Stop that Cold or Flu
Immune System Booster: The Inner Sun
I teach this particular kriya anytime I can to help people have one more tool to prevent illness. I find this simple exercise to be equivalent to taking the Chinese Herbal Formula Yin Chiao. In order to prevent colds and flus our immune system needs to turn on in the right way. The immune response is a healthy inflammatory response that pushes viruses and bacteria up and out or down and out. We get a runny nose, aches and pains and tingles in the spine and neck. Those body messages are your "Wei QI" or defensive energy turning on to flush out invaders.
Please use this exercise anytime you get that tingling feeling in your upper back and neck and the beginning of a runny nose. In the old days you might have had a bowl of chicken soup and gone to bed early. Nowadays you might take the homeopathic remedy Oscillococcinum or Yin Chiao to prevent the cold. Try this simple kriya from the Teachings of Yogi Bhajan.
Immune System Booster: The Inner Sun
This simple kriya uses the power of your belly/navel point combined with the upper respiratory energy of activating breath of fire to awaken the internal reserves of defensive Prana to protect your body from bacteria and viruses.
Posture: Sit cross legged with your chin gently tucked down and if you like cover your head.
Hand Position (Mudra): Bend the left arm and raise the hand up to shoulder level. The palm faces forward. The forearm is perpendicular to the ground. Touch the tip of the ring finger to the tip of the thumb (Surya mudra). The position of the left hand may slip during practice; keep it steady. Make a fist of the right hand, pressing the tips of the fingers into the pads at the base of the fingers; extend the index finger. With the extended index finger, gently close off the right nostril.
Focus: Concentrate at the Brow Point.
Breath: Begin a steady, powerful Breath of Fire through the left nostril. Emphasize the beat at the navel; the navel must move.
Time: Continue for 3 minutes. Very gradually increase the time to 5 minutes.
Then this is the most important part. How to end....Create a seal on your immunity:
To End: Inhale deeply and hold the breath. As the breath is held, interlace all the fingers (beginning with the right thumb uppermost) and put the palms in front at a level just below the throat (in front of the thymus), and about 14 inches (35 cm) away from the body. Try to pull the fingers apart with all force. Resist and create a great tension. When you must, exhale. Repeat this sequence 3 more times. On the last exhale, discharge the breath by blowing through your upturned lips, with the tongue curled back on the roof of the mouth. This will seal the upper palate upward. Then relax.
©The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan This was originally published on 3HO's website.