Post by Yogavatar सौन्दर्य on Feb 10, 2024 15:51:10 GMT
The concept of asana is a physical posture in which one is at total
ease and in perfect harmony with oneself. This has to be understood
properly. As Sage Patanjali and other yogis referred only to asanas
which are static or which are used for meditation, many people
believe that the other asanas, in which the body does not remain still,
are not part of this classification. Many people have classified asanas
as either non-traditional dynamic postures or traditional static
postures, but actually asanas cannot be classified in this way. A much
broader range is encompassed.
Aspects of posture
Non-traditional dynamic postures refers to asanas performed as fast
movements, which do not allow the practitioner to remain quiet and
comfortable due to the involvement in continuous movement. Surya
namaskara is an example of a dynamic asana in which one is
constantly moving from one posture to the next. However, this
actually represents one stage of asana practice, and there are five
stages which should be understood. The body has to undergo
different kinds of changes; it is not static or stable by nature.
First, from the normal state in which we use the movements of our
body in a limited way, it moves into the second playful, dynamic state
where we run, jump and stretch. From there it moves into the third
state where we are able to touch our toes or to bend backwards
without straining any part of the body. Then the fourth state follows
where we are able to maintain our physical balance in the balancing
posture. The fifth stage is where we can adopt a posture for an
extended period of time during which the body remains perfectly
still, motionless and at ease, without any type of discomfort or pain.
These are the five stages of asana practice.
Sage Patanjali’s statement regarding asanas refers not only to
meditative postures, as is the belief of the commentators, but also to
the various states of flexibility, adaptability and comfort in the body
during asana practice. There is a lot of evidence available to prove
the point that asanas are not only meditative, as described in the
traditional literature.
Many of the Yoga Upanishads speak of various postures such as
mayurasana (peacock pose) as being asanas in which the body is in
perfect harmony with itself. Mayurasana is not an easy posture to
perform as there is a lot of pressure, tension and discomfort due to
the constriction of the chest, the pressure in the region of the
diaphragm, the weight of the body being placed on the wrists and
the effort of balancing the body. So, if such a posture is referred to in
the Yoga Upanishads, it is necessary to think about whether
meditation posture is the true meaning of asana.
There are other asanas described in the Upanishads such as
vrischikasana, (scorpion pose), surya namaskara, which is described
as the final state of asana, and vashishthasana, a balancing asana
invented by Sage Vashishtha in which he would spend a minimum of
three hours every day. These are the types of asanas that are
considered to be perfect postures, in which the total body is in
harmony. In these postures the body is comfortable and there is no
disturbance or tension in any part, there is concentration of mind
and also blissfulness during the practice.
Looking at the various asanas that have been described, we can
see that in the five stages that have been discussed, the body is taken
from a normal state to a highly tuned and balanced state. Therefore,
no matter which asana we perform, even if it is the most dynamic in
which we are pulling, stretching and pushing every ligament, muscle
and nerve of the body, there should be awareness, balance, comfort
and stillness.
Effect of posture on the body
The effect of posture on the body is very deep and subtle. The
common aches and pains due to bad posture can be experienced
practically every day. Those office workers and executives who sit in
chairs, bent over desks for extended hours, generally tend to have
stiff backs and shoulders, which later on become the source of back
pain and the cause of stiffening and hardening of the joints,
eventually culminating in chronic spondylitis.
This is a very common situation that we encounter every day in
different intensities. Many times due to bad posture while sleeping,
one wakes up feeling stiff and tight in the morning. Often due to
incorrect sitting posture there is pain in the spine and one has to get
up and stretch the body. Sometimes one feels pain in the neck and
shoulders due to stooping and has to expand the chest again in
order to feel better.
It is definitely not possible to awaken the pranas in certain
physical conditions over which there is no voluntary control. It is not
possible to clear the blockages from the nadis when there is
recurring bad posture which creates continual suffering. So,
the first thing that yoga says is to observe the posture that you are
using every day and to correct it. When you sit down, sit properly;
that is asana. Performing the lotus posture, the headstand and salute
to the sun is not the only way to practise asana. These postures are a
means of aligning the body and creating a particular condition in
which there is the experience of harmony.
If asanas only work when we are performing them, then their
purpose is incomplete. It may be that our pranas become active
while sitting in the lotus posture and practising meditation, but what
about the times when we are not sitting in the lotus posture and our
position is all wrong? At such times, the stimulation or awakening
that we felt during the practice of the lotus posture is gone. So
situations like these have led to the belief that asanas are definitely
not just meditative postures, with due respect to the commentators
on the different yogic literature.
When you begin to gradually coordinate and harmonize the
different body systems, such as the skeletal, muscular, nervous,
glandular, respiratory and digestive systems, through various
positions and movements, that is asana. When physical harmony is
achieved through this practice, that is the culmination of asana, the
apex that can be achieved during asana practice. Once we reach this
apex, there is no limit to what our bodies can do and to what we can
do. Even difficult asanas such as vashishthasana, dynamic asanas like
surya namaskara and the simplest group of asanas such as
pawanmuktasana become a meditative process when performed
properly. So, asanas are those positions or movements whereby
perfect coordination of the body is attained.
Range of asana
The tradition also maintains that the benefit achieved through the
practice of asana is knowledge of the three dimensions. Any
layperson trying to study traditional literature will begin to wonder
how one can achieve knowledge of the three dimensions by the
practice of asana. The three dimensions can be understood in any
sense, such as physical, mental and spiritual; gross, subtle and causal;
waking, dreaming and sleeping states, and so forth. However,
looking at the different descriptions of the three dimensions we can
see that these dimensions are best understood in terms of the koshas:
annamaya, manomaya and pranamaya, because the extent of
experience of the physical body is limited to these three dimensions,
and asanas are physical in nature.
1. Annamaya kosha is the physical aspect, the bones, muscles,
nerves, blood circulation and the internal organs, such as the lungs,
heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas. Everything that is physical in
nature is included within annamaya kosha. The practice of asana is
never unconscious or mechanical. It should always be done with
awareness and concentration. For the practice of each asana, the
yogis have described where we have to concentrate, which chakras
and what kind of sensation and feeling we have to be aware of, and
also what kind of pain we may experience. There is a wide range of
experiences of which we have to become aware and observant.
This faculty of awareness or observation will increase our
sensitivity to our own body. Therefore, through the practice of asanas
we must first learn to observe our own body. What the body needs,
what type of stretch, what type of release the muscular system needs,
what kind of tension underlies which system, whether there is any
disturbance being experienced anywhere in our physical body. What
is the physical experience in the state of comfort, in the state of
stillness and quietness? This in-depth awareness of the body is the
first benefit of asana practice at the level of annamaya kosha.
2. Manomaya kosha is the mental aspect. At the level of manomaya
kosha the effort made to still the mind is very important. While
making a physical movement, we are adding awareness and trying to
concentrate. We are trying to practise asana pratyahara by
withdrawing the mind from the distractions that pull it outside and
merging it with the physical posture. So, asana pratyahara is the
experience of manomaya kosha, where one begins to know the
movement, nature, quality, strengths and weaknesses of the mind
through the practice of asana.
3. Pranamaya kosha is the energy aspect. When the body and mind
are attuned with each other, pranamaya kosha is definitely affected.
This is because prana relates very much to physiological experiences
such as muscular stiffness and tiredness, and different pranic blocks
are experienced in the physical body in the form of discomfort,
energy depletion or disease. If there is dissipation of mind, one
cannot be aware of this pranic energy or direct it into the right
channels, where it can become the tool for the awakening of the
subtle and dormant potentials. Awareness of prana requires intense
sensitivity of mind. If the mind is not sensitive enough, there cannot
be an experience of prana. Without concentration and awareness
there will be no experience of prana.
This knowledge of pranamaya kosha, which is awakened through
the practice of asana, prepares the practitioner for the techniques of
pranayama, which deal specifically with the field of prana. So, asana
becomes the stepping stone to the practice of pranayama. The
purpose of asana is to remove the pranic blockages and regulate the
flow of prana throughout the body. The purpose of pranayama is to
awaken the pranas, and this is where the range of asana ends. This is
the meaning of the statement from the Upanishads that knowledge
of the three dimensions dawns through perfection of asana. To
continue beyond this physical range, techniques of pranayama,
pratyahara and dharana are required.
PRANAYAMA
Pranayama is the fourth aspect of raja yoga, which follows the
sequence of asana. Through asana one transcends the limitations of
the body and mind and gains an in-depth awareness of the koshas up
to pranamaya. The techniques of pranayama further intensify and
develop awareness of pranamaya kosha. They awaken the different
pranas within the physical structure in
the chakras, thus paving the path for the awakening of kundalini.
In Sanskrit the word prana means ‘vital energy’ and ayama means
‘to expand’. So, the actual meaning of the word pranayama is
‘expansion of the range of vital energy’. However, before the practice
of pranayama there is another stage, known as prana nigraha. The
word nigraha means ‘control’, so prana nigraha is the ‘control of
prana’. These are the two aspects of pranayama covered by raja yoga.
Initially, when we begin the breathing practices, it is not actually
pranayama we are practising. Pranayama is the result of attaining
full control over the functions of the upa-pranas or sub-pranas. After
attaining harmony in the physiological structure, when prana is
awakened in the realm of the chakras then pranayama begins. It is in
this context, because of these subtle aspects of which we were
previously unaware, that we have to clarify our preconceptions about
pranayama. Therefore, we will take up the subject of prana first,
second, prana nigraha and third, pranayama.
1. Aspects of prana
Prana or vital energy is the essence of all created, manifest forms,
whether animate or inanimate. It is the essence or the force which
determines the existence of matter and other elements. In chapter 8
(Hatha Yoga), it was explained that the original prana is known as
maha prana. Maha prana is the transcendental aspect of prana
which is unmanifest and does not come into the categories of either
sthoola, gross, manifestation or sukshma, subtle, manifestation.
When the maha prana is combined with the attributes of prakriti or
nature, then it is simply known as prana.
This second stage is actually the combination of prakriti and
maha prana working together to create the gross and subtle
manifestations. From this prana comes ida, the sukshma or subtle
pranic experience, and pingala, the sthoola or gross pranic
experience. Another name for ida is chit shakti, the force that governs
the subtle dimensions, while for pingala it is prana shakti, the force
that governs the dimension of matter.
Diagram 2: Aspects of Prana
From this manifest, pranic force, there are five further
manifestations. The first is the physical prana or upward moving
energy. The second is apana or the downward moving energy. The
third is samana, the lateral moving energy that balances and
distributes. The fourth is udana, the circular moving energy. The
fifth is vyana, the all-pervading energy.
In brief, these five pranas belong to the dimension of matter, to
the physical realm of experience. Ida and pingala belong to the
mental realm of experience. The result of the merger of prakriti and
maha prana is the psychic realm of prana. So, the first aspect, the
group of five pranas, is physical; the second aspect, ida and pingala,
is mental; the third aspect, prana, is psychic or causal, and the fourth
aspect, maha prana, is transcendental.
Five pranas – the physical aspect
Beginning with the body, these five pranas have different functions
and flows.
1. Sthoola prana, the upward moving force, is situated in the
thoracic region between the diaphragm and the throat. The physical
organs associated with this prana are the lungs, heart, oesophagus
and trachea. Control and regulation of the functioning of these
organs is attributed to the physical prana. Inhalation and exhalation
of air are functions of the physical prana, and without these two
aspects of breathing we would not survive. If the heart or the blood
circulation were to stop, it would be difficult to survive. So these two
major organs which are necessary for survival are controlled by
prana.
2. Apana, the downward moving force, is situated in the pelvic
region between the navel and the perineum. This energy is
responsible for the elimination of waste matter and toxins from the
body. Apana controls the functioning of the kidneys, bladder, large
intestine and the urinary and excretory organs. Expulsion of faeces
and urine, which is necessary for the survival and fitness of the body,
is regulated by the apana force.
3. Samana, the lateral moving force, is situated in the abdominal
region between the diaphragm and the navel. This balancing force
controls the entire digestive process. The physical organs associated
with samana are the stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, duodenum and
small intestine. All the food that we eat is broken down and the
nutrients necessary to maintain the fitness of the body are
distributed by samana. The word sama or samana means ‘equal’, and
is the prana which distributes equally the nutrients necessary to
preserve the annamaya kosha.
4. Udana, the circular moving force, is responsible for the
functioning of the jnanendriyas, sensory organs, and the
karmendriyas, organs of action. Udana is situated in the legs, arms,
neck and head. It coordinates and controls the movements of the
legs, arms and neck and directs the activities of the brain and
sensory organs, which are situated in the head region. These include
the eyes, vision; ears, hearing; tongue, taste; nose, smell; and skin,
tactile sensation. The organs of action controlled by udana are three
in number: hands, feet and speech; the other two – the excretory and
urinary organs, are under the control of apana.
5. Vyana, the all pervasive force, is the reserve tank of annamaya
kosha. When the pranic petrol is empty and there is no filling
station, then the reserves of vyana are used. Vyana is the reserve
force which becomes active whenever there is a lack of energy in any
of the other pranas. It is what is known as the second wind. Often
when we overexert ourselves physically and feel extremely tired, a
rush of energy comes which enables us to continue. This is the vyana
experience.
Apart from the physical aspect, these five pranas are connected to
the chakras. Apana is responsible for the functioning of the two
lower centres of mooladhara and swadhisthana. Samana is
responsible for the manipura experience of vitality and dynamism.
Anahata and vishuddhi are controlled by prana. Ajna, bindu and
sahasrara are controlled by udana. Vyana is all pervasive. These are
the physiological locations and aspects of the five pranas.
At the physical level, these five pranas, and more specifically the
prana located in the thoracic region, are said to be related to the ingoing and out-going breath. The breathing techniques, which are
known as pranayama, aim at stimulating and awakening these five
pranas through a process of controlled inhalation, exhalation and
retention. So, the breath is linked with prana in the physical sense.
Ida and pingala – mental aspect
Let us move on to the mental aspect of our life, which is dominated
by the experience of ida and pingala. Ida is the mental force, which
is represented by the moon, the lunar energy. The traditional name
for ida is chit shakti, the force of chitta. All the mental experiences
that we have in life and the functions of the four aspects of mind:
manas, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara, are controlled by ida, as long
as they remain mental in nature, without manifesting physical
interaction. What you are experiencing right now: the thoughts,
sensations, vibrations, creation of different ideas and images, are the
work of chit shakti, the ida force.
Diagram 3: Range of Ida and Pingala
The ida force is the subtle energy that controls manomaya and
vijnanamaya koshas, whereas pingala controls annamaya and
anandamaya koshas. Please remember that asanas influence
annamaya, manomaya and pranamaya koshas, and pranayama
influences pranamaya kosha. From pranamaya kosha, the ida and
pingala forces reach out in both directions.
The thoughts and mental experiences that remain confined to the
manomaya kosha or the mental dimension until they become
physical are known as ida activity. Desires, thoughts, emotions and
feelings are given form and vitality by the force of ida. Vijnanamaya
kosha, the intuitive ability and knowledge one gains through
sadhana, is also a function of ida, the mental force. So, the range of
ida covers manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas.
The range of pingala, or the vital force, is first experienced as
physical vitality in annamaya kosha. Physical stamina and
stimulation, the states of relaxation and tension, are the physical
aspects of pingala energy. In anandamaya kosha the awareness which
remains even in the deepest state of meditation, after the dissolution
of all the samskaras and karmas, is the result of awakened pingala.
Even in samadhi, where there is awareness, there is pingala energy.
This is the subtle aspect of prana.
Yoga says that even the subtle areas and experiences of mind can
be controlled through the practices of pranayama. Please remember
that pranayama is the expansion of the pranic range, it is not control
of the breath. The techniques of nadi shodhana, bhramari, bhastrika
or kapalbhati are techniques of prana nigraha, they are not
pranayama.
Kundalini – causal aspect
After the subtle aspect of prana comes the causal aspect, the
combination of prakriti and maha prana. This psychic area is where
the kundalini manifests, because kundalini represents the manifest
energy which has gone through different transformations, from the
sublime to the most earthly form. The reversal of this process, which
is known as kundalini awakening, is directed or motivated from the
causal aspect of prana. When all the chakras are fully active and
functioning, when the pranic passages are clear, then kundalini is
awakened. When a spiritual awakening takes place and the kundalini
rises up from mooladhara through the different chakras towards
sahasrara, it is controlled by the dimension of maha prana combined
with prakriti. The combination of maha prana and prakriti equals
kundalini. Maha prana is the final state of effulgence in sahasrara.
2. Prana nigraha
The word nigraha means ‘control of ’ and prana means ‘vital energy’.
Therefore, prana nigraha means ‘control of the vital energy.’ This
vital energy can be seen from the physical as well as the pranic
viewpoint. The physical aspect deals with control of the vital air and
the pranic aspect deals with control of the movement of vital energy
that takes place at the level of prana, apana and samana.
First we will deal with the physical aspect. When we talk about
prana in the physical body as something which is manifest, then the
attention is automatically diverted to the breath. There are certain
traditions in yoga, including those of pranayama and swara, which
say that the normal breath is the external manifestation of this vital
energy. Therefore, it is imperative that we know how to breathe
properly. Correct breathing will provide oxygen, strength and
stamina for the whole body. It will also deepen the awareness of the
pranic flow in all the channels.
In the physiological description of pranayama, the practices begin
with i) awareness of the breath, ii) lengthening of the breath and iii)
directing the breath within a particular part of the body, for
example, in the frontal passage from navel to throat, or from navel
to ajna, or in the spinal passage from mooladhara to ajna. Once
these three steps have been covered then we come to the fourth step,
which is alteration of the flow of breath in the different nostrils. This
fourth step is an important one.
Purification of the nasal passage so that there is no difficulty in
breathing is one of the first considerations in pranayama. Therefore,
as a general rule in pranayama it is always suggested that any kind of
practice is begun with whichever nostril is open and flowing, and not
necessarily with the right or the left nostril. Inhalation should be
through the open nostril, whether right or left, and exhalation
should be through the blocked nostril. Awareness, lengthening,
direction and alteration of breath are all known as prana nigraha.
Whatever practice we do, whether nadi shodhana, kapalbhati,
bhastrika, surya bheda, chandra bheda, sheetali, seetkari, bhramari
or ujjayi, the main purpose is initially to become aware of the
breathing process and then lengthen it.
Lengthening the breath
Normally, due to the dissipated state of pranic energies, our breath is
very shallow and short. We tend to breathe more through the
thoracic cavity, rather than through the lower abdomen. This
thoracic breathing is not acceptable in yoga because breathing in
through the upper part of the chest does not utilize the full capacity
of the lungs. However, by moving the diaphragm with the breath,
there is access to the lower part of the lungs and a greater quantum
of air. Using the full capacity of the lungs is an important
consideration for yoga practitioners as well as for those who wish to
improve their health and raise their energy levels.
Initially, in the yogic practices lower abdominal breathing is
taught to develop the awareness of air filling the lower half of the
lungs. The diaphragm and abdomen work like a pump which sucks
the air inside and pushes the air outside. With this practice the
process of increasing the inhalation and exhalation pattern of the
breath begins. Later on, different ratios are added in order to
gradually increase the length of the breath without discomfort at the
time of controlled respiration. If we try to breathe slowly and deeply
without any training, the lungs get tired very easily. So the breathing
ratio is increased slowly one count at a time. At first, inhalation and
exhalation are given the same count, for example, 5:5, as in nadi
shodhana. Then the exhalation becomes twice the duration of the
inhalation. In this way the ratio keeps increasing to strengthen the
lungs and diaphragm, so that there is no tension, tiredness or
discomfort felt when we come to the more advanced stages of
pranayama.
It is said that a person who has perfected pranayama should
normally breathe about one breath per minute. Now, we breathe
approximately ten to fifteen times per minute. Ultimately, however,
it should be possible to gain sufficient control over the process of
breathing so that even in the normal waking state, whether sitting,
walking or working, it will take thirty seconds to inhale and thirty
seconds to exhale, and that should become the normal everyday
pattern.
To reach this point of breath control, the final ratio
corresponding to the Gayatri mantra is taught. This is performed in
the following manner: one slow and steady inhalation, with one
repetition of Gayatri mantra, which has twenty-four matras or
counts, then internal retention with repetition of four Gayatris,
which is ninety-six counts, then exhalation with repetition of two
Gayatris, which is forty-eight counts, and external retention with
repetition of two Gayatris, again forty-eight counts. This count of
1:4:2:2 is the ideal ratio of the breath: one: inhale; four: retain the
breath inside; two: exhale; and two: retain the breath outside. To
reach this level of control may take many years, but this is the final
stage of breath control to which pranayama can take you at the
physical level. This describes the process of lengthening the breath
and how total control is gained over the breathing process, while still
remaining at ease and feeling no discomfort.
Effect of pranayama on the three pranas
After this, we come to two more important aspects of prana, which
are heat generating and cold generating. Samana, the force
responsible for digestion and distribution of nutrients or energy to
the different parts of the body, is responsible for the generation of
heat. Most of the pranayama practices that generate heat in the body
stimulate and activate samana. For example, bhastrika, or bellows
breathing, pumps the stomach in and out continuously and there is
direct stimulation of the samana force. Kapalbhati also directly
stimulates the samana force. These pranayama techniques which can
make us sweat and which increase the blood pressure, vitality and
stamina in the body are concerned with the awakening of samana.
On the other hand, we have cold generating pranayama practices.
These are the practices that lower the blood pressure and reduce
hyperactivity. Here the process changes. The breathing is done
through the mouth, which links the breath with the apana force.
These cooling pranayama practices include sheetali, where the
tongue forms a tube through which the breath is sucked in, or
seetkari, where the breath is drawn in through the clenched teeth.
So, the prana situated in the thoracic region is never used,
stimulated or awakened in the practices of bhastrika, kapalbhati,
sheetali or seetkari. These pranayama practices work only with the
energies of samana and apana. Activation of samana is activation of
manipura and the solar plexus, which is related to manipura.
Activation of apana is activation of mooladhara and the sacral
plexus, which is related to swadhisthana.
Kumbhaka, or retention of the breath, whether internal or
external, is the only method through which prana is stimulated or
awakened. If we hold the breath and concentrate, after some time we
will notice a build up of heat in the thoracic region. We will not
experience this heat at manipura. The heat generated in manipura
or samana dissipates throughout the whole body. But the heat
generated at the level of prana, in the chest area, does not dissipate;
it remains there. When this heat is experienced and intensified by
the practice of kumbhaka, the activation of prana will also combine
with the awakening experience of samana and apana.
In the Yoga Sutras, Sage Patanjali has spoken about different kinds
of pranayama, but he has been very simple and brief in his
description. He says that inhalation, exhalation and breath retention
are the three kinds of pranayama. When people read this statement
they think that the physical process of inhalation, retention and
exhalation represent the three kinds of pranayama referred to, but
this is not the case. These three actually represent the awakening of
the three pranas. Retention corresponds to the force of prana,
inhalation corresponds to the force of samana and exhalation
corresponds to the force of apana. So, according to that sutra, the
control of these three pranas is the real pranayama, which is called
prana nigraha.
In kundalini yoga another reference to the relationship between
these three pranas and pranayama can be found. Kundalini yoga
describes the process of kundalini awakening as the reversing of the
prana and apana flows and their meeting in samana or manipura.
Normally apana flows downwards and prana flows upwards; they are
being repulsed by each other. In the centre of the body is the lateral
flow of samana. So, when we reverse the flow of apana and prana,
and the three forces merge in samana, then kundalini awakening
takes place. This explanation is just a reference to explain more fully
the process of inhalation, exhalation and retention as the three kinds
of pranayama.
The breath plays a vital role in providing awareness of prana.
Through the breath we can direct this pranic force to merge at one
point. However, in the advanced stages of pranayama, the breathing
technique by itself is not enough. There are different techniques,
such as prana vidya, bandhas and mudras, and only when these are
combined do they become the advanced aspect of pranayama.
Conductors of prana
The nadi system described in pranayama does not correspond to the
nerve system of the physical body, rather it belongs to the bioplasmic
body. The word nadi does not mean nerve, it means ‘flow’, something
which is flowing. The nadis are the channels through which the
energy or prana flows. The energy pathways of the pranic body are
known as nadis. The system of kundalini yoga describes the medhra,
or plexus of the pranic body, from which all the nadis emanate. This
nadi plexus is situated in the region between mooladhara and
swadhisthana. From this particular plexus, seventy-two thousand
nadis emanate. These nadis are the conductors of the pranic force
which is distributed throughout the various parts of the body.
Out of these seventy-two thousand nadis, which include all the
major and minor flows, only seventy-two are considered important.
Out of these seventy-two nadis, which are the carriers of prana and
the corresponding vayus, the upa-pranas, only ten are considered to
be major. These ten major nadis are situated in the spinal cord and
pass through each and every chakra. Each of these ten nadis carries
the ten different manifestations of prana, apana, samana, udana,
vyana, and the five minor pranas, naga, koorma, krikara, devadatta
and dhananajaya.
These minor pranas are responsible for such actions as sneezing,
yawning, itching, belching and blinking of the eyelids. The
autonomic activities over which there is no voluntary control are
regulated by these minor pranas, which are known as vayus. So the
five pranas and the five vayus flow along these ten channels which
emanate from the medhra or the nadi plexus in the region between
swadhisthana and mooladhara. They connect the seven chakras
together and move continuously from mooladhara to sahasrara in
one bunch.
Of these ten pranic flows, three are most important: ida, pingala
and sushumna. Both ida and pingala are nadis but, at the same time,
they represent the action of prana on the physical and mental levels.
Thus we have ida nadi and ida force, and pingala nadi and pingala
force. The channel and the force that it carries are two different
things. So, when we speak about ida we have to clarify whether we
are referring to the ida nadi or the ida force.
Ida and pingala nadis flow from mooladhara to ajna. The prana
they conduct is both subtle and gross, mental and physical. So, when
we speak of ida and pingala as being pranic force, we are referring to
the two aspects of prana which are active and passive in nature.
When we speak of ida and pingala nadi, we are referring to the
pranic passages which emanate from mooladhara and terminate at
ajna. The passive force flows in ida nadi and the active force flows in
pingala nadi.
Effect of alternate nostril breathing
Yogis have said that the normal breathing process is connected with
these two nadis and forces. This sounds logical because when we
check the flow of breath, we usually find that one nostril is more
open than the other. No physiologist has been able to say why we
have two nostrils, when the function of both nostrils is to breathe in
and out. No one has given an answer to this question so far, but it is
something we should consider. If the purpose was only to breathe in
and out, then there would be only one nostril. But I do not think
that was the consideration God had in mind when he made us. He
somehow created an invisible link between the two flows of the right
and left nostrils and the two forces of ida and pingala.
This speculation was made because each nostril flow creates a
different mental or physical state. In scientific terms we refer to these
activities as sympathetic and parasympathetic. This is something that
we can experience at any moment. When we are sleepy or drowsy, we
will notice that the left nostril is flowing. When we are active,
physically or mentally, then we will notice that the right nostril
begins to flow predominantly. Why does this changeover take place
and what is the connection between this change and the physical or
mental condition, for instance, in the state of drowsiness or in the
state of activity?
Therefore, yogis have speculated that each nostril is connected
with a particular nadi. When the breath flow is regulated in one
nostril, it will stimulate, awaken and vitalize the corresponding
pranic force. When the breath flow is regulated in the other nostril,
again the same stimulation or awakening will take place in the
corresponding pranic force. In order to manipulate the bioplasmic
or pranic body, and in order to intensify the experience of the pranic
body, the alteration and control of the breath in the nostrils is used.
Pingala, which flows in the right nostril, corresponds to the
physical aspect of life. It is ruled by the sun and therefore is known
as the solar force. Pingala is said to be positive in nature. According
to the Tao, it relates to the yang or male principle. It is hot in
temperature and is related to the sympathetic nervous system. Ida,
the flow in the left nostril, represents the opposite polarity. The
ruling planet is the moon, the negative force. According to the Tao,
it represents the yin or female principle. Ida is cold in nature and is
related to the parasympathetic nervous system. Ida and pingala
represent the duality of the pranic forces.
With physical control of the breath, by lengthening and
alternating the breath flow from one nostril to the other, certain
pranic changes also take place. These pranic changes help to clear
the pranic blockages which may exist in the nadis. For example, one
pranayama technique is nadi shodhana. In this practice we begin to
lengthen the breath and to alternate the breath through the nostrils
at a slow and steady pace. Then we increase the ability to retain the
breath.
