Lesson 239 - Spinal Breathing Pranayama and Asanas

From: Yogani
Date: Mon Dec 27, 2004 0:34am

New Members: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the web
archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first
lesson is, "Why This Discussion?"

Q: I have read your lessons on Pranayama, and I have some questions.
I have long since been practising a different kind of Pranayama - we
inhale deeply & slowly, and at the same time imagine that we are
inhaling in from an energy pool of prana, then holding it for
sometime, then exhaling it slowly, and at the same time imagining
that we are leaving out all negative emotions, anger, worry, etc. We
don't bring the spine into picture at all. I read from your lesson
that after sometime we will also be holding the breath, so that part
of my doubt is cleared. But my question is concerning the
visualization we do as we inhale & exhale. Have you heard about the
method of Pranayama I just talked about? If yes how does it compare
to your method of Pranayama?

And another question. There are so many physical yoga asana
exercises, aren't there? Does your Advanced Yoga Practices cover them
all? Or do they cover only meditation, pranayama & a few sitting
posture exercises? Maybe it is not necessary to practise them all to
move on the spiritual path but they definitely keep the body fit &
energetic don't they?

A: Thank you for writing and sharing. There are as many varieties of
pranayama as there are teachers, it seems. The degree and kinds of
visualizations are many. Underneath it all is the "restraint of
breath" which is the engine inside that produces the majority of
pranayama effects. The visualizations are often given the credit for
what the basic restraint of breath (including slow breathing and
kumbhaka) produces. Which is not to say visualizations are
ineffective. There is no doubt that attention combined with pranayama
will move prana. But to what end?

Spinal breathing is in a separate class from other visualization
methods during pranayama. It comes from the tradition of kriya yoga,
and other ancient sources, and is directly linked with the
purification and opening of the sushumna, the main spiritual nerve in
us (it is also the third eye on the upper end). Spinal breathing is,
in fact, not a visualization once ecstatic conductivity begins to
rise in the nervous system. It is the actual blending of rising and
descending pranas. This blending is directly promoted with attention and observed as the joining of the shakti and shiva energies within us.
So, rather than consciously manipulating impurities and human emotions,
spinal breathing is about fostering the pranic (ecstatic) aspects of
the process of enlightenment within us, and leaving the rest to that.

Deep meditation as taught in the lessons works in a similar way --
going to samadhi straight away and letting that aspect of our nature
(inner silence) do the work. Many forms of meditation don't do that,
opting instead to micro-manage the contents of the subconscious mind.
The latter is not deep yoga, which is found by bringing the mind
repeatedly to natural stillness.

Even though spinal breathing, in its essence, is very simple and
powerful, it is often embellished by cultures and traditions,
sometimes to the point of distraction. There is a lesson on this
(#206) that you might find interesting.

One of the best tests of spinal breathing is its known curing
influence on kundalini imbalances. I have lost count of how many
folks who have come here with kundalini imbalances (some very
serious) and had them relieved almost immediately upon beginning
spinal breathing. I had that experience myself many years ago, after
having worked with many types of pranayama and kumbhaka. I have found
that spinal breathing is by far the most advanced pranayama out
there, whether it be the basic version, or variations involving other
elements of practice such as yoni mudra kumbhaka, chin pump (with or
without kumbhaka), spinal bastrika, etc.

None of this is to say your practice is wrong or that you should
change anything. Your experience is your best guide, and you should
proceed accordingly. It is always good to keep our eyes open to
possibilities that may enhance our results. That is good science.

On asanas, the primary focus in the lessons has been on sitting
practices because there has not been much written on the development
and integration of sitting practices. We have taken some good steps
toward filling in the gaps on that in the lessons. It has really
needed to be done. Asanas have not been ignored – only put in
perspective in relation to the full range of yoga practices as
summarized in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. What we are seeking is a
balance of all the best methods to achieve maximum progress.

There are thousands of skilled instructors teaching asanas these
days, and hundreds of excellent books and tapes on the subject. The
subject seems to be well-covered. Even so, people keep asking here
about asanas. So, the upcoming AYP book includes a basic set of
asanas to do before sitting practices to help get people started.
Then additional instruction in asanas can be obtained as desired. In
AYP, asanas are a warm up for sitting practices. In other systems of
practice, asanas may be an end in themselves, even though they
represent only one-eighth of the eight limbs of yoga. It is our
culture, you know. It is changing, going more and more toward our
inner divinity, and bringing it back out into the world. Physical
activity is essential for yoga to fulfill its destiny. Asanas help us
on the way in before we do our pranayama and deep meditation. When we
are back out in the world, a healthy amount of physical activity and
useful endeavors in our daily life are important. Both our sitting
practices and daily activities in the world are what cultivate a
steady condition of ecstatic bliss and divine love. Asanas have a
special role to play in this – aiding the nervous system in its daily
journey from outer activity inward to inner silence and ecstasy. In
time, all of life becomes permeated with these divine qualities we
cultivate first as an inner experience...

Best wishes on your path. Enjoy!

The guru is in you.

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