Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana Decoded: Nourishing or Detoxifying? Cooling or Heang?

Maggie Reagh MA in Teaching, Yoga Therapist, E-RYT 500 SYTAR 2016 Intro to Bṛṃhaṇa

• Bṛṃha (Brahma) – Big Bang • Expands • Nourishes • Builds • Restores • Rejuvenates Intro to Laṅghana

• Laghu – Lightens • Contracts • Detoxifies • Reduces Bṛṃhaṇa and Laṅghana • Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana = Tradional Āyurvedic principles Applied to Yoga Therapy • Sri T. Krishnamacharya - Applies to Yoga Therapy in 20th Century • Twist on classical Āyurveda in its applicaon in Yoga Therapy • Sri T. Krishnamacharya - Master of both Yoga & Āyurveda • Decode the difference in approaches to Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana • Maggie offers this soluon → 15 years of contemplaon on the topic What does Āyurveda say?

• Bṛṃhaṇa = ↑ Kapha = + Kapha↑ = Restores/Builds Ojas or Soma /Vitality • Laṅghana = ↓ Kapha = - Kapha↓ = Reduces Āma/Toxins & Mala-s/Wastes • No contradicon with Yoga Therapy • Bṛṃhaṇa increases & Laṅghana decreases Agni Dilemma Āyurveda & Yoga Therapy • Āyurveda - Bṛṃhaṇa Kriyā/Rx = ↑ Cooling or Heang • Yoga Therapy - Bṛṃhaṇa = ↑ Heang

• Āyurveda - Laṅghana Kriyā/Rx = ↑ Heang or Cooling • Yoga Therapy - Laṅghana = ↑ Cooling

• Āyurveda - Agni (Heang) factor - separates from Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana • Yoga Therapy - Agni (Heang) factor - links to Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana How to Solve The Riddle?

• Decode how Āyurveda translates into Yoga Therapy • Translate the Āyurvedic Doṣa-s into Yoga Therapy Principles • Explore how Sri T. Krishnamacharya simplified Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana • Separate Agni (Heang) factor from Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana as Āyurveda does Kapha (Earth/Cold Water)

• + Kapha = Ojas or Soma/ Vitality/Strength • - Kapha = Āma/Toxins & Mala-s/Wastes Vāta (Air/Ether)

• + Vāta = Prāna/New Energy • - Vāta = Apāna/Old Energy

• Prāna/New Energy/Inhalaon → Ojas or Soma/Vitality • Apāna/Old Energy/Exhalaon → Āma/Toxins & Mala-s/ Wastes Prāna/Energy

• Prāna/Energy = Intake of New Prāna/Energy from 5 Elements • In Yoga pracces, Prānic Energy comes from Air (Vāyu) & Ether (Ākāśa)/ Soul (Puruṣa/Ātma) • Prānāyāma = Yogic food! • Some Yogi-s live off Prāna e.g. Giri Bala (Yogānanda) Pia (Fire & Hot Water)

• Pia = Agni (Jatharāgni) = Digesve Fire • Agni Expands with Prāna Vāyu on Inhale = Blow on fire in belly

• Agni burns āma/toxins with Prāna Vāyu + Samāna Vāyu on Inhale • Apāna Vāyu with Udāna Vāyu helps remove āma/toxins through the mala-s/wastes on Exhale How Digeson Works in Āyurveda

• Agni (Jatharāgni) converts food/fat to Prāna/Energy = Digeson via Samāna Vāyu

• Samāna Vāyu separates Ahāra Rasa (Nutrients) from Mala-s (Wastes) using Agni (Jatharāgni + Dhātu Agni) How Digeson Works in Āyurveda

• Samāna Vāyu + Vyāna Vāyu send new Prāna/Energy from Food (Ahāra) → Bodily ssues (7 Dhātu-s) • Vyāna Vāyu collects old Prāna (Āma/toxins) from bodily ssues (7 Dhātu-s) → Agni (Jatharāgni) in Samāna Vāyu to burn → Apāna Vāyu to excrete as Mala-s/Wastes Bṛṃhaṇa = Inhale-Based Yogic Pracces

• Bṛṃhaṇa – Expands & Increases everything: Prāna/Energy↑, Ojas or Soma /Vitality↑, Strength↑, Agni/Heat↑ & Courage/Confidence↑ • Focus on Inhale & Hold aer Inhale • Prāna Vāyu = New Energy IN Laṅghana = Exhale-Based Yogic Pracces

• Laṅghana – Lightens & Decreases everything: Stress/Anxiety↓ & Weight↓ Āma/Toxins↓ & Mala-s/Wastes↓ Agni/Heat↓/~ (Decreased or Balanced) • Focus on Exhale & Hold aer Exhale • Apāna Vāyu = Old Energy OUT Bṛṃhaṇa = Agni moves from Navel (Samāna) to Tissues (Dhātu-s)

• Prāna/Energy↑ Ojas or Soma/Vitality↑ Agni/Digesve Fire↑ • Blow on Agni with Inhale – Flame Expands • Feel body get hoer as it expands • Focus on Inhale & Hold aer Inhale • Feel body get hoer BUT on a gradual connuum from cold to hot Laṅghana = Agni returns home from Tissues (Dhātu-s) to Navel (Samāna) • Balance Agni/ Digesve Fire • Āma/Toxins & Mala-s/Wastes↓ • Feel body get colder as it contracts • Focus on Exhale & Hold aer exhale • Feel body get cooler on a gradual connuum from hot to cold Solving the Agni Dilemma – A Fresh Perspecve No Contradicon between Āyurveda & Yoga Therapy • Bṛṃhaṇa = All Inhale-based pracces = Expansive & Restorave • Laṅghana = All Exhale-based pracces = Reducing & Cleansing

Solving the Agni Dilemma • Separate Agni (Heat) factor from Prāna (Inhale)/Apāna (Exhale) Yogic Pracces • Result? No longer a contradicon Bṛṃhaṇa - A Gradual Connuum of Agni (Digesve Fire) – From Cooling to Heang

• Bṛṃhaṇa – Agni is always expanding from Navel (Samāna) to Tissues (Dhātu-s) BUT on a gradual connuum • Feel body gradually get hoer as it expands • Full expression of Bṛṃhaṇa – Heat Expands • Does NOT contradict Krishnamacharya’s teachings

• Gentle pracces = Agni fanning at Navel (Samāna) • Stronger pracces = Agni moving to the Tissues (Dhātu-s) Cooling/Heang Bṛṃhaṇa Pracces • Gentle/slow/easy back arches = feel more cooling in body • Restorave back arches – Rest- Digest = “Cooling Bṛṃhaṇa”

• Stronger back arches = feel more heang = full expression of Bṛṃhaṇa • Ūrdhva Dhanurāsana (Upward Bow/Wheel Pose) = “Heang Bṛṃhaṇa” Laṅghana - A Gradual connuum of Agni - From Heang to Cooling

• Laṅghana – Agni is always moving towards Navel (Samāna) BUT on a gradual connuum • Feel body gradually get colder as it contracts • Full expression of Laṅghana – Cold Contracts • Does NOT contradict Krishnamacharya’s teachings

• Gentle pracces = Agni moving from Tissues (Dhātu-s) to Navel (Samāna) • Stronger pracces = Agni stays in Tissues (Dhātu-s) Cooling/Heang Laṅghana Pracces • Gentle/slow/easy forward bends/ exhale-based poses = feel more cooling = Full expression of Laṅghana • Restorave forward bends – staying in forward bends = “Cooling Laṅghana”

• Stronger/faster/more challenging forward bends = feel more heang • Ūtkatāsana (Squat), Uhita Pāda Paścimatanāsana (Standing holding big toe with a forward bend pose), Kapālabhā (Skull Cleansing/ Breath of Fire) = “Heang Laṅghana” Summary

No Contradicon between Āyurveda & Yoga • Bṛṃhaṇa = All Inhale-based pracces = Expansive & Restorave

• Laṅghana = All Exhale-based pracces = Reducing & Cleansing

Summary Solving the Agni Dilemma • Separate Agni (Heat) factor from Prāna (Inhale)/Apāna (Exhale) Yogic Pracces • Result? No contradicon with Āyurveda

• Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana – Both on a gradual connuum from cooling to heang (Bṛṃhaṇa) OR heang to cooling (Laṅghana) yogic pracces

• Gentle, slower yogic pracces feel more cooling for both Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana • Challenging, faster yogic pracces feel more heang for both Bṛṃhaṇa & Laṅghana Quesons? Time to Pracce 1. “Cooling Laṅghana” – Slow/ Gentle Standing Forward Bends & some Twists for Anxiety

2. “Heang Bṛṃhaṇa” –Fast/ Challenging Standing Back Arches for Depression

3. “Heang Laṅghana” – Fast/ Challenging Standing Forward Bends and some Twists for Obesity

4. “Cooling Bṛṃhaṇa” – Restorave Back Arches for Chronic Fague References Caldeco, Todd. Ayurveda: The Divine Science of Life. Toronto, ON: Mosby Elsevier, 2006. Print.

Frawley, David and Sandra Summerfield. Yoga for your Type: An Ayurvedic Approach to your Asana Pracce. 2nd Ed. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press, 2001. Print.

Harvey, Paul. “Bṛṃhaṇa Kriyā Laṅghana Kriya are Actualised through an Understanding of...” Yoga Studies, 04 December 2014. Web. 11 May 2016. .

Harvey, Paul. “Bṛṃhaṇa Kriyā and Laṅghana Kriya are the Expansive and Contracve Potenals.” Yoga Studies, 19 February 2012. Web. 11 May 2016. .

Harvey, Paul. “Laṅghana Kriyā can be Used for Pacificaon or for Purificaon.” Yoga Studies, 22 April 2016. Web. 11 May 2016. .

Krasow, Gary. Yoga for Wellness. New York: Penguin Compass, 1999. Print.

Smith, M.J.N. An Illustrated Guide to Asanas and Pranayama. 2nd Ed. Chennai: KYM, 1999. Print.

Acknowledgements To my Yoga Therapy/ Āyurveda Master Teachers: DV & Radha Sridhar, Viji Vasu & Dr. B. Ganesh

To my Āyurveda Colleagues/Mentors: Todd Caldeco, Jaisri Lambert & Amy Wheeler

Thank you for your peer review of my presentaon & for your loving support of my learning/teaching process!

Thank you to my student Tee Kow for making this slide show so beaufully! Maggie Reagh MA in Teaching, Yoga Therapist, E-RYT 500 SYTAR 2016