PROBLEM AND SOLUTION -_ 1
Q. I read ‘Yoga and Arogya’ column with interest but my mother prohibits me from practicing Yogasana and Pranayama. I am 13 yr. of age. My mother opines that Asanas are to be performed by sick people, is this a fact? Which are the Asanas and Pranayama that I can safely perform? Which are not permitted? Please let me know. Jaymin and Pinky Patel (Corpus Christie, Texas)
A. Dear brother Jaymin and sister Pinky,
All children of your age can without any fear perform all the Asanas. In our country m the past only those who suffered from typhoid and were weak were drinking sweet lime (Mosambi) juice. Now in America every week you consume 4 to 5 tins of juice, therefore it is a misunderstanding that sick persons only could perform Asanas. Really speaking all normally healthy people should perform a few exercises. In order to live a good life it is necessary to have food, water and air Similarly to maintain mechanism of this body properly and to extract more good work, Yogasana and Pranayama are very essential. You can perform all the Asanas that you know of; there is no Asana in prohibited list. (In the past in India people prohibited ladies from performing Siddhasana, Padangusthasana but now in America all Yogacharyas teach these Asanas to ladies) You can therefore without any fear perform Asanas yourself and also train others after you first obtain proper training from a Yoga teacher
Q. I had to wear spectacles from young childhood. I am 7 years of age. Which are the Asanas that can help? Himanshu Vadera (New Jersey)
A. Undertake exercises of the eyes. First take the eyeballs up, then bring them down, thereafter up on the right and there from down to the left. Again go up on the left and come down on the right. Thereafter go from right to left and left to right with eyeballs moving parallel to the ground. Thereafter describe a semicircle from right to left and then from left to right on upper side of eyes. Similarly take a semi circle on the downward side from right to left and then from left to right. Next take the eyeball in a complete circle in clockwise and then anti-clockwise directions. Now straighten the right hand and look at the first finger by the eyes. Bring the finger slowly and gradually right up to the nose. By this process the eyes will move in mutually opposite directions whereas the exercises so far undertaken used to move eyes parallel to the ground. It is very essential that between each of the above exercises a rest period of 10-15 seconds be allowed.
Besides, the eyes could be endowed with better sight by performance of Jala neti process. It is very essential to sneeze out 40-50 times all the water from the nostrils after performance of Jala neti. You should use tepid water with common salt added in small quantity and perform Jalaneti after finishing your morning bath. One should learn this process from a proper Yoga teacher in the first instance. It is not difficult, therefore do it without any hesitation.
But if you continue playing video games for 2, 3 or 4 hours sitting in front of television set no exercise will be useful. You should also ensure that you have no constipation. It is also necessary for the care of the eyes that you consume green leafy vegetables, salad, fresh fruits and milk. You must not read in insufficient light, do not read in a sleeping posture. Even then it is essential to get proper eye examination carried out by an ophthalmologist so that the matter may not go out of control.
Q. I am a chronic patient of headache, could you suggest suitable Yoga-abhyasa?
Ashaben Gandhi (Orlando -Florida)
A. My dear Sister!
Headache could be due to many reasons. Constipation brings headache. If one reads by straining the eyes in insufficient light, headache would be caused. We may have headache if we are tired physically or mentally. Mental tension is also one of the causes. If we have no interest in a job and yet it has to be performed headache can result. There are many such reasons. If you introspect and think a little with peace and composure the remedy for headache will be easy to explore. (see chapter 17 Headache)
Q. I get lot of pain in the knee. Kindly suggest Yoga -abhyas. Manjula Patel (Atlanta)
A. My dear Sister!
If ladies of elderly age has pain in the knee, backache and the eyes also have a burning sensation; it is necessary to give proper thought. Is the monthly period regular? Do you find leucorrhoea in the menses? Do you suffer from constipation, are the stools cleared regularly? Do you suffer too much at the time of menstruation? Are the stools sticky? If the answers to these questions are in the positive you should consult and get treatment from a proper gynecologist. You should specially take treatment and medicines for chronic colitis. Consume only skimmed milk (without cream) morning and evening. Take fresh curd, vegetables, salad in a big proportion, reduce chilies and sour items, stop at least temporarily use of onions and garlic. You may now sit up on the ground or in a chair, extend the legs in the front, pull the thumbs and fingers of the legs away from you in the downward side. Similarly now pull the legs towards you. This will exercise the cover bones of the knees. Move the legs vertically as well as laterally in circular motion as if you are cycling. This will help you. If you are over weight remain aware of it and start reducing.
Q.
Our young child has a variety of
allergies. He becomes breathless while he breathes. How can Yoga be helpful?
Ramagauri Vaidya (Los Angeles)
A.
Consult the Doctor immediately for allergy Practice Sukhapurvaka Pranayama,
Ujjayi, Kapalbhati. Bhastrika (see chapter VI Asthma)
Q.
I am a retired person. Can I start
practice of Yogasana? I am 63 years old. Muishankara Dave (Springfield -
Illinois)
A.
Definitely You can perform all the Asanas. Begin with flexibility exercises. If
you have no ailment and you have an able healthy body, you can perform all
Asanas without any fear. But if you have some disease does consult a doctor and
begin Yoga-abhyasa under the direct supervision of a Yoga-teacher.
Q.
I am getting bald. Do you have any
treatment for this baldness? Abhaysinh Jadeja (Virginia)
A.
Bapu! Do not feel slighted. Your question is absolutely correct but is posed
before a wrong person. We Sannyasi are fully shaved and now you talk to us of
retaining the bunch on the head ! Really enjoyable ! However you can perform
Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Sheetali, Bhramari and deep recitation of Omkar. This
will surely arrest the hair from falling.
Q. My son is 14 years of age, his height does not increase. What are the Yoga-asanas helpful for this purpose? Hemanginiben Ghiya (New Jersey)
A. By swimming, horse riding, parallel bar exercises one can increase the height. Performance of Yogasanas like Suryanamaskara, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Halasana, Paschimottanasana, Dhanurasana, Chakrasana, Usthrasana can help building the body and increasing the height. Normally every male adds to the height and builds up body as to an age of 20, 21 or 22. However, children stop adding to their height if there is shortage of hormones. Your son can surely increase his height for a further period of six years if proper medical treatment, proper food and proper exercises are given.
Q. My husband is very forgetful. Can power of memory be increased?
Sunanda Mistry (Detroit - Michigan)
A.
Sunandaben ! A man would remember those jobs or subjects where he has interest.
Even if you repeat 10 times to carry out a job if the man has no interest in the
subject he cannot remember it or will forget it. In the conjugal life a trio of
mutual co-operation, good wishes and sympathy can render warmth to each other.
If you go on repeating to Mistry Saheb that he is a forgetful man then he will
only add to his forgetfulness. He can surely increase his mental power by
performance of Omkar, Bhramari Pranayama, Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, meditation
and Shavasana. Over and above the details given above it is necessary to bear in
mind one fact. A person who eats more, who sleeps more, weakens his brain more
and more. Memory, endurance, thinking power, mental power, remembering power,
concentration, meditation - all these require a habit of rising early in the
morning in Brahmamuhurta. Take some little exercise, perform Asanas, Pranayama
and Suryanamaskara. Go to bed early do not gorge food. One should perform any
work undertaken with full interest and liking. Do not try to meddle with a
subject or a thing which is of no use in your life, Therefore those who sleep
like a dog, who take bath like a crow, who meditate like a crane, one who eats
and speaks very little as well as one who has left his house gets a boon of
memory and remembering power.In addition if you form a habit of reciting Shree
Hanuman Challisa or Shire Vishnu Sahasranama, Shire Saraswati Mantra namely Om
Ain Saraswatyai namah, then also you will strengthen your memory. If in the
morning after bath daily a student recites the following mantra three times
