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Ancient Science of Life, Vol No. XI No.1 & 2, July & October 1991, Pages 1 - 6
PRANAYAMA AND BRAIN CORRELATES
T. M. SRINIVASAN
Director of Institutional Laboratory, The Fetzer Institute, 9292 W. K L Avenue,
Kalamazoo, M. I. 49009, U. S. A.
Received: 3 April 1991 Accepted: 12 June 1991
ABSTRACT: Many yogic methods emphasis control and suspension of breath as important
components of the path to transcendence. However, the Pranayamas are varied and their role of
both improve the physical aspects of breathing and for calming the mind, the latter being very
important in the management of many phycosomatic disorders. Different types of Pranayama
seem to influence the brain functioning in specific ways. Since the breath seems to link the body
and the mind, it is possible to study this link by studying the effect of Pranayama on some brain
functioning. This report document some of the recent observations of EEG changes during
different types of Pranayama and their significance in health and diseases.
Introduction
Pranayama is an important anga (limb) of “The three sorts of motion of Pranayama
the Yoga system of Patanjali, though only are, one by which we draw the breath in,
three aphorisms are dedicated to this in the another by which we throw it out, and the
Yoga Sutras. They may be roughly third action in which the breath is held in the
translated as follows: “Pranayama is the lungs, or stopped from entering the lungs.
control of exhalation and inhalation”; ‘It is These, again, are varied by place and time.
modified through external, internal and By place is meant that the prana is held to
motionless ways, controlled in place, time, some particular part of the body. By time is
number, being either long or short”; and meant how long the prana should be
“The fourth is the complete cessation (of confined to a certain place, and so we are
breathing) with reflection on external or told how many seconds to keep one motion,
internal objects” (Yoga Sutras : II 49 – 51). and how many seconds to keep another.
After this very terse exposition on the The results of this Pranayama is Udgata,
method of Pranayama practice, Maharishi awakening the Kundalini”.
Patanjal states that by this, the covering on
the citta is removed and the citta becomes While this passage clarifies the three types
fit for Dharana (II 52, 53). of Pranayama mentioned in the Sutras, the
fourth type that is mentioned has come
In this beautiful and expressive translation under much discussion. Several
of the Patanjala Yoga Sutras, Swami commentators have tried to interpret the
Vivekananda writes as follows (1): fourth type of Pranayama in their own way.
One certain message of the relevant Sutra is
that the breath should be stopped and the
Pages 1 - 6
citta or the mind brings to focus an object (control), but from Prana and Ayama,
for contemplation. while the latter term according to
Amarakosa means length, rising, extensity,
Hatapradipika of Svatmarma is a text of expansion, in other words, it is the process
importance when the actual practice of the whereby the ordinary and comparatively
Yoga angas are in discussion. In this work, slight manifestation of Prana in lengthened,
it is said that the practice of Pranayama is strengthened and developed.
necessary for removing all impurities in the
nadis or the subtle channels through which “Pranayama is first with a view to control.
the pranic energy flows in the body. The latter is then moved into Susumna by
Tranquility of the mind, avoiding disease stirring of Kundalini, who blocks the entry
and transcending the fear of death (note, not (Brahma-dvara) thereto. With the
transcending death itself) are the outcomes disappearance of Prana there from, Ida and
of proper practice of Pranayama (2). Pingala “die” (i.e, they are relaxed and
devitalized, as every part of the body is from
More recently, the famous yoga teacher which the Prana – Sakti is with drawn), and
from India, Sri. B. K. S. Iyengar has the the Prana in Susumna by means of the
following to say in his book ‘Light on Sakti-Kundalini, pierces the six Cakras
Pranayama’ (3) : which block the passage in the
Brahmanadi, and eventually becomes laya
“Pranayama is an art and has techniques to in the Great British which is the final end
make the respiratory organs to move and and aim of this process”.
expand internally, rhythmically and
intensively. It consists of long, sustained While these important sources talk about the
flow of inhalation (puraka), exhalation role of Pranayama in expanding
(rechaka), and retention of breath consciousness and in maintaining health, we
(kumbhaka). Puraka stimulates the need to look for very specific changes that
system; rechaka throws out vitiated air and occur in the body – mind continuum in
toxins; kumbhaka distributes the energy individuals practicing this ancient technique.
throughout the body…. This disciplined The brain is a logical place for a search
breathing helps the mind to concentrate and since yoga is for restraining citta or the
enables the sadhaka to attain robust health mind. The workings of the mind, breathing
and longevity”. and body functions are closely connected to
each other, as most workers in the
While writing commentary on the classical psychosomatic area will agree. Breathing is
text Satcakra Nirupana¸ the exposition on a link between body and mind, as much as
the Kundalini Sakthi in the body, Sir John brain is a link between the two. Thus, if
Woodroffe has the following to say (4): both brain and breathing are individually
linked to the psyche and the soma, the
“Pranayama is frequently translated natural question is what connections are
“breath control”. Having regard to the there between is what connections are there
processes employed, the term is not between brain and breathing themselves.
altogether inappropriate if it is understood We shall review the current literature in
that “breath” means not only the Sthula, but research aimed at understanding this link.
the Suksma-vayu. But the word does not
come from Prana (breath) and Yama
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EEG correlates of Pranayama specific frequency of activity and
localization in the brain.
