After thousands of years of proven results, allopathy is slowly catching up
with human wisdom. http://bit.ly/110Rv99

Fundamental practices in Tantra Yoga greatly enhance the capabilities of
both the Vagus Nerve and surrounding glands and neurology. While it is
excellent to find contemporary physical evidence of such capabilities and
potentialities, humanity, around the world, has known of such subtleties
for thousands of years, allopathy, or rather allopaths are feebly
relinquishing their conceits and deferring to ancient wisdom.

Read more about Sudharshan Cakra at TantraPsychology.org.


*Tantra Psychology <http://tantrapsychology.org/>*
http://TantraPsychology.org/

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They are "educated" who have learned much, remembered much,
and make use of their knowledge in everyday life.
And of these lessons integrated into their life,
moral conscience is the most imperative to learn
and convey to others.
Their virtues give true meaning to education.


Guest article
Courtesy of Frank Huguenard, Waking
Times<http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/05/20/the-vegus-nerve-and-the-healing-promise-of-the-sudarshan-kriya/>

At the center of our bodies resides a long, sinewy nerve that extends all
the way from our medullas down through our chests to beyond our stomachs.
This nerve, known as the *Vagus Nerve*, happens to be at a most
fascinating intersection, not only between our two physical nervous systems
(our central and autonomic nervous systems) but also between our conscious
minds and subconscious minds. As such, it also acts as a bridge between
our gross bodies and our subtle bodies. And it�s a nerve probably 99% of
the population have never heard of nor even have a clue where it�s located.
And yet the Vagus Nerve (ironically pronounced the exact same way as sin
city itself, Las Vegas) may be the single most relevant organ in our body
relative to our peace of mind and happiness.
For thousands of years humanity has explored and discovered subtle realms
of mind and body and practices in further these, especially well developed
through tantra yoga, of which allopathy is maturing into acknowledging and
accepting as propitious for optimal health.
*A Healthy Vagus Nerve *
Research indicates that a healthy vagus nerve is vital in experiencing
empathy and fostering social bonding, and it is crucial to our ability to
observe, perceive, and make complex decisions. Tests have revealed that
people with impaired vagal activity have also been diagnosed with
depression, panic disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),
irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, panic disorders, violent mood swings,
fibromyalgia, early Alzheimer�s and obesity. Given the state of society
today and the vast array of dis-eases associated with unhealthy Vagus
Nerves, it doesn�t take a medical doctor to conclude that by healing our
collective Vagus Nerves, we can heal a lot of societies woes. Scientists
have discovered that artificial Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), through
electrical impulses via a surgically implanted pacemaker like device, shows
promising results in reducing depression, anxieties and even conditions
such as epilepsy and obesity. VNS has also shown positive effects in
promoting weight-loss as the signals to the brain of �fullness� are more
easily transmitted.
But what if there were a less intrusive and more natural way to stimulate
and heal the Vagus Nerve? Automated Habit Formation Human Beings have an
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) that is the body�s automatic regulatory
system of nerves and controls that do all the background tasks that keep
the body operating. The ANS is comprised of three separate subsystems, the
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
and the Enteric Nervous System (ENS). The Parasympathetic Nervous System
is responsible for many of our resting functions such as lowering heart
rate, increasing digestive & gland activity and sexual arousal, the
Sympathetic Nervous System is mainly associated with modulation of hormones
and neurotransmitters relating to �flight or fight� responses.
The Enteric Nervous System is generally considered by scientists to be
involved predominantly with food digestion, waste elimination and sending
full/hungry signals to the brain. However, that doesn�t explain why 90% of
the nerve fibers of the ENS run one way, from the stomach area, through the
vagus nerve and up into the brain. Furthermore, 95% of the body�s
serotonin is produced in the gut, not in the brain as most people would
assume, making it even more likely that the total functionality of the ENS
is far greater than managing our gastrointestinal needs. When you stop to
consider that 90-95% of our thoughts occur in our subconscious minds, and
also the idea that the Enteric Nervous System is also the organ of the
subconscious mind, is it any surprise that most of the nerve fibers between
the two systems originate in the ENS or that most of the serotonin is also
produced in the ENS?
The cerebrospinal system is the organ of the conscious mind and is the
channel through which we receive conscious perception from the physical
senses, and exercise control over the movements of the body. While the
cerebrospinal or central nervous system (CNS) has the brain as its control
center, the ENS has a ganglionic mass in the belly known as the Solar
Plexus, often referred to as our second brain*, as its central processing
unit and it is in this coprocessor that most of our everyday tasks get
executed from. When things in our life become �second nature�, they are
effectively processed through our ENS rather than our CNS. It is our Vagus
nerve that provides the gateway between the two systems, acting as a
bioinformational data bus that routes the impulses going through in both
directions. Since the Vagus Nerve acts as the central switchboard between
our two nervous systems, it should not come as a surprise that impaired
functioning of this one nerve can lead to so many different conditions and
problems.
Our consciousness�s natural tendency is to compartmentalize tedious tasks
so that the brain can focus on higher priority activities. As we go
through life and learn to do things, such as tying our shoes, it would take
far too much of our brain�s capacity to have to focus on every small aspect
of life so once most things are learned with our conscious awareness, they
then get handed over to our automatic background systems. Over time more
and more repetitive tasks go from originating in our conscious minds to
happening in our subconscious minds. When an athlete is said to be �in the
zone� and performing at near perfect levels, it is because they are
practically and literally almost unconscious and functioning entirely
through their ENS. And when someone has an intuition, or in other words
they have a �gut� feeling, that information is coming to them through the
Solar Plexus and when we say that someone has learned to play a song �by
heart�, in reality, it would probably be more accurate to say they learned
how to play �by solar plexus�! Why Laughter IS the best medicine Humans
have two natural albeit involuntary methods of VNS that have been long
considered to be therapeutic, both laughter and weeping.
There is ample scientific evidence suggesting that both laughing and
sobbing are extremely beneficial for our health and in the context of Vagus
nerve research, it is obvious how these two acts can promote healing and
wellness through the increase in vagal stimulation. However, there is also
powerful breathing technique to manually and naturally stimulate the vagus
nerve, called the Sudarshan Kriya. Scientists have found that SK&P
(Sudarshan Kriya along with the related Practices, of yogic asanas,
pranayams [including Nadi Shodana] and meditation) can be extremely
effective at opening up this vital channel of energy. In the ancient
Sanskrit language, Sudarshan translates to �right vision� and Kriya mean
purification process. The Sudarshan Kriya is rhythmic breathing method
that has been known to create profound transformations in the people who
practice it. The Sudarshan Kriya has been scientifically proven to help
cure symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, provide
relief for people suffering from addictions of many forms, helps reduce
cortisol (the human �stress� hormone), cut down on cholesterol, improve
sleep patterns and in general, create a better sense of peace of mind and
well being. Basically, the same list of symptoms associated with impaired
Vagal activity are all conditions known to be significantly improved
through SK&P.

*Scientific Research on Sudarshan Kriya*
Scientists in the west have been studying the effect of various forms of
breathing exercises on our mental and physical health for many years and
Yogis from India have been emphasizing a variety of techniques featuring
the breath for thousands of years so this is nothing new, but what is new
about the Sudarshan Kriya is just how it works. Of all the various
functions of our autonomic nervous systems, from heart beat, perspiration,
hormonal release, gastrointestinal operation, neurotransmitter secretion,
etc., the breath stands alone as the only subsystem the conscious mind can
put into �manual override� and so it is through manipulation of the breath
that we can recalibrate the entire system. Dr. Richard Brown M.D.,
Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University, is one
of the first clinicians to successfully correlate impaired Vagal activity
with so many different diseases. He has theorized that SK&P contributes to
a state of alert calmness by its effect on the Vagus Nerve, which is vital
in transmitting data between our two nervous systems. Dr Brown also
suggested that other mechanisms by which SK&P works are by relaxing of
stress response systems, neuroendocrine release of hormones, nitric oxide
neurotransmission, fear conditioning circuits (prefrontal cortex and limbic
system), and thalamic generators. There are many environmental factors
that have been associated with impaired Vagal Activity including stress,
excessive adrenaline and hormone secretion, over stimulation from
television/film/video games, diet and lack of exercise. Interestingly,
brain wave rhythms measured during and after SK&P are similar to those of
babies. One of the foremost research experts on the effects of Vagal nerve
stimulation through SK&P is Stephen Porges, PhD. Dr. Porges postulates
that the different rhythms of breath in SK&P may stimulate different
diameter fibers of the vagus nerve. This makes SK&P unique and likely to
have a much wider range of applications and effects than the currently
available electronic vagus nerve stimulator. SK&P Promotes Changes at the
Molecular Level Probably the most exciting scientific findings regarding
the benefits of Sudarshan Kriya come from Dr. Fahri Saatcioglu PhD. of
Oslo, Norway.
In his most recently published findings, Dr. Saatcioglu has provided
evidence for how SK&P actually enhances gene expression and alteration
which leads to a plausible explanation for how practicing Sudarshan Kriya
regularly promotes anti-aging in the body by encouraging DNA strands to
repair themselves. According to Dr. Saatcioglu, �during Sudarshan Kriya,
yoga and related practices, changes in the way our immune cells use the
genetic information in their DNA are increased. This may then result in
processes in these cells which may contribute to their function and may
also affect the functioning of tissues and organs which then can affect the
whole physiology �, adds Saatcioglu, �these data suggest that previously
reported therapeutic effects of yoga practices have an integral
physiological component at the molecular level�. Effect on Depression SK&P
has been shown to have a 68%�73% success rate in the treatment of
depression, regardless of severity. Relief from depression, determined by
psychiatric evaluation and standard psychiatric measures (Beck Depression
Inventory, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and others), was
experienced within three weeks. At the three-month follow-ups, patients
remained stable and in remission. Published studies further suggest that
SK&P normalizes patients� brain-wave patterns, increases serum prolactin (a
�well-being� hormone), and has been proven to be as effective as standard
anti-depressant drug regimens. Dr Stephen Larsen, Ph.D., has researched
the neurophysiological responses before, during and after SK&P.
He conducted experiments measuring EEG (recorded at 19 cortical sites),
EKG, heart rate, galvanic skin response, hand skin temperature, pulse
plethysmography and blood pressure. He found that SK&P produced
significant changes in every physiological measurement. Significant
increases in beta activity were observed in the left frontal, occipital,
and midline regions of the brain in the SK&P practitioners, as compared to
controls (p<0.05). These results are interpreted by neurologists as
indicative of increased mental focus/heightened awareness in SK&P
practitioners. It is striking to note that SK&P practitioners displayed
significantly greater mental alertness (beta activity) than the control
group of physicians and medical researchers, whose profession requires
development and daily use of these very skills. Blood lactate is another
biochemical measure of stress. Participants in police training constitute
a highly stressed group. They undergo intense physical and emotional
training daily. Blood lactate was measured in 10 such individuals, both
before learning SK&P and after the first session. There was a significant
fall in lactate levels after SK&P, suggesting that it induces a state of
relaxation. Dr. Larsen�s results indicate that over a period of time, the
practitioner�s health becomes more robust, flexible and able to deal with
the challenges of stress.
This research further reinforces the theory that through the Vagal Nerve
stimulation that the Sudarshan Kriya provides, the many conditions
associated with impaired Vagal activity can all be addressed. Antioxidant
Response to SK&P The body is constantly exposed to environmental toxins,
and its cells continuously produce normal metabolic by-products. Both of
these factors can result in the formation of free radicals. These react
with oxygen and cause oxidant damage, contributing to many diseases,
including cancer and such cardiovascular diseases as heart disease and
stroke. To counteract these free radicals, the human body has a defense
system in the form of antioxidant enzymes. A study was conducted to assess
the effect of SK&P on antioxidant enzymes. Levels of three major
antioxidant enzymes�superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and
glutathione�were all found to be significantly higher in SK&P practitioners
than in the matched control group. These data suggest that people who
practice SK&P have an improved antioxidant status and an enhanced defense
against oxidative stress on the body.

*Effect on Cortisol, the �Stress Hormone� *
Several studies have demonstrated SK&P leads to a significant reduction in
cortisol levels. In one study, blood cortisol, known as the�stress
hormone,� was measured in 21 individuals, 35�50 years of age. Regular SK&P
practitioners (Group 1) were compared with beginning practitioners (Group
2) during their SK&P sessions. The beginning practitioners were also
measured before learning SK&P, while listening to classical music (Group
3). Among beginners, the fall in cortisol levels was significantly greater
during SK&P than when listening to classical music, suggesting that SK&P
produces a better relaxation response. Regular SK&P practitioners had
significantly lower blood cortisol levels at baseline than beginning
practitioners, indicating that they experienced less physiological stress
under the demands of daily living. The significant further fall in serum
cortisol levels, during and following SK&P, among beginning and regular
practitioners, suggests that regular practice of SK&P progressively
develops greater levels of both relaxation and resilience to stress.

*The Mind Body Relationship *
The interaction of the conscious and subconscious mind requires a
congruent interaction between the corresponding systems of nerves, our
Autonomic Nervous Systems and our Cerebrospinal Nervous Systems. Again,
the interface between our two nervous systems is made by the vagus nerve,
which passes out of the cerebral region as a portion of the voluntary
system to the thorax, networking out to our hearts and lungs, and
ultimately passing through the diaphragm it loses its outer coating and
becomes merged with the nerves of the Solar Plexus, thus establishing a
binding connection between the two and making humans the self aware beings
that we are. Having an understanding of the dual nervous systems, the
relationship between unhealthy vagal activity and a myriad of diseases, the
knowledge of how the health of our nervous systems directly corresponds do
our mental health, it makes sense that healing the Vagus Nerve can provide
profound benefits. Practicing Sudarshan Kriya, in conjunction with a
comprehensive set of yogic postures and pranayamas, assists in fine tuning
the nervous systems and healing this most vital organ. While it seems
obvious that the action of SK&P works through Vagus Nerve Stimulation, this
is probably a gross over simplification of the overall beneficial
biophysiological effects of the practice and scientists continue to analyze
other ways SK&P functions on the nervous systems as well. Sports
Performance Enhancement Although no specific empirical data has been
scientifically gathered yet on enhancing athletic and sports performance
through SK&P, it only stands to reason that a technique with the proven
benefits of improved intuition, increased clarity of mind, quicker reaction
times, greater composure and significantly more stamina and endurance would
aid any competitor in any sport increase performance levels.

*Self Defeating Mental Habits *
In conclusion, there is one more vital piece to this puzzle to ponder
over. If you think about the automatic habit forming mechanism in place
and how thought patterns (such as the act of tying a shoe) go from the
conscious mind to the subconscious mind, it is important to understand that
this same transference also happens in the case of mental habits as well.
So many of us have self-defeating mental habits such as guilt, blame,
victimness, complaining, the sense of lack, defensiveness, etc. and what�s
important to keep in mind is that many of these thought patterns have been
committed to our subconscious thoughts. They�ve become as automatic as so
many other habits and unless we actively bring these mental habits back up
into our conscious awareness, they will continue to persist and bring
misery and sorrow into our lives. It is important to remember that once an
impaired Vagus Nerve has been returned back to health, the harmful negative
habits that have been accumulated over years of impaired Vagal Activity
don�t automatically disappear. It is vital therefore, to be mindful of
these common mental patterns and bring them to your awareness, back into
your conscious mind, so they can be disarmed and removed.
*While the Enteric Nervous System (which includes the Solar Plexus) has
also been called the second brain over the past few decades, the Solar
Plexus has been called the second brain in the east for thousands of years.

**Some portions reprinted with permission from the original author(s)
*About the Author *
Frank Huguenard is an author, teacher and documentary film producer,
specializing in films on Science and Spirituality. You can see a trailer of
his Beyond Imagination Trilogy here: https://vimeo.com/60887570 and you can
see all three of his films, Beyond Me, Beyond Belief and Beyond Reason at
his website www.beyondmefilm.com. Read more articles by Frank Huguenard,
here <http://goldenageofgaia.com/2011/01/frank-huguenard-beyond-me/>.
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