This is an article written about pranayama, which is breath control. Some of you may be familiar with what is called four fold, or square, breathing. Where you breath for a 4 count, hold for a 4, exhale for a 4, and hold for a 4. This is effective, but it is also a slightly diluted version of yogic pranayama. If you practice four fold breath at all then I strongly suggest trying some pranayama its effects on meditation and trance states are phenomenal.Heres the article.
Pranayama is perhaps the most important cornerstone of Hatha Yoga. There are a dozen different types of Pranayama. I will provide those Pranayamas which are the most potent and important techniques for the Yogi’s Sadhana(study). They are primarily three in number: Sukha Purvaka, Bhastrika, and Khapal Bhati. Done in that order, they create a very peaceful and centered feeling along with cleansing the Nadis(Nadis are energy channels in the body). Pranayama is the most effective means of cleansing the Nadis and awakening the kundalini. There are two kinds of Pranayama: internal and external. Hatha Yoga pranayama is external (physical), while Raja Yoga pranayama is internal (spiritual).
The inhalation is called Purvaka, the retention of the breath is called Kumbhaka, and the exhalation of the breath is called Recheka. There are two types of Kumbhala; Sahita and Kevalya. Sahita is restraint of the breath with an inhalation or an exhalation. Kevalya is the natural restraint of the breath without inhalation or exhalation. Sahita is normal pranayama. Kevalya is liberation from this world. The Yogi who performs Kevalya rules this world and transcends Maya. Kevalya is the natural restraint of the breath during Samadhi (ecstatic union with God). The yogi’s breath stops for hours in Kevalya. Kevalya and Samadhi do not exist without each other.
Sukha Purvaka Pranayama:
This is a very powerful pranayama. The Yogi cleanses the Ida and Pingali with this pranayama. It induces Nadi Sodhana (cleansing of the Nadis), which is marked by feeling the alternating warm and cool currents of Apana and Prana flowing up and down the spine. In Nadi Sodhana, the nostrils become clear and easy to breath through (hence the name, which translates as “easy breathing”). The skin becomes vibrant and full of health. The yogi emits a pleasant fragrance from his body as well. The exercise is as follows:
1) The Yogi sits is Siddha or Padma Asana. He prepares his right hand for the pranayama by taking the index and middle fingers and curling them into the palm, while the ring and little fingers reach over the folded fingers and touch the point of the thumb. This is proper hand position. Only the right hand touches the nostril during this Pranayama. The left hand is placed either in Jnana mudra (index finger touches thumb) or is used to help count the number of Pranayama done.
2) The yogi completely exhales to empty the lungs
3) The right hand comes up to the nose (maintaining its position). The thumb presses closes the right nostril by pressing down the skin outside the nasal passage. The yogi does purvaka through the left nostril.
4) When purvaka is done, while keeping the right nostril closed with the thumb, the other two fingers (ring and little) curl around to close the left nostril as well. Thus both nostril close and the Yogi retains the breath in Kumbhaka.
5) Lift the thumb off of the right nostril and exhale through the right nostril. This is Rechecka.
6) Pause a second (without closing nostrils, this is a natural pause between exhalation and new inhalation)
7) Inhale through right nostril for Purvaka.
8. Do Kumbhaka with both nostrils shut by closing right nostril with thumb.
9) Recheka through left nostril by lifting little and ring finger.
Steps 3-9 comprise one round of Sukha Purvaka Pranayama. Practice it until the motions become natural. It is said in the Goraknath Paddhati that if one sits for Pranayama 4 times a day at the time of Sandhya Prayers (midnight, sunrise, noon, sunset) 40 times a sitting, then the Yogi can achieve Nadi Sodhana in a few months. Its is good for the Yogi to be able to work up to 80 rounds at a time. This has great physical and spiritual benefits. The ratio for this pranayama is supposed to be practiced as 1:4:2. For example, purvaka for 5 seconds, kumbhaka for 20 seconds and recheka for 10 seconds. If you can not do this ratio at first, then work up to it. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for as long as comfortable, and then try to exhale as close to 10 seconds as you can. Increase the length of time with practice. Always aim for the 1:4:2 ratio. It has the best purging effect on the Nadis. Start with 10 rounds of sukha Purvaka if possible. If not, then work up to 10 rounds. At first, most people will do this once a day. You should always endeavor to sit for pranayama at least twice a day. Start with 10 rounds and slowly increase the rounds. Once you can do 40 rounds at a stretch twice a day, then increase the time of the Pranayama. For example, if you can do 40 rounds of pranayama with 4sec/16sec/8sec pattern, then increase it to 5sec/20sec/10sec pattern. Continue in this manner according to your practice. Most yogis stop increasing breath time once they can achieve 20sec/80sec/40sec, thus making each breath 2 minutes and 20 seconds long.
