30th August 2010
Ignited Child!
You are aware of the cause-effect relationship. When we do something, there is an effect. As long as we cause something, the effect or the consequences cannot be avoided. This is simple logic.
Just think what is breathing? Isn't inhaling air, assimilating oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide? When we hold our breath, the carbon dioxide content of the blood increases. The body responds by understanding that the oxygen supply is being stopped, and the brain instructs the carotid artery to allow more blood to be dispatched to the affected area! Just hold your breath till you cannot hold anymore and notice what happens. You will notice blood flowing into your head. With more flow of blood to the head area, the brain gets an additional quota of blood and along with it a substantial quantity of oxygen. You will appreciate what it means to oxygenate the brain richly.
The effect of this is like irrigating a fertile soil with good water. The soil may be very fertile, but without water, the fertility does not matter much. As I mentioned elsewhere, all of us get the same quota of neuron, about one hundred billion. I also said that we lose anywhere from 10,000 to 35,000 neurons per day.
Compare this with the plants withering away on a fertile soil for want to water. What happens when water flows into that soil? Will the plants revive and live longer? This principle applies to the brain cells also. We cannot add any more neurons to our brain, as I mentioned elsewhere. All that we can do is to stop the death of neurons. By oxygenating the brain through breath control, we do this. This results in stopping the death of neurons.
As mentioned earlier, neurons are the receptacles of information and more neurons means more information storage capacity!
With this information, think whether it makes sense to encourage your child to do pranayama!
Are there any other method to practice breath control?
Read further…
N C Sridharan and Radha Sridharan
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