Pranayama Health Scale: Conceptualization, Development, Validation and Reliability for Adolescents’ Well Being

Abstract

Introduction: More than 5,000 years ago, yoga journey begun in India as an ancient science of holistic health and care system 1 and proposed numerous practical healing techniques such as Pranayama (pran = vital energy, ayam = flow) or breath control for pranic well being. The concept of pranayama was developed based on four major Indian text books of yoga viz; Patanjali Yog-Darshana 2 , Gheranda Samhita 3 , Hatha yoga pradipika 4 , Shiv Samhita 5. The core concept of pranayama was explained in Patanjali Yog-Darshana 6 , the pranayama conept is explained in the form of three verses; "tasmin sati shvasa prashvsayoh gati vichchhedah pranayamah" (control of inhalation-exhalation breathing cycle is pranayama). "Bahya abhyantara stambha vrittih desha kala sankhyabhih paridrishtah dirgha sukshmah" (inhalation-exhalation and retention with time as a control factor). "Bahya abhyantara vishaya akshepi chaturthah" (holding the breath cycle steadily). Gheranda samhita 3, 7 declares pranayama concept in the form of