Effect of Preksha Meditation on efficiency of Respiration- A review
Sujata Paikaray, A. Kar, N. Nathani
National Journal of Research in Ayurved Science May 30, 2018 DOI: 10.52482/ayurlog.v6i3.127 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that Shvasa Preksha, practiced as slow deep breathing or alternate breathing, influences the respiratory center in the medulla oblongata and slows the normal breathing rate, improving respiratory efficiency. The author contends that this slowing reduces anger and anxiety, lowers energy loss, and improves concentration and efficiency. |
Abstract
Our body requires oxygen for its activities and the oxygen is supplied to our body through the respiratory system. It is important to increase the efficiency of respiratory system to increase the sustainable supply of oxygen to the body. Preksha Meditation is a procedure by which one can know and observe the main characteristics of consciousness. Covered consciousness looses its capacity to observe. To awaken spiritual consciousness, one should start its study from breathing. The main aims of Preskha Meditation are purity of mind, search for the truth, to experience independent power of consciousness and finally to develop a complete personality. Shvasa Preksha is one art of Preksha Meditation in which the movement of breathing is observed. It is done by two methods i.e. Dirgha Shvasa Preksha (Slow and deep breathing) and Samvriti Shvasa Preskha (Alternate breathing). Both the procedure have effect on brain particularly on respiratory center in medulla oblongata and normal breathing rate also slows down resulting in improvement of respiration efficiency. Anger and anxiety get reduced as a result of slow breathing rate. This helps in reducing the energy loss, concentration improves, which results in better efficiency.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |