How Does Super Brain Yoga Work?

Powering the Brain: Thoppu-karanam and Super Brain Yoga, Part two.

The Super brain exercise is said to be based on the principles of subtle energy and ear acupuncture. The practice
clears our energy centers, or chakras, and integrates the intuitive and emotion-based right hemisphere of the brain
with the logical left hemisphere. Normally, the rhythmic patterns of brain waves that is displayed by EEG – namely,
the Alpha, Beta,Theta and Delta – occur independently on each side of the brain. During the Super Brain Yoga, as
during meditation and deep relaxation, the brain waves sent out are mostly Alpha that are in sync. This enables the
meditating person to be alert, creative and in greater control of the body.

The physical body we have is surrounded by a luminous energy body, which resembles the visible physical body.
Chakras are the spherical whirlpools in this etheric energy body, and they function as pumps or valves, regulating the
flow of energy through our energy system. Thus they act as transmitters and receivers of Cosmic Energy drawing
various forces and energies into the body. Blockages in the chakras can cause disease. In quantum physics it has
been discovered that the human observer can affect the observed. In a similar vein, it has been postulated that
human consciousness, or one’s spiritual field or aura, can affect the body matter.

Pillayar Kuttu activates the glands under the roof of the palate(of one’s mouth) which is
supposed to ooze necatarine like fluid that can have a vitalizing effect on health, intelligence and
age.Under side of the palate roof is also called Amrtha Yoni.

Holding the tips of the ears by cross-changing the hands is a short-cut for connecting pisitive and
negative life forces and, while in that position, by doing sit-ups, the vital veins are stretched and
the nerves in spinal chord connecting the brain trigger the tender nerves in the brain, which effect
multiplies the brain power.

As regards Pillayar kuttu. You may have seen south indians, when they visit Vinayaka shrine, do
toppukarnam… they also knock their forehead-sides with their knuckles five times… this is
pillayar kuttu

“Thoppai KarayaNum” – Those who can see the lighter side of it will understand what I mean.

“Thoppai karayuNumnaa Podu ThoppukarNam -108″.

Knocking the two ends of forehead before Pujas in South India

Some devotees knock the two ends of forehead before beginning prayer and puja in South India.
It is believed that the nerves connecting to the intellect passes through these two ends and the
knocking is to invoke Lord Ganesha, the god of Budhi (intellect).
Symbolism behind worship of Lord Ganesha

Symbolism behind worship of Lord Ganesha

The most popular image when one thinks about Hinduism is Lord Ganesha, For we Hindus, Ganesha is
the first and foremost deity to worship. This practice can be seen from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
What does the form of Ganesha symbolize ? Why do we worship Him?
In South India and especially in Tamilnadu, as a child I used to play around a big pipal tree, ( Aswatta in
Sanskrit, Bodhi in Hindi, Arasa Maram in Tamil), under which there was a Ganesha icon. He sat on a
raised stone pedestal. There were two vertical stones , one with two snakes intertwined with their
heads meeting after two twists. The other stone had one cobra with its hood opened out.
In the mornings, many womenfolk in my area, after bathing , with their hair still not fully dry, carried
water in a pot and perform abhishek ( pouring) of water on the deities, put a few grass on them, apply
chandan and kumkum. They used to do a typical sit up with hands in opposite ears called
‘Thoppukkaranam’ , then they would tap the knuckles on either side of the temples gently five times and
finally they will cicumambulate the whole tree with the pedestal three or five times and then offer a
final prostration before the Lord. They will sit in front of Him for a minute murmuring slokas and will
rush home.
I always wondered about the Ganesha’s form and the symbolism behind this typical worship. I found it
only in my 44 th year. The profoundness of the entire rituals struck me forcefully. I also wondered at the
wisdom of our Rishis and siddhas for making towering yogic knowledge expressed in simple worship. As
usual, I am sharing it with you all.
1. The Snakes:
First we need to get basic regarding yoga and its outline.
Nadis:
Most of us know that our human body has many thousands of ( in fact 72,000) invisible ducts , called
nadis, carrying energy to the entire body. Three of them are very important. They are ida , pingala and
Sushumna which run along the spinal chord. The ida and pingala are the paths along which our prana (or
life force) flows. They can be felt with slow rhythmic breathing with total inward focus. The Sushumna is
the third which runs in the hollow of the spine. This starts at the root of the spine called ‘mooladhar’
and ends at ‘sahasrar’ the vertex.
kundalini

It is said that the Kundalini shakti , likened to a cobra, is coiled up in the mooladhar chakra in a dormant
form. Except for a few , the entire mankind has the kundalini in its dormant, unawakened state.
Yoga
Only simple, pious, virtuous living with austerities, vegetarian diet, shunning of evil habits, dissociation
from mad wealth mongering, and continuous practice of yoga in one of the known four paths of Gnana,
Karma, Bhakti, Dhyana , awakens the kundalini and it starts to raise through the sushumna.
The sadhak has to pursue with his practice till the Kundalini starts ascending from
1. Mooladhara – base of spine
2. Swadhistana- corresponding to the position of genitals along spine
3. Manipooraka- opp to naval (solar plexus) along spine
4. Anahata- opp to heart (cardiac plexus) along spine
5. Vishuddhi- opp to neck along spine (here the spine ends)
6. Ajna- the point between the eyebrows(pituitary gland)
7. Sahasrar- the vertex (pineal gland)
The Kundalini at Sahasrar gives total awakening or self realization or Jeevan mukthi.
2. Snake icons
Coming back to the snake icons, the first icon has two snakes crossing each other in two places. The
snake on the left is likened to ida, and the one on the right symbolizes pingala. They both originate at
the feet, then cross once at Mooladhar, then again at Anahata and finally meet again at Ajna. This is the
symbolism of the two intertwined snakes.
Now to the other stone slab with the cobra with opened out hood. This is the direct depiction of the
Kundalini , which is said to be about three and a half feet in length. In its awakened state, it has raised
through the Sushumna nadi and has reached the Sahasrar, the last chakra with a thousand petalled
lotus. This symbolizes total illumination.
3. The Elephant face:
Now Lord Ganesha, shows us the way to illumination. How ? By his own form. His elephant face is in the
form of Omkara, the primordial sound. By the help of the Omkara that is Pranava , the Sadhak is helped
towards enlightenment.
4. The Mouse- Ganesha’s Vehicle:
Another curiosity is Lord Vinayaka’s vehicle, the mouse. This symbolizes an elephant riding on one of the
smallest creatures, the mouse. This explains us how our human body came to be the vehicle for the
infinite Atman.
5. The five Hands:
Ganesha’s left hand holds the ankush- which is used to punish errant elephants. Depicts how He guides
humans.
Right hand holds Pasa- The rope that is used to tie the elephant- with which he ties the creation.
The third hand has the broken part of its tusk with which he wrote the entire Mahabharata- denotes
knowledge and education.
The fourth Hand holds the japamala- the chain of beads- Shows us the necessity to chant God’s names.
In the fifth Hand, which is His trunk, Ganesha hold the Modhaka, a sweet delicacy made of pounded and
boiled rice, jaggery and coconut scrapings- This denotes good food.
6. The third eye:
This denotes the Eternal Knowledge.
7. The Large ears
Shows how we should listen and absorb more and express and talk less. Ganesha is always attentive to
our outpourings.
8. Pipal tree:
The Pipal tree is the most sacred of Trees of Hindu tradition. Sree Krishna says ‘ Aswatta: sarva
VrukshanAm’- that of all the trees he is the Pipal tree. The Aswatta tree is said to hold enormous Aura
around it which can heal many mental and Physical illnesses. Its aura also creates an ambience for a
pious session of worship.
Tapping on the forehead
The typical gentle knocking on the forehead is for activating the chakras in the head. The Ajna and
Sahasrara.
Thoppukaranam
The typical sit up is called as Thoppukaranam in Tamil. " Thorbi karna" in sanskrit. (literally meaning
hands on the ears). The sadhak holds the opposite year by the respective hands and sits with the feet
fully flat and grounded. In my younger days , my school teachers used to make us do this as a
punishment in school. But, this has proved to be a brain synchronizer as found out by American
researchers who call it as super brain yoga.
The first and foremost to be worshipped
Is it any wonder that Ganapathy, with Pranava as his Swarupa (form) is worshipped as the first
and foremost deity ?
Vinayaka depicts Knowledge, Wisdom, Power, Enlightenment and Mukthi.
The next time you go to a Vinaya Temple, do stand in front of Him and recall all the above to
understand Him in His very presence. He is the Lord of Siddhi( Powers) and Buddhi(reasoning).
He wants you to know Him and worship Him for what he is.
Sri Maha Ganapathaye nama:
References:
1. Kadavulin Vadivangal- Swamy Chidbhavananda( Tamil) Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam,
Tirupparaithurai, T. Nadu, India(www.sriramakrishnamath.org)
2. Avvayar Aruliya Vinayagar Agavalum Kundalini Yogamum- N. Thampanna Chettiyar,
(Tamil), Puthiya Puttaga Ulagam, Chennai, T. Nadu(www.newbooklands.com)

When we pray Ganesha (Pillaiyaar) we offer 8 Kuttus on our temple (both sides of Forehead)
and 8 Thoppukaranams by our body. These actions have more meanings just more than offering
just simple prayer. These processes are really for offering our Karmas made by 8 basic elements
- Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Matsara, Bhaya and Lajja. These are the 8 behaviour
oriented qualities or elements or in other words GUNAS. Our Karma is done by hands which is
part of our body. We are supposed to do our karma by body (hands is an important tool of our
body), speech, and mind -- Kaya, Vaacha, Manasa -

I think the religious significance of Kuttu and Thoppukaranam are clear now.