International Yoga Day 2022: Enhancing Grasping & Learning Power Through Yoga & Meditation

Among many of its precious uses, yoga is also considered a scientific tool to boost your intelligence. By using asanas, breath, and meditation techniques, you can enhance your learning skills.  Physical body based practice of asana includes many practices such as Surya Namaskar, Chandra Namasskar and asanas such as Bakasana, Bal Bakasana etc. When you perform these asanas, particular pressure points in the body and brain are massaged. 

Working on brain health

Yogic practices work on the brain's inner mechanisms balancing both hemispheres and bringing energy up to the brain. This helps in the alignment of your energy fields that affect learning and grasping information. Yoga boosts grey matter in the brain which is responsible for memory, intellect, coordination, and many other important functions.

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Yoga Techniques to enhance your learning skills

Practice the following yogic techniques to boost your brain health:

1. Kapal Bhati

This is a very dynamic and powerful practice to enhance your learning capacity. Kapal Bhati increases your capacity to receive information and the ability to assimilate it.

• Sit in a comfortable position 

• Keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed 

• Close your eyes to focus on your breath. 

• Place your palms on your knees 

• Inhale normally and start exhaling short, rhythmic, and forceful breaths

• Use your stomach to expel all the air from the diaphragm 

• Inhalation happens automatically 

2. Sirshasana (Headstand)

Formation of the posture

• Begin by assuming Vajrasana

• Place your elbows on the ground

• Form an equilateral triangle with your head and your palms

• Place the crown of your head on the floor in front of your palms

• Your palms should act as a support to the back of your head

• Walk with your toes towards your head until your back straightens

• Lift up any leg up and align it with your upper body

• Use your core strength, balance, and lift your other leg up 

• Join your legs and point your toes down

• Remain in this position for as long as you are comfortable. 

Benefits

• There is an increased flow of blood to the brain 

• Improves memory 

• Removes tiredness during mental work.

Word of Advice Refrain from practicing this asana if you have hypertension, hypotension, vertigo, heart palpitations, and/or thrombosis

Yoga and Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is also known as neural plasticity or brain plasticity. It's the brain's aptitude to reorganize and restructure itself on a cellular level. This reorganization allows our brains to adapt better to learning. Yoga techniques like meditation and positive affirmations improve these connections.

Wake up Early

Waking up early can be one of the most important things you can do for yourself. This habit requires immense power of the mind, also known as your determination. This discipline builds a strong will and control over your mind which is beneficial for brain health as well as physical health. You can practise Adomukhi Svanasana, Madukasana, Balasana etc.

Siddha Walk 

Siddha walk is an ancient yogic spiritual practice. It has the power to not only accelerate your physical health but can also elevate your mental and spiritual development. It is a dynamic system based on a scientific approach that can drastically transform the human body and mind. In Siddha walk, the shape of 8 or infinity plays a very important and powerful role. Each loop (south to north and north to south) should be done for at least 11 minutes in each direction.

Aarambh Dhyan

Aarambh means ‘to start' or ‘to begin'. This is a technique of meditation that needs to be done before you start something. If you do anything with a meditative state of mind, that work is sure to know perfection. Mediate on the whole process before you begin. For example, at the start of each day before you step into work, stay calm, close your eyes and begin a visualization process that can boost learning and grasping abilities. 

(Himalayan Siddha, Akshar, Founder of Akshar Yoga Research and Development Centre)

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