There are four levels of success in this Sukha Purvaka pranayama. The first stage is when the body shakes and trembles, and feels intense heat with immense sweating. This stage has to be worked up to. The shaking, heat and sweating are all due to the prana cleaning out the impurities of the Nadis. When the second level of success is achieved, the body becomes totally rigid in its Asana. This is a good stage for meditation. When the third level is reached, the rigid body starts to hop along the floor several inches at a time. There is a fourth level, which is very hard to reach, in which the physical body levitates off of the floor. Few can achieve the fourth level. It requires a very one-sided training routine. The yogi should always strive for balance in his Sadhana (practice). Pranayama should never be pursued just for levitation. No success can be had in that way.
The mind must be fixed firmly on one of two things: the point between the brows, or the pure prana being inhaled and the impurities of the body being exhaled. This is the neophyte’s (beginner’s) level of visualization. There are some higher levels of visualization which should be learned from the guru.
Bhastrika Pranayama:
The is a very powerful pranayama, and some Yogis claim that just its practice can awaken the Kundalini by itself. The Yogi takes up his customary Asana and does a very strong purvaka followed by a quick and strong exhale. This can be a physically exhausting pranayama. The nostrils are not manipulated in any way. Inhalation and exhalation are done through both nostrils. On the purvaka, the chest is expanded and the stomach does not expand. The Recheka is done forcefully while the shoulders drop back down to their normal position (they lifted when the chest expanded on the inhale). The shoulders are not forced down, they are allowed to drop back to place naturally. The exact technique is best learned by a good teacher or guru. Concentration should be on Kundalini in Muladhara chakra. One round of Bhastrika usually is 10 full breaths in and out (10 actual bhastrika pranayamas). It is not good to do more than a few rounds. 3-5 rounds is good. Too many rounds can make you go unconscious. You should rest for a few breaths in between rounds or else you can also go unconscious as a beginner. 3 rounds of 10 is good for starters. When done, it is a very refreshing and invigorating pranayama. Don’t be foolish and do it too many times.
Khapal Bhati:
This translates as “skull cleaner”, because it flushes prana throughout the head and refreshes the body greatly. Prana invigorates the blood stream and also rushes through the pores of the skin. This can help prevent wrinkles as well. It stimulates the gastric fire at the pit of the stomach and awakens Mother Kundalini. This is good when done after Sukha Purvaka and Bhastrika pranayamas. The Yogi sits in his usual Asana and makes quick and strong inhalations and exhalations, but on a much lesser scale than Bhastrika. They are short breaths in and out done very quickly. 1 Bhastrika can be done in 2-3 seconds, while 2 Khapal Bhati can be done in 1 second. This is also best learned from a guru so that the proper movement can be checked. I will explain as best as possible. On the exhalation, the yogi pumps the stomach quickly and forcefully by tightening the abdominal muscles and sucking in slightly. On the inhale the stomach relaxes back to its neutral position. It is not forced out, but is allowed to simply relax. This motion is done very quickly with the cycles of Khapal Bhati. One full round should consist of 20-30 pranayamas according to the Yogi’s ability. The rounds is good for starters. The number of pranayama per round and the number of rounds can be increased according to common sense as you become better at your practices. It is not good to do too many rounds. 5 rounds of 100 is good for even an advanced practitioner. It is a wise choice to stop with this unless instructed otherwise by a Guru or you have become very adept at Pranayama.
Pranayama
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