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Nithya Kriya - Yogic solutions for Women’s Health

Care for Aging

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Aging is characterized by the reduced ability to respond to stress, increasing homeostatic imbalance and increased risk of disease. Growing older affects all areas of human life, from physical, to psychological, to social changes. For ex-ample, reaction time and mobility both decrease with age. Simply stated, aging is the cell's inability to regenerate itself thereby life is in a state of decline. New research is emerg-ing in this field, however, with some very promising results.

Speculation of various factors such as the influence of genes, reproductive hormones, DNA damage or autoimmune the-ory have contributed to the emerging belief that aging is ac-tually a disease and therefore "potentially treatable". Despite the aging process, it is estimated that between 2000 - 2050 the world population will double from increase of 11% to 22%. This is an increase from 605 million to 2 billion people.

STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED

  1. ARDHA PADMA ASANA
  1. KRITTI SHRESHTA KUMBHAKA
  1. PRAKRITHI KUMBHAKA
  1. SAMAANA KUMBHAKA
  1. VYAANA KUMBHAKA
  1. SAMA KUMBHAKA
  1. SHANTHA KUMBHAKA

1. ARDHA PADMA ASANA

Practising Padma asana half way through is called Ardha PADMA ASANA

हठप्रदीपिका उपदेशं २ स्लोक ३१-३३

उत्तानौ चरणौ कृत्वा चोरु संस्थौ प्रयत्नतः ।
ऊरुमध्ये ततोथानौ पाणी कृत्वा तु तादृशौ ॥

दृष्टिं विन्यस्य नासाग्रे दन्तमूलं च जिह्वया ।
उत्तप्य चिबुकं वक्ष्यस्युत्ताप्य भवनं शनैः ॥

इदं पद्मासनं प्रोक्तं सर्व व्याधि विनाशनम ।
दुर्लभं येन केनापि धीमता लभ्यते भुवि ॥

Uththanau Charanau Kruthvaa choru-Samsthau Prayathnathaha | Oorumadhye Thathoththaanau Paanee Kruthvaa Thu thaadrushau ||2.31|| Drushtim vinyasya naasaagre Dantamoolam cha jihvayaa | Uttapya chibukam vakshas Yuttaapya bhavanam shanaihi ||2.32|| Idham Padmaasanam Proktham Sarva-Vyaadhi-Vinaashanam |

Durlabham yena kenapi Dheemataa labhyate bhuvi ||2.33||

TRANSLATION

One should with effort place the upward facing feet on the thighs, and place the upward-facing palms between the thighs.

Concentrating on the tip of the nose, keep the tongue pressed on the upper teeth, press the chin on your chest, push the air slowly upward, that is slowly pull the prana upward.

This asana called as Padma asana destroys all diseases, filled with power. Though difficult to be obtained by every-one, some intelligent people learn it.

(See Figure 3 p.79)

TECHNIQUE for Ardha PADMA ASANA

  1. Place the right foot on the left thigh
  1. Now Place the left foot under the right thigh
  1. Concentrate on the tip of the nose. Keep your hands on your thighs in chin mudra
  1. Settle in this posture for 30 seconds

2. IN ARDHA PADMA ASANA, NEXT
KRITTI SHRESHTA KUMBHAKA
KUMBHAKA PADDHATI, VERSE: 69

नो यां चाकर्षयेत् वायुं बलात् हृत्स्थानमानयेत्।

उत्कृष्योत्कृष्य हृत्स्थानात् कण्ठतालौ पभ्रुङ्गद्वोन्तरे ॥

मूर्द्धान्तं चेद्गतायातकृत्तिश्रेष्ठाख्यकुम्भकः ॥

NobhyaamChaakarshayethVaayum BalaathHruth-
Sthaanamaanayeth |
UthkrushyothkrushyaHruth-Sthaanaath Kanta-Thaalau
Bhruvo'nthare ||
MoordhnaanthamChethGathaayaatha--Krutti-Shreshta-
akhya-Kumbhakaha ||69||

TRANSLATION

One should inhale the air through both the nostrils forcibly and take it to the heart and from there bring the air up to the throat, palate, eye brow center, and top of the head and retain the air there. This is known as Kritti Shreshta Kumbhaka.

