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Exhale and relax the arms. Close the eyes and slowly bring the head back to the upright position. Relax the whole body for a few seconds, keeping the eyes closed. Experience lightness and tranquillity in the mind and body. This is one round.
Practise until a fainting sensation is felt. Awareness: Physical-on the breath, head movement and eyebrow
centre. Spiritual - on the void behind the eyebrow centre. Sequence: After asanas and other pranayamas and before
meditation; also beneficial before sleep. Contra-indications: This technique should not be practised
by those suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, epilepsy, brain disorders or atherosclerosis of the carotid
or basilar arteries. Precautions: Discontinue the practice as soon as the fainting
sensation is felt. The aim is to induce a swooning sensation,
not complete unconsciousness. Benefits: Moorchha pranayama is an excellent preparation
for meditation as it draws the mind inwards and enables a psychic state to be experienced. It cuts out the distractions of the outside world, inhibits identification with the physical body and brings about mental tranquillity. It helps alleviate tension, anxiety, anger and neuroses, and raises
the level of prana. Practice note: The essence of moorchha pranayamais internal
breath retention. Stopping the breath acts directly on the mind via the pranic body to induce a state of void. The sensation of fainting and light-headedness arises for two reasons. Firstly, pressure on the blood vessels in the neck causes fluctuations in the pressure within the cranial cavity. Secondly, the carotid sinuses, vital to maintaining autonomic control of the body's circulation, are continuously compressed, changing the tone of the autonomic nervous system and inducing a swooning sensation. The practice of antar kumbhaka further reduces the oxygen supply to the brain.
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