1) Yoga practices can help reduce fear and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, which weaken the immune system. Practices like pranayama, meditation, and mantra chanting help induce relaxation and strengthen the immune system. 2) Kriya yoga practices like tapas, swadhyaya and ishwara pranidhana act as a "triple vaccine" against COVID-19 by reducing mental afflictions and inducing wellness. 3) Adopting a healthy lifestyle of proper diet, exercise, thoughts and relationships as emphasized in yoga helps boost immunity and overall health during this time. Yoga empowers us to take charge of our health through self-care

1. Enhancing Self Care Through
Yoga During COVID-19
Pandemic
Yogacharya
Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
MBBS, ADY, PGDFH, PGDY, MD (Alt Med), FIAY, C-IAYT, DSc (Yoga)
Director:
Centre for Yoga Education, Therapy and Research (CYTER),
Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry. www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter

3. Fear during COVID-19 Pandemic
• Every human being on our planet has been affected
directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
• This “invisible enemy”, has brought forth another
inner enemy that destroys us from within is FEAR.
• Fear weakens our immune system!

4. Focus on Self-Care; Need of the hour
• We need to refocus on our own salutogenesis
(Swastha), our own inherent capacity and ability to
be responsible for our health and wellness.
• We must move from pathogenesis, the focus on
disease that worsens fear, towards salutogenesis,
the focus on health that strengthens all our systems!
• Yoga empowers us, enables us to take charge of our
own life, thus promoting holistic health for each and
every one of us.
• Yoga strengthens our immune system!

5. • Yogic principles (Yama-Niyama) of cleanliness,
purity and self-control are most important in the
present moment where social (physical)
distancing, and personal hygiene are being
emphasized by all medical authorities.
• Sense of service (Seva) and unconditional action
(Nishkama Karma Yoga) are to be emphasised to
help our fellow brethren who are in need.
• We need to support those in the forefront of this
battle through our cheerfulness (Mudita) while
having compassion (Karuna) for those who are
suffering.

6. Kriya Yoga, the triple vaccine
• Abhinivesha, the primitive survival urge can over-
power even the wisest of wise- Patanjali Maharishi
Kriya
Yoga
Tapa
Swadhayaya
Ishwara pranidhana
• Unless the Kleshas are
attenuated we cannot manifest
wellness.
• Kriya Yoga (Tapa-Swadhyaya-
Ishwarapranidhana) is the triple
vaccine, to deal an effective
blow to COVID19.

7. • Yoga practices especially those
done mindfully will strengthen
our immune system by inducing a
sense of empowerment and self-
confidence.
• They help us regain cortical
control over the senses and
emotions that are in turmoil.
• Through Yogic self care, we can be
our true selves; strong, safe,
caring and healthy.
• We need to stay safe and stay
healthy if we are to help others.

8. Psycho-Neuro-Immunology
• A branch of modern medical science that deals
with the mind-body phenomenon of
• “how our thoughts and emotions can affect our
immune system”.
• Stress, fear and negative emotions are known to
weaken our immune system.
• Yoga (including meditation), mindfulness, positive
emotions, and relaxation strengthen it.

11. Role of limbic over-reactivity
• The limbic system plays a major role in triggering
such emotional upheaval that then results in a
weakening of the immune function.
• When the immune function is weakened every
microbe gets a chance to attack us as all our
defences are wreaked.
• Fear, especially of the magnitude being
experienced and expressed by all of us in the
present times, will totally destroy any chances we
have of fighting this devious enemy.
• Fearlessness, Abhayam is the need of the hour!

13. “The first disease is the
sense of duality,
leading to fear that
creates imbalance of
mind leading to
diseases in the body”.
- Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri
- (1907-1993)

14. Psychosomatics in the Yoga Vashista
• The Yoga Vashista, codified at least 5000 years ago has
so long ago, already understood this psycho-somatic
phenomenon and termed it is Adhija-Vyadhi.
• Perception of duality between ‘Self’ and Universe
leads to mental agitations in Manomaya Kosha,
• Haphazard flow of Prana in Pranamaya,
• Hypo-cellular activity (Ajeeranatvam), hyper-cellular
activity (Ateejeeranatvam) and altered cellular activity
(Kujeeranatvam) in Annamaya.
• According to Yoga disease (Vyadhi) is a manifestation
of imbalnaces at the psyche (Adhi) itself.

