Stress-Proof Your Brain

~The Yogic Way~

Unique Ancient Indian Techniques to End Toxic Stress, Stop Worrying and Inculcate Mental Toughness.

by

Advait

Copyright © 2021, Advait. All rights reserved.

[cover image credit, dooder/freepik]

Content

My Promise

Introduction

How to use the techniques you will learn in this book?

Technique #1

Technique #2

Technique #3

Technique #4

Technique #5

Technique #6

Technique #7

Technique #8

Technique #9

Technique #10

Technique #11

Technique #12

Technique #13

Technique #14

Technique #15

Technique #16

Technique #17

Technique #18

Technique #19

Technique #20

Technique #21

Technique #22

What Next?

Thank You!

Other Books by Advait

Disclaimer and FTC Notice

My Promise

If you are my regular reader and are familiar with my previous works, you know that my books are very execution oriented and have zero fluff.

I do not eat up your precious time by going on and on for dozens of pages about the theory and philosophy behind the issue at hand and then leave you high and dry without any actionable instructions.

Rather, my works are chock full of step-by-step techniques, that you can immediately start implementing and practicing within hours of getting my book.

I take pride in this ability of mine to quickly help people in need and want to promise you that this book will be no different.

Over to you…

Introduction

The term Stress is a very broad term, to understand what stress is, we would have to first understand what it constitutes.

It comprises of two segments, an external stress, an outer force/circumstance that puts some sort of pressure on you e.g. work pressure, relationships etc.

And the most significant other half, the internal stress, your body’s physical and psychological response to the external pressure e.g. anxiety, insomnia etc.

Our body’s typical reaction to stress is secretion of certain chemicals/hormones that cause the heart rate to go up, shooting up the blood pressure, and typically increasing the breathing rate, enabling you to assess the situation and then decide to whether fight or to flee, all credit goes to the evolutionary mechanism.

But the major issue is that our body reacts the same way to all types of external pressures, either it be getting out of your cozy warm sofa or meeting someone that you absolutely dread to be around.

And if you are someone who is a habitual worrier who gets stressed easily then you are regularly subjecting your body to this physical stress response which can very well lead to ‘chronic stress’, which has the ability to even change the architecture of your brain, which in the long term can cause serious mental illness, lead to depression and even cause dementia.

Some Brain Science

First let us understand what goes on inside our body when we are stressed.

In presence of an external stressor, our sensory organs send an input to our brain and the brain pushes its panic button a.k.a the amygdala.

The amygdala then uses norepinephrine to send lightning fast signals to the adrenal glands (located on the kidneys) and instructs the glands to release adrenaline, which is essential for the fight-or-flight response.

At the same time the amygdala connects with the hypothalamus which send its own chemical messengers through the bloodstream (this is a slow process) to the pituitary gland which in turn activates the adrenal gland yet again (this is called as the HPA axis), but this time it instructs the adrenal glands to release Cortisol, the primary stress hormone and the main culprit in the chronic stress induced ailments.

It is the abundant presence of cortisol, adrenaline, epinephrine and norepinephrine in case of chronic stress that causes numerous diseases in various internal organs within our body and cause neural damage to the brain.

Stress in the absence of a real stressor

We human beings are peculiar in a sense that, we do not need any actual, real stressor to trigger our body’s stress mechanism. We are capable of anticipating or imagining or visualizing an external stress and triggering the stress response within our brains.

Our mind is so powerful that it can imagine a stress and cause stress response.

We can literally imagine ourselves into a rumble, which is very, very bad.

But look at the flip side. If our mind can affect our body then, our body can affect our mind as well.

Moral of the story, we can imagine ourselves out of the rumble too, by simply controlling our physical movements and constructive visualization.

Here is a fun task;

Step 1 - Notice how you are feeling right now, pay attention to your mood and energy level.

Step 2 - Now sit up with a straight back or stand up with your feet shoulder width apart.

Step 3 - Lift up your hands over your head, with your fist lightly clutched together.

Step 4 - Bring a slight smile on your face and hold this position for the next 90 Seconds.

Step 5 - After 90 seconds return to your initial position and now notice the change in your mood and your energy levels.

You will find that in just 90 seconds you have shot up your energy levels and elevated you mood and are now feeling good.

Stress busting can be that simple, you just have to know the right buttons to press.

Controlled stress as a Vaccine

Neuroscientists call it ‘stress inoculation’ .

As you know, a vaccine is just a weaker version of the same virus, e.g. the polio vaccine is nothing but a weakened polio virus, which is let into our body so that our body learns how to fight with this type of virus and then develops its own immune system response for any exposure to the polio virus in the future.

Similarly, stress inoculation is a calculated and controlled exposure to an external stressor, so that our body learns to cope with it. In common slang we call it, toughening up.

I remember in my early teens I used to watch WWE with my brother. It was the time when John Cena had just won his first championship and he had modified his championship belt with a spinner ‘wwe’ buckle. During those days, Cena used to repeat a cheesy line every now and then, “Something that doesn’t kill me, makes me STRONGERRRR…”

The same thing applies here, controlled exposure to physical stress followed by yogic coping mechanism, will teach your brain to stress-proof itself.

Here is a fun fact;

when scientists want to induce stress in lab rats, they simply ‘isolate’ them from their group and familiar surroundings. This social isolation is stress enough to trigger a physical stress response in those animals.

Now think of meditation, what is it, if not a temporary isolation from your social group? Thus inducing minute regulated stress, and then using visualization and breathing aided coping mechanism that helps you to train your brain in handling stress.

Now you know why meditation techniques work like a charm in stress management…

How to use the techniques you will learn in this book?

In this book I will teach you 22 techniques, they comprise of Yoga postures, Mudras (hand gestures), Pranayama (regulated breathing), Meditation techniques and some unique Ayurvedic elixirs that will bust away your stress for good.

I will also say this; you cannot expect to perform these exercises one time and then expect to be stress-proof forever.

These techniques are essentially micro-exercises, which will work wonders for you when you include them in your daily routine and cultivate them as ‘habits’.

Based on the experiences of my clients and students, techniques #6 , #8 , #9, #15   and #17  are the five most effective techniques.

Hence, practice those 5 techniques daily, and then pick and choose any 2-3 other techniques to go with them, so that you go through all the techniques at least once a week. (Practice the techniques twice per day, once in the morning and then in the evening for best results.)

Also, make a habit of having any one of the Ayurvedic decoctions daily before going to bed.

Maintain your practice for 4-6 weeks and then you will find out by experience that a few techniques work really well for you more than the others. Then inculcate those techniques as ‘habits’ in your daily routine.

Yoga Asana

(योगासन)

The True Meaning of Yoga

There is a common and popular belief that ‘Yoga’ is an Indian ritual which is all about performing difficult physical exercises for maintaining health and curing diseases.

This is a MYTH!!

Actually, sound health is a side-effect of Yoga.

Surprising!!! But true.

The word ‘Yoga’ literally means to unite ourselves with our higher self - an entirely meta-physical objective which can be achieved through a Discipline of Physical exercises (Asana’s) coupled with Meditation exercises ( Dhyana ) and Breathing exercises (Pranayam). When we perform those exercises we get in shape and achieve good health.

Yoga is not something which is only to be performed or practiced; it is also to be achieved.

Yoga is the destination and the path to it is through a disciplined practice of physical exercises, meditation and breathing exercises.

MaharshiPatanjali , in his revolutionary work ‘PaatanjalYogaSutra’ prescribes an eight-fold path to achieve Yoga, known as Ashtang Yoga.

[‘PaatanjalYogaSutra’ is considered to be the most comprehensive book on Yoga and it forms the basis and reference of all the Yoga methodologies practiced throughout the world today.]

The Ashtang Yoga [eight-fold path to yoga], given by MaharshiPatanjali is as follows:

Yama

The moral virtues that one should possess as they are considered to be essential for one’s initiation on the path to yoga.

Niyama

It involves being knowledgeable and aware about your surroundings and then studying your-self to form an essential discipline which you would adhere to.

Asana

‘Understanding and Performing’ the required physical exercises, this is the core of your yoga practice.

Pranayama

It is all about breath control, which enhances the life energy which governs the existence of a being and balances the mental energy.

Pratyahar

Sensory inhibitions which internalize the consciousness and prepare your mind to take action.

Dharana

It involves inculcating an extended mental focus to concentrate on only those things that are essential.

Dhyana

It involves meditation, paying attention to your breathing and thus focusing only on yourself.

Samadhi

Becoming one with the object of your contemplation and experiencing spiritual liberation.

Yama and Niyama are essential for inculcating the needed discipline and to establish a strict routine.

Asana is the crucial physical part, which subjects your body to essential physical movements through different exercises.

Pranayam and Pratyahar are needed to guide us through the various breathing exercises and for making us aware of the internal spiritual changes as we ascend along the path to Yoga.

