These simple yoga practices can prep you for surgery and heal you faster after it

Irrespective of whether the surgery is of the heart, brain, stomach, injury or joints, Pawanmuktasana series 1, breathing practices and yoga nidra can help boost positivity of the mind and energy, says yoga expert Kamini Bobde

The world over neuroscientists are studying the effect of yoga practices on mental and emotional states of happiness and positivity with increased energy. (Source: Freepik)

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Surgery is the last resort of the medical world as a corrective and life-saving option. But there is no need to build your anxiety levels over a procedure that benefits you. In fact, you can prep pre-surgery and recover post-surgery with yoga. I have seen demonstrable benefits myself. The wife of a diamond merchant in Mumbai, who was to undergo open heart surgery, asked me to help her husband who was fearing the worst and was overrun with anxiety and fears. Every morning I made him practise Pawan Muktasana series 1, breath awareness and yoga nidra. By the time he went under the scalpel, he was confident, positive and sermonising his family members on being positive and brave.

The world over neuroscientists are studying the effect of yoga practices on mental and emotional states of happiness and positivity with increased energy. I continued the same practice for the patient post-surgery every evening. Notably, in the yoga nidra practice, the practitioner is told twice to make a resolve and repeat it to himself. In that state of complete relaxation and internalisation, this works on the subconscious level and makes it a reality at the conscious level. They are advised to make resolutions like, “I will be strong, healthy and brave in all situations.” This helps reorient their state of mind.

Irrespective of whether the surgery is of the heart, brain, stomach, injury or joints, the practices listed here can be practised before and after any surgery. The package comprises the following:

1. Pawanmuktasana Part 1

2. Simple breathing practices

3. Chanting with breath awareness

4. Yoga Nidra

Pawanmuktasana: These are simple practices of all the joints and muscles, synchronised with breathing, starting with the tip of the toes to the neck and eyes. This 10-15 minute practice is a good stress buster. It removes all tension and resultant blockages in the smooth flow of the respiratory, circulatory, nervous systems. It’s a good practice before surgery for keeping your body, mind and nervous system relaxed, which will immensely help the surgeon too. Those who may have undergone some joint surgery may avoid movement of that particular joint.

Sit outstretched keeping both the knees together and the heel on the floor.
Keep the spine and the neck in the same line.
Put the palms of the hands on the floor, along with the waist, keeping the fingers outstretched.
Apply pressure on the palm to maintain the balance of the trunk while the neck should lean backwards.
Now closing your eyes, get conscious about breathing.
Mentally prepare yourself for the practice.
Begin the exercise with open eyes.
Always maintain a proper balance of the breathing pattern.
Finally get back to the primary position.
Stretch out both arms at the shoulder level.
Open the palms and stretch out your fingers as much as possible.
Make a tight fist by keeping all fingers in a punch inside.
Release and repeat the process again.
You can do this by rotating the wrists and even the shoulder joints.

Breathing practices

· Sit in any comfortable posture, gently close your eyes.

· Become aware of your whole physical body. This we rarely do.

· Then run your awareness throughout the body and wherever there is tightness and tension, just relax that part of the body.

· Then take your awareness to your nostrils and just watch the normal, natural flow of breath. This again we never do although we are breathing 24/7.

· Begin with watching for five rounds and then for 10 rounds.

· Throughout, be aware of the different aspects and quality of your breath. Is it regular or irregular; sharp or soft; deep or shallow; gross or subtle; is one nostril more open than the other, so on and so forth.

Breathing with sound

· Continue to sit in your comfortable base position.

· As you watch the inflow and outflow of your breath, say “SoHum” along with your breathing.

· As you inhale internally, mentally say “So” and as you exhale, say “Hum.”

· SoHum means “I am that.”

· Continue this for 11 rounds.

Yoga Nidra: This involves lying down on the floor, closing your eyes and gradually moving your awareness through your body. Sense your awareness go up from your sacrum to pelvis and torso and then your full body. Feel your energy course through your body and feel refreshed.

If yoga, diet and lifestyle are managed when all is well, then you will not suffer health problems or have to go in for surgery.