Today in the “Gateway to a Great Way of Life” series, we unravel the second yogic key: vagus nerve stimulation by simply moving your eyeballs.
The vagus nerve, which is the longest running nerve in the body, starts at the top of the spinal cord and travels all the way down to your gut. When you apply gentle pressure on your eyeballs behind closed eyes or move them in all four directions, the heart rate drops by 5 to 13 beats.
This is a trick that releases and sends large amounts of GABA to the brain, instantly relaxing it, inhibiting stress and controlling disease and moods. GABA naturally brings your system to a state of rest as sedatives do artificially. When adequately stimulated, the vagus nerve is capable of solving most of your emotional and physical problems.
Ways to activate the vagus nerve:
1 Deep diaphragmatic breathing (see August 9 issue of tabloid!).
2 Chanting and letting the mouth fill with saliva and leaving your tongue to soak in it.
3 Pressing your eyelids and washing the face with cold water, especially after exercise, will bring the body into instant relaxation.
4 Performing inverted postures such as sarvangasana, vipareet karani mudra and halasana especially in addition to a daily yoga practice.
5. Practising Bhramari Pranayama which activates your palate, throat and ears — the pathway of the vagus nerve
BENEFITS
1 Helps the brain to emit new brain cells.
2 Turns off stress and instantly relaxes you.
3 Gives you razor-sharp memory.
4 Brings down inflammatory response of the body which is responsible for all disease.
5 Brings down blood pressure.
6 Promotes better sleep.
7 Keeps diabetes under control.
8 Raises immunity.
9 Relieves depression, anxiety and raises levels of endorphins.
10 Gives you the ability to enjoy more, stay happy, healthy and energetic, and compassionate.
There lies incredible power in the vagus nerve. Modern research is acknowledging the role and far reaching effects of yoga on the vagus nerve. Science uses machinery to activate the vagus nerve and the results are temporary at best, but yoga as taught by the yogis from the Himalayas, is capable of harnessing its complete potential.
If you want more information on the vagus nerve: how it works, where it is to be found and how it can help solve your emotional or any other ailment, write to tabloid@gulfnews.com
For more information go to gulfnews.com or artisticyoga.com
NEXT WEEK: Inverted postures and Brhamari Pranayama
