Pranayama - Side effects?

[satay]

Namaskar,

I wondered if anyone has experienced certain side effects of doing pranayama, specifically kapalbhati and nadi pranayamas.

I am experiencing some slight headaches.

Just curious...

[amra]

It is best to ask your teacher who gave you these exercises.

I have been advised that generally breathing exercises are not suitable for kaliyuga, the only exception being when authorised by an authentic teacher. I would not follow them from books.

[satay]

Namaskar amra,

I have never heard of the advice that 'breathing' exercises should not be performed in kaliyuga.

In fact, I just got back from India after a month of visiting there and found that majority of people young and old are doing pranayama, especially in the Northern India. This, I was told is due to Swami Ramdev's influence who is advising everyone that in fact, everyone should do these exercises to get rid of modern day stress and dis-eases.

I am not sure why one wouldn't be allowed to do these exercises, especially in Kaliyuga.

[amra]

The great Sant Baba Ishar Singh Ji maharaja of the Punjab is noted to have said that Pranayama is not suitable for Kaliyuga. One reason was the environment is too polluted he, reccomended Naam Japna as the best sadhana of Kaliyuga and I regard him as a great authority in these matters. This can be found in the Ishvar Amolak Lal which is in punjabi and can be found here http://www.ik13.com/other_files.htm Baba Ishar Ji was well versed in vedanta and i recommend his writings to everyone.

Also I have been informed by others that excessive pranayama can debilitate your system. If not integrated harmoniously with other sadhanas. Our breath is linked most intimately to our mind and therefore to our consciousness. Forcibly breathing in a particular way is likely to affect your mind and if other negative tendencies are not destroyed by other sadhanas then they could be inflammed. And there is also the whole business of bodily chemistry which is linked to breath, of which I am unqualified to talk about.

My opinion is that without an authentic teacher forcible interference with bodily processes may cause more harm than good. Praising God, being conscious of our bodies, watching our actions and thoughts and maintaining a pure mind are much better these days than doing pranayama.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

I wrote this on another post, and thought it germane to this conversation:
This HDF post http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3351&highlight=pranayama (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3351&highlight=pranayama) reviews various approaches to prāṇāyāma i.e.

Ujjāyī prāṇāyām
Sūrya Bhedana prāṇāyām
Nādī Śodhaba prāṇāyām
Bhastrikā prāṇāyām
Kapālabhāti prāṇāyām
etc. I practice prāṇāyāma daily as part of my sādhana. I have never had an issue once. I was also instructed (properly). The 'side effects' have been the calming (steadiness) of the mind.

The mind is tightly coupled to praṇa, as goes praṇa so goes the mind. This was reviewed in a HDF post¹ for those interested.


Regarding prāṇāyāma in kali yuga... I cannot comment with any authority to say it is a restriction. Yet I find the regulation of the breath within the Vijñāna bhairava tantra. I find no restrictions to time, varṇa, male of female.


As a wind drives away smoke and impurities from the atmosphere, prāṇāyām drives away impurities from the body and mind - B.K.S. Iyengar


praṇām

references

HDF posts: prana and the mind: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1462&highlight=prana+controls+mind (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1462&highlight=prana+controls+mind)
prāṇā+ yāma: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=18446&postcount=5 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=18446&postcount=5)

[satay]

Namaskar amra,

Thank you for the post. I appreciate your opinion.

I am a punjabi and had never heard of Baba Ishar Singh. Upon looking up his name, I found that he is a guru from one of the Sikh sampradayas. I think that baba ishar singh does have a point about the environment. However, I do not see how his opinion is authority on such matters.

Though anyone and everyone is free to give their opinions on such matters, I think that the opinions based on sastra are valid. I look to the opinions of those gurus or swamis that come from the vedic lineage and towards those who actually practice yoga e.g. Yajvan and others on HDF.

However, I digress.

Thanks,

[satay]

pranam Yajvan,

Thank you for the post.

I actually first thought of e-mailing you about this query privately but decided to post the question openly for others who might be experiencing the same 'side effects'.

What I neglected to mention in my OP was that I was too instructed properly in person while I was in India of kapalbhati and nadi though you have in the past sent me instructions as well. I could have asked the question to the person who instructed me but the answer would have taken a number of days to reach me.

Thanks!


hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

I wrote this on another post, and thought it germane to this conversation:
This HDF post http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3351&highlight=pranayama (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3351&highlight=pranayama) reviews various approaches to prāṇāyāma i.e.

Ujjāyī prāṇāyām
Sūrya Bhedana prāṇāyām
Nādī Śodhaba prāṇāyām
Bhastrikā prāṇāyām
Kapālabhāti prāṇāyām
etc. I practice prāṇāyāma daily as part of my sādhana. I have never had an issue once. I was also instructed (properly). The 'side effects' have been the calming (steadiness) of the mind.