Dharana and Dhyana stages prepare us mentally and spiritually to concentrate inwards by using various meditation exercises.

Samadhi is the culmination stage where one achieves Yoga.

Technique #1

Paschim-Uttan-Asan/Asana of Westward bend

Method:

Sit comfortably on the mat with your legs stretched out front, facing west.

Slowly inhaling raise both your hands up.

Hold your breath in and then bend forward so that your index fingers are touching the respective thumbs on your toes. (Refer Image)

Hold this position for as long as you comfortably can.

Then, slowly exhaling return back to the initial sitting position.

(With regular practice, your body will become flexible enough that you will be able to touch your forehead to your knees.)

Duration:

This Asana takes 8-10 seconds to perform and you can repeat it 5 times.

Other Benefits:

-It strengthens your back.

-It helps in regulating blood flow and in burning belly fat.

-Its regular practice tones pelvic organs and enhances sexual ability.

-Its regular practice is very helpful in maintain a calm composure.

Technique #2

Supt Vajra Asan/Asana of Thunder-bolt

Method:

Sit in Vajrasan position.

[Vajrasan -

Stand straight with the waist, back and neck aligned and your feet around an inch apart.

Get down on your knees and fold your legs below your thighs.

Keep your feet spaced with the base of the feet (palms of the feet) facing upwards. (refer image)

(The nails of your fingers should touch the ground)

Then, place your bums on your heels. This is the ‘vajrasan’ position.]

Then place your hands on the ground behind you. (fingers pointing towards you.)

Then slowly inhaling, bend backwards enough to place your elbows on the ground.

Keep looking upwards and maintain this position for a few seconds.

Then exhaling slowly, get back up by applying pressure on the ground through your hands.

Duration:

This Asana takes 10-12 seconds to perform and you can repeat it 4 times.

Other Benefits:

-This Asana strengthens your abdomen and is very helpful in curing constipation.

-It is very effective in strengthening your spine.

-Regular practice of this Asana broadens your chest.

-This is a very effective Asana for people suffering with breathing disorders. (asthma, bronchitis etc.)

- It also enhances the function of adrenal glands.

Technique #3

Shashak Asan/Asana of Hare

Method:

Sit in Vajrasan position.

Then raise both your hands up, so that your fingers are pointing upwards and palms are facing forward.

Your biceps should be touching your ears.

Exhale out completely and then suck in stomach as much as you can.

Then bend down your upper torso as much as you can. (your palms should be touching the ground/mat and also try to touch your forehead to the ground.)

Maintain this position for 3-4 seconds and then return to your previous Vajrasan position and then breathe in.

Duration:

This Asana takes 10-15 seconds to perform and you can repeat it 4-5 times.

Other Benefits:

-This Asana helps in toning the muscles of legs and thighs.

-It is very helpful in curing Arthritis and other neurological disorders.

-It enhances your digestive capabilities.

Technique #4

Ushtra asan/Asana of Camel

Method:

Sit in Vajrasan position.

Then lift your torso up and stand on your knees.

Then while inhaling slowly, bend backwards gently and touch your heels with your hands.

Now, rest the entire weight of your torso on your heels through your hands and stretch out your chest and shoulders.

Maintain the position for a few seconds.

Then, slowly exhaling return to the earlier Vajrasan position.

Duration:

This Asana takes 10-12 seconds to perform and you can repeat it 3-4 times.

Other Benefits:

-It’s regular practice cures back pain.

-It helps in strengthening your spine.

-This Asana enhances the strength of your shoulders.

-It enhances the capacity of your lungs.

-It is very effective in stimulating the thyroid gland.

-It is very helpful in strengthening your neck muscles.

-It enhances the blood flow towards your brain.

Technique #5

Sukhasana / The Resting Asana

Method:

-Sit on the mat with your legs stretched in front.

-Fold the right leg and tug in below the left thigh.

-Then, fold the left leg and tug it between the right thigh and calf.

-Sit straight with an erect spine.

(It is how we generally sit on the floor and fold our legs.)

Duration:

Sit in this position for 5-7 minutes and concentrate on your breathing while sitting in this asana

** All types of meditations are to be performed while sitting in the ‘ Sukhasan’ position, until specified otherwise.

*** The Mudra shown in the image above is the ‘DnyanMudra’.

Technique #6

Makar Asan/Asana of Crocodile

Method:

This Asana is to be done lying down.

Lie on your stomach with your chin placed on the ground/mat.

Your feet should be close together and the nails of your toes should be touching the ground.

Now rest your elbows on the ground and push your torso up and then let your face rest in your palms. (Refer image)

[Makarasan is a relaxation exercise which takes away all the fatigue and helps in calming down your mind and body]

Duration:

You can remain in this Asana till you feel properly relaxed and rested.

Other Benefits:

-This Asana is a relaxation pose.

-It is an excellent stress and fatigue reliever.

-It is also helpful in strengthening your lungs.

Mudra

(मुद्रा)

What are Mudras?

According to the Vedic culture of ancient India, our entire world is made of ‘the five elements’ called as The Panch-Maha-Bhuta’s. The five elements being Earth , Water , Fire , Wind and Space/Vacuum . They are also called the earth element, water element, fire element, wind element and space element.

These five elements constitute the human body – the nutrients from the soil (earth) are absorbed by the plants which we consume (thus we survive on the earth element), the blood flowing through own veins represents the water element, the body heat represents the fire element, the oxygen we inhale and the carbon dioxide we exhale represents the wind element and the sinuses we have in our nose and skull represent the space element.

As long as these five elements in our body are balanced and maintain appropriate levels we remain healthy. An imbalance of these elements in the human body leads to a deteriorated health and diseases.

Now understand this, the command and control center of all these five elements lies in our fingers. So literally, our health lies at our fingertips.

The Mudra healing method that I am going to teach you depends on our fingers.

To understand this, we should first know the finger-element relationship:

Thumb – Fire element.

Index finger – Wind element.

Middle finger – Space/Vacuum element.

Third finger – Earth element.

Small finger – Water element.

This image will give you a better understanding of the concept:

When the fingers are brought together in a specific pattern and are touched to each other, or slightly pressed against each other, the formation is called as a ‘Mudra’.

When the five fingers are touched and pressed in a peculiar way to form a Mudra, it affects the levels of the five elements in our body, thus balancing those elements and inducing good health .

Important

For the better understanding of the reader, detail images have been provided for every mudra along with the method to perform it.

The Mudras whose images show only one hand performing the Mudra, are to be performed simultaneously on both your hands for the Mudras to have the maximum effect.

Also, if you want to learn more about Mudras, you can grab my book,

“Mudras for Slef-Healing” Here.

Technique # 7

Samputamudra / Mudra of Bud

Method:

It’s a modified form of the ‘Prayer Mudra’.

This Mudra is to be performed in a seated position.

Be seated comfortably in an upright posture and concentrate on your breathing to relax.

Touch the tip of the fingers of your right hand with the tip of the fingers of your left hand as shown in the image.

Make hollow space between both the palms as if you are holding a small bird.

Now, take this formation in front of your eyes, and look through the hollow space and concentrate on your breathing for a couple of minutes, then hold this Mudra in front of your Heart.

Duration:

This Mudra should be performed for at least 7 minutes and can be performed for 20 minutes at a stretch.

Other Benefits:

- This Mudra is extremely beneficial for your Lungs and cardiovascular health.

- It is very effective in maintaining an internal balance in your body.

- It also helps in calming down your emotions.

Technique #8

Padmamudra / Mudra of Lotus

Method:

This Mudra is to be performed in a seated position.

Be seated comfortably in an upright posture and concentrate on your breathing to relax.

Touch the Thumb and Little finger of the left hand to the Thumb and Little finger of the right hand.

Join the base of both the palms together.

Stretch all the other fingers outwards and keep them straight.

Refer the image above.

This Mudra should be held in front of your chest.

Duration:

This Mudra should be performed for at least 5 minutes and can be performed for 20 minutes at a stretch.

Other Benefits:

- This Mudra is extremely effective in boosting the body’s immune system.

- It is very helpful in balancing the heart chakra (Anahata Chakra).

- It also helps in calming down the mind of the practitioner.

Technique #9

Chakramudra / Mudra of Wheel

Method:

This Mudra is to be performed in a seated position.

Be seated comfortably in an upright posture and concentrate on your breathing to relax.

Interlace your fingers together as shown in the image.

Extend both your Ring fingers upwards, then touch the tips of these two fingers and press slightly.

This Mudra is to be held in front of your navel.

Duration:

This Mudra should be performed for at least 7 minutes and can be performed for 20 minutes at a stretch.

Other Benefits:

- This Mudra is beneficial in maintaining a healthy digestive system.

- It is very effective in elevating ones mood.

- It also helps in imparting self-confidence to the practitioner.

Technique #10

Tritiiya Kurmamudra / Mudra of Tortoise III

Method:

This Mudra is to be performed in a seated position.

Be seated comfortably in an upright posture and concentrate on your breathing to relax.

Raise your palms to chest height, with the left palm facing upwards while the right palm is facing downwards.

Curl down the Middle, Ring and Little fingers of the left hand to form a partial fist, while keeping the Index finger and Thumb extended.

Curl down the Middle and ring fingers of the right hand to form a partial fist, while keeping the Index finger, Little finger and the Thumb extended.

Now, keep the right palm over the left palm.

Then,

Touch the tip of the right Index finger to the tip of the left thumb.

Touch the tip of the right Little finger to the tip of the left Index finger.

Touch the tip of the right Thumb to the base of the left Thumb near the wrist.

After forming this Mudra, hold this Mudra in front of your Solar Plexus (just below your sternum)

Duration:

This Mudra should be performed for at least 5 minutes and can be performed for 20 minutes at a stretch.

Other Benefits:

- This Mudra boosts ones self-healing capabilities.

- It is very beneficial for the health of your kidneys.

Technique #11

Hridaymudra / Mudra of Heart

Method:

This Mudra is to be performed in a seated position.

Be seated comfortably in an upright posture and concentrate on your breathing to relax.

Try to touch the base of the Index finger with the tip of the same Index finger.

Now, roll this bent Index finger forward in such a way that the first knuckle of the Index finger touches the base of the Thumb (Refer the image).

Now join the tips of the Thumb, Middle and Ring fingers together and press slightly.

Keep the Little finger outstretched.

This Mudra is to be performed on both your palms simultaneously and then rest this Mudras on your thighs.

Duration:

This Mudra should be performed for at least 5 minutes and can be performed for 20 minutes at a stretch.

Other Benefits:

- This Mudra is very effective in curing hypertension.

- It is very beneficial for the health of the valves of the heart.

- It also helps in releasing your pent-up emotions at a spiritual level.

Pranayama

(प्राणायाम)

What is Pranayama?

Pranayama is considered of paramount importance in Yoga.

The word Pranayama is made of two basic Sanskrit words-

Pran ( प्रा ण ) = Life or Universal Life Energy.

Ayam ( आया म ) = to Extend and Elongate.

Thus Pranayama means ‘an exercise which is to be performed if you want to extend your life’.

Pranayama is the fuel of life…

Here is an interesting analogy-

You are familiar with the existence of the seven (7) chakras along the spine,which are considered as the energy points sustaining life and health.

If these Chakras are the rotating wind mills which produce energy to sustain life,then prana is the essential wind energy which makes the hands of a wind mill rotate, to produce that energy.

When we breathe in we take in the essential oxygen along with the all-pervading Prana.[And when we breath out we push out the expended energy and toxins out of our body.]

Ayurveda calls our digestion as 'Jathar Agni' literally meaning 'digestive fire', it compares our digestive process with a 'Yadnya' - A holy Pyre, where things are offered to the gods.

And the 'Prana' we take in, is the fuel for this holy Yadnya.

When we practice Pranayama, we regulate and streamline the process of drawing in the universal life force and thus enhancing our health and longevity.

This is the metaphysical Prana aspect of it.

Now let us look at the physical significance, but for that I first need to tell you about our bodies’ digestive and excretory mechanism.

We consume food, which is broken down into small pieces by our teeth and is added primary digestive enzymes from the saliva in our mouth.

It then passes into our stomach, where it is churned and more gastric juices are added to it to induce breakdown of the food consumed.

This mixture then passes through our intestines, whose walls absorb the nutrients from the food and deposit them into the blood stream to be taken all around the body.

The blood when passing through the lungs also absorbs oxygen that we have inhaled.

So the blood carries the nutrients and the oxygen essential for the cells in our body to break down the nutrients into packets of energy.

Thus the cells of our body get nutrients and oxygen from blood, break down the nutrients into energy and Life is Sustained!!!

But like any other mechanism in this universe, every step produces a byproduct in form of waste.

The food post-digestion in excreted form the intestines in form of stool.

Impurities in our blood are separated in our kidneys and excreted in form of urine.

The impurities/toxins created at the cellular level are in two forms, liquid and volatile.

The liquid toxins are put out by our skin in form of sweat. (You will be surprised to know that our skin is the largest excretory organ in our body)

The volatile toxins (which are most harmful) are thrown out in form of toxic gases using our lungs, when we BREATHE OUT!!!

Pranayama plays a pivotal role here in ridding our bodies of these harmful toxins.

It supplies our lungs and hence our blood with abundant supply of fresh oxygen.

It boosts our immune system.

It is amazingly effective in calming down your mind.

It helps in improving our memory, virility and strengthens our neurological system.

There are many other Pranayama techniques which can be used for multiple other purposes, if you want to learn more about those Pranayama techniques, you can grab my bestselling book;

“Pranayama: The Vedic Science of Breath” Here .

Technique #12

Quick Rejuvenating Breath

Method:

- Stand up without slouching and with your back straight.

- Keep your feet shoulder length apart.

- See to it that your body weight is equally distributed on both your feet.

- Put out your chest, keep your neck straight.

- Put your hands under your respective armpits with your fingers in the front and thumb at the back.

- Then slide your hand down where the ribcage ends and the abdomen begins.

- Now, slowly but steadily take in a deep breath.

- Fill in your lungs to their full capacity.

- Now hold in your breath for as long as you comfortably can.

- Then when you have to exhale, press the end of your ribcage from the sides and start slowly exhaling.

- The exhaling motion should be done in installments. Press & exhale – stop – press & exhale – stop again, till you have completely exhaled.

- This completes one practice of this Pranayama.

- Perform 5-7 repetitions.

- Take a rest of 2 min. before doing anything else.

Other Benefits:

- This breath is very effective in providing quick rejuvenation and alertness to the practitioner.

-It maintains proper blood circulation around your chest and the abdominal organs.

Technique #13

Inspiring Breath I

Method:

- Stand up without slouching and with your back straight.

- Keep a space of 10-12 inches between your feet.

- See to it that your body weight is equally distributed on both your feet.

- Put out your chest, keep your neck straight and slightly pull down your chin.

- Keep your hands at your sides with your palms touching your thighs.

- Concentrate your eyes at the tip of your nose and bring a smile on your face. (You have to continuously maintain a smile on your face while performing this Pranayama.)

- Now, slowly but steadily take in a deep breath.

- As you are breathing in, lift up your toes in the air.

- Fill in your lungs to their full capacity.

- Once your inhalation is complete, stand on your toes and lift up your heels in the air.

- Remain in this position till you are holding in your breath for 8-10 seconds.

- Then slowly exhaling return back to you initial standing position.

- This completes one practice of this Pranayama.

- Perform 10-12 repetitions.

- Take a rest of 2 min. before doing anything else.

Other Benefits:

- This breathing technique, busts your stress, calms you down and fills the practitioner with vigor to do something new.

Technique #14

Abdominal Breath

Method:

- Lie on a mat, face down. Stomach and knees should be touching the ground.

- Your head, neck, spine and legs should be aligned in a straight line. Your heels should be touching each other.

- Place your hands at your side, bent at elbows and palms facing down.

- Now slowly start taking in a deep breath.

- As you are breathing in, by taking support of your chest, lift up your feet, knees and thighs off the ground.

- Once you have completely inhaled, hold the air in for as long as you comfortably can, all the while keeping your legs lifted up.

- Then slowly exhaling through your nose, return back to your initial position.

- This completes one practice of this Pranayama.

- Perform 5-7 repetitions.

Other Benefits:

- It strengthens the core abdominal muscles and internal organs.

- It nourishes your pancreas and intestines.

- It is very effective in curing diseases of the abdominal and pelvic region.

Technique #15

Hornet Breath

Method:

Sit in Sukhasan.

Close your eyes.

Then close your ears with your thumbs, place your index fingers on your forehead, and place the remaining three fingers on your eyes and press the ridge between your eyes slightly with your middle finger.

Inhale to your full capacity; hold the breath in for a couple of seconds.

Then keeping your mouth closed, exhale slowly while making the ‘Aum’ sound (Om Chant).

(This step creates a sound similar to the buzzing of a hornet, hence the name.)

Duration:

No specific duration. Repeat it for at least 5-7 times.

Other Benefits:

-This Pranayama is extremely essential for maintaining the health of your throat and thyroid.

-It cures any hoarseness of voice caused by any illness.

-Regular practice of this Pranayama increases your concentration and also calms your mind.

-You’ll feel a soothing peace and calmness when you perform this Pranayama regularly.

Technique #16

Ocean Breath

Method:

Sit down in Sukhasana, with a straight back.

Practice slow breathing for a minute.

Keep your mouth closed and take in a deep breath.