TECHNIQUE

  1. Inhale air forcibly through both the nostrils and bring to the heart region
  1. As you are holding push up the air up the throat, palate, eye brow center, and top of the head one by one and retain the air at top of the head.
  1. Exhale when you cannot hold any more
  1. Do this 21 times

3. IN ARDHA PADMA ASANA, NEXT
PRAKRITHI KUMBHAKA
KUMBHAKA PADDHATHI, VERSE: 70

वान्वितेनाशुगं कर्षन् कुर्वन्तूच्चतरं स्वनम्।
धारयेच्चेदुदानस्य प्रकृतिः कुम्भकः स्मृतः॥

Vaanvithena-Aashugam Karshan Kurvanthoochcha'tharam
Svanam |
DhaarayethCheth Udhaanasya Prakruthi:Kumbhaka:
Smruthaha || 70 ||

TRANSLATION

One should suck in air quickly with a loud sound of the bija mantra "VA" and retain the breath. this is called Prakrithi Kumbhaka.

TECHNIQUE

  1. As you chant the bija mantra "VA" loudly, suck in air quickly.
  1. After you are full, Hold the breath
  1. Then slowly exhale normally
  1. Do this 21 times P.S: If you have Hypertension, Hernia or if you are Pregnant do not hold the breath

4. IN ARDHA PADMA ASANA, NEXT
SAMAANA KUMBHAKA
KUMBHAKA PADDHATI, VERSE: 62

नाभावापूर्य वायुश्चेत् देहे व्याप्य विधारितः ।
कुम्भिते ज्वलनं ध्यायेत् समानस्य तु कुम्भकः ॥

Naabhaavaapoorya Vaayushcheth Dehe Vyaapya
Vidhaaritaha |
Kumbhithe Jvalanam Dhyaayeth Samaanasya Thu
Kumbhakaha ||62||

TRANSLATION

After filling the navel region with the air that is spread and held all over the body, one should concentrate on fire and this is known as Samaana kumbhaka.

TECHNIQUE

  1. Inhale completely till the navel is filled
  1. While inhaling visualize that the prana is spread and held all over the body
  1. Hold as long as you can judiciously
  1. While you hold, visualize the fire element in your navel region
  1. When you cannot hold any more, exhale
  1. Do this 21 times

5. IN ARDHA PADMA ASANA, NEXT
VYAANA KUMBHAKA
KUMBHAKA PADDHATHI, 66TH VERSE

पूरयित्वान्तरा सम्यक् हृज्जगद्व्याप्तियोगतः।

सर्वांगस्याकुञ्चनेन कुम्भिते सूक्ष्मचिन्तनात् ॥

पार्वतीवक्त्रभेनोक्तः सम्यक् व्यानस्य कुम्भकः ॥

Poorayitvaantharaa Samyak Hrujjagad-Vyaapti-Yogathaha | Sarvaagaya-Aakunchanena Kumbhithe Sookshma-Chinthanaath || Paarvathee-Vakthra-Bhenokthaha Samyak Vyaanasya Kumbhakaha ||66||

TRANSLATION

Completely filling the chest and contracting the whole body during Khumbaka, with subtle concentration is termed as Vyaana Kumbhaka by Devi Parvati.

TECHNIQUE

  1. Inhale Deeply
  1. Hold the breath by contracting the whole body
  1. Have intense awareness on your whole body.
  1. When you cannot hold any more slowly exhale and return to normal breathing 5. Do this 21 times

6. IN ARDHA PADMA ASANA, NEXT-
SAMA KUMBHAKA, KUMBHAKA PADDHATI,
VERSE: 99

आरेकपintentionalूरामनसा 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

  1. Stop inhaling and exhaling
  1. Without using the fingers mentally retain the breath
  1. As you are holding bring your awareness to the parts of the body where you feel you have stress
  1. When you cannot hold any more relax
  1. Do this 21 times

7. IN ARDHA PADMA ASANA, NEXT-
SHANTHA KUMBHAKA
KUMBHAKA PADDHATI, VERSE: 90

कायस्यान्तर्बहिर्व्याप्तिः शान्तकुम्भक उदाहृतः ।

स्थानयोरन्तरे रुध्वा कुम्भयेद्यदि मारुतम् ॥

Kaayasyaanthar-Bahih-Vyaapthihi Shaantha-Kumbhaka Udhaahruthaha | Sthaanayoranthare Rudhvaa Kumbhayeth Yadhi Maarutham ||90||

TRANSLATION

If the breath is restrained inside and visualized to be inside and outside the body, it is called Shanta Kumbhaka.

TECHNIQUE

  1. Inhale deeply and hold the breath inside
  1. Visualize the breath inside and outside the body
  1. Hold as long as possible
  1. Relax when you cannot hold any more
  1. Do this 21 times

END OF KRIYA