16. Stress management through Yoga
• Dr W Selvamurthy gave a beautiful
message at SBV* recently. He said:
Yoga enables and empowers
individuals to
– Modify their perceptions of the stressors,
– Optimise their responses to them, and
– Efficiently release the pent up stresses.
• We can think of it as a 3-in-1 action!!
* Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry, India

18. Some useful practices
during this time……….

19. Nada Bhavana Shuddhi Kriya
• Relive anxiety and tension from storehouses in the
abdomen, chest and neck. Ha Ha, Ho Ho, He He !
• Become aware of the subconscious stresses induced
by the survival mechanisms. Me Me !
• Enhance the cognitive, higher abilities of the
intellect. Dhi Dhi !
• Throw out all tensions & become stress-free. Go Go!
• “BE”, yourself! Introspective Silence

21. Whooshing tensions away- Nasarga
Mukha Bhastrika
Enjoy the practice

22. Pranava is Universal

23. Pranava Pranayama
• Using foundation of Vibhaga (sectional
breathing; low, mid and high)
• Chanting Akara, Ukara, Makara and
Omkara Nada
• 2 to 3 times longer exhalations
• Appropriate hand gestures (Mudras)
Click here for a practice session

24. Pranava Japa for Emotional Self-Care
• Mantra Japa especially of OM is very
useful as it is known to attenuate the
limbic over-activity.
Listen to Om Japa
• Pranava Pranayama, Dhyanam and
relaxation using Akara, Ukara and
Makara are extremely useful in inducing
relaxation response from within. This
will strengthen our immune system.
Enjoy guided Pranava relaxation

25. • The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (Trayambakam)
enables us to overcome the ‘fear of mortality’,
that poison that dampens our immunity and
capacity to heal.
Aum Trayambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim
Pushtivardhanam; Hroom Jhum Saha Sarva
Nakshatrey Sarva Raasi Sujathu Sarva Namdesya
Saha Jhum Hroom; Urva Rukamiva Bandhanaan,
Mrityor Mokshiye Maamritat Aum
Enjoy A Mahamrityunjaya Contemplation

27. Bhairava Mudra to enhance self-
confidence and resilience
• To perform Bhairava Mudra,
place your upturned right hand
on top of the upturned left in a
cupped manner resting both
hands on the lap.
• Close your eyes and become
mindful of the inner strength
developing.
• If the left hand is placed
dominant over right it becomes
Bhairavi Mudra.
Watch Bhairava
Mudra

28. • Abhaya Mudra is one way of
embodying or signifying, "I'm not
afraid of life; I'm not afraid of
what's in my heart and I choose to
live an authentic life no matter
what others think or say".
• It is performed by lifting the open
palm of the right hand and facing it
forward as if to tell fear, “Stop in
your tracks! I am not afraid of you
anymore”.
Watch Abhaya Mudra
Abhaya Mudra to overcome fear

29. Mudras to Balance Energy Centers
Enjoy the practice
Inhale for 6 counts and exhale for 6 counts in each position
with mindfulness to enhance mind-body connection.

30. Stretching the spine in Tala Asana
Learn Tala Asana

31. Healing the neck-Brahma Mudra
Learn Brahma Mudra

32. Spanda-Nishpanda Kriya:
Tension relaxation coupling
Learn the practice

33. Yoga places great importance on a proper and healthy
lifestyle whose main components are:
ACHAR – healthy physical activities & exercise
VICHAR – right thoughts and right attitude towards
life that are vital for wellbeing.
AHAR – healthy, nourishing diet with adequate intake
of fresh water; balanced intake of fresh food, green
salads, sprouts, unrefined cereals & fresh fruits.
Satwic diet, prepared & served with love & affection.
VIHAR – proper recreational activities to relax body
and mind are essential for good health.
VYAVAHAR – healthy interpersonal relationships
enhancing psycho-social health

35. • We need to stay safe and stay healthy.
• Through Yogic self care, we can reduce our fear
and strengthen our immune system to manifest
all round health.
• May we as ONE HUMANITY stand our ground,
may we fight the enemy within, overcoming the
inner enemy fear; thus strengthening our ability
to fight and defeat the external enemy, COVID19.
• May Humanity Prevail !
Pathogenesis
Salutogenesis

37. Gratitude
is the
highest
attitude.

38. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with “A” Grade by NAAC)
Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education
and Research (CYTER)
Salutogenesis, our focus!

39. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with
“A” Grade by NAAC and Ranked 72 in NIRF 2018 )
www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter