Pranayam is a process of inhaling, holding and releasing breath in a controlled manner. Meditation is a process to free our minds from the earthy matter and gradually moving to eternal bliss. Both of these two influence the body and mind. As a result, if a sick person regularly and properly practices pranayam and meditation, we’ll observe certain improvements in physical and mental health conditions.
I have seen many patients, who are doing pranayam, experiencing lesser side effects of chemo/radiotherapy. Certainly these patients enjoy better quality of life in comparison with those who are not practicing pranayam. But the tragedy is that these critically sick patients (like cancer, AIDS and other serious diseases) can’t survive more than expected.
Does it mean that pranayam is not a curative process? Well, I still reserve my comments but here I’m posting about the original objectives of pranayam and meditation.
We find the mention of yoga, pranayam and meditation in ancient Indian philosophical as well as religious scriptures. These methods, specifically, pranayam and meditation were mentioned as a vehicle to self realization and feeling oneness with the supreme soul.
The important point is that these methods were used and practiced to gain transcendental knowledge. In other words, to realize that body is perishable but soul is immortal. So pranayam and meditation were used not for body comfort rather to experience higher mental plane. Emphasis was on mind/soul rather than body.
This is where the contradiction lies and problem starts. Today we are putting emphasis on the physical existence and over looking the ultimate truth of life. But mind, being affected by sincere practice of pranayam, reacts automatically to the vibration of the eternality. And slowly but surely becomes unresponsive to physical conditions.
Mind looks up and up and searches that glorious vibration once it gets a boost from the effects of positive energies received by the body during pranayam. Unknowingly, the patient starts look beyond her physical condition. For now, I conclude here.
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