Pushkarmuni Abhinandan Granth

Author(s): Devendramuni, A D Batra, Shreechand Surana
Publisher: Rajasthankesari Adhyatmayogi Upadhyay Shree Pushkar Muni Abhinandan Granth Prakashan Samiti

Page 1143

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श्री पुष्कर मुनि अभिनन्दन ग्रन्थ : नवम खण्ड
mm. Hg. increase in systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures as compared to supine position. These findings show that Sīrṣāsna is not very dangerous for a normally healthy man and could be practised also by persons with mild or moderate high blood pressure with caution and in degrees.
Shankar Rao also found that during Sirṣāsana the energy expenditure is increased by 48% over the general metabolism, but investigations carried in Kaivalyadhama Laboratories showed this to be about 25-30%. He has also measured the changes in various respiratory volumes in supine, upright and Sīrṣāsana positions and found that vital capacity is lowest in Sirsasana along with highest pooling of blood in the thorax amongst the three positions.
The pressure changes occuring in thorax during Präṇāyāma were compared by Kuvalayananda with deep and normal breathing which showed how Praṇāyāma could help better circulation. Respiratory exchange studies in Pranayama indicated that from gaseous exchange aspect long duration of a round of Pranayama and long duration of Kumbhaka were not more valuable than the shorter ones. Also that in this respect Praṇāyāma did not have any advantage even compared to normal restful breathing. This finding removed the popular misconception of oxygen enrichment of blood by Pranayama, which would be unphysiological and brand Prāṇāyāma as energy expending and fatiguing. On the other hand, these findings are in consonance with the tranquillisation effect claimed about Prāṇāyāma.
Behenan, Miller and also Shankar Rao, on the other hand, have reported increased oxygen utilisation during Präṇāyāmic breathing, which as said would not go well with peaceful feeling expected from Pranayama practice. The different findings may be due to different methods used, the observations being on small number of subjects and also probably due to the Prāṇāyāma technique and phase lengths being different.
Kuvalayananda and Karambelkar examined the possible effect of a fairly long (45′) duration of Pranayama-round performance on the acid base equilibrium of the body. Through the urinary acid excretion studies they came to the conclusions that no disturbance is produced in this equilibrium with such a continuous long practice of Prāṇāyāma.
Their studies on gas exchange and circulating blood cell number alteration with Kapalbhati breathing showed that even a minute's performance of Kapalbhati increases the number of red and white cells circulating in the blood by about 15% over that in rest. Also that befitting to its inclusion in the six purificatory processes of Hathayoga it increases oxygen absorption by 10 to 15% and the carbon dioxide elimination by 10 to 12%. This also is a proof that in their mysteriously sagacious way the ancient yogis were quite correct in distinguishing this breathing technique from Prāṇāyāma and classifying it into Suddhi kriyās; without the help of modern instrumentation methods, whereas many modern yoga teachers confuse with and often erroneously speak of Kapalbhati as Prāṇāyāma.
Studies of pressure changes produced in the internal body cavities in Asanas and other yogic kriyas e.g., Agnisära, Vyaghra-Karani and Gajakarani demonstrated highly positive pressure production. Thus the voluntarily producable positive and negative pressures of yoga practices would have beneficial effects on circulation, glandular secretions, nerve centre and nerve plexus stimulation, decongestion and consequent better functioning of various organs and system.
It has been demonstrated by the author and colleagues that uropepsin is decreased by the practice of yogasanas, a result of the relaxation maintained and tranquillisation produced by these; while with practice of Danda and Vastra Dhautis this excretion is increased. Vastra Dhauti showed the effect very markedly. This thus explains that yogasanas can help reduce stresses, probably both mental and physical. Also it shows that Dhautis' work as a physiologically regulated corticoid therapy by stimulating adrenocorticoid secretion with a feed back effected through gastric stimulation, clarifying their benefactory and curative effect in asthma, eczema and other allergic conditions.