While many studies report brain electrical
activity or EEG (electroencephalogram) The consequence of such specificity is
changes during meditation (a topic which difficult to understand at this time. With
will not be taken by here), only recently the current research focus in many prominent
effects of Pranayama along is being studies laboratories, of relating specific frequencies
to understand the changes in brain activity in the brain to specific neurotransmitter
during these procedures. release, it is likely that a particular
neurotransmitter is released for each type of
Agnisara is a unique Pranayama whose Pranayama. If found true, this could lead
description is as follows (5) : “The student to therapeutic procedures for many
site with crossed legs and inhales deeply. neurologic disorders. For example, a
Then with a forced exhalation he empties calcium deficiency could be compensated
the lungs as much as possible. After the through the practice of a particular
exhalation, he keeps the breath out for a few Pranayama.
moments without inhaling. In this
condition, his diaphragm is raised naturally Ultradian Rhythm in the Body Functions
to the thoracic cavity and he can manipulate
the abdominal muscles. Again, as long as Before we take up the subject of EEG
his diaphragm is in the raised position, he changes due to other Pranayamic breathing,
pumps the abdominal muscles inward and let us review briefly the biorhythms
outward in a quick succession. In each associated with some body functions. There
round, when he empties his lungs, he pumps are several rhythms in the environment that
fifteen to twenty times without inhaling. the body follows cyclically, for example, the
This is one round. A student can practice well-known circadian rhythm which follows
ten rounds daily”. the day-night cycle and the circannual one
with a period of about a year which are seen
Two reports are available indicating certain in the seasonal variations. The ultradian
unusual EEG patterns during Agnisara rhythm, is a rhythm with a period less than
(6,7). During this practice, EEG pattern 20 hours and here the examples include
showed bursts of 50 – 100 microvolt sleep-wake cycle and the hunger-satiation
amplitude waves in the frequency 12 – 13 periods.
Hz. These waves seemed to occur
preferentially during the retraction of the An important ultradian rhythm is the nasal
abdominal wall and at the pre – Rolandic cycle well known to the ancient yogis. This
areas of the brain. The brain responds to the rhythm is an endogenous one, meaning that
somatto – visceral inputs arising from the is internally controlled and is characterized
abdominal wall activity. Further, exercises by dominance in nostril breathing. This
such as Nauli, Bastrika and Suryabedana means at any time, the breathing is
seem to have characteristic frequencies predominantly through one nostril and after
between 12 and 17 Hz and between 26 and a time, a switch occurs to the other nostril.
33 Hz with specific cortical localizations. This switching occurs about 10 times in a 24
Hence, the conclusion is that these hour period. Thus, for a normal individual,
Pranayamas stimulate specific receptors in there is a shift in nostril breathing once in
the body, each of which have, in their turn, every two to three hours.
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laboratory. Both the top and bottom panels
It is too early to talk about the consequences of the figure show one epoch each,
of this rhythm in health and diseases; representing two seconds of EEG data. The
however, a few reports have emerged to panels show the frequency spectra at 19
indicate its importance in maintaining a locations on the scalp. The frequency band
balance in the autonomic nervous system covered in this plot is between 0 and 32 Hz.
activity. We shall briefly report some recent The plots have the front of the head
findings of correlations between unilateral represented on the top of each panel and the
nostrils breathing and brain functioning. back at the bottom. The top panel is with
the subject breathing with the dominant
Unilateral nostril breathing and brain (left) nostril with the right nostril closed,
functions while the bottom panel is taken when the
right or the non dominant nostril is utilized
The most interesting work in this area is for breathing with the left nostril closed. In
related to changes in the electrical activity o each case, the breathing is achieved by
the brain hemispheres due to both natural closing one nostril with a nasal plug.
alterations in nostril breathing and during
forced unilateral nostril breathing, this latter It is seen clearly that in the top panel, the
being similar to Pranayamic breathing. It right brain hemisphere is more active than
has been observed that the total EEG the left, while in the bottom panel the
amplitude is higher in the contra lateral opposite seems to be the case. This is seen
hemisphere than the ipsilateral hemisphere. consistently in some subjects. In other
In other words, if a person is breathing subjects, the contra lateral dominance is not
predominately with the left nostril, that as clear as in the above case; however, one
person’s right hemisphere of the brain will could still see a shift in activity in the EEG.
be more active, putting out a greater There is a third category of subjects for
electrical signal than the left hemisphere (8). whom it is observed that they are unable to
make any shift at all, even in relative
Even during forced nostril breathing, such magnitudes (9). Both physiologic 9such as
hemispheric responses have been found. polyp in one nostril) and psychologic (stress
Figure 1 shows a typical frequency response and anxiety) reasons could be assigned in
plot of an individual during forced nostril such cases, though we have not investigated
breathing conditions taken with Lexicor 23 these possibilities at this time.
channel brain mapping system at our
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