Natural Health’s resident yoga guru Sue Fuller takes a look at some asanas and breathing techniques to help focus and sharpen your mind.
Natural Health’s resident yoga guru Sue Fuller takes a look at some asanas and breathing techniques to help focus and sharpen your mind.
Yoga heightens mental performance by increasing the circulation, which in turn raises the oxygen levels in the brain. The relaxation and meditation techniques taught in yoga also allow the mind to rest and help to remove any negativity and mental clutter. Newmental challenges are presented to us when we first learn yoga – such as learning the Sanskrit names of the postures, remembering the techniques we are taught and perhaps developing an interest in the history and philosophy of yoga. Practitioners are also encouraged to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and to sleep soundly – both of which have a positive effect on the mind.
Early yoga practitioners used the practice as a way of obtaining optimum levels of physical and mental health to enable them to meditate for long periods of time whilst free from any physical and mental distractions. To achieve this goal the physical body needed to be free from ailments or aches and pains and the mind had to be clear and focused without any internal dialogue, unnecessary thoughts or emotional clutter. In today’s fast paced world a sharp and alert mind goes a long way to helping us achieve our goals. Here’s how yoga can help.
Bhoochari Mudra
(Gazing into nothing)
This mudra helps to develop concentration skills, calms and relieves anger. Begin sitting in a comfortable position with a straight spine. Rest your hands lightly on your thighs or knees and turn your palms up. Lightly close your eyes and begin to breathe slowly in and out through your nose. Lift one arm and position the thumb gently against the upper lip with the hand palm down and the elbow pointing out to the side. Now, open your eyes and direct the gaze to the little finger. Try not to blink as you hold for a minute and continue to breathe slowly through your nose. Then lower the arm and continue to direct the gaze on the empty space created by lowering the arm (the original point of focus). Again try not to blink whilst maintaining this for five to 10 minutes.
Inversions
Inverted postures increase blood flow to the brain, raising the levels of nutrients and oxygen received. Always begin with half-inverted postures such as adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog) or viparita karani (legs up the wall).
To perform adho mukha svanasana, begin on your hands and knees. Curl your toes under, move your hips back and allow your knees to leave the floor. Exhale as you slowly unfold your legs to create a triangular shape with your body. Push down into the floor with your hands and direct your armpits towards the floor. Lift the lower abdominal muscles as you work to feel that both sides of the body are equal in length and that your hips are square. Hold this posture for 10 slow breath cycles or for as long as you feel comfortable whilst focusing on your alignment.
To perform viparita karani lay on your back and position your buttocks as close as you can to a wall. Extend your legs up the wall. This posture will help the blood to drain from your legs. If you find this uncomfortable then you could try laying on your back with your kneesbent and your feet placed on a chair. Once you are in a position where your feet are higher than your heart, remain there for at least 10 minutes, breathing slowly in and out through your nose.
Please note: Fully inverted postures such as headstands are suitable for advanced students only.
And Relax…
Performing this relaxation technique prior to falling asleep will help to eliminate stress, clear the mind and induce a deep state of relaxation.
Lay flat on your back with your eyes lightly closed. Place your hands beside your hips with the palms facing up. Breathe slowly in and out through your nose. Focus on the breath entering and leaving the body and picture the stress and tension leaving your body on each exhalation. When you feel ready, divide your inhalation into three parts. Begin by picturing your breath filling the bottom third of your lungs, pause, then draw the breath into the middle section, pause again, and then fill the top third of your lungs, pausing once again before you fully exhale slowly through your nose. With each exhalation visualise all the stress and tension leaving your body. Continue this technique for 10 breaths and then return to breathing slowly in and out through the nose, focusing on relaxing both the body and the mind on each exhalation.
Pranayamas
(breathing techniques)
Pranayamas will help to clear and focus the mind as well as raise oxygen levels. Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) is a simple pranayama that will help to remove mental clutter, relax and calm the mind. It can also be used to help to relieve headaches.
Sit in any comfortable position with a straight spine. Using the right hand, place the thumb beside your right nostril, your first two fingers to your forehead and your ring finger beside the left nostril.
Block your right nostril and inhale through the left nostril, then block the left nostril and release your thumb so that you can exhale through the right nostril. Now inhale through the right nostril, replace your thumb to your right nostril and release your ring finger so that you can exhale through the left nostril. Continue like this for up to five minutes and then rest with your eyes closed whilst you breathe slowly in and out through your nose.
More info
Sue Fuller has created an extensive range of instructional yoga, pranayama and relaxation classes. The range features high quality, easy-to-follow classes suitable for all levels of experience and ability. Each class is available on CD and to download from yoga2hear.co.uk
