PRAGYA YOG
Earlier having written blogs on Suryanamskar and Chandranamaskar, now I am presenting you a beautiful sequence of asanas PRAGYA YOG. A magical gift given by our sagacious ancestors of Vedic Age.
While pursuing my yoga course I was introduced to PRAGYA YOGA. And Honestly I found it one the simplest and comfortable yoga sequence to keep body and mind relaxed..
It has multiple benefits for different systems of the body, provided proper breathing pattern is followed. Practicing of these everyday would help control the movement by strengthening the nerves, muscles & different organs and regularizing the blood supply in all parts of the body.
This is a balanced exercise for all the body parts. There is circulation of energy (Shakti). It is a beautiful combination of Asan, Upasan, Mudra, Rhythamic exhalation & inhalation and movement of body parts.
In this series along with every Mudra and Asana vyahritis and letters of Gayatri Mantra are pronounced.
Pragya Yog has 16 steps which includes 12 asanas. Out of these 16, 4 asanas are repeated.
Note: If you are a beginner in yoga it is advisable to first try and master each of the listed asana separately. Then attempt completing sequence of complete asanas. If you are a beginner in yoga it is advisable to first try and master each of the listed asana separately. Then attempt completing sequence of complete asanas.
STEP BY STEP Asanas of PRAGYA YOG with their benefits are as follow:
Stand erect. Partially close the eyes and meditate on the brilliance of power source of rising sun for a moment chant ‘Om’. Having the faith and inner feeling that the spiritual power of rising sun is rejuvenating the body, mind and soul.
1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose/ Palm Tree Pose):
Step 1:Stand on the toes. Chant “bhooh” and raise both the hands upward while inhaling gradually and deeply. Look upwards to the sky. (All the four actions should take place (simultaneously). Hold your breath inside.
Benefits:This exercise helps adequate blood supply in the heart, stretching the spine backwards and thus giving it the much-needed rest. This practice instantly removes lethargy. It is also beneficial in the case of weakness of the heart and blood disorders.
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2. Padahastasana (Hand Under Foot Pose):
Step2: Chanting ‘Bhuva¡’, bring both the hands downward from the posture of tadasan and exhale at the same slow and consistent pace and bow the head down to touch the knees, also attempt at making the palms touch the floor. Hold your breath out for several seconds and come back to the normal standing posture.
Benefits: Practice of this asana removes gastric trouble and induces vital strength. It also helps reducing fat on the tummy and increasing the flexibility of the spinal cord helps in migraine.
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3. Vajrasan (Thunderbolt Pose):
Step3: With the chant of ‘Swa¡”, place the toes completely on the floor and set the haunches on the feet. Both the legs should be in closed contact. Keep the backbone erect and place the palms on the knees. Breathe normally during this posture. The back, neck and head should remain straight.
Benefits: Practicing this asana for few minutes every day is helpful in maintaining good digestion and curing gastric trouble and constipation. It strengthens the muscles around stomach and protects from the problems related to hernia. Blood supply to the stomach and uterus is fine-tuned by this practice.
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4. Ushtrasan (Camel Pose):
Step4: Now get up slightly from the vajrasan with a chant of ‘Tat’. Stand on your knees with the toes touching the floor and the heels facing backwards. Almost simultaneously, bend backwards to place the palms on the heels from the backside. Inhale deeply while looking upwards. This will inflate your chest. Hold the breath in for few seconds.
Benefits: This asana stretches the abdomen, stomach, chest, and hands in a balanced way. Practice of this asana helps heal the problems of backache and bending of waist/lumber bones etc. It makes the heart strong and augments the natural elasticity of the spinal column. This also provides exercise to muscles of the genital organs. It is a pre-requisite for higher level yoga practices of activating the Ida, Pingla and Sushumna.
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5. Yogamudra(Fotward Bend Sitting on Heels):
Step5: Remember, the breath was held inside during the ushtrasan! With the chanting of ‘Savitu¡’, exhale slowly and sit on your legs as in vajrasana at the same time, clench together both the palms at the back and stretch upwardly and place the head on the floor so that the chest and the stomach touch the thighs. Hold the breath out for few seconds.
Benefits: This posture further helps curing severe gastric troubles, setting the metabolic activities right and increasing the appetite. It is recommended in advanced yoga practices of awakening the extrasensory energy nucleus called mañiprita chakra beneath the naval.
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6.Ardh Tadasan (Mountain Pose Raised Hands Half Forward Fold Flow):
Step6:Chanting ‘Vareñyam’, inhale deeply. Being seated in the posture of vajrasan, raise both the arms and eyes upwards. Hold the breath inside and stretch the arms as much as you can without pain. Focus your eyes on the hands.
