1. Nervous System
and Yoga Practices
Dr. Amaravathi Eraballi,
Yoga and Life Sciences,
Physiotherapy
2. Nervous System
Nerve cell or Neuron
• 1.Dendrite to receive the electrical
changes from all senses
• 2.Cell body to process the metabolic
reactions and make final electrical
signal called action potential.
• 3.Axon to give away the action
potential to other nerve cell through
synapse or muscles or glands etc,.
3. Divisions of nervous system
Central NS
• cortex
• sub cortex
• mid brain: 12 pairs of
Cranial nerves to special
senses
• pons: “
• medulla: “
• spinal cord (L2)
Peripheral NS
• spinal nerves
- Somatic neurons: sensory & motor control
Eg: skeletal muscles (Voluntary)
- Autonomic neurons: sympathetic & Para
sympathetic
Eg: Smooth & Cardiac muscles, glands
(involuntary)
4. Divisions of nervous system:
Red color represents the response from frontal cortex
Blue color represents stimulation towards other cortex
5. Central Nervous System
Brain
• Grey Matter or cerebral cortex
for receiving and processing of
information that is electronic
changes called Action Potential
(AP)
• White Matter for further
transportation of information
towards brain stem.
Brain Stem
• Mid brain: Different groups of neurons makes
Thalamus which is for the filtration of
sensations, Hypothalamus which regulates
water metabolism in connection with
Endocrine system, Basal Ganglia which is for
the Balance of body parts, Limbic system
which is for the emotions.
• Pons and Medulla: Respiratory center, Cardiac
center, Vomitting center and origin of all
cranial nerves for the face and neck regions.
6. Sub-cortex
Cerebellum
• It involves in coordination of
muscles and balance of joints
during work, asana, alternate
nostril breathing, repitition of
difficult words during chanting.
Thalamus
• it involves in allowing of all
sesnsations towards cortex. It also
ree the intensity as pain before
reaching the cortex by producing
enorphin and enkephalin (neuro-
transmitters)
• Hence it is very helpful in performing
Jala dhouti, Laghu shankha
prakshalana, deep relaxation
technique and gain mastery on
gastro-intestinal tract
7. Hypothalamus
• It coordinates nerous sytem and endocrine
hormones
• regulates temperature, water balance
• responsible for hunger, thirsty, and their
satisfaction
• responsible for behaviour and with the
overloead of chemicals from limbic system, it
promotes stress reaction through
sympathertic nerves.
• Meditation and mindfulness during all yoga
techniques is the best way to keep
hypothalamus healthy.
Basal Ganglia
• Group of special neurons as
nodes - caudate nucleus,
putamen, globus pallidus etc,.
• this is responsible for quick links
of muscles and joints, their
sensation to balance the body
during activities like sports,
asana sequence, instructions
from samasthitihi to final pose
and back to samasthitihi
8. Limbic System
• Connection of dirreferent parts
of subcortex between the cortex
and special senses produce a lot
strong chemical.
• these will aid the response or
reaction with an emotion.
• Response can be positive,
negetive or neutral.
• Pingala or Ida or Sushumna
• awared behaviour is sattvic,
rajasic and tamasic.
• Other wise diseases.
10. Receptor or transducer: that converts 5 elements into action potential
• Light- Eye- Retina- AP- Optic nerve- Occipital cortex;
nasal bulb AP- Olfactory nerve- Gustatory cortex;
Taste buds Gustatory
cortex; taste, talk, silence, pronounciation
• Sound- Ear- Cochlea- Basement membrane- AP- Auditory nerve- Temporal cortex;
many for touch, pressure, pain,
hot, cold, vibration, movement AP- Ascending nerve- Parietal cortex;
11.
12. Yoga Practices for Retina: Trataka, drushti
Helps for eye sight, concentration, homeostasis, reduce stress and improve sleep
Moon trataka
- Gazing technique to clean
the eye balls with tears
Bahya Drushti
- To bring the tought to
present practice or
cleaning of mind from
external toughts
13. Yoga Practices for Nasal Bulb: NETI
Helps for Smell, reduction of Allergic rhinitis and Nasal allergy
Jala neti
- cleaning nasal
passages with water
Sutra neti
- cleaning nasal
passages with rubber
catheter or cotton
thread
15. Somatic Nervous system:
- Connection to Skeletal Muscles
- Responsible for performing Asana, Kriya, etc,.
- Ability to develop strength and edurance
- Ability to spread force towards internal organs
and gain mastery on involuntary parts
- Ability main biomechanical pose to improve
hoemeostasis through glands activation
- Energy production and maintain is called
Homeostasis or Chakra in ancient texts.
- Basic 6 can be sensed with personal sadhana or
practice.
16. Yoga Practices for Somatic Nervous Sytem:
Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha, Yoga Nidra
• Chakra activation with asana is the best way to say mind-body-
medicine
• Be aware of changes during these practices, compare with the resting
pose or samsthitihi
• Regular practice will maintain the changes and doest not change after
few years.
