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Yoga’s greatest contribution is that it teaches us mind management, because
only if we are able to manage our minds will we succeed in transforming the quality
of our lives. Think of any problem which you are facing now and feels like an
obstacle. Replace the word “problem” with the word “challenge”
when you describe it to yourself. This will probably open up a new way of thinking
and looking at the same situation. Simple changes like this can transform our
lives.
So don’t remain on a restricted diet of yogasanas only, try some mental
asanas too, like Regularity-asana, Tenacity-asana, Simplicity-asana, Equanimity-asana
? to name a few. Choose any one of these and work on it for a few weeks. Keep
a daily record of your successes and failures (all of us have both) and watch
how the transformation happens.
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| Question: My wife (71) has osteo-arthritis in both knees. Doctors suggest
total left knee-joint replacement. Her movements are restricted to those within
the house. Please suggest asanas for alleviation of pain or for cure. V.M. Iyer,
Bilaspur |
| Question: I am 64 and suffer from heart disease. For the past two years,
I have been suffering from pain in both knees, which makes walking freely impossible.
Physiotherapy hasn’t helped. Please suggest some simple exercises to ease
the pain. |
| Ajit Kumar Das, Howrah. |
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Answer: Osteo-arthritis is connected to the ageing process and usually
affects weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips. Lack of regular exercise,
inappropriate diet and irregular lifestyle over the years, worries and , all contribute
to this. So, it is important to understand that with advancing age, only some
relief is possible but not a reversal of the problem. Yoga will complement what
your doctor recommends, not substitute it.
In an acute stage, rest and medical support are essential. During this stage,
do Janufalak Akarshan (kneecap contraction) 20-30 times. Keeping the legs stretched
out, contract the muscles around the kneecaps towards the thighs as you inhale.
Relax them as you exhale. Repeat this practice as frequently as you can. It will
strengthen the load-bearing muscles around the knees. Enjoy the luxury of a hot
compress when you finish.
Once you have recovered from the acute stage, gradually increase the yoga practices.
Give both the knees a hot compress, massage them before (and after) doing Janu
Naman (1) and Janu Chakra (2). Try to walk regularly, even with support if necessary.
If this is difficult, then lie down (on an empty stomach), and do Pada Sanchalanasana.
Keeping the knee joints busy will help improve circulation and reduce pain. You
will be able to walk more comfortably in due course.
Do Shavasana regularly for 15-20 minutes every day. As you inhale, visualise
that you are sending freshness and energy to your knees. Each time you exhale,
imagine that you are drawing out the pain and tension from the knees.
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| Question: I am 18. Owing to an infection in my right ear, I have become
70 per cent deaf. The doctor says that the infection has affected my auditory
nerves. This shock is hampering my concentration and affecting all other activities.
Please suggest some asanas which will help my ear function normally. |
| Name not mentioned |
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Answer: If you wish, you can turn this infection into a challenge. Your
auditory nerves have been affected, not destroyed. Ludwig von Beethoven, one of
the greatest classical music composers in the West, started going deaf at 24 and
finally became stone deaf. But his best works were after the infection. You will
be surprised how much you can achieve if only you trust yourself and take up a
challange.
Do Simhagarjanasana, Bhramari Pranayama (3) and Shavasana every day. When you
are resting in Shavasana, listen to the sound of your breathing. When inhaling,
you will hear the sound “So” and as you exhale, the sound “Ham”.
Keep listening to this sound whenever you have free time. So-Ham, So-Ham, So-Ham
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| Simhagarjanasana |
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Sit comfortably as shown, with knees wide apart. Place the palms on the floor
with fingers pointing towards the calves. Lean forward with arms straight, gently
turn the head backwards as you arch the spine. Open the eyes and gaze at the centre
of the eyebrows. With the mouth closed, inhale deeply, open the mouth and let
the tongue come out towards the chin and as you exhale slowly, make a loud “Aaaaaah”
sound. You must roar like a lion, not squeak like a mouse if you want Simhagarjanasana’s
full effects. When you finish exhaling, draw back the tongue, close the mouth
and breathe in. This is one round. Do 10-15 rounds every day (facing the rising
sun, if possible).
This asana alleviates many diseases of the ears, throat, eyes and mouth. It
helps to develop a beautiful voice and to get rid of shyness and nervousness.
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| Question: I am 16 years and weigh 45 kg. I am only five feet tall.
Is there any way of increasing one’s height through yoga? Please advise.
Khusbu Agarwal, Mayurbhanj |
| Question: I am in my teens and have gained a lot of weight recently,
mostly in the midriff. Because of my studies, I don’t always get enough time
to exercise. Please suggest appropriate yogic practices to help me lose weight.
What diet pattern should I follow? Sanchita Karmakar, Asansol, Esther Rani, Calcutta |
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Answer: Imagine a world where everyone is tall and slim. Wouldn’t
it be absolutely boring ? We need all kinds of people to make the world ? tall,
short, thin, fat, bald, hairy. How tall is Tendulkar? Or Shah Rukh Khan? Or President
Abdul Kalaam?
Food gives us lots of energy, but if you are eating lots of good food, you
must also learn how to burn off the excess energy, or else it will settle down
in your body, and make you fat and slow and sick. You must find time to go out
and play ? really play, and sweat it out. What is the fun of studying all the
time? Go for a swim or play badminton or volleyball.
Eat simple, wholesome food. Find ways to burn off the excess calories. Study
regularly. Enjoy life. Sleep peacefully. Trust yourself.
What yoga teaches us is to enjoy life fully, but with constant awareness. If
you love ice-cream and chocolates, have them by all means, but do your exercises
regularly. If you do one and ignore the other, you are asking for trouble. Try
to be alert, active and happy. At your age, you can do all the yoga practices
that have come out in these columns, but you must also play some vigorous games
regularly. You will be surprised to see how much better you are doing in your
studies and everything else. Also, tell your parents and family to follow the
same guidelines. Let us know the effects.
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| If you have any queries for this section send them to Fitness (Yoga),
Features section, The Telegraph, 6, Prafulla Sarkar Street, Calcutta-700001. You
may also mail them to themes@abpmail.com with ‘yoga’ in the subject
line or fax them to 033-22253142/22361208. Gautam Sen, of the Bihar School of
Yoga, will reply to your queries. |
