-By Dr Parinita Singh,

Vice Chairperson-IYA (Jharkhand Chapter)
Guest Faculty, School of Yoga, Ranchi University.

Human brain has an almost infinite capacity. It can think, analyze, feel,
discriminate, decide, create, intuit and direct all the functions of the
body so that we can integrate and synchronize our actions, speech and
thoughts. It is something that each of us do contemplate daily but
without knowing how it works.

The brain is the interface between the body and the mind and mind as
we all know, is restless all the time i.e., even when we are asleep.

Though we can bring in steadiness to our body and mind by practicing
various asanas, to awaken or expand our consciousness, pranayama
can be very helpful. Pranayama is basically a breathing technique. In
view of its impact on physical as well as mental health, and its
consequent benefits, ancient yogisfrom time immortal developed this
special technique of breathing called pranayama. They emphasized
and laid great importance on its regular practice to reap the physical
as well as mental benefits. Now one may ask as to how the bodily
action of mere breathing or practice of ‘pranayama’ can influence the
human brain and mind. Breath can be considered as the most
important function of the body since all the other functions depend
on it. The gross form of prana is the air we breathe and the subtle part
of air is prana or life-force. Prana is the vital force which pervades the
whole cosmos; it is in all things and is the bioenergy that activates the
human organism.

Scientific studies have revealed that regular practice of pranayama can
influence our thought process and by controlling or regulating our
thought process, we can indirectly influence other functions of the
brain. Thus, breath can be treated as the source through which one
can influence the brain and attain its full potential. Changes in breathrate and pattern can influence the total lungs capacity and volume.

The voluntary nervous system is connected to the respiratory system
and as such, through conscious breathing, one gets connected to the
higher brain. Regular practice of pranayama and consciously linking
each breath to our thought process so as to control or regulate it can
help us to improve awareness and to improve brain functions thereby
helping us manage and maintain our psycho-physiological health. The
medium of pranayama is our breath. By modulating the process of
inhalation, exhalation and retention the sleeping centers of the brain
are awakened. Human mind has a great reserve of power at the
subconscious and unconscious levels. Different techniques of
pranayama can be used to solve many problems at each of these
levels, without the need for thoughts at a conscious level.
Shrimad BhagavadGita [5/27-28] says;

स्पर्शान्कृत्वश बहिबशाह्यन््चक्षु्चैवन्तरे भ्रुवो: |
प्रशणशपशनौ समौ कृत्वश नशसशभ्यन्तरचशररणौ || 27||
यतेन्द्न्ियमनोबुद्धिमुनानमोक्षपरशयण: |
ववगतेच्छशभयक्रोिो य: सदश मुक्त एव स: || 28||

(shutting out all thoughts of external enjoyments, with the gaze fixed
on the space between the eyebrow, having equalized prana with apana
that manifest as inhalation and exhalation in the nostril, he who has
brought his senses mind and intellect under control, such a
contemplative soul intent on liberation and free from desire, fear and
anger is ever liberated)