International Yoga Day 2021 with Maruthi Yoga Kendra
Updated: Jun 21, 2021
Yoga Varishta (Issue 1) June 2021
In 2020, at the beginning of COVID-19 our Yoga Instructor Certificate (YIC) course of 300 hrs moved from in-person to online. During this time, we noticed a lack of resources so our team began gathering information and educating YIC participants. As the year went on, students became invested in researching their own resources and sharing it with their peers. A year later, we accumulated an abundance of knowledge and information and decided to share it with everyone to make it more accessible in the yoga community. So here we are today, presenting you the first issue of Yoga Varishta.
Mission
Our mission is to Share the knowledge of yoga with our practitioners across the globe and overcome the current barriers through the use of technology.
Vision
Our magazine will be a tool to increase accessibility and visibility in the South Asian Yoga Community and make it available on a global platform to allow practitioners around the world to learn more about the roots and growth of Yoga.
Value
Yoga Varishta has been created with the following values
Knowledge and Implementation of Knowledge
Creativity and Innovation
Confidence, Clarity and Continuity
Honesty, Integrity & Service
Acceptance, Healing & Forgiveness
Optimism, Enthusiasm, & Happiness
Our Founder
Ranjan Byre Gowda
Founder and owner of Maruthi Yoga Kendra, he established the center in 2011 to share the knowledge of yoga in Bengaluru. In one year, he taught over 1000 students and has been consistently teaching yoga. Mr. Gowda has been training instructors (affiliated to VYASA) since 2015.
Our Advisors
Asuri Dr. K. Rangaraja Iyengar
Guruji is the published author of The Science of Yoga Mudras and multiple research books on yoga . He has given a series of lectures on Yoga & Mudra in universities around the globe. Every year since 1992, he travels to the USA to conduct yoga classes and lectures on Gita.
Veena Angadi
Qualified Interior Designer cum Yoga therapist,
Mrs. Veena Angadi found Yoga personally enriching for herself during her lean period. A decade long work in yoga helped her assist others in their journey to improved health and well being. Diagnosed cases of Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Mental illness, addictions were managed with yoga by her in a holistic manner. She has to her credit, innovative interventions through yoga in health and trainer for yoga instructors since 2013.
Yoga as an Immune Booster to beat Pandemic
Vani Bevinal, Ramya Vasanth, Vanaja Jaiganesh, Sridhar Kapa
Guided by Veena Angadi and Ranjan Byregowda
Presented at Fourth Global Ayurveda Festival 2021
Global pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 infection has led to severe public health crises across countries and for everyone. Adverse health impact due to pandemic is noticed for those suffering with pre-existing conditions of
bronchitis and breathing related issues,
heart diseases,
diabetes,
cerebrovascular diseases and
specifically, the elderly population
Emergency situations in healthcare due to pandemic requires - immediate adoption of a new way of living to stop the virus spread, rapid development of potential prevention and management strategies against virus.
This scenario had provoked us to explore Yoga as a remedy - for new lifestyle adoption, stress management due to new lifestyle, and more importantly for prevention and management of COVID-19 infection across all age groups and those suffering with pre-existing medical conditions.
There are extensive studies already performed on the effect of yoga in curing different types of diseases, but very few to none for rapidly spreading infections resulting in pandemics.
After performing a detailed research on the available scientific evidence on yoga in improving respiratory and overall immune functions, we have formulated a simple and structured methodology of yoga modules on how to perform by different categories of selected individuals. These yoga modules were made available in the form of offline videos, live online sessions and also in-person sessions for practicing by selected individuals across
Children, Adults, the elderly, and those with pre-existing medical conditions
COVID infected individuals for recovery from COVID
COVID recovered individuals to attain better health condition post-COVID
Overall activities have been closely monitored by us with appropriate guidance to constantly fine tune the yoga modules based on the individual capabilities, progress on the cure and these yoga modules were further rolled-out to achieve maximum benefit.
Our research evidence supports the potential of yoga as a complementary intervention for all age groups, populations at risk, already suffering with COVID or recovered from COVID but with post COVID impacts. Also, several evidences indicate that yoga will strongly influence across above selected categories of individuals in
maintaining their overall mind and body fitness
developing their self-immunity with regular yoga practice as per instructions
cure for COVID infected patients and also reducing post-COVID health impacts
reducing their anxiety levels by increasing body awareness
overall stress level management due to new lifestyle adoption during pandemic
managing their wellbeing by practicing across all age groups
There is a plethora of evidence that breathing exercises have beneficial effects on the respiratory system. Pranayama, a yoga-based respiratory exercise, is a simple and cost-effective intervention that could be easily integrated in everyone’s daily routine and has been proven beneficial across different age groups including the elderly. Yoga training has been reported to improve strength of expiratory as well as inspiratory muscles. To learn more about the project, watch our video.
Yoga for COVID-19
Hymn
Mrityunjaya Mantra
— Gayathri Guruprasad
Mudra
Linga Mudra
Formation:
Interlock all the eight fingers of both the hands, except the thumbs, keep the right thumb straight, hold the base the right thumb with the left index finger and the thumb and press the base of the right thumb softly. The right and the left thumbs change places and only one of them is kept straight and the formation looks like a Shivalinga hence our sages called it “Linga Mudra”.
