKA
- TRINETRA KUMBHAKA
- TRISHOOLA KUMBHAKA
- KOORMA KUMBHAKA
- SAMA KUMBHAKA
1. SIDDHAASANA,
अथ सिद्धासनं
योनिस्यानकमङ्घ्रिमूल घटितं संपीड्य गुल्प़ेतरं
मेड्रोपर्यथ सन्निधाय चिबुकं कृत्वा हृदि स्थापितं ।
स्थाणुः संयमितेन्द्रियोऽचल दृशा पश्यन् ध्रुवोरन्तरम्
एतन्मोक्षकपाटभेदनकरं सिद्धासनं प्रोच्यते ॥
Yonisthaanamanghri moola gatitam sampeedya
gulphetaram
Medroparyatha sannidhaapya chibukam
kritvaa hrudi sthaapitam |
Sthaanuh samyamitendriyo'cala drushaa pashyan
bhruvorantaram
Etanmokshakapaata bhedanakaram siddhaasanam
procyate ||
TRANSLATION
The practitioner who has subdued his passion, having placed one heel at the anal aperture should keep the other heel on the root of the generative organ; afterwards he should affix his chin upon the chest, and being quiet and straight, gaze at the spot between the two eye-brows. This is called the Siddhasana and leads to emancipation.
(See Figure 1 p.91)
TECHNIQUE
- One heel should be placed in the space between the genitals and anus and the other heel should be placed on the genitals.
- The chin should be placed on the chest.
- Keep the backbone straight
- Gaze through the third eye .
- Maintain the pose for 30 seconds
2 IN SIDDHA ASANA, NEXT
NAAGA KUMBHAKA
KUMBHAKA PADDHATHI, VERSES: 77 & 78
ओदनग्रासवद्वायुं कण्ठेनापूरयेच्छनैः ।
तं रोधयेद्यथाकालं बध्वा जालन्धरं दृढम् ॥
कण्ठेन रेचनं कुर्यात् नागकुम्भः शिवोदितः ।
क्षुधां जयेत् पिपासां च फलमस्य समीरितम् ॥
Odhana-Graasavath-Vaayum Kantena-Aapoorayeth
Shanaihi |
Tham RodhayethYathaa-Kaalam Badhvaa Jaalandharam
Dhrudam ||77||
Kantena Rechanam Kuryaath NaagaKumbhaha
Shivodithaha |
Kshudhaam Jayeth Pipaasaam Cha Phalamasya
Sameeritham || 78 ||
TRANSLATION
One should fill the air slowly into the throat like swallowing a morsel of rice and should retain it for maximum possible time, with firm application of Jaalandhara Bandha and then should exhale it from the throat. This is Naaga kum-bhaka explained by Shiva. By this practice one is able to win over hunger and thirst.
TECHNIQUE
- Swallow air very slowly and let the air go little by little like eating rice morsel by morsel.
- Once you are full, immediately contract the throat, place the chin on the chest
- Hold the breath in this posture as long as possible
- Then release the lock and exhale slowly from the throat
- Do this 21 times
IN SIDDHA ASANA, NEXT
3. TRINETRA KUBHAKA KUMBHAKA PADDHATHI, VERSE: 192
ओदनग्रासवद्वायुं कण्ठेनापूरयेच्छनैः ।
तं रोधयेद्यथाकालं बध्वा जालन्धरं दृढम्॥
कण्ठेन रेचनं कुर्यात् नागकुम्भः शिवोदितः ।
क्षुधां जयेत् पिपासां च फलमस्य समीरितम् ॥
SakruthChandrenaChaapoorya DhaaryaSooryena Poorayeth | NiyamyaPoorayennobhyaam DhaarayithvaaYathaa-Vidhi || Thrinethra-KumbhakahaProkthaha Thrinethrena Thrisiddhidhaha
TRANSLATION
Inhale through the left nostril and retain, inhale through the right nostril and retain and then inhale through both the nostrils, retain the breath (all these in one shot before exhalation). This is the Trinetra Kumbhaka – the giver of three siddhis – as explained by the three-eyed Shiva.
TECHNIQUE
- Inhale through the left nostril
- Hold the breath as long as you can judiciously
- Without exhalation, inhale through the right nostril
- Hold the breath as long as you can judiciously
- Again without exhaling, inhale through both the nostrils
- Hold the breath as long as you can judiciously
- Now exhale through both the nostrils slowly
- Do this 21 times
4. IN SIDDHA ASANA, NEXT
TRISHOOLA KUMBHAKA
KUMBHAKA PADDHATHI, VERSE: 193
घोणा यां च मुखेनापि युगपत् पूरयेत् सदा ।
त्रिशूलिना त्रिशूलाख्यः कुम्भ उक्तस्त्रिशूलनुत् ॥
Ghonaabhyaam Cha Mukhenaapi YugapathPoorayeth
Sadhaa |
ThrishoolinaaTrishoolaakhyaha KumbhaUkthas-
Trishoolanuth ||193|
TRANSLATION
Always inhale through the nostrils and mouth together at a time. This is called the Trishoola Kumbhaka - the remover of triple sufferings - as explained by the Thrishooli Shiva.
TECHNIQUE
- Inhale through the nostrils and also through the mouth simultaneously
- Hold the breath as long as you can judiciously
- Now exhale through the nostrils slowly and relax
- Do this 21 times
IN SIDDHA ASANA, NEXT
5. KOORMA KUMBHAKA KUMBHAKA PADDHATHI, VERSE: 79
निमीलोन्मीलने त्यक्त्वा पीठे काष्ठमिव स्थितिः ।
नेत्रयोश्च शरीरस्य कूर्मकुम्भः स उच्यते ॥
Nimeelon'meelaneThyakthvaa PeeteKaashtam Iva
Sthithihi |
Nethrayoshcha Shareerasya Koormakumbhaha Sa
Uchyathe ||79||
TRANSLATION
Having stopped the blinking of eyes, (the kumbhka that happens) when the eye balls and body are perfectly steady without any movements, like a log of wood, is called Koor-ma Kumbhaka.
TECHNIQUE
- Continue to be seated in the same asana
- Fix your sight at one point and stare
- Do not blink your eyes
- Do not allow your eye balls to move.
- Do not move your body.
- While you stare intensely, automatically the breath ing will stop. Hold the breath as long as you can.
- When you can't hold anymore, relax
- Then again stare
- Do this 21 times.
IN SIDDHA ASANA, NEXT
6. SAMA KUMBHAKA, KUMBHAKA PADDHATI, VERSE: 99
आरेकपूरामनसा ना यादाशुगं धृतिः।
समः कुम्भो भगवता प्रोक्तः श्रीचन्द्रमॊलिना ॥
Aarekapooraa-Manasaa Naabhyaadhaashugam Dhruthihi | Samaha Kumbho Bhagavathaa Prokthaha Shree Chandramoulinaa ||99|
TRANSLATION
Mentally holding the breath in places like navel without actually inhaling and exhaling is called Sama Kumbhaka by Sri Chandramouli Shiva.
TECHNIQUE
- Stop inhaling and exhaling
- Hold the breath and mentally retain the breath
- As you are holding bring your awareness to heart
- When you cannot hold any more relax
- Do this 21 times
END OF KRIYA