Benefits:This asan gives a natural and mild traction to the neck and allays the problems, if any, like cervical spondylitis.
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7.Shashankasan (Child’s Pose):
Step7:Chanting ‘Bhargo’, exhale at the same pace as inhalation in the preceding asan. Simultaneously, sit in the posture of vajrasan and keep both the arms stretched outwardly in front of the chest. Place the palms on the floor, bend from the waist to make the stomach touch the thighs and the head touch the floor. The arms should remain straight with palms touching the floor. Hold the breath outside for few seconds.
Benefits:This asan eliminates the problem of constipation and soothingly stretches the muscles within and between the anus and buttock regions. It relaxes the sciatica nerves and also helps in regularizing the secretions from the adrenal gland.
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8. Bhujangasan (Cobra Pose):
Step8:Chanting ‘Devasya’ inhale deeply and pull your waist upwards. Toes and palm should remain at the same place where these were in the previous posture but now the arms should stand straighten. The knees and thighs should touch the floor. Draw your chest and head upwards and raise the head like a snake’s hood. Hold the breath inside and bend the head backwards slightly to stare at the sky.
Benefits:This asana is recommended as a remedy against cervical spondylitis and several other problems of the spine or back. Apart from providing soothing exercise to the lungs, heart and the backbone, it is especially beneficial for healthy functioning of the liver and kidneys.
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9. Tiryak Bhujangasan (left) (Swaying Cobra Pose) :
Step9:In the posture of bhujangasan, exhale slowing. Now inhale and with the chant of ‘Dhomahi Dhomahi’ (dheemahi) turn the neck towards the left and try looking at the heel of right foot. Then hold the breath for few seconds. With exhalation bring the head in the front.
Benefits:Practice of the tiryak bhujangasan enhances flexibility of the waist and augments the benefits of the bhujangasan
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10. Tiryak Bhujangasan (right) (Swaying Cobra Pose):
Step10:Chant ‘Dhiyo’, inhale and turn the neck towards the right to see the heel of the left foot. Hold the breath for few seconds and bring the head again in the front with exhalation. Practice of the tiryak bhujangasan enhances flexibility of the waist and augments the benefits of the bhujangasan.
Benefits: Practice of the tiryak bhujangasan enhances flexibility of the waist and augments the benefits of the bhujangasan.
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11. Shashankasan (Child’s Pose):
Step11: Chanting ‘Yona¡’ return to the posture ofstep 7.
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12. Ardh Tadasan (Mountain Pose Raised Hands Half Forward Fold Flow):
Step12: Chanting Prachodaya (prachodayaat) repeat step 6.
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13. Utkatasan (Awkward Chair Pose):
Step13: After ardha tadasan in step 12, exhale slowly. Now chant ‘Bhargo’ and with normal breathing sit on the toes. The heels should not touch the floor. Let the calves touch the thighs and knees touch the buttocks. Place both the palms on the knees. Bend the arms on elbows and keep the hands in front of the chest with palms placed on each other in the posture of Namaskar. Back, neck and head should be erect. Breathing should be deep and continued at a consistent pace.
Benefits: This asan gives strength to the calves and improves balance of the body.
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14. Padhastaasn (Hand Under Foot Pose):
Step14: Chanting ‘Bhuva¡’ and repeat step 2.
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15. Tadasan (Mountain Pose/ Palm Tree Pose):
Step15: Chanting ‘Swa¡’ and repeat step 1.
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16. Coming back to original position:
Step16:With a deep chant of ‘Om’, inhale slowly and deeply, and stand straight with stretched chest. Place the arms upwards and bend the elbows above the shoulders in a posture as though you are holding a heavy rock on the hands. Hold the breath for few seconds with a feeling that your arms, shoulders, chest and whole body are empowered by new vital force. Now close the fists. Exhale slowly, bring the arms on the sides and stand straight in the posture of attention. Breathe normal in a relaxed mood.
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These sixteen steps complete one round of the Pragya Yoga asans. With gradual progress, one may complete 3 to 5 rounds every day. The breathing patterns and chanting of Gayatri Mantra also get perfected with sincerity in daily practice. To a great extent these also offer the benefits of prañayamas. However, if one has time and will or is advised by the yoga teacher to do so, and one continues to practice the above asanas aptly and sincerely in doing pranayama and Gayatri Meditation every day at suitable timings (preferably early morning), he/she would get the physical, mental and spiritual benefits.
Disclaimer:
Please take note that the effects of PRAGYA YOG may vary from person to person. The above benefits are a guideline as it has been observed by many practitioners. The exercises mentioned herein are not meant to replace any medical advice, medication, therapy that you may be getting or may have been advised by your physician.
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