Special features:
By forming Linga Mudra we increase the body temperature. The person who does this Mudra should consume rich food prominently consisting of fruits, buttermilk, lime juice and drink a lot of water. That would keep the balance. Linga Mudra can be during winter, to ward off the bitter cold.
Time :
This Mudra can be practiced at any time of the day, but only when our body needs heat and balanced Oxygen level.
Warning :
One should not do this Mudra for a longer time or the way one likes, especially when one is suffering from ulcer head reeling sensation, giddiness, acidity and liver problem, he is not expected to do this Mudra.
Benefits:
When it is very cold, Linga Mudra will help us. Even in biting cold this Mudra will make the person perspire.
By Practicing Linga Mudra, it produces heat in the body and it will cure acute cold, cough, sinus and wheezing. The extra fat accumulated in the body is burnt out. As all the fingers are involved in the formation of the Mudra all principles are activated and they exert pressure on Thyroid, Parathyroid, Liver and Pancreas glands, they are made to work efficiently.
This Mudra helps in curing throat and neck pain and any disease associated with cold. It can bring down the intensity of phenomena and Tuberculosis (T.B.) By practicing this Linga Mudra helps in increasing the fire element in our body. This Creates heat in the body which destroys all Pathogenic elements. It helps blood circulation throughout our body. And this Mudra increases the Oxygen level in our body.
— Muktha Ranjan
Breathing exercise
Deep breathing restores lung function by using the diaphragm. Breathing through the nose strengthens the diaphragm and encourages the nervous system to relax and restore itself. Follow our breathing exercises below to strengthen your lungs.
— Ranjan Byre Gowda
Pranayama
Pranayama techniques in our daily routine will make our lungs more efficient. Like other diseases, the ill-effects of coronavirus can also be treated with the help of pranayama since its techniques makes our lungs more efficient and strong.
— Ranjan Byre Gowda
Kriya
Jala Neti is an ancient Indian airway cleansing technique which helps clean the nasopharyngeal passages. It prevents and treats the upper respiratory tract diseases — including viral infections. It also helps in decreasing the chances of lower respiratory tract infection with coronavirus by breaking the chain of infection. Jala Neti is to be done at home regularly every morning after learning the procedure.
— Gayathri Guruprasad
Meditation
Kaya means body and Sthairyam means steadiness. The practice of Kaya Sthairyam is ideal for beginners as well as for advanced practitioners. Beginners learn the art of Kaya Sthairyam to be still and advanced practitioners learn to go into deep state of Dharana and Dhayana.
— Anupama Ashok
Ayurveda
Recently, some evidence has been emerging on the use of Ayurveda for treatment of COVID-19. The classical texts of Ayurvedic medicine such as Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita contain descriptions of pandemics of similar proportions and describe them as Janapadoddhvansa, meaning the destruction of communities, along with their causes and treatment.
Based on the patient’s symptoms and comorbidities, a treatment plan including Ayurvedic medicines, Yoga protocol, dietary recommendations and lifestyle modifications are prescribed by a registered Ayurveda doctor and a Yoga consultant.
Ayurveda is a system of traditional Indian medicine which is based on sound therapeutic principles and has a proven history of empirical use. It is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems. According to the Ayurvedic system of medicine, a healthy person should have a stable equilibrium (congenial homeostasis) of Doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha—psycho-biological rhythms), Agni (Metabolism/digestion), Dhatu ( Body tissues/ element that provide them nourishment) and Mala (excreta), and the well-being of senses, mind and soul. Every individual has a unique combination of these constituent elements, which is known as the individual’s Prakruti or unique mind-body constitution. When an imbalance occurs in this equilibrium, it causes disease, and the Ayurvedic system of medicine seeks to remove this imbalance, to regain a healthy state. The human body and the whole world are composed of fundamental elements: Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. All the organic and Inorganic substance are made of a combination of these elements. Ayurveda incorporates these active elements into the principles of “TRIDOSHA”.
By using the Ayurvedic principles, the unique Prakruti (constitution) of the individual is assessed, the vikruti (vitiation) that has occurred is diagnosed and a personalized treatment plan is advised accordingly. Thus, the Ayurveda system of medicine is inherently personalized, which treats the patient by considering the individual constitution (Prakruti) as well as the causes of the symptoms (vikruti). There is emerging evidence that Ayurvedic treatment methodologies and herbal medicines may be effective in combating COVID-19.
A common Ayurvedic herb called Ashwagandha, may block the entry of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into cells. Several herbs including Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) and Haldi (Curcuma longa—turmeric) used as Ayurvedic medicines are well known for their immunomodulatory properties. Ayurvedic treatment has also been found to be effective in other COVID-like illnesses such as influenza and chikungunya. Several studies have been conducted to understand the COVID-19 pandemic and the conditions that it causes from the perspective of Ayurveda.
Some studies have also suggested that lifestyle modifications, such as immunity-boosting food, can aid in fighting the current situation. Many studies have come up with suggestions for reforms in policies enabling the adoption of Ayurveda in the treatment plan for COVID-19 patients. The Government of India, Ministry of AYUSH, has issued an advisory comprising Ayurveda-based immunity-boosting measures for self-care during the COVID-19 crisis and an advisory for the general public on the use of Ayurveda (and other traditional systems of medicine) as a preventive measure for COVID-19 as well as for managing the symptoms of COVID-19. The same department also issued guidelines for Ayurveda practitioners and Yoga practitioners for treating COVID-19 patients. Several ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the efficacy of Ayurveda- b