Hold the breath in for a few seconds.

Then seal your lips, gently constrict your throat a little bit and then push out the air in a long smooth breath.

This will produce a sound like the waves on the shore, hence the name.

Duration:

No specific duration. Repeat it for at least 7-10 times.

Other Benefits:

-This Pranayama is also very useful in maintaining the health of your throat and thyroid.

-You’ll feel a soothing peace and calmness when you perform this Pranayama regularly.

Meditation

(ध्यान)

What is Meditation?

Meditation is often misunderstood as a futile waste of time with no tangible physical benefits.

Modern day science says otherwise;

A Harvard study showed that regular meditation, in just 8 weeks, changed the physical structure of the practitioner’s brain, the grey brain matter increased, leading to more focus, memory improvement while at the same time, a decrease/slight shrinking  was noticed in the areas of brain responsible for stress, anxiety and fear. You can read the complete study here .

Also, many similar studies have found that with regular meditation your brain stops aging, i.e. the brain of a 50 yrs. old person who regularly meditates, resembles the brain of a 25 yr. old.

All you’ve got to do is be serious about meditation and not just sit down, pretending to be contemplating inwards, when actually there is a storm of thoughts going through your mind.

The meditations taught in this book will work as initiations for you to remove negative thoughts out of your mind and achieve a clam state.

Technique #17

Meditation for Burning Stress

* This is a combination of visualization and pranayama and gives wonderful results with regular practice.

Method:

- Sit down in a comfortable cross-legged position (Sukhasan) without slouching and with your back straight.

- Put out your chest, keep your neck straight and look straight ahead.

- Place your right hand on your knee, palms facing down.

- With the thumb of your left hand, close your right nostril.

- Now slowly start inhaling a very deep breath through your left nostril. As you are breathing in, chant ‘Aum’ in your mind. (no fixed amount of repetitions, just keep chanting for as long as you are inhaling)

- Once you have inhaled, hold the air in for as long as you comfortably can and while you are holding the breath visualize that all your pent up stress is accumulating in your lungs and all that stress is getting burnt by the air in your lungs which is extremely rich in ‘Prana’.

- Now close your left nostril with the thumb of your left hand and exhale out through your right nostril.

- As you are exhaling, visualize that all the burnt stress is being thrown out with the air you expel.

- Once you have completely exhaled, do not breath in for 10 seconds and in this time visualize that all the stress that you have just burned is being replaced by calmness and peace.

- This completes one practice of this Pranayama.

- Perform 7-8 repetitions.

Technique #18

‘Aum’ Meditation

Method:

Sit in Sukhasan and form the dnyanamudra with your hands and place them on your knees with your palms facing upwards.

(If you cannot sit down with folded legs, sit in a chair, with your feet flat on the ground and with a straight back)

Close your eyes and behind closed eyelids, focus your eyes at the midpoint between your eye-brows.

Then deeply inhale through your nose.

First fill the air in your lungs and then into your belly.

Hold the air in for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale through your mouth chanting ‘Aum’.

Practice this meditation for 4-5 minutes.

If you are not familiar with Aum chanting and how to properly do it, watch this video .

Technique #19

Self observation Meditation

Method:

Sit in Sukhasan with your back straight.

Place your hands on your thighs, palms facing down.

(in this technique we are going to mentally scan our body from bottom to top, toe to hair, and observe.)

Take a few deep breaths.

Close your eyes.

Starting at your toes, direct your attention to each part of your body.

Slowly shifting up from your toes, to your feet, then to your ankles, calves, knees, thighs, groin, abdomen and going up until you reach your face and head.

(If you want to, you can also focus on your internal organs)

As you focus your attention on each part of your body, notice any pain, tension, or tightness you’re feeling.

If you are facing any discomfort or tension, acknowledge it.

Then visualize that you are drinking in the Life energy through your breath and this stream of energy is being directed to the body part in pain/discomfort.

Then, move on to the next body part.

This will take only a few minutes to complete this Meditation.

Ayurved

(आयुर्वेद)

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda ( आयुर्वे द )is an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent. It is presently in daily use by millions of people in India and it is been hugely appreciated and followed by millions of people across the globe as a holistic approach to health and well-being.

The word ‘Ayurveda’ is a compound Sanskrit word,

Ayurveda ( आयुर्वे द ) = Ayushya ( आयुष् य ) + Veda ( वे द) ,

Where, ‘Ayushya’ means ‘Life’ and Veda means ‘Wisdom / Knowledge’.