The mind is tightly coupled to praṇa, as goes praṇa so goes the mind. This was reviewed in a HDF post¹ for those interested.


Regarding prāṇāyāma in kali yuga... I cannot comment with any authority to say it is a restriction. Yet I find the regulation of the breath within the Vijñāna bhairava tantra. I find no restrictions to time, varṇa, male of female.


As a wind drives away smoke and impurities from the atmosphere, prāṇāyām drives away impurities from the body and mind - B.K.S. Iyengar


praṇām

references

HDF posts: prana and the mind: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1462&highlight=prana+controls+mind (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1462&highlight=prana+controls+mind)
prāṇā+ yāma: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=18446&postcount=5 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=18446&postcount=5)

[pasu]

Namaste Satay,
I found something on the internet about 'headaches'...
I quote here the information...

Question: After the class last week I had a headache all evening. Why?
This may be a part of the natural cleansing process stimulated by doing kundalini yoga. The toxins that are stored in the muscles are released into the circulation so they can be eliminated through the kidneys, lungs, intestines, and skin. However, before waste can leave the body it temporarily makes the blood slightly toxic in people who are sedentary. A headache after a class can be a normal symptom of this increase in the toxic level of the blood. It may also be caused by insufficient pure water, hydration, before exercise, especially in hot climates. If symptoms persist or seem extreme, certainly refer them to professional medical advice. It is best to drink a lot of pure water so the body can clean itself more efficiently, and then go to sleep.

Please go to the following link for more information (FAQ -Yogi Bhajan...)

http://k.b5z.net/i/u/2175232/i/Kundalini_FAQs_revised.pdf

God Bless you
pasu

[Nuno Matos]

Namaste all,


Some times is reported when doing pranayama intensivly the ocurance of headheaches, like in longed retensions, especially in shunya( empty lungs ). I have never experienced issues with full lungs re-tensions.
If any tension, which normaly ends with an headheach, comes about the better thing is to stop the exercise, change it to another one or do some Hatha yoga asana. The sun salutation with its sets of asanas and mantras is perfect.
Budha used to say that if the string is to tight it will broken if it is to lose it will not play.

[atanu]

Namaste all,

Some times is reported when doing pranayama intensivly the ocurance of headheaches, like in longed retensions, especially in shunya( empty lungs ). I have never experienced issues with full lungs re-tensions.
If any tension, which normaly ends with an headheach, comes about the better thing is to stop the exercise, change it to another one or do some Hatha yoga asana. The sun salutation with its sets of asanas and mantras is perfect.
Budha used to say that if the string is to tight it will broken if it is to lose it will not play.


Namaste All,

Nuno gives us wisdom always in his precise way.

Pranayama or no Pranayama, people have headache and stomach ache and other aches. Pranayama, by activating the whole system, does appear to aggravate dormant problems. I started Pranayama on my own from books in teens. My motivation was to become a Billionaire and rule by strength of money.:Roll:

In about three months, there developed Gout, Proctitis, a skin condition, and Asthma. Terrible. I thought that i was dying. A spiritual friend told me that I needed to cleanse the mind first. (Added later: I am inclined to believe that such contradictions between a sensitive soul's calling and the opposing drive of ego causes many Michael Jacksons).

Now, I understand, if the mind is not clean -- then Prana rides it and takes it to unwanted places, although the mind (atmana) is the boss. Prana is the truth. Atman is the truth of the truth.

Pranayama becomes perfect when the control lies with atman (and not with the false ego). When control is with ego the string will either be too taut or too lax.

---------------------
Om Namah Shivaya

[atanu]

Namaste All,

Lest Satay or anyone misunderstand, i clarify that the above post of mine is general. In a specific headache condition, Nuno's suggestion is the solution. 'Tense muscles' or a 'wandering-furiously thinking mind' are the main causes of aches. If i perceive strain, i try to take a pause and few soft deep breaths -- to allow the strain to dissipate away. Then re-start, focussing sofly on the form/name of the Deity. In time, Pranayama actually cures all headaches.

This also applies for japa.

Om Namah Shivaya

[satay]

Namaste All,

Lest Satay or anyone misunderstand, i clarify that the above post of mine is general. In a specific headache condition, Nuno's suggestion is the solution. 'Tense muscles' or a 'wandering-furiously thinking mind' are the main causes of aches. If i perceive strain, i try to take a pause and few soft deep breaths -- to allow the strain to dissipate away. Then re-start, focussing sofly on the form/name of the Deity. In time, Pranayama actually cures all headaches.

This also applies for japa.

Om Namah Shivaya

Thanks Atanu.