Our sages and saints created asanas to cure diseases and keep the body pure and clean because, with an unhealthy body, we can neither manage the world nor do spiritual practices. The purpose of yoga is self-realization. Therefore, asanas can keep the body healthy and cure diseases. For this purpose, below are some diseases and their remedies.
Below are details of helpful asanas:
- Indigestion: Trikona, Vajrasana, Ustrasana, Sarpasana, Bhujanga, Padottan, Pavanmukta.
- Hemorrhoids- Navasana, Janushirasana, Konasana, Suptavajjasana, Bhujangasana, Shalbhasana, Dhanurasana, Makarasana, Padottanasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Mulbandha.
- Back pain-Ashwathasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Konasana, Ustrasana, Makarasana, Shavasana.
- Cough-Janushirasana, Konasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Tadasana, Bhastrika and Kapalbhati.
- Obesity-Sun Namaskar, Waist Chakrasana, Janushirasana, Konasana, Navasana, Sarpasana, Ardhamatsyendrasana, Vajrasana, Padottana, Sarvangasana/Halasana, Uddiyana Bandha, Bhasrika, Nadi Shodhana.
- Diabetes – Surya Namaskar, Janushirasana, Konasana, Ardhamatsyendrasana,Uddiyana Bandha, Shankha Prakshalana.
- Asthma-Surya Namaskar, Gomukhasana, Ardhamatsyendrasana, Suptavajjrasana, Konasana, Bhujangasana, Shalbhasana, Pavanmuktasana series of asanas, Ujjayi and Nadi Shodhana Pranayama without holding breath, slowly Bhasrika, Neti, Kunjal.
- Arthritis Vata-Tadasana, Navasana, Konasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Padottana, Pawanmuktasana,Halasana,
- High blood pressure, Vajrasana, Suptavajrasana, Matsyasana, Gomukhasana, Shashakasana, Shithilasana (right), Pavanmuktasana, Matsyasana, Chandrabhedi Pranayama, Shitali Pranayama, meditation.
- Low blood pressure, Tadasana, Vajrasana, Shithilasana on the left, Padottana, Makarasana, Suryabhedi, and Kapalabhati pranayama (without holding breath).
- Throat diseases-palm, Konasana, Ustrasana, Suptavajrasana, Bhujanga, Shalabh, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Singhasana.
- Insomnia-Suryanamaskara, Janushirasana, Konasana, Shithilasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Shavasana,Bhramari Pranayama, Yoga Sleep, Meditation.
- Menstruation- Trikonasana, Tadasana, Janushirasana,Konasana, Suptavajrasana, Bhujangasana, Shalbhasana,Padottan, Makarasana, Shavasana.
- Shayatika-Padmasana, Navasana, Janushira, Konasana, Padottanasana, Makarasana.
- Bad breath-Trikonasana, Ardhamatsyendrasana, Shitakari Pranayama, Bhasrika Pranayama, Treatments to relieve constipation.
- Increase memory power- Naukasana, Shalbhasana, Janushira, Konasana, Viparitakarani, Sarvangasana, Shavasana, Trataka (staring between both eyebrows/tip of the nose), deep-long breaths, Kapalabhati, Bhasrika, Nadishodhana Pranayama, meditation.
- Heart disorders-plain and low amount of food, Trikanasana, Shavasana (15 minutes to 30 minutes in the morning and evening), Gomukhasana, Bhujangasana, Shalbhasana (with one foot each), Padottanasana, Makarasana.
Eight parts of yoga
Maharishi Patanjali divided the ancient Yoga into eight parts in a systematic manner-
- Yama
- Niyama
- Asana
- Pranayama
- Pratyahara
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi.
Just as one cannot climb the second, third, and fourth steps without climbing the first step, in the same way, complete success is achieved only by practicing the eight parts of Ashtanga Yoga sequentially.
The first five Yamas in Ashtanga Yoga are-
- Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, and Aparigraha.
- All these also give success only by adopting them sequentially.
- Truth cannot be followed without following Ahimsa.
- Asteya cannot be followed without following Satya.
- In this way, we should follow the five Yamas sequentially and then the five Niyama sequentially, i.e., Shaucha, Santosh, Tapa, Swadhyaya, and Ishwar Pranidhan.
Three formulas are given:
1. Sthira Sukham Asana
2. Prayatna Shaithilyananta Samapatibhyaam
3. Tatau Dvandvan Abhighatah:
ROLE OF ASANA-
- Firstly, keeping the body happily stable for a long time in any particular shape is called Asana. In that state, when the body begins to stop effortlessly (when there is no consciousness of the body), then chanting one’s desired, God, asana is perfect.
- Secondly, once the asana is perfected, all dualities are relieved, i.e., the sense of equality in body and mind remains in sun and shade, cold and heat, happiness and sorrow, honor and dishonor, loss and gain, etc.
- Therefore, pranayam is number four in Ashtanga Yoga. Prana is the most important component of our body. We can survive many days without food and water, but we cannot survive even for a few minutes without Prana.
- Accumulating such an important element in the body as much as possible, expanding it to all the cells, and controlling the mind by controlling the Prana is the art of Pranayam. Breath is the source of Prana. by controlling the breath Prana is controlled. There is a deep relationship between breath and mind.
- Thus, with the practice of this, the mind also becomes calm and stable.
Let us see what role yogasana plays in the practice of pranayama.
- Maharishi Patanjali defined pranayama as only after the body is made steady by asana can the seeker control the breathing. The body must remain constant for the practice of pranayama.
- A practitioner is not entitled to pranayama without attaining physical stability, which is achieved only by practicing asanas.
- With the practice of yogasanas, all the muscles, bones, joints, nerves, and blood vessels become flexible. Their stiffness is removed.
- The foreign and toxic waste material collected in them leaves their place and comes out of the body. With the narrowness of the blood vessels being removed, blood circulation in them becomes smooth.
- Red blood cells are the carriers of pranic energy (oxygen).
- In this way, prana is spread to all the cells of the body. All yogasanas have a special effect on different glands of the body, due to which the secretions coming out of them become quantitatively and qualitatively better and make the body free from diseases.
- There is a deep connection between body and mind. When the body is sick, the mind also starts becoming depressed and weak and when the mind is uncontrolled, the breathing also cannot be controlled.
- Therefore, good practice of asanas is necessary before pranayama. While doing pranayama, it is important to focus on the breathing. This is possible only when we can sit comfortably in any stable posture. All postures affect our spine.
- The spine is the base of our nervous system.
- We have five subtle energy centers on the Sushumna Nadi in the middle of the spine, which are known as Chakras in Yoga. Each energy center is responsible for the flow of pranic energy in a different part of the body.
- In the completion of the posture, attention is paid to the chakra being affected by that posture, which gradually
The transformative power of yoga lies not only in its physical postures or breathing techniques but in its ability to reveal our innermost truth. As we embark on this journey of self-realization, may we approach each experience with curiosity, openness, and kindness. May our hearts be filled with compassion, our minds be clarified by wisdom, and our spirits be lifted by the realization of our true potential.
ALSO - https://yogvedalife.com/harmony-in-body-and-soul-the-synergistic-benefits-of-satvik-diet-and-yoga/