Thus, Ayurveda Literally means, the knowledge of life.

Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect "Ayushya" (Life), which is achieved through a healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony.

Ayurveda has documented cures, for various diseases considered as incurable by modern medical science. Also, most of the modern drugs and medicines are known to have hazardous side-effects while Ayurvedic remedies have none.

People all over the world are now realizing the effectiveness of herbal remedies and are accepting Ayurveda in to their lives.

Ayurvedic cooking is basically using your food itself as your medicine and including various herbs and spices that impart their medicinal properties to your food and thus cure you.

Technique #20

Lemon Honey Elixir

Ingredients:

1 cup plain water

1 fat pinch Nutmeg powder

2 tspn Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 tspn Honey

Method:

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil.

Add a fat pinch of nutmeg powder to the boiling water and turn off the heat and cover it with a lid.

Let it sit for a few minutes, till it becomes lukewarm.

Only after it is just lukewarm, pass it through a sieve to separate the nutmeg powder.

Add 2 tspn of Lemon juice and 2 tspn of honey to the nutmeg water.

Stir well and sip it slowly.

Technique #21

Ojas Elixir

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup of Milk

4-5 Almonds finely chopped

5-6 Dates, deseeded and finely chopped

½ cup of grated Coconut or Coconut flakes

½ tspn of Cardamom powder

¼ tspn of Nutmeg powder

1 tspn of Ghee (Clarified Butter)

2 tbsps of Honey

Method:

Add all the ingredients (except Honey) to the milk and stir thoroughly till the spice powders are mixed well.

Put this mixture in a blender to get thick consistency for the mixture.

After blending bring this mixture to a boil and then let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Turn off the heat.

Add Honey to the mixture (make sure the heat is turned off).

Consume while it is hot.

Technique #22

Ashwagandha

I have saved the best for the last.

If there is one herb that Ayurveda can claim as the magic pill for Stress management, it is Ashwagandha.

It is the powder of dried root and stem of the Ashwagandha plant that is used as the medicine.

Find a good company with multiple positive reviews that sells Ashwagandha powder or tablets online. (Banyan Botanicals is a very respectable firm, when it comes to Ayurvedic medicines.)

Take one or two tablets of Ashwagandha, half an hour before going to bed with a cup of warm water. (or 1 tspn of powder in a cup of warm water.)

(While buying the tablets, check for the manufacturing process of the tablet for any allergic components.)

What Next?

As I have already said in the introduction, you cannot expect to perform these exercises one time and then expect to have a supercharged brain forever.

These techniques are essentially micro-exercises, which will work wonders for you when you include them in your daily routine and cultivate them as ‘habits’.

Maintain your practice for 4 weeks and then you will find out by experience that a few techniques work really well for you more than the others. Then inculcate those techniques as ‘habits’.

Also, the next book in this‘Yogic Brain Mastery’ series will be released soon.

Stay tuned.

Thank You!

Thank you so much for reading my book. I hope you really liked it.

As you probably know, many people look at the reviews on Amazon before they decide to purchase a book.

If you liked the book, please take a minute to leave a review with your feedback.

60 seconds is all I’m asking for, and it would mean a lot to me.

Thank You so much.

All the best,

Advait

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Disclaimer and FTC Notice

Stress-Proof Your Brain The Yogic Way: Unique Ancient Indian Techniques to End Toxic Stress, Stop Worrying and Inculcate Mental Toughness.

Copyright © 2021, Advait. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. This book should not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author. Reviewers may quote brief passages in reviews.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the publisher.

While all attempts have been made to verify the information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly.

The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional, spiritual and physical well being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Under no circumstances will any legal responsibility or blame be held against the publisher for any reparation, damages, or monetary loss due to the information herein, either directly or indirectly. The information herein is offered for informational purposes solely, and is universal as so. The presentation of the information is without contract or any type of guarantee assurance.

Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, including international, federal, state, and local governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising, and all other aspects of doing business in the US, Canada, or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader.

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of the purchaser or reader of these materials.

Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional.

Table of Contents

My Promise

Introduction

How to use the techniques you will learn in this book?

Technique #1

Technique #2

Technique #3

Technique #4

Technique #5

Technique #6

Technique #7

Technique #8

Technique #9

Technique #10

Technique #11

Technique #12

Technique #13

Technique #14

Technique #15

Technique #16

Technique #17

Technique #18

Technique #19

Technique #20

Technique #21

Technique #22

What Next?

Thank You!

Other Books by Advait

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