I disagree. I don't like timings. I did pranayama timings for many years and this is my experience. The breath is a very subtle and delicate process and imposing an external control on it like a timing can do you harm. I prefer to gently lengthen the breath and go with the feeling and sensation. Also I prefer at first to lengthen and control teh exhalation more and let the inhalation be more passive and receptive with less control thus the exhalation would become a bit longer. With time and practice it all smooths out naturally and you don't really need to worry about it as the energy of the breath will teach you.
What Victor has described is also the approach in AYP. The breath will find its own correct length with gentle favoring of slowing down, and it will tend toward a longer exhale than inhale. Ujjayi plays a role in this -- open throat on the way in and restricted epiglottis on the way out. See lesson #41 for the overall spinal breathing procedure. And see lesson #62 for a specific answer to your question on the length of a spinal breathing cycle.
I didn't remember about partially closing the epiglotis on exhalation, and it really does make a difference, otherwise the breathing would be too windy and with no feeling.
So I ask myself: why don't we partially close the epiglotis as well on inhalation?
That is one covered in the AYP Easy Lessons book. In AYP, ujjayi on the inhale is not suggested because it creates negative pressure in the lungs. So does external kumbhaka (external breath retention), which is not recommended to be done for long periods either. The reason is because the lungs are not designed for long term negative pressure (vacuum), and it can be unhealthy. Safety first, you know.
This does not mean we avoid all negative lung pressure. We use it in uddiyana and nauli. It can happen spontaneously during meditation and spinal breathing (an external suspension of breath -- not much pressure involved with this). That's fine. We can notice it and then easily go back to the practice we are doing. We don't make a deliberate effort to put negative pressure in the lungs over extended periods.
On the other hand, postive pressure (internal retention) in the lungs is natural and we can do that as much as our practices with good self-pacing call for. Hence the use of ujjayi on exhale during spinal breathing. The practice is built on leveraging our natural capabilities for purification and opening to the divine within, just as all yoga should be.
How long is one spinal breath?
Posted - Feb 05 2006 : 7:28:23 PM
