Cyclic meditation is an advance yet simple yoga practice to uproot the problem of stress from body and mind. The practice is based from the insights of ancient Mandukya Upanishad dating back to 500 BC. The ancient yet most contemporary yoga practice for working professionals is based on the age old essence of yoga, in fact all spiritual sadhana i.e. the principle of 'stimulation' and 'relaxation'. It's a 20 minute practice in which cycle of simple asana is interspersed with relaxation technique leaving you completely refreshed, calm and happy.

1. CYCLIC MEDITATION
AYOGATECHNIQUE FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT

2. OVERVIEW
 UNDERSTANDABOUT
 Yoga
 Stress
 Release of stress through yoga
 Cyclic meditation

3.  Cyclic Meditation is a 2o minutes yoga technique to combat
stress
 Developed by Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhan
Samathana University, Bengaluru
 Culled out from the Mandukya Upanishad
 …published research papers highlighting its efficacy
 Stress is a common feature of modern life, source of various
ailments. It need to be checked
Yoga is a definitive answer to stress and other psycho-
physical problem because of its holistic knowledge base
INTRODUCTION

4. WHAT YOGA IS NOT
 A rope trick or magic with some powers
 Physical exercise or acrobatics
 Asana only
 Breathing exercises
 Religion

5. YOGA
Derived from the root ‘yuj’ which means to join or yoke
Yujyate Anena ItiYogah
That which is yoga
Individual
conscious-
ness
Universal
Conscious-
ness
YOGA
YOGA ISTO UNITE

6. Yoga is a systematic and scientific process of
unfolding the full human potential
ANIMAL
NORMAL
GREAT
SUPER
DIVINE
It is an expansion of the narrow,
constricted egoistic personality to an-all
pervasive, eternal and blissful state of
Reality

7. YOGA IS DEFINED AS…
 Yogaḥ CittaVṛtti Nirodhaḥ – SAGE
PATANJALI
योगः चित्त वृत्तत्त निरोधः
YOGA ISTO
GAIN MASTERY
OVER
MODIFICATIONS
OF MIND

8.  Manaḥ Praśamano'pāyaḥYoga
Ityābhidhīyate –SAGEVASISTHA
मिः प्रशमिोऽपायः योग इत्याभिधीयते
YOGA ISTHE
SKILLTO CALM
DOWNTHE
MIND

9.  SamatvaṁYoga Ucyate
– BHAGAWADGITA
समत्वं योग उच्यते
YOGA IS EQUANIMITY, HARMONY,
BALANCE, EQUIPOISE, STABILITY

10.  Yogaḥ Karmasu Kauśalam
-BHAGWADGITA
योगः कममसु कौशलम्
YOGA ISTHE SKILL
IN ACTION
Skill?... hitting the target ….NO
Action In Relaxation
Self-less Action
Unattached Action
No Anxiety For Results of
Action

11. ONE OF THE SIX SYSTEMS OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
SHAD DHARSHNA YOGA
 NAYAYA- Gautama
 VAISHESHIK- kanad
 SANKHYA- kapila
 YOGA - Patanjali
 MIMANSA- Jaimini
 VEDENTA- Badarayana
 YAMA
 NIYAMA
 ASANA
 PRANAYAMA
 PRATYAHARA
 DHARNA- Concentration
 DHYANA- Meditation
 SAMADHI

12. BASIS OFYOGA
THAT WE ARE NOT JUSTTHE PHYSICAL BODY,
BUT HAVE FOUR MORE SUBTLE BODIES,WITH
PURE CONSCIOUSNESS AS ITS BASE
ANNAMAYA (food sheath)
PRANAMAYA (vital sheath)
MANOMAYA (mental sheath)
VIJNANAMAYA (wisdom sheath)
ANANDMAYA (bliss sheath)

13.  STRESS
THE NON-SPECIFIC, CONVENTIONAL & PHYLOGENETIC
BASED RESPONSE PATTERN TO PERCEIVED
ENVIRONMENTALTHREAT – Hans Selye
• Prepare for ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ reaction (called Eustress)
•Triggers a series of response pattern in physiology
If the subject lacks the means of restoring either
to fight or flight i.e. of relieving the stress
reaction , stress gives rise to DISTRESS.

14.  STRESS
EUSTRESS AND DISTRESS
Eustress is synonymous with healthy essential stress produced,
for example by joy, or by any other positive impulse
Energized
Focused
Fatigue
Exhaustion
Ill health
Distress is synonymous with morbidness, e.g. continuous
mental or physical strain of any kind

15. Corticotr-
opin
Hypothal
amus
Adrenocor-
ticotropic
Anterior
Pituitary Cortisol
Adrenal
Cortex
Body Activates HPA Axis
Thus, stress is the reaction to a demanding
situation in the human physiology. Stress can
occur at two levels – Physical & Psychological

16. When exposed to stressor
Hypothalamus triggers
generalized response
After stressful
situation ends
Body restores to pre-mobilized calm
Parasympathetic system slow down
the body and conserve energy

17. If the stressor continues….
AS IT HAPPENS IN MODERN LIFE
We mobilize all our physiological resources to cope with
the stressor and the system stabilizes with the habit of…
 MUSCLE STIFFNESS… BACK PAIN
 GASTRIC ACIDITY … ULCERS
 B.P …… HYPERTENSION
 JOINT AGING ... ARTHRITIS
 SUGAR …...DM

18. DISTURBED HOMEOSTASIS
Stress Release

19. What has to say about
CAN WE LIVE LIKETHIS ?

20. ACCORDINGTOYOGA STRESS IS
PERSONALITY
PANCHAKOSHA
ANNAMAYA (food sheath)
PRANAMAYA (vital sheath)
MANOMAYA (mental sheath)
VIJNANAMAYA (wisdom sheath)
ANANDMAYA (bliss sheath)
Long standing speed in Manomaya
kosha is the root cause of stress
SPEED…

21.  RELEASING STRESS
REDUCE SPEED AT ALL LEVELS
SLOW DOWN…
• Inertia
• Dullness
• Delusion
Tamas
•Restless
•Activity
•Attachment
Rajas
•Purity
•Knowledge
•Calmness
Sattva
YOGA PROVIDESTHE NECESSARY
RESPITETOTHE SYSTEM TO
CORRECTTHE IMBALANCES
STRESS BEGINS IN
MANOMAYA KOSHA

22. RELEASING STRESS contd..
• Asanas
• Kriyas
• Diet
Annamaya
• PET
• Pranayama
Pranmaya
• Dharana
• Dhyana
• Emotional culture
Manomaya
• Notional corrections
• Contemplation
• Happiness analysis
Vijnanamaya
• Karma yoga (action in bliss)
Anandmaya

23.  CYCLIC MEDITATION (CM)
 Meditation practice where simple asanas are
interspersed with relaxation techniques
 Cycle of asanas and relaxation techniques
 20-30 minutes of practice, ideal for busy
professionals
 Developed by SwamiVivekananda Yoga
Anusandhan Samathana University, Bengaluru

24. MEDITATION
 Seventh of the eight rungs of Yoga is
meditation
 Effortless dwelling of mind on a single object
is meditation
 Mind is focused on a single object for a length
of time
 Three entities are involved: meditator,
process of meditation & object of meditation
 In CM the object of meditation is body itself

25. BENEFITS OF CM
 Provides deep relaxation to mind and body
‘restful alertness’*
 Releases accumulated stress from the system
 Improves creativity and productivity
 Reduces hypertension
 Provides emotional stability
 Slow down the aging process
* The term was first coined during the research findings of Transcendental Meditation
technique. The physiology is deeply rested & at the same time physiology is alert rather
than asleep

26. BASIS OF CYCLIC MEDITATION
Based on Maandukya Upanishad, summarizing
the essence of all Sadhana
Laye sambodhayet cittam vikshiptam shamayet punah
Sakashayam vijaniyat samapraptam na chalayet.
Stimulate the Sleeping Mind
Calm down the Distractions
Recognize the Stagnations
Reaching bliss – do not Disturb

27. STABILISE
RELAX
STIMULATE
RECOGNISE
Cyclic Meditation- basis
STIMULATION AND RELAXATION solve the complex
problem of mind

28. Conclusion
 The evolutionary goal of stress response is to
help boost the body and mind into enhanced
functioning.
 Stress response can sometimes be
detrimental however in many cases stress
hormones actually induce growth and release
chemicals into the body that rebuild cells,
synthesize proteins and enhance immunity,
leaving the body even stronger and healthier.
 The issue is not in the stress response itself
but in how we channel or employ this
response.

29.  As a society we largely fail to frame stress as
potentially enhancing & miss the
opportunities to learn from and grow from
stressful moments.
 Yoga can help to:
See stress – opportunity, enhancing response
Own stress – motivation and meaning
Use stress – boost productivity, immunity

30. To conclude
No yoga No peace
Know
yoga
Know
peace
THANKYOU

31. REFERENCES :
• https://www.mum.edu/pdf_msvs/v06/orme-johnson.pdf
•Nagendra, H. R. (2015) Positive Health. Bangalore: SwamiVivekanandaYoga
Prakashana.