1. Supplement Care With Meditation to Alter Brainwaves
Sahaja yoga is not a formal type of medicine and its benefits should not serve as a substitute for professional care under a trained physician. However, some schizophrenics report that meditation has reduced the intensity of some of their symptoms. Studies have shown a change in brainwave activities during yoga meditation, which may have some effect on schizophrenic thought processes.
2. Emphasize Energy Centers in the Head
Many types of yoga speak of "chakras," which are energy centers in the body. Sahaja yoga emphasizes the chakra that affects the mind, and practitioners claim that they can feel it opening and expanding the more they meditate. They believe that this provides a more direct path to enlightenment than other forms of yoga, emphasizing a state of "complete mental silence." The medicinal benefits of this are in dispute. For schizophrenics, however, the state of mind it emphasizes may be helpful in controlling violent outbursts and similar symptoms. Sahaja yoga stresses mindfulness, which is an awareness of your body, a focus on inner sensations and an emphasis on the immediacy of the moment. Those qualities can provide a certain amount of mitigation if practiced correctly by a schizophrenic.
3. Practice Meditation Techniques Regularly
Sit in a comfortable position somewhere where you can be totally relaxed. The first step is called "raising Kundalini." Place your left hand in front of your abdomen with the palm facing inward. Raise it slowly until it is above your head, and rotate your right hand around it slowly until both of them are above your head. Imitate tying a knot, and repeat the gesture three times. According to sahaja yoga beliefs, this will focus your attention on the "Sahasrara" chakra on the top of the head.
For the a second step, called "bandhan," place your left hand on your lap and your right hand on your left hip. Slowly raise your right hand along the left side of your body, over your head, and down the right side of your body. Then reverse the process until your right hand is on your hip again. Repeat the entire procedure seven more times: each time is 1 bandhan.
Then close your eyes, place your hands on your lap with the palms up, and slowly breath in and out. Take deep, natural breaths and exhale completely while remaining completely relaxed. Continue breathing in and out for another 5 to 10 minutes. As you do so, be aware of the feelings in your hands and your head. Raise your left hand and place it a few inches above the top of your head, then lower it back to its original position on your lap. Repeat the process with your right hand. Sahaja yoga adherents believe that you can feel the energy emanating from the top of your head.
Raise Kundalini again, just as you did in the first step, and then engage in 8 banhans, just as you did in the second step. This completes the basic version of sahaja yoga meditation.
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