By Atul Vyas
We are living in a highly toxic environment and our bodies need little help. When the toxic load from modern living overwhelms the body’s natural detoxification system, never meant to handle the onslaught of modern lifestyle, full of so much pollution, processed food, and sedentary life, one needs yogic intervention to prevent the development of chronic diseases and brain dysfunction.
Among many types of pollution, mental pollution is one of the most serious types. The idea that a toxin could be a physical substance or an emotion/thought is a difficult concept for the medical world to grasp. Though in medical science there are medical doctors and psychologists, who generally don’t see problems in the same way, as their fields are considered separately.
However, in yoga, these two fields are much more unified. The yogic perspective does not distinguish between toxins that are in the body and those which are in the mind. Yoga is concerned with toxins that are insufficiently transformed whether in the body or in the mind because this will do damage to the entire interconnected system. This toxin or ‘ama,’ eventually weakens both body and mind, resulting in disease.
The body eliminates mental and emotional toxins through a variety of thought processes, more so when you deliberately attempt to work things out and address personal issues but also in less obvious ways like burying traumas in the subconscious like the body burying toxins in fat cells.
Mental/emotional toxins may not be measurable but manifest in body and behavior through physical and mental signs, and symptoms.
According to yoga, meditation is a potent medicine for the brain and is an important component of mental detoxification. Meditation reverses the whole stress response and its cascade of signals and it improves immune function. It also regulates the way the brain fires.
Among many meditational techniques, I am here mentioning one which is validated by medical science and by world-famous Cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson.
Technique
- Sit comfortably with a straight spine, head, and neck
- Close eyes and breathe awareness i.e. observing breathing for 2 minutes
- Then, with every exhalation recite the “Om” mantra loudly
- One can do recitation silently too after some practice
- Repeat for at least 5 minutes to begin and gradually increase it to 15 minutes
- Open your eyes and relax
Benefits
- Induces relaxation response in the body
- Brings breathing rate down to 10 to 11 breaths per minute
- Decreases the lactate chemicals in the blood
- Slows down brain wave pattern inducing rest and relaxation
- Improves Gut health and functions
The author likes to be called a “Yoga Scientist”. He is a celebrity yoga trainer and has trained several top Hollywood and Bollywood stars. He has trained for years under many eminent yoga gurus including his illustrious mother Daya Vyas, the first lady yoga guru of India.
