Discover how yoga postures and breathing calm the nervous system and prepare the mind for deep meditation—based on Science and Practice of Yoga.
Introduction
In Science and Practice of Yoga, Swami Paramananda bridges ancient wisdom with scientific precision. He describes yoga not merely as a physical discipline but as a complete science—a method to harmonize the body, calm the nervous system, and prepare the mind for deep meditation.
While many approach yoga for flexibility or fitness, its true purpose is far more profound: to still the restlessness of body and mind so consciousness can turn inward. This article explores the science behind yoga’s practice, explaining how postures, breathing, and concentration directly shape the nervous system and mental state, creating the perfect foundation for meditation.
The Scientific Foundation of Yoga
Paramananda explains that yoga is a science of union—between body, mind, and soul. Just as physical science seeks to understand the external world, yoga investigates the inner world through systematic experimentation.
To achieve this “union,” we must first organize our scattered energies. The first step is the physical: through Hatha Yoga, we balance the body’s systems so it becomes a stable instrument for higher awareness. From there, we move inward—calming the mind, regulating the breath, and finally reaching the stillness of meditation.
 |
| yoga poses for meditation beginners |
How Yoga Influences the Nervous System
1. Posture and the Spinal Axis
Swami Paramananda emphasizes that the spine is the main highway of the nervous system, and all yoga postures are designed to keep this channel open and unobstructed.
When we sit, walk, or rest with poor alignment, nerve currents are disrupted, creating fatigue, agitation, and dullness. A steady posture—spine, neck, and head in one straight line—ensures free energy flow.
Even simple seated poses, such as sitting cross-legged or upright on a chair, improve the nervous equilibrium. According to Paramananda, the body’s posture directly influences mental states:
-
Collapsed postures foster lethargy and depression.
-
Expanded postures stimulate alertness and positivity.
-
Balanced postures bring calm focus—an essential state for meditation.
 |
| simple yoga for better meditation focus |
2. The Role of Breath in Mental Balance
Breathing is more than oxygen exchange—it is the regulation of prana, the vital life force. Paramananda calls rhythmic breathing an “automatic cleanser” of the body, removing impurities from the nervous system.
He advises maintaining equal rhythm in inhalation and exhalation to stabilize the mind. Specific breathing exercises purify the nerve tissues and replace sluggishness with vitality.
Modern physiology echoes this: rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s natural relaxation response—slowing the heart rate, reducing stress hormones, and preparing the mind for meditation.
3. The Mental Science: Concentration and Discrimination
After the body and breath are trained, yoga turns inward to mental refinement. Swami Paramananda describes two essential faculties for inner mastery:
-
Discrimination (Viveka) – the ability to discern what is real and essential from what is fleeting.
-
Concentration (Dharana) – the gathering of scattered mental energy into one focused point.
These two work together like vision and focus in a camera: discrimination directs awareness; concentration sharpens it.
He explains that concentration is not forced thinking, but withholding the mind from unnecessary activity. This discipline strengthens the nervous system’s stability and cultivates a one-pointed mind (Ekagra), which naturally flows into meditation.
 |
| yoga for meditation preparation |
Yoga Poses for Meditation: Science in Action
The book outlines postures as scientific methods for creating internal stillness. Below are key examples drawn from the principles Paramananda describes:
1. The Steady Seat (Asana)
Purpose: To create physical immobility and mental steadiness.
-
Sit cross-legged or upright on a straight chair.
-
Keep spine, neck, and head aligned; shoulders relaxed.
-
Close the lips gently but keep the teeth apart.
-
Rest hands loosely on the lap.
This posture minimizes nerve agitation and promotes alert calmness—ideal conditions for meditation.
2. Rhythmic Breathing (Pranayama)
Purpose: To cleanse and stabilize the nervous system.
-
Inhale slowly through the nose to a count of four.
-
Exhale smoothly to the same count.
-
Maintain rhythm and ease.
This balance of breath creates internal symmetry, soothing both brain and body.
3. Gentle Focus (Dharana)
Purpose: To train the mind to hold attention.
-
Focus softly on a single point: between the eyebrows, on the heart, or a symbol of peace.
-
Maintain awareness without strain.
Consistent practice strengthens neural patterns of attention, reducing mental restlessness and emotional reactivity.
 |
| yoga to calm the mind before meditation |
From Nervous Stillness to Meditation
When posture and breath are balanced, the mind naturally settles into meditation. Paramananda defines meditation not as drifting into thoughtlessness but as the continuous flow of awareness toward the ideal.
At this stage, the nervous system operates in perfect harmony—neither overstimulated (Rajas) nor dull (Tamas), but balanced in serenity (Sattwa). From this sattwic state arises Samadhi, the superconscious experience where the meditator and the object of meditation unite.
In scientific terms, this is a state of sustained coherence—brainwaves synchronize, heart rate stabilizes, and consciousness becomes calm yet intensely alert.
Yoga Before Meditation: The Perfect Preparation
Yoga’s physical and breathing practices are not ends in themselves. Paramananda reminds us that they are preparatory sciences—tools to refine the nervous and mental systems for the stillness of meditation.
Without the body’s discipline, the mind cannot focus. Without the mind’s steadiness, meditation cannot deepen. Through yoga, both are harmonized, allowing the inner consciousness to awaken to its true nature—peaceful, luminous, and undivided.
Conclusion
The Science and Practice of Yoga shows that meditation is not a mysterious gift but a natural outcome of scientific self-mastery. When posture steadies the nerves, breath calms the currents of energy, and concentration gathers thought into stillness, meditation unfolds effortlessly.
In uniting the physical and spiritual, yoga becomes not just a practice—but a living experiment in consciousness.
COMMENTS