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Enhancing self-care through Yoga during COVID19

1) Yoga practices can help reduce fear and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, which weaken the immune system. Practices like pranayama, meditation, and mantra chanting help induce relaxation and strengthen the immune system. 2) Kriya yoga practices like tapas, swadhyaya and ishwara pranidhana act as a "triple vaccine" against COVID-19 by reducing mental afflictions and inducing wellness. 3) Adopting a healthy lifestyle of proper diet, exercise, thoughts and relationships as emphasized in yoga helps boost immunity and overall health during this time. Yoga empowers us to take charge of our health through self-care

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Enhancing Self Care Through Yoga During COVID-19 Pandemic Yogacharya Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI MBBS, ADY, PGDFH, PGDY, MD (Alt Med), FIAY, C-IAYT, DSc (Yoga) Director: Centre for Yoga Education, Therapy and Research (CYTER), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry. www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter
Fear during COVID-19 Pandemic • Every human being on our planet has been affected directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 Pandemic. • This “invisible enemy”, has brought forth another inner enemy that destroys us from within is FEAR. • Fear weakens our immune system!
Focus on Self-Care; Need of the hour • We need to refocus on our own salutogenesis (Swastha), our own inherent capacity and ability to be responsible for our health and wellness. • We must move from pathogenesis, the focus on disease that worsens fear, towards salutogenesis, the focus on health that strengthens all our systems! • Yoga empowers us, enables us to take charge of our own life, thus promoting holistic health for each and every one of us. • Yoga strengthens our immune system!
• Yogic principles (Yama-Niyama) of cleanliness, purity and self-control are most important in the present moment where social (physical) distancing, and personal hygiene are being emphasized by all medical authorities. • Sense of service (Seva) and unconditional action (Nishkama Karma Yoga) are to be emphasised to help our fellow brethren who are in need. • We need to support those in the forefront of this battle through our cheerfulness (Mudita) while having compassion (Karuna) for those who are suffering.
Kriya Yoga, the triple vaccine • Abhinivesha, the primitive survival urge can over- power even the wisest of wise- Patanjali Maharishi Kriya Yoga Tapa Swadhayaya Ishwara pranidhana • Unless the Kleshas are attenuated we cannot manifest wellness. • Kriya Yoga (Tapa-Swadhyaya- Ishwarapranidhana) is the triple vaccine, to deal an effective blow to COVID19.
• Yoga practices especially those done mindfully will strengthen our immune system by inducing a sense of empowerment and self- confidence. • They help us regain cortical control over the senses and emotions that are in turmoil. • Through Yogic self care, we can be our true selves; strong, safe, caring and healthy. • We need to stay safe and stay healthy if we are to help others.
Psycho-Neuro-Immunology • A branch of modern medical science that deals with the mind-body phenomenon of • “how our thoughts and emotions can affect our immune system”. • Stress, fear and negative emotions are known to weaken our immune system. • Yoga (including meditation), mindfulness, positive emotions, and relaxation strengthen it.
Role of limbic over-reactivity • The limbic system plays a major role in triggering such emotional upheaval that then results in a weakening of the immune function. • When the immune function is weakened every microbe gets a chance to attack us as all our defences are wreaked. • Fear, especially of the magnitude being experienced and expressed by all of us in the present times, will totally destroy any chances we have of fighting this devious enemy. • Fearlessness, Abhayam is the need of the hour!
“The first disease is the sense of duality, leading to fear that creates imbalance of mind leading to diseases in the body”. - Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri - (1907-1993)
Psychosomatics in the Yoga Vashista • The Yoga Vashista, codified at least 5000 years ago has so long ago, already understood this psycho-somatic phenomenon and termed it is Adhija-Vyadhi. • Perception of duality between ‘Self’ and Universe leads to mental agitations in Manomaya Kosha, • Haphazard flow of Prana in Pranamaya, • Hypo-cellular activity (Ajeeranatvam), hyper-cellular activity (Ateejeeranatvam) and altered cellular activity (Kujeeranatvam) in Annamaya. • According to Yoga disease (Vyadhi) is a manifestation of imbalnaces at the psyche (Adhi) itself.
Stress management through Yoga • Dr W Selvamurthy gave a beautiful message at SBV* recently. He said: Yoga enables and empowers individuals to – Modify their perceptions of the stressors, – Optimise their responses to them, and – Efficiently release the pent up stresses. • We can think of it as a 3-in-1 action!! * Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry, India
Some useful practices during this time……….
Nada Bhavana Shuddhi Kriya • Relive anxiety and tension from storehouses in the abdomen, chest and neck. Ha Ha, Ho Ho, He He ! • Become aware of the subconscious stresses induced by the survival mechanisms. Me Me ! • Enhance the cognitive, higher abilities of the intellect. Dhi Dhi ! • Throw out all tensions & become stress-free. Go Go! • “BE”, yourself! Introspective Silence
Whooshing tensions away- Nasarga Mukha Bhastrika Enjoy the practice
Pranava is Universal
Pranava Pranayama • Using foundation of Vibhaga (sectional breathing; low, mid and high) • Chanting Akara, Ukara, Makara and Omkara Nada • 2 to 3 times longer exhalations • Appropriate hand gestures (Mudras) Click here for a practice session
Pranava Japa for Emotional Self-Care • Mantra Japa especially of OM is very useful as it is known to attenuate the limbic over-activity. Listen to Om Japa • Pranava Pranayama, Dhyanam and relaxation using Akara, Ukara and Makara are extremely useful in inducing relaxation response from within. This will strengthen our immune system. Enjoy guided Pranava relaxation
• The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (Trayambakam) enables us to overcome the ‘fear of mortality’, that poison that dampens our immunity and capacity to heal. Aum Trayambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam; Hroom Jhum Saha Sarva Nakshatrey Sarva Raasi Sujathu Sarva Namdesya Saha Jhum Hroom; Urva Rukamiva Bandhanaan, Mrityor Mokshiye Maamritat Aum Enjoy A Mahamrityunjaya Contemplation
Bhairava Mudra to enhance self- confidence and resilience • To perform Bhairava Mudra, place your upturned right hand on top of the upturned left in a cupped manner resting both hands on the lap. • Close your eyes and become mindful of the inner strength developing. • If the left hand is placed dominant over right it becomes Bhairavi Mudra. Watch Bhairava Mudra
• Abhaya Mudra is one way of embodying or signifying, "I'm not afraid of life; I'm not afraid of what's in my heart and I choose to live an authentic life no matter what others think or say". • It is performed by lifting the open palm of the right hand and facing it forward as if to tell fear, “Stop in your tracks! I am not afraid of you anymore”. Watch Abhaya Mudra Abhaya Mudra to overcome fear
Mudras to Balance Energy Centers Enjoy the practice Inhale for 6 counts and exhale for 6 counts in each position with mindfulness to enhance mind-body connection.
Stretching the spine in Tala Asana Learn Tala Asana
Healing the neck-Brahma Mudra Learn Brahma Mudra
Spanda-Nishpanda Kriya: Tension relaxation coupling Learn the practice
Yoga places great importance on a proper and healthy lifestyle whose main components are: ACHAR – healthy physical activities & exercise VICHAR – right thoughts and right attitude towards life that are vital for wellbeing. AHAR – healthy, nourishing diet with adequate intake of fresh water; balanced intake of fresh food, green salads, sprouts, unrefined cereals & fresh fruits. Satwic diet, prepared & served with love & affection. VIHAR – proper recreational activities to relax body and mind are essential for good health. VYAVAHAR – healthy interpersonal relationships enhancing psycho-social health
• We need to stay safe and stay healthy. • Through Yogic self care, we can reduce our fear and strengthen our immune system to manifest all round health. • May we as ONE HUMANITY stand our ground, may we fight the enemy within, overcoming the inner enemy fear; thus strengthening our ability to fight and defeat the external enemy, COVID19. • May Humanity Prevail ! Pathogenesis Salutogenesis
Gratitude is the highest attitude.
SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH (Deemed University Accredited with “A” Grade by NAAC) Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education and Research (CYTER) Salutogenesis, our focus!
SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH (Deemed University Accredited with “A” Grade by NAAC and Ranked 72 in NIRF 2018 ) www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter