Be better! Be brilliant

Generally uncertainty prevails as the time of exams come closer. This moment leads our students to worry and even sometimes to stress and tension. Our children grow fatigued and restless very often and they even lose heart before facing this test. In an effort to study more and more they ignore their appetite and sleep. They suffer from insomnia and fatigue at eyes resulting into loss of proper understanding of the subject. It requires proper energy and time management to meet the challenge and combat with fear of examination. Bitter failure occurs only to those who lose control over themselves as long as you are with yourself no unto overt can happen. Ayurveda and herbs have proved wonderful complement helpful in gaining quick and perfect result of yogic kriyas. Students are advised to avail the benefit of these matchless gifts of nature also.

Experiments at Mokshayatan International Yogashram reveal the finding that yogic kriyas affect our memory, wisdom and patience in a wonderful way. It also brings a remarkable behavioral change and blesses the children with positive attitude in day to day life. A group of 50 students from high school classes was kept under yoga training for a month after their half yearly examinations. This group continued the practice of prescribed yoga program up to annual exams with the result of 18 to 25 percent hike in their marks as compared to half yearly results. It is the standard of memory, wisdom and balance of mind of an individual that leads him to balanced personality on which depends the success.

Here a very few simple yogic kriyas easy to be followed by all boys as well as girls alike just 30 to 40 minutes a day and continue this program till the next advanced program is served. This program will strengthen their different mental functions and both the sides of brain, right as well as left function in such a balanced way that even mentally retarded children may come to normalcy if they practice it under proper observation.

Right side of the human brain is gifted with creativity like art & music, composition of text and poetry and new inventions may it be scientific or artistic and makes a man imaginary whereas left side of human brain is devoted to day to day functions and calculations etc. It is Yoga that improves the function of both sides of brain.

Besides improving the mental function these exercises can remove the clots of brain and allow a free and proper flow of blood supply in the brain resulting in to better vision and freshness at mind and cheer & charm at face & eyes.

Preparations

Always practice these kriyas empty stomach in the morning in comfortable loose fit cotton or woolen dress on a fourfold blanket or yoga mat in an airy room free from insects bad smell and sound pollution. Better to sit facing East and offer salutations to parents, Guru and Divine. It will suspend all problems for the time being and bless you with better concentration. Perform the kriyas in a very moderate way as ‘Aati sarvatra varjeyet’ (excess of everything is bad). Never suppress the natural pressures of wind, stool, urine, cough, sneeze and sweat etc during your Yog sadhna. It will protect you against any possible harm and lead you to early and perfect result. Let us begin with these Anteh Pushti Kriyas.

Anteh pushti kriyas

Prayer

Stand on your asana with feet together, body straight and tense free from top to toe, eyes gently closed and palms put together in prayer pose just in front of your chest, thumbs touching the Kanth Kupeh the center of your collar bones and upper arm firmly placed beside ribs. Forget the bygone past, ego of present and the uncertainties of future to join yourself and concentrate on Divine. Join the flow of your normal breath leaving all worries, fears and uncertainties aside. Join the Maha mantra “OM” in each breath incoming or outgoing. The upper arm pressure at sides of ribs will automatically be reduced and released as you go into deeper concentration. Relax with feet shoulder wide open to regain and refresh for next performance.

It checks the downward flow of Manovaha Nadi and improves Brahmacharya and mental concentration the utmost requirement to be a good and successful student as it is concentrated mind that helps to gain control over five Karma indriyas and five Gyan indriyas. Whenever you are in rage, fear, tension, passion, anger or in a perplexed mind unable to decide something this prayer pose will enable you to come out of the adversity.

Kapal kshetra

It is a combination of three kriyas to be performed with absolute concentration on three different points of skull in different steps. Dedicated practice of these kriyas bless us with improved concentration, memory, intelligence, wisdom and patience beside leaving a positive effect on pituitary gland that controls the functions of our other glands so these kriyas are not important only for mental strength but also for overall health of our students and other who practice them in a proper way under expert guidance. Indian religious texts have been praying to Saraswati the goddess of wisdom to descend and stay at this center to add wisdom and patience (balance) to our personality:

Om chidrupini maha mayei divvy tejh samanvitei,
Tishth devi shikha madhye tejo vriddhi kurushv mei.

1. First step

   Stand straight with your feet together and palms resting beside thighs. Bend your head to back side keeping the spinal column firm and straight. Concentrate on the Shikha Mandal (the place where Hindus have long bunch of hair called ‘Chhoti’ at the skull) as this is the place of intelligence and patience. Such concentration on particular points by yoga practitioner is called Dharna in Yoga Sutra ‘Desh Bandh Chittsye Dharna’. Imbalance of Trividh Doshas i.e. Vata, Kapha and Pitta (gas, cough and bile) causes blockage in the nerves of this important part that results into dullness, traffic of irrelevant thoughts and doubts and uncertainty etc. Regular practice of this kriya purifies and strengthens the mental tissues leading the child to come out of such problems.

   Hold perfect concentration on Shikha Kshetra in this position, inhale a deep and pressure full breath feeling strong grip in form of congestion increasing the range of grip from the same point of concentration while inhaling. Exhale gently without making any noise, releasing all pressure from place of concentration. Relax with feet shoulder wide open, head comfortably loose & relaxed and breathing very normal with mental chanting of holy mantra “OM” in each breath.

2. Second step

   Join your feet together with palms resting beside your thighs again and stand straight but head bending a little forward looking on the floor at a distance approximately equivalent to your height. Concentrate on the tender part at top of your skull. Repeat same deep pressure by full inhalation giving a feeling of strong grip at the point of concentration. Exhale gently to release all tension and enjoy normal rhythmic breathing. Repeat five to ten times and finally relax with normal breathing with feet shoulder wide open and body balance maintained.

   This tender part of skull is Smriti Mandal or the place of memory. Imbalanced Trividh Doshas (gas, cough and bile) at this particular part result into loss of memory and recognition, forgetfulness, rage, confusion and even madness. This simple kriya is a wonderful weapon to cure such possibilities and remove your mental fatigue. Students, teachers, advocates, judges and scholarly people may be highly benefited to refresh themselves from heavy burden of mental work.

3. Third step

   Join your feet together again with arms at sides, palms resting beside your thighs and back straight but head bending forward and chin firmly placed in the Kanth kupeh to maintain Jalandhara Bandha( creating a barrier to check the downward flow of nectar and checking the downward flow of prana). People suffering from spondylitis are advised not to perform this step.

   Concentrate on the deep part at bottom of your skull at back side of the head above atlas bone. Repeat same style of breathing feeling a strong grip at the point of concentration. Repeat five to ten times and relax with normal breathing, feet shoulder width open and head relaxed to back side. It is Medha kshetra or the place of wisdom and this anteh pushti kriya is specially designed to strengthen the function of this part and improve wisdom in school going children.

Jaalndharai krite bandhe kanth sankoch lakshne,
n pyusham patatyagno n ch vayu pradhavati.’ Upnishada

This Jalandhara Bandha (throat check) controls the wastage of nectar regularly pouring from sahastrara and the downward flow of Prana. In Indian traditions even in villages old teachers have been scolding the dull students saying ‘Teri guddi pe haath padega akal thikane aajayegi’ (a stroke at bottom of your skull will bring back your wisdom). This kriya is excellent for those who are slow and dull at mind.

Diet discipline

Diet plays a very important role in maintaining sound health of different organs of human body and our tradition has been very careful about it. Students are advised to include following diets to their present schedule:

• The use of pulp of butter 20 mg, Misry 20 mg and 5 pieces of black pepper empty stomach in the early morning has proved very helpful for mind and eye sight. Even Lord Krishna known as Yogeshwar is described to have been offered this special diet by mother Yashoda in his early childhood. Great poet Surdas sings that mother Yashoda says, “Pratehkaal mere laad ladente makhan misri bhaavai” (My child Krishna loves to eat butter and misry in the early morning).
• Dip two pieces of chestnut in water for two days along with its hardcover and consume its kernel on third day. Such chestnut is advised to be consumed every day for strengthening the brain.
• Brahmi and Shankh Pushpi (Ayurvedic herbs) boiled with milk are wonderful herbal diet for improving mental powers. You may take the juice of these herbs when they are available green during their season.
• Avoid stale and oily foods which are heavy to digest. Replace them with fresh fruits, vegetables and sprouts.

Practice these simple yoga exercises and diet discipline for gaining mental powers to make your success remarkable in coming examinations.