When you fail to remember something, which you have read, heard or seen, and cannot remember despite several efforts then it is called loss of memory power or forgetfulness. People of all age groups are suffering due to this problem. There are a number of reasons for this problem. For example, mental tension, excessive mental work or not using memory at all, busy schedule throughout the day, physical and mental weakness or serious head injury.

Yogic exercises are helpful in improving memory power and reducing forgetfulness. Practice the following yogic exercises with the feeling that the memory power is improving and forgetfulness is reducing. Also take a balanced diet and chew you food nicely, as it helps to improves memory. Remember all the things done throughout the day in a chronological order. This exercise will also help improve memory power.

YOGA ASANA

Yoga asanas provide excellent strength, both physical and mental. Regular practice of these exercises develops the physical and mental capabilities, which improve the memory power, grasping power and intelligence. Sarvangasana and Bhujangasana are the two main asana for improving memory. Regular practice of these asanas cure all one's physical and mental related problems, and thereby improve the memory power.

SARVANGASANA

Regular practice of this asana supplies pure blood to the brain. It makes the pituitary and pineal glands healthy, and activates the brain. It increases the memory power, grasping power and intelligence, especially among children. It activates the thyroid and pituitary glands, which result in height increase.

This is beneficial for increasing height as it activates the thyroid and pituitary glands. It cures tiredness, weakness and obesity in children. It makes the eyes, ears, nose and other organs healthy. It improves the digestive system, activates the intestines, liver and increases the digestive fire. It cures enlarged liver, swelling, hysteria, hydrosil, hernia and constipation.



Method:

1. Lie down straight on your back. The legs should be together, join the hands to the sides and rest the palms on the ground.

2. Inhale and raise the legs at 30 degrees upwards, then 60 degrees and then 90 degrees. You can support the back while lifting the legs. If the legs cannot be kept straight at 90 degrees take them back at 120 degrees and rest the hands at the back. The elbows should rest on the ground. The eyes should be closed, or otherwise look at your toes. In the beginning it can be done for 2 minutes and then slowly increase the time up to half an hour.

3. While coming back, keep the legs straight and bend backwards slightly. Remove both the hands from the back and rest them straight on the ground. Now, press the floor with the palms and get up in the same position as you had lied down, first back and then the legs should be laid straight on the floor. The duration for Sarvangasan and Shavasan should be the same.

Caution:

Avoid this asana in case of neck and back pain.

BHUJANGASANA

This rejuvenating asana is also beneficial for improving memory power. It cures backache, sciatica pain, slip disc, cervical spondalitis and other spinal problems.

It strengthens the thyroid, para-thyroid glands. It is useful in case of asthma.

It strengthens the liver and is useful in case of loss of appetite, acidity, diabetes and other stomach related problems. It makes the backbone flexible and healthy.


Method:

Lie down on your stomach; keep the palms on the ground on both sides of the chest. The elbows should be lifted upwards and the shoulders should be close to the chest.

The legs should be straight and joined together. The palms should be stretched facing the spine and resting on the ground. Inhale and raise the chest and head upwards. The area below the navel should rest on the ground. Raise the head and move the neck backwards as much as you can. Remain in this position for 30 seconds. Repeat as many times as you can.

Caution:

Do not practice this asana in case of hernia.

PRANAYAMA

Regular practice of pranayama along with asana is helpful for all round development and improvement of the memory power.

Bhastrika, Kapalbhati and Brahmari Pranayama are the best for this. They improve the memory power and cure forgetfulness. Please note that the descriptions below are summaries. Please look up the articles on the specific pranayama for detailed instructions.

KAPALBHATI PRANAYAMA

This pranayama supplies pure life energy to the brain. It increases the blood circulation in the brain and removes blood clots thereby improving the memory power. Other than this, the toxic and foreign substances from the body are evacuated. It cures cold catarrh, sinusitis, allergy, tension and other diseases. It is very useful in cases of phlegm, skin disease, asthma, heart disease, high and low blood pressure, depression, tiredness, laziness, sleeplessness, migraine, joint pain, etc. Obesity, diabetes, constipation, indigestion, gastric problem, disinterest and other disease are cured and it gives vitality. As a result the whole body becomes healthy and disease free.

Method:

Be seated in a comfortable posture. Padmasana (crossed leg) and Vajrasana are the ideal yoga postures to practice pranayama. Place your hands on your knees. Feel relaxed. Focus on your breathing pattern.

Take a deep breath in and then release the breath out. Now inhale slowly and exhale with a great force. Your abdominal muscles should get expanded when you inhale and get contracted when you exhale.

The exhalations should be forceful. This exercise is similar to that of blowing your nose. The process of inhalation and exhalation should be constant. Make sure that while exhaling, you are throwing the air out from the lungs with full force.

Do not take much effort while inhaling the air. Complete the procedure of Kapalbhati pranayama by deep inhalation and exhalation.

You have successfully completed one round of Kapalbhati pranayama. A learner can do 3 rounds of Kapalbhati pranayama by doing 15 exhalations in each round. Take small breaks between each round. You can increase the number of exhalations and rounds of pranayama as per your convenience.

BHASTRIKA PRANAYAM

Health improves when the brain gets pure life energy. The prana and mind become stable, nervous weakness is cured and memory power improves. It cures the tridosha (vata, pitta, kapha) and problems arising from brain. This cures forgetfulness. It improves appetite. It is beneficial in case of low blood pressure, depression, sleeplessness, knee pain, cold catarrh, headache, diabetes, obesity, loss of appetite and asthma.

It cures thyroid and tonsils and other throat related diseases.

It strengthens the heart and lungs. It is helpful in case of arousal of kundalini and prana.

Method:

Sit in Padmasana. Inhale with full strength and exhale from both the nostrils as strongly as you can. Repeat inhaling and exhaling. Rest when you are tired or exhale completely after practicing this for 30-40 times.

Now place the hand near the nose and close the left nostril. Breathe from right nostril. Breathe in as much as you can, put Jalandhar Bandh followed by Moolbandh. Stop the breathe for some time. Remove the bandh and exhale from left nostril. This is one cycle of Bhastrika Pranayam. Repeat two to three times.

Caution:

Do not shake the body while inhaling and exhaling. Do not practice it in case of high blood pressure, piles, acidity of perspiration due to heat.

BRAHMARI PRANAYAMA

It cures brain generated problems, tension, worries, anger, sleeplessness, depression and other problems and improves the memory power. It cures anxiety and is useful in case of restlessness, high blood pressure, heart disease etc.

It cures diabetes, obesity, asthma, nervous weakness, and improve the memory power.

It is beneficial in case of gynecological diseases. It cures vata, pitta, kapha and other problems. It is also beneficial in case of headache, cold catarrh, etc.

Method:

Sit in Padmasana and exhale from the nostrils slowly. Then inhale slowly. Inhale as much as you can and while exhaling produce a nasal sound. As if you are trying to produce the ma sound while chanting Om or like the honeybee whirling around the flowers. Produce this sound and exhale. Try to make this sound as sweet as possible. Close the ears with the thumbs in order to block the external noises and keep the fingers on the forehead. Inhale and exhale and produce the sound. Repeat this exercise for five minutes.

Caution:

Do not shake the body while inhaling and exhaling. Do not practice it in case of high blood pressure, piles, acidity or perspiration due to heat.

OMKAR CHANTING

Omkar chanting improves the memory power. It increases the mental strengths. It arouses the Kundalini. It establishes contacts with the extraterrestrial powers.

Method:

Omkar is very significant in our lives. The letters A, U and M collectively make this word. The joint powers of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are included in this word. Om is powerful and spread in the entire universe but we cannot experience it. Om should be chanted for introspection, produce energy in the body and circulate the strength.

Inhale and chant A (ah), then close the mouth and say U (oo) and then close and say M (im).

Stressing on the letter A, U and M cures the diseases of stomach, chest and brain respectively.

It is useful for improving the memory power.

Now you can listen to the ancient sanskrit chants of Bhagavad Gita, sung in classical melodies by noted devotional singer Sri Vidyabhushana. Listen to all 700 verses of the Gita with a beautiful accompaniment of flute, veena, sitar, mridanga, tabla and tala. (Scroll down to listen to it online.)

Set includes 10 audio CDs (7 CDs of sanskrit chants, 2 CDs containing english translations for the entire Bhagavad Gita, and 1 CD providing an introductory lecture on the Bhagavad Gita by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada).