One of the most painful disorders known, Trigeminal Neuralgia is also called ‘Suicide Disease’ because it often results in depression or patients taking the extreme step. The conventional treatments are medications and surgery, but it is known to reoccur after both. The former proved ineffective in my case and even Pranayama seemed to fail here.
To ease the tension caused by prolonged pain, I decided to practice a method for conscious relaxation — DRT or Deep Relaxation Technique — that I had learnt. At the end of the 20-minute practice, I could actually feel some relief. Encouraged, I started practising it three times a day and after two weeks, I found the pain had eased substantially. DRT then on became a regular in my daily routine. In two years, I was free of TN, a disease that is infamous for housing itself permanently in patients.
This unique DRT has been devised at Arogyadham, a holistic health home at Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA), Bengaluru. The use of progressive relaxation in the Savasana or the Corpse Pose and the incorporation of Om (Aum) results in deep relaxation for all muscles, and the mind is taken to silence.
WHY DRT?
“Pain is called ‘crying of the nerves’. It is accumulated energy or Prana, which becomes ‘bursting pain’ or ‘screaming pain’ when it gets out of hand. This excessive Prana needs to be channelised and DRT does this in two ways.
“First, when we focus on an area and then defocus by relaxing it, it helps dissipate excess Prana. Second, focusing on the other healthy areas of the body helps Prana flow there from the painful area, leading to its equal distribution. This leads to balance, harmony and equilibrium in the body, also known as Samatvam. Swasthya or health is nothing but this state. What we are really doing is regulating the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis (HPA) through deep relaxation at the cellular level,” says Dr KS Nibedita, medical officer at Arogyadhama.
Case studies at Arogyadham show DRT helps in reducing pain in cancer and Rheumatoid Arthritis, regulating cardiorespiratory centres in heart patients, and improving insulin sensitivity in Type 2-Diabetes patients. This DRT is part of the treatment regimen for stress, depression and anxiety at NIMHANS.
For stress relief, DRT works very well following physical activity. Tensions are released deeper in the stimulated muscles through conscious relaxation. It can be practised in bed before sleeping to induce sleep. And at any time of the day if using as therapy to ease restlessness and pain.
HARNESSING THE POWER OF OMKAR (AUM)
Sounds A, U, M and AUM are produced loudly, which generate a fine resonance throughout the body. These resonant sounds act as stimulations, followed by post-resonance silence. This releases even very subtle tensions.
Resonance occurs when the frequency of the sound matches the natural frequency of the body. Studies have shown that A-kar creates resonance below the umbilicus; U-kar resonates at the visceral organs level, and M-kar creates resonance in the head region. We need to adjust the pitch for resonance and so, AAA is chanted in a low pitch, UUU in a loud pitch, and MMM in low pitch. Finally, AUM in a low pitch.
DRT goes sequentially through the a) toes to waist region, b) waist to neck region, c) head region, d) entire body, e) out-of-body awareness, and finally, f) to merge with bliss. (See box for procedure).
In cases of anxiety and pain in the head region, a Reverse DRT is advised. “Discomfort in the upper body shows that there is energy blockage there, so we channelise Prana top-down starting with the brain area. Relax progressively downwards and chant in the order M-U-A,” explains Dr Nibedita.
The author is a journalist, cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher. She can be reached at swatikamal@gmail.com.