Nadi shodhana means purification of the nadis. Shodhana means
‘purification’ or ‘piercing’, and nadi means ‘the pranic flow’. So this
practice, which is simple and easy in the beginning but becomes
complex and difficult later on, has the function of clearing the
pranic blockages from the passage of ida and pingala through
alternation of the nostrils at the time of inhalation and exhalation.
This creates balance in the two breath flows and in the
corresponding mental and physical processes.
Awakening of prana and sushumna
When this balance is achieved, the awakening of prana can take
place. Yogis have given a name to the awakening of prana which
happens in prana nigraha. When the ida and pingala forces begin to
flow regularly, rhythmically and continuously, and no blockages or
physiological discomfort is encountered in the breathing process,
then that stage is known as pranotthana, which means ‘the awakening
of the pranas’, more specifically the awakening of the two pranas, ida
and pingala.
When the awakening of the two pranas, ida and pingala, occurs,
the third nadi or force, known as sushumna, awakens. This
awakening of the third nadi is considered to be most important in
pranayama, kriya yoga and kundalini. It is only when sushumna is
awakened that pranayama actually begins. Until this occurs ida and
pingala purification continues at the level of prana nigraha. With the
awakening of sushumna, the practice of pranayama and the
expansion of prana takes place within the pranic structure.
Therefore, the extent of our physical effort is limited to prana
nigraha. Even with the purification of the nadis and the awakening
and balancing of ida and pingala, there will be no expansion in the
field of prana. The pranic field expands only when sushumna
awakens, and actual pranayama begins after this.
3. Pranayama
The expansion of prana takes place in three stages. The first stage is
the reversal of the flow of apana, the second stage is the reversal of
the flow of prana and the third stage is the expansion of the pranic
energy at samana. As mentioned before, in the prana nigraha group
only three pranas are considered to be important: apana, the
downward moving force, prana, the upward moving force, and
samana, the lateral moving force. These three pranas are the ones
directly affected when we come to the stage of pranayama which
follows prana nigraha. Once we have achieved control over the
breathing process and can lengthen the breath and retain it with full
control, without any shortness of breath during the process of
pooraka (inhalation), rechaka (exhalation) and kumbhaka (retention),
then the first stage of pranayama, the reversal of apana energy, can
occur.
Stage one: Apana energy, which flows downward, is wilfully
reversed and made to flow upward from mooladhara to manipura.
The yogic texts state that at this stage the inhalation and reversal of
apana must happen through the ida channel. This is why it is
generally said that we should begin pranayama with the left nostril,
ida nadi. But in the prana nigraha stage, when we are simply trying
to practise breath awareness, breath control and lengthening of the
breath, it does not really matter through which nostril we begin the
practice. The reversal of apana takes place through ida nadi, by
inhaling through ida and feeling the flow of apana reverse and rise
up through the passage of ida from mooladhara to manipura.
However, to reach this level where you can sensitize the awareness to
actually feel the upward flow of apana from mooladhara to manipura
may take many months of practice.
Stage two: The force of prana, which normally flows upward in
the thoracic region, is reversed and made to flow downward from
vishuddhi to manipura. This process takes place at the time of
exhalation when there is awareness of the prana moving downwards
through pingala nadi from vishuddhi to manipura.
Stage three: The merger of the three pranas: apana, prana and
samana, takes place at manipura with the practice of kumbhaka or
breath retention. When the forces of apana and prana merge in the
region of samana, it is the culmination of pranayama. At the time of
kumbhaka there has to be total awareness of manipura, not in the
form of a chakra but in the form of agni mandala. Agni means ‘fire’
and mandala means ‘zone’ or ‘area’, so agni mandala means zone of
fire.
When there is mastery over the process of kumbhaka and the
aspirant is able to retain the breath for an extended period of time,
say for the duration of four to eight Gayatri mantras, at that time
dharana has to be practised on agni mandala. When concentration is
practised along with pranayama, then the three pranas fuse into one
and activate the other two pranas, udana and vyana. When the five
pranas are activated simultaneously, the kundalini energy is
awakened. This is the final process of the expansion of prana, the
third stage of pranayama. There is no written practical instruction on
how to practise this last stage. It is a verbal instruction given to the
aspirant by the master who sees the progress and perfection of the
technique.
Indications of perfected pranayama
The yogic texts describe the perfected process of pooraka, rechaka
and kumbhaka in the process of pranayama. At the time of pooraka,
inhalation, when apana is rising through ida nadi, there is an
incredible cold sensation. It is as if the whole being is entering into a
state of hibernation; there is a feeling of total withdrawal. It is the
last stage of sensory withdrawal that a person can have on a psychic
level. I have seen a few people who changed totally after a month or
so of normal pranayama practice. They became withdrawn and
quiet, as they went deeper and deeper into the pranic hole. That is a
physical indication of apana reversing through ida nadi.
The yogic texts also state that at the time of rechaka, exhalation,
when prana is being reversed, there is a feeling of total void, where
nothing actually comes to the surface of the mind. The mind goes
absolutely blank. There is no input of any kind from the world of
name, form and idea. There is a feeling of total shoonyata, as if the
entire energy is leaving the head, which is the active thinking centre,
and merging itself in manipura. So, the normal mind which sees,
experiences and thinks does not exist at that level. It is very hard to
relate to any kind of thought, idea, desire or emotion. Whatever
happens seems very far away. The body moves like a puppet, as if
someone else is manipulating it.
The difficulty here is that since many of these practitioners are
unaware of the physiological or psychological changes that may take
place due to pranayama practice, they become afraid and stop the
practice in order to return to the normal state. Therefore,
pranayama practices have always been secretive techniques. Twenty
years ago people were not aware of pranayama at all and even now
no one is aware of these esoteric aspects of pranayama. We consider
pranayama as simply opening one nostril and closing the other.
However, it is not possible to go deep, where these kind of reversal
processes and psychic manifestations occur, without proper
guidance. If one tries to do so, it is possible to lose balance of mind
and to lose control over the manifestations of energy, which may
begin to run wild in the body.
In kumbhaka, when prana and apana are merged at manipura, at
agni mandala, all the modifications or vrittis of the mind cease to
function. The entire consciousness, the mental perception and the
whole pranic structure cut off their connection with the physical
body, and there is a total stoppage of the vrittis. However, this
cessation of the vrittis is not the aim of pranayama. It is an
indication, a marker or milestone to let you know that you have
come to the point where you have perfected the techniques of
pranayama and it is now time to move on to the next practice.
Do not think that Sage Patanjali’s statement about controlling the
chitta vrittis is achieved through pranayama. In the final practice of
pranayama, the entire mind and all the perceptions of mind, the
prana and all the manifestations of prana, are brought together at
one point. Because of this merger there is no awareness of what is
happening at other levels. One feels as if one is being moved like a
puppet. One cannot rationally or logically see what is just or unjust,
but this is a temporary phase.
This third aspect of pranayama, the merger and awakening of the
pranic body, takes place within the span of a few weeks and then one
comes out of it. It does not last for years and years, nor is it a
condition to be aspired for. It is like all the spark plugs of a car firing
at the same time to start the engine. Once the engine starts they stop
firing and sparking. So, all these withdrawals of consciousness,
energy, perception and other mental faculties are the firing or
sparking manifestations which occur. Once the pranic generator
begins to function, they again revert back to their normal states.
When this last stage of pranayama is perfected, there are physical,
mental, psychic and spiritual experiences. On the physical level
there are two major indications. Good digestion is one. As agni
mandala becomes totally active, you can eat anything without
experiencing any problems. Yogis who have perfected pranayama
can even digest poison without ill effects. The second physical
indication is lightness of the body, which manifests as the siddhi of
levitation, or raising the body off the floor. These are the two
physical indications that manifest when one has perfected
pranayama.
On the mental level the vrittis are controlled but not stopped. To
become the master of the vrittis, you see the changes and act
accordingly. On the psychic level, it is said that the nada or psychic
sound is heard. This sound can be heard even when one is walking,
eating or talking to someone. The depth of one’s being opens up
and one becomes aware of the vibration that is controlling the whole
body. When the pranas are activated one becomes aware of their
movement and the sound they are producing at the time of their
activity; that is the manifestation of nada. Therefore, pranayama is
the technique that precedes pratyahara, dharana and dhyana. This
last aspect of pranayama is very subtle, and if we go into it deeply
then it is possible to have this experience in one split second.The concept of asana is a physical posture in which one is at total
ease and in perfect harmony with oneself. This has to be understood
properly. As Sage Patanjali and other yogis referred only to asanas
which are static or which are used for meditation, many people
believe that the other asanas, in which the body does not remain still,
are not part of this classification. Many people have classified asanas
as either non-traditional dynamic postures or traditional static
postures, but actually asanas cannot be classified in this way. A much
broader range is encompassed.
Aspects of posture
Non-traditional dynamic postures refers to asanas performed as fast
movements, which do not allow the practitioner to remain quiet and
comfortable due to the involvement in continuous movement. Surya
namaskara is an example of a dynamic asana in which one is
constantly moving from one posture to the next. However, this
actually represents one stage of asana practice, and there are five
stages which should be understood. The body has to undergo
different kinds of changes; it is not static or stable by nature.
First, from the normal state in which we use the movements of our
body in a limited way, it moves into the second playful, dynamic state
where we run, jump and stretch. From there it moves into the third
state where we are able to touch our toes or to bend backwards
without straining any part of the body. Then the fourth state follows
where we are able to maintain our physical balance in the balancing
posture. The fifth stage is where we can adopt a posture for an
extended period of time during which the body remains perfectly
still, motionless and at ease, without any type of discomfort or pain.
These are the five stages of asana practice.
Sage Patanjali’s statement regarding asanas refers not only to
meditative postures, as is the belief of the commentators, but also to
the various states of flexibility, adaptability and comfort in the body
during asana practice. There is a lot of evidence available to prove
the point that asanas are not only meditative, as described in the
traditional literature.
Many of the Yoga Upanishads speak of various postures such as
mayurasana (peacock pose) as being asanas in which the body is in
perfect harmony with itself. Mayurasana is not an easy posture to
perform as there is a lot of pressure, tension and discomfort due to
the constriction of the chest, the pressure in the region of the
diaphragm, the weight of the body being placed on the wrists and
the effort of balancing the body. So, if such a posture is referred to in
the Yoga Upanishads, it is necessary to think about whether
meditation posture is the true meaning of asana.
There are other asanas described in the Upanishads such as
vrischikasana, (scorpion pose), surya namaskara, which is described
as the final state of asana, and vashishthasana, a balancing asana
invented by Sage Vashishtha in which he would spend a minimum of
three hours every day. These are the types of asanas that are
considered to be perfect postures, in which the total body is in
harmony. In these postures the body is comfortable and there is no
disturbance or tension in any part, there is concentration of mind
and also blissfulness during the practice.
Looking at the various asanas that have been described, we can
see that in the five stages that have been discussed, the body is taken
from a normal state to a highly tuned and balanced state. Therefore,
no matter which asana we perform, even if it is the most dynamic in
which we are pulling, stretching and pushing every ligament, muscle
and nerve of the body, there should be awareness, balance, comfort
and stillness.
Effect of posture on the body
The effect of posture on the body is very deep and subtle. The
common aches and pains due to bad posture can be experienced
practically every day. Those office workers and executives who sit in
chairs, bent over desks for extended hours, generally tend to have
stiff backs and shoulders, which later on become the source of back
pain and the cause of stiffening and hardening of the joints,
eventually culminating in chronic spondylitis.
This is a very common situation that we encounter every day in
different intensities. Many times due to bad posture while sleeping,
one wakes up feeling stiff and tight in the morning. Often due to
incorrect sitting posture there is pain in the spine and one has to get
up and stretch the body. Sometimes one feels pain in the neck and
shoulders due to stooping and has to expand the chest again in
order to feel better.
It is definitely not possible to awaken the pranas in certain
physical conditions over which there is no voluntary control. It is not
possible to clear the blockages from the nadis when there is
recurring bad posture which creates continual pain and suffering. So,
the first thing that yoga says is to observe the posture that you are
using every day and to correct it. When you sit down, sit properly;
that is asana. Performing the lotus posture, the headstand and salute
to the sun is not the only way to practise asana. These postures are a
means of aligning the body and creating a particular condition in
which there is the experience of harmony.
If asanas only work when we are performing them, then their
purpose is incomplete. It may be that our pranas become active
while sitting in the lotus posture and practising meditation, but what
about the times when we are not sitting in the lotus posture and our
position is all wrong? At such times, the stimulation or awakening
that we felt during the practice of the lotus posture is gone. So
situations like these have led to the belief that asanas are definitely
not just meditative postures, with due respect to the commentators
on the different yogic literature.
When you begin to gradually coordinate and harmonize the
different body systems, such as the skeletal, muscular, nervous,
glandular, respiratory and digestive systems, through various
positions and movements, that is asana. When physical harmony is
achieved through this practice, that is the culmination of asana, the
apex that can be achieved during asana practice. Once we reach this
apex, there is no limit to what our bodies can do and to what we can
do. Even difficult asanas such as vashishthasana, dynamic asanas like
surya namaskara and the simplest group of asanas such as
pawanmuktasana become a meditative process when performed
properly. So, asanas are those positions or movements whereby
perfect coordination of the body is attained.
Range of asana
The tradition also maintains that the benefit achieved through the
practice of asana is knowledge of the three dimensions. Any
layperson trying to study traditional literature will begin to wonder
how one can achieve knowledge of the three dimensions by the
practice of asana. The three dimensions can be understood in any
sense, such as physical, mental and spiritual; gross, subtle and causal;
waking, dreaming and sleeping states, and so forth. However,
looking at the different descriptions of the three dimensions we can
see that these dimensions are best understood in terms of the koshas:
annamaya, manomaya and pranamaya, because the extent of
experience of the physical body is limited to these three dimensions,
and asanas are physical in nature.
1. Annamaya kosha is the physical aspect, the bones, muscles,
nerves, blood circulation and the internal organs, such as the lungs,
heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas. Everything that is physical in
nature is included within annamaya kosha. The practice of asana is
never unconscious or mechanical. It should always be done with
awareness and concentration. For the practice of each asana, the
yogis have described where we have to concentrate, which chakras
and what kind of sensation and feeling we have to be aware of, and
also what kind of pain we may experience. There is a wide range of
experiences of which we have to become aware and observant.
This faculty of awareness or observation will increase our
sensitivity to our own body. Therefore, through the practice of asanas
we must first learn to observe our own body. What the body needs,
what type of stretch, what type of release the muscular system needs,
what kind of tension underlies which system, whether there is any
disturbance being experienced anywhere in our physical body. What
is the physical experience in the state of comfort, in the state of
stillness and quietness? This in-depth awareness of the body is the
first benefit of asana practice at the level of annamaya kosha.
2. Manomaya kosha is the mental aspect. At the level of manomaya
kosha the effort made to still the mind is very important. While
making a physical movement, we are adding awareness and trying to
concentrate. We are trying to practise asana pratyahara by
withdrawing the mind from the distractions that pull it outside and
merging it with the physical posture. So, asana pratyahara is the
experience of manomaya kosha, where one begins to know the
movement, nature, quality, strengths and weaknesses of the mind
through the practice of asana.
3. Pranamaya kosha is the energy aspect. When the body and mind
are attuned with each other, pranamaya kosha is definitely affected.
This is because prana relates very much to physiological experiences
such as muscular stiffness and tiredness, and different pranic blocks
are experienced in the physical body in the form of discomfort,
energy depletion or disease. If there is dissipation of mind, one
cannot be aware of this pranic energy or direct it into the right
channels, where it can become the tool for the awakening of the
subtle and dormant potentials. Awareness of prana requires intense
sensitivity of mind. If the mind is not sensitive enough, there cannot
be an experience of prana. Without concentration and awareness
there will be no experience of prana.
This knowledge of pranamaya kosha, which is awakened through
the practice of asana, prepares the practitioner for the techniques of
pranayama, which deal specifically with the field of prana. So, asana
becomes the stepping stone to the practice of pranayama. The
purpose of asana is to remove the pranic blockages and regulate the
flow of prana throughout the body. The purpose of pranayama is to
awaken the pranas, and this is where the range of asana ends. This is
the meaning of the statement from the Upanishads that knowledge
of the three dimensions dawns through perfection of asana. To
continue beyond this physical range, techniques of pranayama,
pratyahara and dharana are required.
PRANAYAMA
Pranayama is the fourth aspect of raja yoga, which follows the
sequence of asana. Through asana one transcends the limitations of
the body and mind and gains an in-depth awareness of the koshas up
to pranamaya. The techniques of pranayama further intensify and
develop awareness of pranamaya kosha. They awaken the different
pranas within the physical structure and also remove blockages from
the chakras, thus paving the path for the awakening of kundalini.
In Sanskrit the word prana means ‘vital energy’ and ayama means
‘to expand’. So, the actual meaning of the word pranayama is
‘expansion of the range of vital energy’. However, before the practice
of pranayama there is another stage, known as prana nigraha. The
word nigraha means ‘control’, so prana nigraha is the ‘control of
prana’. These are the two aspects of pranayama covered by raja yoga.
Initially, when we begin the breathing practices, it is not actually
pranayama we are practising. Pranayama is the result of attaining
full control over the functions of the upa-pranas or sub-pranas. After
attaining harmony in the physiological structure, when prana is
awakened in the realm of the chakras then pranayama begins. It is in
this context, because of these subtle aspects of which we were
previously unaware, that we have to clarify our preconceptions about
pranayama. Therefore, we will take up the subject of prana first,
second, prana nigraha and third, pranayama.
1. Aspects of prana
Prana or vital energy is the essence of all created, manifest forms,
whether animate or inanimate. It is the essence or the force which
determines the existence of matter and other elements. In chapter 8
(Hatha Yoga), it was explained that the original prana is known as
maha prana. Maha prana is the transcendental aspect of prana
which is unmanifest and does not come into the categories of either
sthoola, gross, manifestation or sukshma, subtle, manifestation.
When the maha prana is combined with the attributes of prakriti or
nature, then it is simply known as prana.
This second stage is actually the combination of prakriti and
maha prana working together to create the gross and subtle
manifestations. From this prana comes ida, the sukshma or subtle
pranic experience, and pingala, the sthoola or gross pranic
experience. Another name for ida is chit shakti, the force that governs
the subtle dimensions, while for pingala it is prana shakti, the force
that governs the dimension of matter.
Diagram 2: Aspects of Prana
From this manifest, pranic force, there are five further
manifestations. The first is the physical prana or upward moving
energy. The second is apana or the downward moving energy. The
third is samana, the lateral moving energy that balances and
distributes. The fourth is udana, the circular moving energy. The
fifth is vyana, the all-pervading energy.
In brief, these five pranas belong to the dimension of matter, to
the physical realm of experience. Ida and pingala belong to the
mental realm of experience. The result of the merger of prakriti and
maha prana is the psychic realm of prana. So, the first aspect, the
group of five pranas, is physical; the second aspect, ida and pingala,
is mental; the third aspect, prana, is psychic or causal, and the fourth
aspect, maha prana, is transcendental.
Five pranas – the physical aspect
Beginning with the body, these five pranas have different functions
and flows.
1. Sthoola prana, the upward moving force, is situated in the
thoracic region between the diaphragm and the throat. The physical
organs associated with this prana are the lungs, heart, oesophagus
and trachea. Control and regulation of the functioning of these
organs is attributed to the physical prana. Inhalation and exhalation
of air are functions of the physical prana, and without these two
aspects of breathing we would not survive. If the heart or the blood
circulation were to stop, it would be difficult to survive. So these two
major organs which are necessary for survival are controlled by
prana.
2. Apana, the downward moving force, is situated in the pelvic
region between the navel and the perineum. This energy is
responsible for the elimination of waste matter and toxins from the
body. Apana controls the functioning of the kidneys, bladder, large
intestine and the urinary and excretory organs. Expulsion of faeces
and urine, which is necessary for the survival and fitness of the body,
is regulated by the apana force.
3. Samana, the lateral moving force, is situated in the abdominal
region between the diaphragm and the navel. This balancing force
controls the entire digestive process. The physical organs associated
with samana are the stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, duodenum and
small intestine. All the food that we eat is broken down and the
nutrients necessary to maintain the fitness of the body are
distributed by samana. The word sama or samana means ‘equal’, and
is the prana which distributes equally the nutrients necessary to
preserve the annamaya kosha.
4. Udana, the circular moving force, is responsible for the
functioning of the jnanendriyas, sensory organs, and the
karmendriyas, organs of action. Udana is situated in the legs, arms,
neck and head. It coordinates and controls the movements of the
legs, arms and neck and directs the activities of the brain and
sensory organs, which are situated in the head region. These include
the eyes, vision; ears, hearing; tongue, taste; nose, smell; and skin,
tactile sensation. The organs of action controlled by udana are three
in number: hands, feet and speech; the other two – the excretory and
urinary organs, are under the control of apana.
5. Vyana, the all pervasive force, is the reserve tank of annamaya
kosha. When the pranic petrol is empty and there is no filling
station, then the reserves of vyana are used. Vyana is the reserve
force which becomes active whenever there is a lack of energy in any
of the other pranas. It is what is known as the second wind. Often
when we overexert ourselves physically and feel extremely tired, a
rush of energy comes which enables us to continue. This is the vyana
experience.
Apart from the physical aspect, these five pranas are connected to
the chakras. Apana is responsible for the functioning of the two
lower centres of mooladhara and swadhisthana. Samana is
responsible for the manipura experience of vitality and dynamism.
Anahata and vishuddhi are controlled by prana. Ajna, bindu and
sahasrara are controlled by udana. Vyana is all pervasive. These are
the physiological locations and aspects of the five pranas.
At the physical level, these five pranas, and more specifically the
prana located in the thoracic region, are said to be related to the ingoing and out-going breath. The breathing techniques, which are
known as pranayama, aim at stimulating and awakening these five
pranas through a process of controlled inhalation, exhalation and
retention. So, the breath is linked with prana in the physical sense.
Ida and pingala – mental aspect
Let us move on to the mental aspect of our life, which is dominated
by the experience of ida and pingala. Ida is the mental force, which
is represented by the moon, the lunar energy. The traditional name
for ida is chit shakti, the force of chitta. All the mental experiences
that we have in life and the functions of the four aspects of mind:
manas, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara, are controlled by ida, as long
as they remain mental in nature, without manifesting physical
interaction. What you are experiencing right now: the thoughts,
sensations, vibrations, creation of different ideas and images, are the
work of chit shakti, the ida force.
Diagram 3: Range of Ida and Pingala
The ida force is the subtle energy that controls manomaya and
vijnanamaya koshas, whereas pingala controls annamaya and
anandamaya koshas. Please remember that asanas influence
annamaya, manomaya and pranamaya koshas, and pranayama
influences pranamaya kosha. From pranamaya kosha, the ida and
pingala forces reach out in both directions.
The thoughts and mental experiences that remain confined to the
manomaya kosha or the mental dimension until they become
physical are known as ida activity. Desires, thoughts, emotions and
feelings are given form and vitality by the force of ida. Vijnanamaya
kosha, the intuitive ability and knowledge one gains through
sadhana, is also a function of ida, the mental force. So, the range of
ida covers manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas.
The range of pingala, or the vital force, is first experienced as
physical vitality in annamaya kosha. Physical stamina and
stimulation, the states of relaxation and tension, are the physical
aspects of pingala energy. In anandamaya kosha the awareness which
remains even in the deepest state of meditation, after the dissolution
of all the samskaras and karmas, is the result of awakened pingala.
Even in samadhi, where there is awareness, there is pingala energy.
This is the subtle aspect of prana.
Yoga says that even the subtle areas and experiences of mind can
be controlled through the practices of pranayama. Please remember
that pranayama is the expansion of the pranic range, it is not control
of the breath. The techniques of nadi shodhana, bhramari, bhastrika
or kapalbhati are techniques of prana nigraha, they are not
pranayama.
Kundalini – causal aspect
After the subtle aspect of prana comes the causal aspect, the
combination of prakriti and maha prana. This psychic area is where
the kundalini manifests, because kundalini represents the manifest
energy which has gone through different transformations, from the
sublime to the most earthly form. The reversal of this process, which
is known as kundalini awakening, is directed or motivated from the
causal aspect of prana. When all the chakras are fully active and
functioning, when the pranic passages are clear, then kundalini is
awakened. When a spiritual awakening takes place and the kundalini
rises up from mooladhara through the different chakras towards
sahasrara, it is controlled by the dimension of maha prana combined
with prakriti. The combination of maha prana and prakriti equals
kundalini. Maha prana is the final state of effulgence in sahasrara.
2. Prana nigraha
The word nigraha means ‘control of ’ and prana means ‘vital energy’.
Therefore, prana nigraha means ‘control of the vital energy.’ This
vital energy can be seen from the physical as well as the pranic
viewpoint. The physical aspect deals with control of the vital air and
the pranic aspect deals with control of the movement of vital energy
that takes place at the level of prana, apana and samana.
First we will deal with the physical aspect. When we talk about
prana in the physical body as something which is manifest, then the
attention is automatically diverted to the breath. There are certain
traditions in yoga, including those of pranayama and swara, which
say that the normal breath is the external manifestation of this vital
energy. Therefore, it is imperative that we know how to breathe
properly. Correct breathing will provide oxygen, strength and
stamina for the whole body. It will also deepen the awareness of the
pranic flow in all the channels.
In the physiological description of pranayama, the practices begin
with i) awareness of the breath, ii) lengthening of the breath and iii)
directing the breath within a particular part of the body, for
example, in the frontal passage from navel to throat, or from navel
to ajna, or in the spinal passage from mooladhara to ajna. Once
these three steps have been covered then we come to the fourth step,
which is alteration of the flow of breath in the different nostrils. This
fourth step is an important one.
Purification of the nasal passage so that there is no difficulty in
breathing is one of the first considerations in pranayama. Therefore,
as a general rule in pranayama it is always suggested that any kind of
practice is begun with whichever nostril is open and flowing, and not
necessarily with the right or the left nostril. Inhalation should be
through the open nostril, whether right or left, and exhalation
should be through the blocked nostril. Awareness, lengthening,
direction and alteration of breath are all known as prana nigraha.
Whatever practice we do, whether nadi shodhana, kapalbhati,
bhastrika, surya bheda, chandra bheda, sheetali, seetkari, bhramari
or ujjayi, the main purpose is initially to become aware of the
breathing process and then lengthen it.
Lengthening the breath
Normally, due to the dissipated state of pranic energies, our breath is
very shallow and short. We tend to breathe more through the
thoracic cavity, rather than through the lower abdomen. This
thoracic breathing is not acceptable in yoga because breathing in
through the upper part of the chest does not utilize the full capacity
of the lungs. However, by moving the diaphragm with the breath,
there is access to the lower part of the lungs and a greater quantum
of air. Using the full capacity of the lungs is an important
consideration for yoga practitioners as well as for those who wish to
improve their health and raise their energy levels.
Initially, in the yogic practices lower abdominal breathing is
taught to develop the awareness of air filling the lower half of the
lungs. The diaphragm and abdomen work like a pump which sucks
the air inside and pushes the air outside. With this practice the
process of increasing the inhalation and exhalation pattern of the
breath begins. Later on, different ratios are added in order to
gradually increase the length of the breath without discomfort at the
time of controlled respiration. If we try to breathe slowly and deeply
without any training, the lungs get tired very easily. So the breathing
ratio is increased slowly one count at a time. At first, inhalation and
exhalation are given the same count, for example, 5:5, as in nadi
shodhana. Then the exhalation becomes twice the duration of the
inhalation. In this way the ratio keeps increasing to strengthen the
lungs and diaphragm, so that there is no tension, tiredness or
discomfort felt when we come to the more advanced stages of
pranayama.
It is said that a person who has perfected pranayama should
normally breathe about one breath per minute. Now, we breathe
approximately ten to fifteen times per minute. Ultimately, however,
it should be possible to gain sufficient control over the process of
breathing so that even in the normal waking state, whether sitting,
walking or working, it will take thirty seconds to inhale and thirty
seconds to exhale, and that should become the normal everyday
pattern.
To reach this point of breath control, the final ratio
corresponding to the Gayatri mantra is taught. This is performed in
the following manner: one slow and steady inhalation, with one
repetition of Gayatri mantra, which has twenty-four matras or
counts, then internal retention with repetition of four Gayatris,
which is ninety-six counts, then exhalation with repetition of two
Gayatris, which is forty-eight counts, and external retention with
repetition of two Gayatris, again forty-eight counts. This count of
1:4:2:2 is the ideal ratio of the breath: one: inhale; four: retain the
breath inside; two: exhale; and two: retain the breath outside. To
reach this level of control may take many years, but this is the final
stage of breath control to which pranayama can take you at the
physical level. This describes the process of lengthening the breath
and how total control is gained over the breathing process, while still
remaining at ease and feeling no discomfort.
Effect of pranayama on the three pranas
After this, we come to two more important aspects of prana, which
are heat generating and cold generating. Samana, the force
responsible for digestion and distribution of nutrients or energy to
the different parts of the body, is responsible for the generation of
heat. Most of the pranayama practices that generate heat in the body
stimulate and activate samana. For example, bhastrika, or bellows
breathing, pumps the stomach in and out continuously and there is
direct stimulation of the samana force. Kapalbhati also directly
stimulates the samana force. These pranayama techniques which can
make us sweat and which increase the blood pressure, vitality and
stamina in the body are concerned with the awakening of samana.
On the other hand, we have cold generating pranayama practices.
These are the practices that lower the blood pressure and reduce
hyperactivity. Here the process changes. The breathing is done
through the mouth, which links the breath with the apana force.
These cooling pranayama practices include sheetali, where the
tongue forms a tube through which the breath is sucked in, or
seetkari, where the breath is drawn in through the clenched teeth.
So, the prana situated in the thoracic region is never used,
stimulated or awakened in the practices of bhastrika, kapalbhati,
sheetali or seetkari. These pranayama practices work only with the
energies of samana and apana. Activation of samana is activation of
manipura and the solar plexus, which is related to manipura.
Activation of apana is activation of mooladhara and the sacral
plexus, which is related to swadhisthana.
Kumbhaka, or retention of the breath, whether internal or
external, is the only method through which prana is stimulated or
awakened. If we hold the breath and concentrate, after some time we
will notice a build up of heat in the thoracic region. We will not
experience this heat at manipura. The heat generated in manipura
or samana dissipates throughout the whole body. But the heat
generated at the level of prana, in the chest area, does not dissipate;
it remains there. When this heat is experienced and intensified by
the practice of kumbhaka, the activation of prana will also combine
with the awakening experience of samana and apana.
In the Yoga Sutras, Sage Patanjali has spoken about different kinds
of pranayama, but he has been very simple and brief in his
description. He says that inhalation, exhalation and breath retention
are the three kinds of pranayama. When people read this statement
they think that the physical process of inhalation, retention and
exhalation represent the three kinds of pranayama referred to, but
this is not the case. These three actually represent the awakening of
the three pranas. Retention corresponds to the force of prana,
inhalation corresponds to the force of samana and exhalation
corresponds to the force of apana. So, according to that sutra, the
control of these three pranas is the real pranayama, which is called
prana nigraha.
In kundalini yoga another reference to the relationship between
these three pranas and pranayama can be found. Kundalini yoga
describes the process of kundalini awakening as the reversing of the
prana and apana flows and their meeting in samana or manipura.
Normally apana flows downwards and prana flows upwards; they are
being repulsed by each other. In the centre of the body is the lateral
flow of samana. So, when we reverse the flow of apana and prana,
and the three forces merge in samana, then kundalini awakening
takes place. This explanation is just a reference to explain more fully
the process of inhalation, exhalation and retention as the three kinds
of pranayama.
The breath plays a vital role in providing awareness of prana.
Through the breath we can direct this pranic force to merge at one
point. However, in the advanced stages of pranayama, the breathing
technique by itself is not enough. There are different techniques,
such as prana vidya, bandhas and mudras, and only when these are
combined do they become the advanced aspect of pranayama.
Conductors of prana
The nadi system described in pranayama does not correspond to the
nerve system of the physical body, rather it belongs to the bioplasmic
body. The word nadi does not mean nerve, it means ‘flow’, something
which is flowing. The nadis are the channels through which the
energy or prana flows. The energy pathways of the pranic body are
known as nadis. The system of kundalini yoga describes the medhra,
or plexus of the pranic body, from which all the nadis emanate. This
nadi plexus is situated in the region between mooladhara and
swadhisthana. From this particular plexus, seventy-two thousand
nadis emanate. These nadis are the conductors of the pranic force
which is distributed throughout the various parts of the body.
Out of these seventy-two thousand nadis, which include all the
major and minor flows, only seventy-two are considered important.
Out of these seventy-two nadis, which are the carriers of prana and
the corresponding vayus, the upa-pranas, only ten are considered to
be major. These ten major nadis are situated in the spinal cord and
pass through each and every chakra. Each of these ten nadis carries
the ten different manifestations of prana, apana, samana, udana,
vyana, and the five minor pranas, naga, koorma, krikara, devadatta
and dhananajaya.
These minor pranas are responsible for such actions as sneezing,
yawning, itching, belching and blinking of the eyelids. The
autonomic activities over which there is no voluntary control are
regulated by these minor pranas, which are known as vayus. So the
five pranas and the five vayus flow along these ten channels which
emanate from the medhra or the nadi plexus in the region between
swadhisthana and mooladhara. They connect the seven chakras
together and move continuously from mooladhara to sahasrara in
one bunch.
Of these ten pranic flows, three are most important: ida, pingala
and sushumna. Both ida and pingala are nadis but, at the same time,
they represent the action of prana on the physical and mental levels.
Thus we have ida nadi and ida force, and pingala nadi and pingala
force. The channel and the force that it carries are two different
things. So, when we speak about ida we have to clarify whether we
are referring to the ida nadi or the ida force.
Ida and pingala nadis flow from mooladhara to ajna. The prana
they conduct is both subtle and gross, mental and physical. So, when
we speak of ida and pingala as being pranic force, we are referring to
the two aspects of prana which are active and passive in nature.
When we speak of ida and pingala nadi, we are referring to the
pranic passages which emanate from mooladhara and terminate at
ajna. The passive force flows in ida nadi and the active force flows in
pingala nadi.
Effect of alternate nostril breathing
Yogis have said that the normal breathing process is connected with
these two nadis and forces. This sounds logical because when we
check the flow of breath, we usually find that one nostril is more
open than the other. No physiologist has been able to say why we
have two nostrils, when the function of both nostrils is to breathe in
and out. No one has given an answer to this question so far, but it is
something we should consider. If the purpose was only to breathe in
and out, then there would be only one nostril. But I do not think
that was the consideration God had in mind when he made us. He
somehow created an invisible link between the two flows of the right
and left nostrils and the two forces of ida and pingala.
This speculation was made because each nostril flow creates a
different mental or physical state. In scientific terms we refer to these
activities as sympathetic and parasympathetic. This is something that
we can experience at any moment. When we are sleepy or drowsy, we
will notice that the left nostril is flowing. When we are active,
physically or mentally, then we will notice that the right nostril
begins to flow predominantly. Why does this changeover take place
and what is the connection between this change and the physical or
mental condition, for instance, in the state of drowsiness or in the
state of activity?
Therefore, yogis have speculated that each nostril is connected
with a particular nadi. When the breath flow is regulated in one
nostril, it will stimulate, awaken and vitalize the corresponding
pranic force. When the breath flow is regulated in the other nostril,
again the same stimulation or awakening will take place in the
corresponding pranic force. In order to manipulate the bioplasmic
or pranic body, and in order to intensify the experience of the pranic
body, the alteration and control of the breath in the nostrils is used.
Pingala, which flows in the right nostril, corresponds to the
physical aspect of life. It is ruled by the sun and therefore is known
as the solar force. Pingala is said to be positive in nature. According
to the Tao, it relates to the yang or male principle. It is hot in
temperature and is related to the sympathetic nervous system. Ida,
the flow in the left nostril, represents the opposite polarity. The
ruling planet is the moon, the negative force. According to the Tao,
it represents the yin or female principle. Ida is cold in nature and is
related to the parasympathetic nervous system. Ida and pingala
represent the duality of the pranic forces.
With physical control of the breath, by lengthening and
alternating the breath flow from one nostril to the other, certain
pranic changes also take place. These pranic changes help to clear
the pranic blockages which may exist in the nadis. For example, one
pranayama technique is nadi shodhana. In this practice we begin to
lengthen the breath and to alternate the breath through the nostrils
at a slow and steady pace. Then we increase the ability to retain the
breath.
Nadi shodhana means purification of the nadis. Shodhana means
‘purification’ or ‘piercing’, and nadi means ‘the pranic flow’. So this
practice, which is simple and easy in the beginning but becomes
complex and difficult later on, has the function of clearing the
pranic blockages from the passage of ida and pingala through
alternation of the nostrils at the time of inhalation and exhalation.
This creates balance in the two breath flows and in the
corresponding mental and physical processes.
Awakening of prana and sushumna
When this balance is achieved, the awakening of prana can take
place. Yogis have given a name to the awakening of prana which
happens in prana nigraha. When the ida and pingala forces begin to
flow regularly, rhythmically and continuously, and no blockages or
physiological discomfort is encountered in the breathing process,
then that stage is known as pranotthana, which means ‘the awakening
of the pranas’, more specifically the awakening of the two pranas, ida
and pingala.
When the awakening of the two pranas, ida and pingala, occurs,
the third nadi or force, known as sushumna, awakens. This
awakening of the third nadi is considered to be most important in
pranayama, kriya yoga and kundalini. It is only when sushumna is
awakened that pranayama actually begins. Until this occurs ida and
pingala purification continues at the level of prana nigraha. With the
awakening of sushumna, the practice of pranayama and the
expansion of prana takes place within the pranic structure.
Therefore, the extent of our physical effort is limited to prana
nigraha. Even with the purification of the nadis and the awakening
and balancing of ida and pingala, there will be no expansion in the
field of prana. The pranic field expands only when sushumna
awakens, and actual pranayama begins after this.
3. Pranayama
The expansion of prana takes place in three stages. The first stage is
the reversal of the flow of apana, the second stage is the reversal of
the flow of prana and the third stage is the expansion of the pranic
energy at samana. As mentioned before, in the prana nigraha group
only three pranas are considered to be important: apana, the
downward moving force, prana, the upward moving force, and
samana, the lateral moving force. These three pranas are the ones
directly affected when we come to the stage of pranayama which
follows prana nigraha. Once we have achieved control over the
breathing process and can lengthen the breath and retain it with full
control, without any shortness of breath during the process of
pooraka (inhalation), rechaka (exhalation) and kumbhaka (retention),
then the first stage of pranayama, the reversal of apana energy, can
occur.
Stage one: Apana energy, which flows downward, is wilfully
reversed and made to flow upward from mooladhara to manipura.
The yogic texts state that at this stage the inhalation and reversal of
apana must happen through the ida channel. This is why it is
generally said that we should begin pranayama with the left nostril,
ida nadi. But in the prana nigraha stage, when we are simply trying
to practise breath awareness, breath control and lengthening of the
breath, it does not really matter through which nostril we begin the
practice. The reversal of apana takes place through ida nadi, by
inhaling through ida and feeling the flow of apana reverse and rise
up through the passage of ida from mooladhara to manipura.
However, to reach this level where you can sensitize the awareness to
actually feel the upward flow of apana from mooladhara to manipura
may take many months of practice.
Stage two: The force of prana, which normally flows upward in
the thoracic region, is reversed and made to flow downward from
vishuddhi to manipura. This process takes place at the time of
exhalation when there is awareness of the prana moving downwards
through pingala nadi from vishuddhi to manipura.
Stage three: The merger of the three pranas: apana, prana and
samana, takes place at manipura with the practice of kumbhaka or
breath retention. When the forces of apana and prana merge in the
region of samana, it is the culmination of pranayama. At the time of
kumbhaka there has to be total awareness of manipura, not in the
form of a chakra but in the form of agni mandala. Agni means ‘fire’
and mandala means ‘zone’ or ‘area’, so agni mandala means zone of
fire.
When there is mastery over the process of kumbhaka and the
aspirant is able to retain the breath for an extended period of time,
say for the duration of four to eight Gayatri mantras, at that time
dharana has to be practised on agni mandala. When concentration is
practised along with pranayama, then the three pranas fuse into one
and activate the other two pranas, udana and vyana. When the five
pranas are activated simultaneously, the kundalini energy is
awakened. This is the final process of the expansion of prana, the
third stage of pranayama. There is no written practical instruction on
how to practise this last stage. It is a verbal instruction given to the
aspirant by the master who sees the progress and perfection of the
technique.
Indications of perfected pranayama
The yogic texts describe the perfected process of pooraka, rechaka
and kumbhaka in the process of pranayama. At the time of pooraka,
inhalation, when apana is rising through ida nadi, there is an
incredible cold sensation. It is as if the whole being is entering into a
state of hibernation; there is a feeling of total withdrawal. It is the
last stage of sensory withdrawal that a person can have on a psychic
level. I have seen a few people who changed totally after a month or
so of normal pranayama practice. They became withdrawn and
quiet, as they went deeper and deeper into the pranic hole. That is a
physical indication of apana reversing through ida nadi.
The yogic texts also state that at the time of rechaka, exhalation,
when prana is being reversed, there is a feeling of total void, where
nothing actually comes to the surface of the mind. The mind goes
absolutely blank. There is no input of any kind from the world of
name, form and idea. There is a feeling of total shoonyata, as if the
entire energy is leaving the head, which is the active thinking centre,
and merging itself in manipura. So, the normal mind which sees,
experiences and thinks does not exist at that level. It is very hard to
relate to any kind of thought, idea, desire or emotion. Whatever
happens seems very far away. The body moves like a puppet, as if
someone else is manipulating it.
The difficulty here is that since many of these practitioners are
unaware of the physiological or psychological changes that may take
place due to pranayama practice, they become afraid and stop the
practice in order to return to the normal state. Therefore,
pranayama practices have always been secretive techniques. Twenty
years ago people were not aware of pranayama at all and even now
no one is aware of these esoteric aspects of pranayama. We consider
pranayama as simply opening one nostril and closing the other.
However, it is not possible to go deep, where these kind of reversal
processes and psychic manifestations occur, without proper
guidance. If one tries to do so, it is possible to lose balance of mind
and to lose control over the manifestations of energy, which may
begin to run wild in the body.
In kumbhaka, when prana and apana are merged at manipura, at
agni mandala, all the modifications or vrittis of the mind cease to
function. The entire consciousness, the mental perception and the
whole pranic structure cut off their connection with the physical
body, and there is a total stoppage of the vrittis. However, this
cessation of the vrittis is not the aim of pranayama. It is an
indication, a marker or milestone to let you know that you have
come to the point where you have perfected the techniques of
pranayama and it is now time to move on to the next practice.
Do not think that Sage Patanjali’s statement about controlling the
chitta vrittis is achieved through pranayama. In the final practice of
pranayama, the entire mind and all the perceptions of mind, the
prana and all the manifestations of prana, are brought together at
one point. Because of this merger there is no awareness of what is
happening at other levels. One feels as if one is being moved like a
puppet. One cannot rationally or logically see what is just or unjust,
but this is a temporary phase.
This third aspect of pranayama, the merger and awakening of the
pranic body, takes place within the span of a few weeks and then one
comes out of it. It does not last for years and years, nor is it a
condition to be aspired for. It is like all the spark plugs of a car firing
at the same time to start the engine. Once the engine starts they stop
firing and sparking. So, all these withdrawals of consciousness,
energy, perception and other mental faculties are the firing or
sparking manifestations which occur. Once the pranic generator
begins to function, they again revert back to their normal states.
When this last stage of pranayama is perfected, there are physical,
mental, psychic and spiritual experiences. On the physical level
there are two major indications. Good digestion is one. As agni
mandala becomes totally active, you can eat anything without
experiencing any problems. Yogis who have perfected pranayama
can even digest poison without ill effects. The second physical
indication is lightness of the body, which manifests as the siddhi of
levitation, or raising the body off the floor. These are the two
physical indications that manifest when one has perfected
pranayama.
On the mental level the vrittis are controlled but not stopped. To
become the master of the vrittis, you see the changes and act
accordingly. On the psychic level, it is said that the nada or psychic
sound is heard. This sound can be heard even when one is walking,
eating or talking to someone. The depth of one’s being opens up
and one becomes aware of the vibration that is controlling the whole
body. When the pranas are activated one becomes aware of their
movement and the sound they are producing at the time of their
activity; that is the manifestation of nada. Therefore, pranayama is
the technique that precedes pratyahara, dharana and dhyana. This
last aspect of pranayama is very subtle, and if we go into it deeply
then it is possible to have this experience in one split second.
Yoga Darshan by Swami Niranjan
ease and in perfect harmony with oneself. This has to be understood
properly. As Sage Patanjali and other yogis referred only to asanas
which are static or which are used for meditation, many people
believe that the other asanas, in which the body does not remain still,
are not part of this classification. Many people have classified asanas
as either non-traditional dynamic postures or traditional static
postures, but actually asanas cannot be classified in this way. A much
broader range is encompassed.
Aspects of posture
Non-traditional dynamic postures refers to asanas performed as fast
movements, which do not allow the practitioner to remain quiet and
comfortable due to the involvement in continuous movement. Surya
namaskara is an example of a dynamic asana in which one is
constantly moving from one posture to the next. However, this
actually represents one stage of asana practice, and there are five
stages which should be understood. The body has to undergo
different kinds of changes; it is not static or stable by nature.
First, from the normal state in which we use the movements of our
body in a limited way, it moves into the second playful, dynamic state
where we run, jump and stretch. From there it moves into the third
state where we are able to touch our toes or to bend backwards
without straining any part of the body. Then the fourth state follows
where we are able to maintain our physical balance in the balancing
posture. The fifth stage is where we can adopt a posture for an
extended period of time during which the body remains perfectly
still, motionless and at ease, without any type of discomfort or pain.
These are the five stages of asana practice.
Sage Patanjali’s statement regarding asanas refers not only to
meditative postures, as is the belief of the commentators, but also to
the various states of flexibility, adaptability and comfort in the body
during asana practice. There is a lot of evidence available to prove
the point that asanas are not only meditative, as described in the
traditional literature.
Many of the Yoga Upanishads speak of various postures such as
mayurasana (peacock pose) as being asanas in which the body is in
perfect harmony with itself. Mayurasana is not an easy posture to
perform as there is a lot of pressure, tension and discomfort due to
the constriction of the chest, the pressure in the region of the
diaphragm, the weight of the body being placed on the wrists and
the effort of balancing the body. So, if such a posture is referred to in
the Yoga Upanishads, it is necessary to think about whether
meditation posture is the true meaning of asana.
There are other asanas described in the Upanishads such as
vrischikasana, (scorpion pose), surya namaskara, which is described
as the final state of asana, and vashishthasana, a balancing asana
invented by Sage Vashishtha in which he would spend a minimum of
three hours every day. These are the types of asanas that are
considered to be perfect postures, in which the total body is in
harmony. In these postures the body is comfortable and there is no
disturbance or tension in any part, there is concentration of mind
and also blissfulness during the practice.
Looking at the various asanas that have been described, we can
see that in the five stages that have been discussed, the body is taken
from a normal state to a highly tuned and balanced state. Therefore,
no matter which asana we perform, even if it is the most dynamic in
which we are pulling, stretching and pushing every ligament, muscle
and nerve of the body, there should be awareness, balance, comfort
and stillness.
Effect of posture on the body
The effect of posture on the body is very deep and subtle. The
common aches and pains due to bad posture can be experienced
practically every day. Those office workers and executives who sit in
chairs, bent over desks for extended hours, generally tend to have
stiff backs and shoulders, which later on become the source of back
pain and the cause of stiffening and hardening of the joints,
eventually culminating in chronic spondylitis.
This is a very common situation that we encounter every day in
different intensities. Many times due to bad posture while sleeping,
one wakes up feeling stiff and tight in the morning. Often due to
incorrect sitting posture there is pain in the spine and one has to get
up and stretch the body. Sometimes one feels pain in the neck and
shoulders due to stooping and has to expand the chest again in
order to feel better.
It is definitely not possible to awaken the pranas in certain
physical conditions over which there is no voluntary control. It is not
possible to clear the blockages from the nadis when there is
recurring bad posture which creates continual suffering. So,
the first thing that yoga says is to observe the posture that you are
using every day and to correct it. When you sit down, sit properly;
that is asana. Performing the lotus posture, the headstand and salute
to the sun is not the only way to practise asana. These postures are a
means of aligning the body and creating a particular condition in
which there is the experience of harmony.
If asanas only work when we are performing them, then their
purpose is incomplete. It may be that our pranas become active
while sitting in the lotus posture and practising meditation, but what
about the times when we are not sitting in the lotus posture and our
position is all wrong? At such times, the stimulation or awakening
that we felt during the practice of the lotus posture is gone. So
situations like these have led to the belief that asanas are definitely
not just meditative postures, with due respect to the commentators
on the different yogic literature.
When you begin to gradually coordinate and harmonize the
different body systems, such as the skeletal, muscular, nervous,
glandular, respiratory and digestive systems, through various
positions and movements, that is asana. When physical harmony is
achieved through this practice, that is the culmination of asana, the
apex that can be achieved during asana practice. Once we reach this
apex, there is no limit to what our bodies can do and to what we can
do. Even difficult asanas such as vashishthasana, dynamic asanas like
surya namaskara and the simplest group of asanas such as
pawanmuktasana become a meditative process when performed
properly. So, asanas are those positions or movements whereby
perfect coordination of the body is attained.
Range of asana
The tradition also maintains that the benefit achieved through the
practice of asana is knowledge of the three dimensions. Any
layperson trying to study traditional literature will begin to wonder
how one can achieve knowledge of the three dimensions by the
practice of asana. The three dimensions can be understood in any
sense, such as physical, mental and spiritual; gross, subtle and causal;
waking, dreaming and sleeping states, and so forth. However,
looking at the different descriptions of the three dimensions we can
see that these dimensions are best understood in terms of the koshas:
annamaya, manomaya and pranamaya, because the extent of
experience of the physical body is limited to these three dimensions,
and asanas are physical in nature.
1. Annamaya kosha is the physical aspect, the bones, muscles,
nerves, blood circulation and the internal organs, such as the lungs,
heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas. Everything that is physical in
nature is included within annamaya kosha. The practice of asana is
never unconscious or mechanical. It should always be done with
awareness and concentration. For the practice of each asana, the
yogis have described where we have to concentrate, which chakras
and what kind of sensation and feeling we have to be aware of, and
also what kind of pain we may experience. There is a wide range of
experiences of which we have to become aware and observant.
This faculty of awareness or observation will increase our
sensitivity to our own body. Therefore, through the practice of asanas
we must first learn to observe our own body. What the body needs,
what type of stretch, what type of release the muscular system needs,
what kind of tension underlies which system, whether there is any
disturbance being experienced anywhere in our physical body. What
is the physical experience in the state of comfort, in the state of
stillness and quietness? This in-depth awareness of the body is the
first benefit of asana practice at the level of annamaya kosha.
2. Manomaya kosha is the mental aspect. At the level of manomaya
kosha the effort made to still the mind is very important. While
making a physical movement, we are adding awareness and trying to
concentrate. We are trying to practise asana pratyahara by
withdrawing the mind from the distractions that pull it outside and
merging it with the physical posture. So, asana pratyahara is the
experience of manomaya kosha, where one begins to know the
movement, nature, quality, strengths and weaknesses of the mind
through the practice of asana.
3. Pranamaya kosha is the energy aspect. When the body and mind
are attuned with each other, pranamaya kosha is definitely affected.
This is because prana relates very much to physiological experiences
such as muscular stiffness and tiredness, and different pranic blocks
are experienced in the physical body in the form of discomfort,
energy depletion or disease. If there is dissipation of mind, one
cannot be aware of this pranic energy or direct it into the right
channels, where it can become the tool for the awakening of the
subtle and dormant potentials. Awareness of prana requires intense
sensitivity of mind. If the mind is not sensitive enough, there cannot
be an experience of prana. Without concentration and awareness
there will be no experience of prana.
This knowledge of pranamaya kosha, which is awakened through
the practice of asana, prepares the practitioner for the techniques of
pranayama, which deal specifically with the field of prana. So, asana
becomes the stepping stone to the practice of pranayama. The
purpose of asana is to remove the pranic blockages and regulate the
flow of prana throughout the body. The purpose of pranayama is to
awaken the pranas, and this is where the range of asana ends. This is
the meaning of the statement from the Upanishads that knowledge
of the three dimensions dawns through perfection of asana. To
continue beyond this physical range, techniques of pranayama,
pratyahara and dharana are required.
PRANAYAMA
Pranayama is the fourth aspect of raja yoga, which follows the
sequence of asana. Through asana one transcends the limitations of
the body and mind and gains an in-depth awareness of the koshas up
to pranamaya. The techniques of pranayama further intensify and
develop awareness of pranamaya kosha. They awaken the different
pranas within the physical structure in
the chakras, thus paving the path for the awakening of kundalini.
In Sanskrit the word prana means ‘vital energy’ and ayama means
‘to expand’. So, the actual meaning of the word pranayama is
‘expansion of the range of vital energy’. However, before the practice
of pranayama there is another stage, known as prana nigraha. The
word nigraha means ‘control’, so prana nigraha is the ‘control of
prana’. These are the two aspects of pranayama covered by raja yoga.
Initially, when we begin the breathing practices, it is not actually
pranayama we are practising. Pranayama is the result of attaining
full control over the functions of the upa-pranas or sub-pranas. After
attaining harmony in the physiological structure, when prana is
awakened in the realm of the chakras then pranayama begins. It is in
this context, because of these subtle aspects of which we were
previously unaware, that we have to clarify our preconceptions about
pranayama. Therefore, we will take up the subject of prana first,
second, prana nigraha and third, pranayama.
1. Aspects of prana
Prana or vital energy is the essence of all created, manifest forms,
whether animate or inanimate. It is the essence or the force which
determines the existence of matter and other elements. In chapter 8
(Hatha Yoga), it was explained that the original prana is known as
maha prana. Maha prana is the transcendental aspect of prana
which is unmanifest and does not come into the categories of either
sthoola, gross, manifestation or sukshma, subtle, manifestation.
When the maha prana is combined with the attributes of prakriti or
nature, then it is simply known as prana.
This second stage is actually the combination of prakriti and
maha prana working together to create the gross and subtle
manifestations. From this prana comes ida, the sukshma or subtle
pranic experience, and pingala, the sthoola or gross pranic
experience. Another name for ida is chit shakti, the force that governs
the subtle dimensions, while for pingala it is prana shakti, the force
that governs the dimension of matter.
Diagram 2: Aspects of Prana
From this manifest, pranic force, there are five further
manifestations. The first is the physical prana or upward moving
energy. The second is apana or the downward moving energy. The
third is samana, the lateral moving energy that balances and
distributes. The fourth is udana, the circular moving energy. The
fifth is vyana, the all-pervading energy.
In brief, these five pranas belong to the dimension of matter, to
the physical realm of experience. Ida and pingala belong to the
mental realm of experience. The result of the merger of prakriti and
maha prana is the psychic realm of prana. So, the first aspect, the
group of five pranas, is physical; the second aspect, ida and pingala,
is mental; the third aspect, prana, is psychic or causal, and the fourth
aspect, maha prana, is transcendental.
Five pranas – the physical aspect
Beginning with the body, these five pranas have different functions
and flows.
1. Sthoola prana, the upward moving force, is situated in the
thoracic region between the diaphragm and the throat. The physical
organs associated with this prana are the lungs, heart, oesophagus
and trachea. Control and regulation of the functioning of these
organs is attributed to the physical prana. Inhalation and exhalation
of air are functions of the physical prana, and without these two
aspects of breathing we would not survive. If the heart or the blood
circulation were to stop, it would be difficult to survive. So these two
major organs which are necessary for survival are controlled by
prana.
2. Apana, the downward moving force, is situated in the pelvic
region between the navel and the perineum. This energy is
responsible for the elimination of waste matter and toxins from the
body. Apana controls the functioning of the kidneys, bladder, large
intestine and the urinary and excretory organs. Expulsion of faeces
and urine, which is necessary for the survival and fitness of the body,
is regulated by the apana force.
3. Samana, the lateral moving force, is situated in the abdominal
region between the diaphragm and the navel. This balancing force
controls the entire digestive process. The physical organs associated
with samana are the stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, duodenum and
small intestine. All the food that we eat is broken down and the
nutrients necessary to maintain the fitness of the body are
distributed by samana. The word sama or samana means ‘equal’, and
is the prana which distributes equally the nutrients necessary to
preserve the annamaya kosha.
4. Udana, the circular moving force, is responsible for the
functioning of the jnanendriyas, sensory organs, and the
karmendriyas, organs of action. Udana is situated in the legs, arms,
neck and head. It coordinates and controls the movements of the
legs, arms and neck and directs the activities of the brain and
sensory organs, which are situated in the head region. These include
the eyes, vision; ears, hearing; tongue, taste; nose, smell; and skin,
tactile sensation. The organs of action controlled by udana are three
in number: hands, feet and speech; the other two – the excretory and
urinary organs, are under the control of apana.
5. Vyana, the all pervasive force, is the reserve tank of annamaya
kosha. When the pranic petrol is empty and there is no filling
station, then the reserves of vyana are used. Vyana is the reserve
force which becomes active whenever there is a lack of energy in any
of the other pranas. It is what is known as the second wind. Often
when we overexert ourselves physically and feel extremely tired, a
rush of energy comes which enables us to continue. This is the vyana
experience.
Apart from the physical aspect, these five pranas are connected to
the chakras. Apana is responsible for the functioning of the two
lower centres of mooladhara and swadhisthana. Samana is
responsible for the manipura experience of vitality and dynamism.
Anahata and vishuddhi are controlled by prana. Ajna, bindu and
sahasrara are controlled by udana. Vyana is all pervasive. These are
the physiological locations and aspects of the five pranas.
At the physical level, these five pranas, and more specifically the
prana located in the thoracic region, are said to be related to the ingoing and out-going breath. The breathing techniques, which are
known as pranayama, aim at stimulating and awakening these five
pranas through a process of controlled inhalation, exhalation and
retention. So, the breath is linked with prana in the physical sense.
Ida and pingala – mental aspect
Let us move on to the mental aspect of our life, which is dominated
by the experience of ida and pingala. Ida is the mental force, which
is represented by the moon, the lunar energy. The traditional name
for ida is chit shakti, the force of chitta. All the mental experiences
that we have in life and the functions of the four aspects of mind:
manas, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara, are controlled by ida, as long
as they remain mental in nature, without manifesting physical
interaction. What you are experiencing right now: the thoughts,
sensations, vibrations, creation of different ideas and images, are the
work of chit shakti, the ida force.
Diagram 3: Range of Ida and Pingala
The ida force is the subtle energy that controls manomaya and
vijnanamaya koshas, whereas pingala controls annamaya and
anandamaya koshas. Please remember that asanas influence
annamaya, manomaya and pranamaya koshas, and pranayama
influences pranamaya kosha. From pranamaya kosha, the ida and
pingala forces reach out in both directions.
The thoughts and mental experiences that remain confined to the
manomaya kosha or the mental dimension until they become
physical are known as ida activity. Desires, thoughts, emotions and
feelings are given form and vitality by the force of ida. Vijnanamaya
kosha, the intuitive ability and knowledge one gains through
sadhana, is also a function of ida, the mental force. So, the range of
ida covers manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas.
The range of pingala, or the vital force, is first experienced as
physical vitality in annamaya kosha. Physical stamina and
stimulation, the states of relaxation and tension, are the physical
aspects of pingala energy. In anandamaya kosha the awareness which
remains even in the deepest state of meditation, after the dissolution
of all the samskaras and karmas, is the result of awakened pingala.
Even in samadhi, where there is awareness, there is pingala energy.
This is the subtle aspect of prana.
Yoga says that even the subtle areas and experiences of mind can
be controlled through the practices of pranayama. Please remember
that pranayama is the expansion of the pranic range, it is not control
of the breath. The techniques of nadi shodhana, bhramari, bhastrika
or kapalbhati are techniques of prana nigraha, they are not
pranayama.
Kundalini – causal aspect
After the subtle aspect of prana comes the causal aspect, the
combination of prakriti and maha prana. This psychic area is where
the kundalini manifests, because kundalini represents the manifest
energy which has gone through different transformations, from the
sublime to the most earthly form. The reversal of this process, which
is known as kundalini awakening, is directed or motivated from the
causal aspect of prana. When all the chakras are fully active and
functioning, when the pranic passages are clear, then kundalini is
awakened. When a spiritual awakening takes place and the kundalini
rises up from mooladhara through the different chakras towards
sahasrara, it is controlled by the dimension of maha prana combined
with prakriti. The combination of maha prana and prakriti equals
kundalini. Maha prana is the final state of effulgence in sahasrara.
2. Prana nigraha
The word nigraha means ‘control of ’ and prana means ‘vital energy’.
Therefore, prana nigraha means ‘control of the vital energy.’ This
vital energy can be seen from the physical as well as the pranic
viewpoint. The physical aspect deals with control of the vital air and
the pranic aspect deals with control of the movement of vital energy
that takes place at the level of prana, apana and samana.
First we will deal with the physical aspect. When we talk about
prana in the physical body as something which is manifest, then the
attention is automatically diverted to the breath. There are certain
traditions in yoga, including those of pranayama and swara, which
say that the normal breath is the external manifestation of this vital
energy. Therefore, it is imperative that we know how to breathe
properly. Correct breathing will provide oxygen, strength and
stamina for the whole body. It will also deepen the awareness of the
pranic flow in all the channels.
In the physiological description of pranayama, the practices begin
with i) awareness of the breath, ii) lengthening of the breath and iii)
directing the breath within a particular part of the body, for
example, in the frontal passage from navel to throat, or from navel
to ajna, or in the spinal passage from mooladhara to ajna. Once
these three steps have been covered then we come to the fourth step,
which is alteration of the flow of breath in the different nostrils. This
fourth step is an important one.
Purification of the nasal passage so that there is no difficulty in
breathing is one of the first considerations in pranayama. Therefore,
as a general rule in pranayama it is always suggested that any kind of
practice is begun with whichever nostril is open and flowing, and not
necessarily with the right or the left nostril. Inhalation should be
through the open nostril, whether right or left, and exhalation
should be through the blocked nostril. Awareness, lengthening,
direction and alteration of breath are all known as prana nigraha.
Whatever practice we do, whether nadi shodhana, kapalbhati,
bhastrika, surya bheda, chandra bheda, sheetali, seetkari, bhramari
or ujjayi, the main purpose is initially to become aware of the
breathing process and then lengthen it.
Lengthening the breath
Normally, due to the dissipated state of pranic energies, our breath is
very shallow and short. We tend to breathe more through the
thoracic cavity, rather than through the lower abdomen. This
thoracic breathing is not acceptable in yoga because breathing in
through the upper part of the chest does not utilize the full capacity
of the lungs. However, by moving the diaphragm with the breath,
there is access to the lower part of the lungs and a greater quantum
of air. Using the full capacity of the lungs is an important
consideration for yoga practitioners as well as for those who wish to
improve their health and raise their energy levels.
Initially, in the yogic practices lower abdominal breathing is
taught to develop the awareness of air filling the lower half of the
lungs. The diaphragm and abdomen work like a pump which sucks
the air inside and pushes the air outside. With this practice the
process of increasing the inhalation and exhalation pattern of the
breath begins. Later on, different ratios are added in order to
gradually increase the length of the breath without discomfort at the
time of controlled respiration. If we try to breathe slowly and deeply
without any training, the lungs get tired very easily. So the breathing
ratio is increased slowly one count at a time. At first, inhalation and
exhalation are given the same count, for example, 5:5, as in nadi
shodhana. Then the exhalation becomes twice the duration of the
inhalation. In this way the ratio keeps increasing to strengthen the
lungs and diaphragm, so that there is no tension, tiredness or
discomfort felt when we come to the more advanced stages of
pranayama.
It is said that a person who has perfected pranayama should
normally breathe about one breath per minute. Now, we breathe
approximately ten to fifteen times per minute. Ultimately, however,
it should be possible to gain sufficient control over the process of
breathing so that even in the normal waking state, whether sitting,
walking or working, it will take thirty seconds to inhale and thirty
seconds to exhale, and that should become the normal everyday
pattern.
To reach this point of breath control, the final ratio
corresponding to the Gayatri mantra is taught. This is performed in
the following manner: one slow and steady inhalation, with one
repetition of Gayatri mantra, which has twenty-four matras or
counts, then internal retention with repetition of four Gayatris,
which is ninety-six counts, then exhalation with repetition of two
Gayatris, which is forty-eight counts, and external retention with
repetition of two Gayatris, again forty-eight counts. This count of
1:4:2:2 is the ideal ratio of the breath: one: inhale; four: retain the
breath inside; two: exhale; and two: retain the breath outside. To
reach this level of control may take many years, but this is the final
stage of breath control to which pranayama can take you at the
physical level. This describes the process of lengthening the breath
and how total control is gained over the breathing process, while still
remaining at ease and feeling no discomfort.
Effect of pranayama on the three pranas
After this, we come to two more important aspects of prana, which
are heat generating and cold generating. Samana, the force
responsible for digestion and distribution of nutrients or energy to
the different parts of the body, is responsible for the generation of
heat. Most of the pranayama practices that generate heat in the body
stimulate and activate samana. For example, bhastrika, or bellows
breathing, pumps the stomach in and out continuously and there is
direct stimulation of the samana force. Kapalbhati also directly
stimulates the samana force. These pranayama techniques which can
make us sweat and which increase the blood pressure, vitality and
stamina in the body are concerned with the awakening of samana.
On the other hand, we have cold generating pranayama practices.
These are the practices that lower the blood pressure and reduce
hyperactivity. Here the process changes. The breathing is done
through the mouth, which links the breath with the apana force.
These cooling pranayama practices include sheetali, where the
tongue forms a tube through which the breath is sucked in, or
seetkari, where the breath is drawn in through the clenched teeth.
So, the prana situated in the thoracic region is never used,
stimulated or awakened in the practices of bhastrika, kapalbhati,
sheetali or seetkari. These pranayama practices work only with the
energies of samana and apana. Activation of samana is activation of
manipura and the solar plexus, which is related to manipura.
Activation of apana is activation of mooladhara and the sacral
plexus, which is related to swadhisthana.
Kumbhaka, or retention of the breath, whether internal or
external, is the only method through which prana is stimulated or
awakened. If we hold the breath and concentrate, after some time we
will notice a build up of heat in the thoracic region. We will not
experience this heat at manipura. The heat generated in manipura
or samana dissipates throughout the whole body. But the heat
generated at the level of prana, in the chest area, does not dissipate;
it remains there. When this heat is experienced and intensified by
the practice of kumbhaka, the activation of prana will also combine
with the awakening experience of samana and apana.
In the Yoga Sutras, Sage Patanjali has spoken about different kinds
of pranayama, but he has been very simple and brief in his
description. He says that inhalation, exhalation and breath retention
are the three kinds of pranayama. When people read this statement
they think that the physical process of inhalation, retention and
exhalation represent the three kinds of pranayama referred to, but
this is not the case. These three actually represent the awakening of
the three pranas. Retention corresponds to the force of prana,
inhalation corresponds to the force of samana and exhalation
corresponds to the force of apana. So, according to that sutra, the
control of these three pranas is the real pranayama, which is called
prana nigraha.
In kundalini yoga another reference to the relationship between
these three pranas and pranayama can be found. Kundalini yoga
describes the process of kundalini awakening as the reversing of the
prana and apana flows and their meeting in samana or manipura.
Normally apana flows downwards and prana flows upwards; they are
being repulsed by each other. In the centre of the body is the lateral
flow of samana. So, when we reverse the flow of apana and prana,
and the three forces merge in samana, then kundalini awakening
takes place. This explanation is just a reference to explain more fully
the process of inhalation, exhalation and retention as the three kinds
of pranayama.
The breath plays a vital role in providing awareness of prana.
Through the breath we can direct this pranic force to merge at one
point. However, in the advanced stages of pranayama, the breathing
technique by itself is not enough. There are different techniques,
such as prana vidya, bandhas and mudras, and only when these are
combined do they become the advanced aspect of pranayama.
Conductors of prana
The nadi system described in pranayama does not correspond to the
nerve system of the physical body, rather it belongs to the bioplasmic
body. The word nadi does not mean nerve, it means ‘flow’, something
which is flowing. The nadis are the channels through which the
energy or prana flows. The energy pathways of the pranic body are
known as nadis. The system of kundalini yoga describes the medhra,
or plexus of the pranic body, from which all the nadis emanate. This
nadi plexus is situated in the region between mooladhara and
swadhisthana. From this particular plexus, seventy-two thousand
nadis emanate. These nadis are the conductors of the pranic force
which is distributed throughout the various parts of the body.
Out of these seventy-two thousand nadis, which include all the
major and minor flows, only seventy-two are considered important.
Out of these seventy-two nadis, which are the carriers of prana and
the corresponding vayus, the upa-pranas, only ten are considered to
be major. These ten major nadis are situated in the spinal cord and
pass through each and every chakra. Each of these ten nadis carries
the ten different manifestations of prana, apana, samana, udana,
vyana, and the five minor pranas, naga, koorma, krikara, devadatta
and dhananajaya.
These minor pranas are responsible for such actions as sneezing,
yawning, itching, belching and blinking of the eyelids. The
autonomic activities over which there is no voluntary control are
regulated by these minor pranas, which are known as vayus. So the
five pranas and the five vayus flow along these ten channels which
emanate from the medhra or the nadi plexus in the region between
swadhisthana and mooladhara. They connect the seven chakras
together and move continuously from mooladhara to sahasrara in
one bunch.
Of these ten pranic flows, three are most important: ida, pingala
and sushumna. Both ida and pingala are nadis but, at the same time,
they represent the action of prana on the physical and mental levels.
Thus we have ida nadi and ida force, and pingala nadi and pingala
force. The channel and the force that it carries are two different
things. So, when we speak about ida we have to clarify whether we
are referring to the ida nadi or the ida force.
Ida and pingala nadis flow from mooladhara to ajna. The prana
they conduct is both subtle and gross, mental and physical. So, when
we speak of ida and pingala as being pranic force, we are referring to
the two aspects of prana which are active and passive in nature.
When we speak of ida and pingala nadi, we are referring to the
pranic passages which emanate from mooladhara and terminate at
ajna. The passive force flows in ida nadi and the active force flows in
pingala nadi.
Effect of alternate nostril breathing
Yogis have said that the normal breathing process is connected with
these two nadis and forces. This sounds logical because when we
check the flow of breath, we usually find that one nostril is more
open than the other. No physiologist has been able to say why we
have two nostrils, when the function of both nostrils is to breathe in
and out. No one has given an answer to this question so far, but it is
something we should consider. If the purpose was only to breathe in
and out, then there would be only one nostril. But I do not think
that was the consideration God had in mind when he made us. He
somehow created an invisible link between the two flows of the right
and left nostrils and the two forces of ida and pingala.
This speculation was made because each nostril flow creates a
different mental or physical state. In scientific terms we refer to these
activities as sympathetic and parasympathetic. This is something that
we can experience at any moment. When we are sleepy or drowsy, we
will notice that the left nostril is flowing. When we are active,
physically or mentally, then we will notice that the right nostril
begins to flow predominantly. Why does this changeover take place
and what is the connection between this change and the physical or
mental condition, for instance, in the state of drowsiness or in the
state of activity?
Therefore, yogis have speculated that each nostril is connected
with a particular nadi. When the breath flow is regulated in one
nostril, it will stimulate, awaken and vitalize the corresponding
pranic force. When the breath flow is regulated in the other nostril,
again the same stimulation or awakening will take place in the
corresponding pranic force. In order to manipulate the bioplasmic
or pranic body, and in order to intensify the experience of the pranic
body, the alteration and control of the breath in the nostrils is used.
Pingala, which flows in the right nostril, corresponds to the
physical aspect of life. It is ruled by the sun and therefore is known
as the solar force. Pingala is said to be positive in nature. According
to the Tao, it relates to the yang or male principle. It is hot in
temperature and is related to the sympathetic nervous system. Ida,
the flow in the left nostril, represents the opposite polarity. The
ruling planet is the moon, the negative force. According to the Tao,
it represents the yin or female principle. Ida is cold in nature and is
related to the parasympathetic nervous system. Ida and pingala
represent the duality of the pranic forces.
With physical control of the breath, by lengthening and
alternating the breath flow from one nostril to the other, certain
pranic changes also take place. These pranic changes help to clear
the pranic blockages which may exist in the nadis. For example, one
pranayama technique is nadi shodhana. In this practice we begin to
lengthen the breath and to alternate the breath through the nostrils
at a slow and steady pace. Then we increase the ability to retain the
breath.
Nadi shodhana means purification of the nadis. Shodhana means
‘purification’ or ‘piercing’, and nadi means ‘the pranic flow’. So this
practice, which is simple and easy in the beginning but becomes
complex and difficult later on, has the function of clearing the
pranic blockages from the passage of ida and pingala through
alternation of the nostrils at the time of inhalation and exhalation.
This creates balance in the two breath flows and in the
corresponding mental and physical processes.
Awakening of prana and sushumna
When this balance is achieved, the awakening of prana can take
place. Yogis have given a name to the awakening of prana which
happens in prana nigraha. When the ida and pingala forces begin to
flow regularly, rhythmically and continuously, and no blockages or
physiological discomfort is encountered in the breathing process,
then that stage is known as pranotthana, which means ‘the awakening
of the pranas’, more specifically the awakening of the two pranas, ida
and pingala.
When the awakening of the two pranas, ida and pingala, occurs,
the third nadi or force, known as sushumna, awakens. This
awakening of the third nadi is considered to be most important in
pranayama, kriya yoga and kundalini. It is only when sushumna is
awakened that pranayama actually begins. Until this occurs ida and
pingala purification continues at the level of prana nigraha. With the
awakening of sushumna, the practice of pranayama and the
expansion of prana takes place within the pranic structure.
Therefore, the extent of our physical effort is limited to prana
nigraha. Even with the purification of the nadis and the awakening
and balancing of ida and pingala, there will be no expansion in the
field of prana. The pranic field expands only when sushumna
awakens, and actual pranayama begins after this.
3. Pranayama
The expansion of prana takes place in three stages. The first stage is
the reversal of the flow of apana, the second stage is the reversal of
the flow of prana and the third stage is the expansion of the pranic
energy at samana. As mentioned before, in the prana nigraha group
only three pranas are considered to be important: apana, the
downward moving force, prana, the upward moving force, and
samana, the lateral moving force. These three pranas are the ones
directly affected when we come to the stage of pranayama which
follows prana nigraha. Once we have achieved control over the
breathing process and can lengthen the breath and retain it with full
control, without any shortness of breath during the process of
pooraka (inhalation), rechaka (exhalation) and kumbhaka (retention),
then the first stage of pranayama, the reversal of apana energy, can
occur.
Stage one: Apana energy, which flows downward, is wilfully
reversed and made to flow upward from mooladhara to manipura.
The yogic texts state that at this stage the inhalation and reversal of
apana must happen through the ida channel. This is why it is
generally said that we should begin pranayama with the left nostril,
ida nadi. But in the prana nigraha stage, when we are simply trying
to practise breath awareness, breath control and lengthening of the
breath, it does not really matter through which nostril we begin the
practice. The reversal of apana takes place through ida nadi, by
inhaling through ida and feeling the flow of apana reverse and rise
up through the passage of ida from mooladhara to manipura.
However, to reach this level where you can sensitize the awareness to
actually feel the upward flow of apana from mooladhara to manipura
may take many months of practice.
Stage two: The force of prana, which normally flows upward in
the thoracic region, is reversed and made to flow downward from
vishuddhi to manipura. This process takes place at the time of
exhalation when there is awareness of the prana moving downwards
through pingala nadi from vishuddhi to manipura.
Stage three: The merger of the three pranas: apana, prana and
samana, takes place at manipura with the practice of kumbhaka or
breath retention. When the forces of apana and prana merge in the
region of samana, it is the culmination of pranayama. At the time of
kumbhaka there has to be total awareness of manipura, not in the
form of a chakra but in the form of agni mandala. Agni means ‘fire’
and mandala means ‘zone’ or ‘area’, so agni mandala means zone of
fire.
When there is mastery over the process of kumbhaka and the
aspirant is able to retain the breath for an extended period of time,
say for the duration of four to eight Gayatri mantras, at that time
dharana has to be practised on agni mandala. When concentration is
practised along with pranayama, then the three pranas fuse into one
and activate the other two pranas, udana and vyana. When the five
pranas are activated simultaneously, the kundalini energy is
awakened. This is the final process of the expansion of prana, the
third stage of pranayama. There is no written practical instruction on
how to practise this last stage. It is a verbal instruction given to the
aspirant by the master who sees the progress and perfection of the
technique.
Indications of perfected pranayama
The yogic texts describe the perfected process of pooraka, rechaka
and kumbhaka in the process of pranayama. At the time of pooraka,
inhalation, when apana is rising through ida nadi, there is an
incredible cold sensation. It is as if the whole being is entering into a
state of hibernation; there is a feeling of total withdrawal. It is the
last stage of sensory withdrawal that a person can have on a psychic
level. I have seen a few people who changed totally after a month or
so of normal pranayama practice. They became withdrawn and
quiet, as they went deeper and deeper into the pranic hole. That is a
physical indication of apana reversing through ida nadi.
The yogic texts also state that at the time of rechaka, exhalation,
when prana is being reversed, there is a feeling of total void, where
nothing actually comes to the surface of the mind. The mind goes
absolutely blank. There is no input of any kind from the world of
name, form and idea. There is a feeling of total shoonyata, as if the
entire energy is leaving the head, which is the active thinking centre,
and merging itself in manipura. So, the normal mind which sees,
experiences and thinks does not exist at that level. It is very hard to
relate to any kind of thought, idea, desire or emotion. Whatever
happens seems very far away. The body moves like a puppet, as if
someone else is manipulating it.
The difficulty here is that since many of these practitioners are
unaware of the physiological or psychological changes that may take
place due to pranayama practice, they become afraid and stop the
practice in order to return to the normal state. Therefore,
pranayama practices have always been secretive techniques. Twenty
years ago people were not aware of pranayama at all and even now
no one is aware of these esoteric aspects of pranayama. We consider
pranayama as simply opening one nostril and closing the other.
However, it is not possible to go deep, where these kind of reversal
processes and psychic manifestations occur, without proper
guidance. If one tries to do so, it is possible to lose balance of mind
and to lose control over the manifestations of energy, which may
begin to run wild in the body.
In kumbhaka, when prana and apana are merged at manipura, at
agni mandala, all the modifications or vrittis of the mind cease to
function. The entire consciousness, the mental perception and the
whole pranic structure cut off their connection with the physical
body, and there is a total stoppage of the vrittis. However, this
cessation of the vrittis is not the aim of pranayama. It is an
indication, a marker or milestone to let you know that you have
come to the point where you have perfected the techniques of
pranayama and it is now time to move on to the next practice.
Do not think that Sage Patanjali’s statement about controlling the
chitta vrittis is achieved through pranayama. In the final practice of
pranayama, the entire mind and all the perceptions of mind, the
prana and all the manifestations of prana, are brought together at
one point. Because of this merger there is no awareness of what is
happening at other levels. One feels as if one is being moved like a
puppet. One cannot rationally or logically see what is just or unjust,
but this is a temporary phase.
This third aspect of pranayama, the merger and awakening of the
pranic body, takes place within the span of a few weeks and then one
comes out of it. It does not last for years and years, nor is it a
condition to be aspired for. It is like all the spark plugs of a car firing
at the same time to start the engine. Once the engine starts they stop
firing and sparking. So, all these withdrawals of consciousness,
energy, perception and other mental faculties are the firing or
sparking manifestations which occur. Once the pranic generator
begins to function, they again revert back to their normal states.
When this last stage of pranayama is perfected, there are physical,
mental, psychic and spiritual experiences. On the physical level
there are two major indications. Good digestion is one. As agni
mandala becomes totally active, you can eat anything without
experiencing any problems. Yogis who have perfected pranayama
can even digest poison without ill effects. The second physical
indication is lightness of the body, which manifests as the siddhi of
levitation, or raising the body off the floor. These are the two
physical indications that manifest when one has perfected
pranayama.
On the mental level the vrittis are controlled but not stopped. To
become the master of the vrittis, you see the changes and act
accordingly. On the psychic level, it is said that the nada or psychic
sound is heard. This sound can be heard even when one is walking,
eating or talking to someone. The depth of one’s being opens up
and one becomes aware of the vibration that is controlling the whole
body. When the pranas are activated one becomes aware of their
movement and the sound they are producing at the time of their
activity; that is the manifestation of nada. Therefore, pranayama is
the technique that precedes pratyahara, dharana and dhyana. This
last aspect of pranayama is very subtle, and if we go into it deeply
then it is possible to have this experience in one split second.The concept of asana is a physical posture in which one is at total
ease and in perfect harmony with oneself. This has to be understood
properly. As Sage Patanjali and other yogis referred only to asanas
which are static or which are used for meditation, many people
believe that the other asanas, in which the body does not remain still,
are not part of this classification. Many people have classified asanas
as either non-traditional dynamic postures or traditional static
postures, but actually asanas cannot be classified in this way. A much
broader range is encompassed.
Aspects of posture
Non-traditional dynamic postures refers to asanas performed as fast
movements, which do not allow the practitioner to remain quiet and
comfortable due to the involvement in continuous movement. Surya
namaskara is an example of a dynamic asana in which one is
constantly moving from one posture to the next. However, this
actually represents one stage of asana practice, and there are five
stages which should be understood. The body has to undergo
different kinds of changes; it is not static or stable by nature.
First, from the normal state in which we use the movements of our
body in a limited way, it moves into the second playful, dynamic state
where we run, jump and stretch. From there it moves into the third
state where we are able to touch our toes or to bend backwards
without straining any part of the body. Then the fourth state follows
where we are able to maintain our physical balance in the balancing
posture. The fifth stage is where we can adopt a posture for an
extended period of time during which the body remains perfectly
still, motionless and at ease, without any type of discomfort or pain.
These are the five stages of asana practice.
Sage Patanjali’s statement regarding asanas refers not only to
meditative postures, as is the belief of the commentators, but also to
the various states of flexibility, adaptability and comfort in the body
during asana practice. There is a lot of evidence available to prove
the point that asanas are not only meditative, as described in the
traditional literature.
Many of the Yoga Upanishads speak of various postures such as
mayurasana (peacock pose) as being asanas in which the body is in
perfect harmony with itself. Mayurasana is not an easy posture to
perform as there is a lot of pressure, tension and discomfort due to
the constriction of the chest, the pressure in the region of the
diaphragm, the weight of the body being placed on the wrists and
the effort of balancing the body. So, if such a posture is referred to in
the Yoga Upanishads, it is necessary to think about whether
meditation posture is the true meaning of asana.
There are other asanas described in the Upanishads such as
vrischikasana, (scorpion pose), surya namaskara, which is described
as the final state of asana, and vashishthasana, a balancing asana
invented by Sage Vashishtha in which he would spend a minimum of
three hours every day. These are the types of asanas that are
considered to be perfect postures, in which the total body is in
harmony. In these postures the body is comfortable and there is no
disturbance or tension in any part, there is concentration of mind
and also blissfulness during the practice.
Looking at the various asanas that have been described, we can
see that in the five stages that have been discussed, the body is taken
from a normal state to a highly tuned and balanced state. Therefore,
no matter which asana we perform, even if it is the most dynamic in
which we are pulling, stretching and pushing every ligament, muscle
and nerve of the body, there should be awareness, balance, comfort
and stillness.
Effect of posture on the body
The effect of posture on the body is very deep and subtle. The
common aches and pains due to bad posture can be experienced
practically every day. Those office workers and executives who sit in
chairs, bent over desks for extended hours, generally tend to have
stiff backs and shoulders, which later on become the source of back
pain and the cause of stiffening and hardening of the joints,
eventually culminating in chronic spondylitis.
This is a very common situation that we encounter every day in
different intensities. Many times due to bad posture while sleeping,
one wakes up feeling stiff and tight in the morning. Often due to
incorrect sitting posture there is pain in the spine and one has to get
up and stretch the body. Sometimes one feels pain in the neck and
shoulders due to stooping and has to expand the chest again in
order to feel better.
It is definitely not possible to awaken the pranas in certain
physical conditions over which there is no voluntary control. It is not
possible to clear the blockages from the nadis when there is
recurring bad posture which creates continual pain and suffering. So,
the first thing that yoga says is to observe the posture that you are
using every day and to correct it. When you sit down, sit properly;
that is asana. Performing the lotus posture, the headstand and salute
to the sun is not the only way to practise asana. These postures are a
means of aligning the body and creating a particular condition in
which there is the experience of harmony.
If asanas only work when we are performing them, then their
purpose is incomplete. It may be that our pranas become active
while sitting in the lotus posture and practising meditation, but what
about the times when we are not sitting in the lotus posture and our
position is all wrong? At such times, the stimulation or awakening
that we felt during the practice of the lotus posture is gone. So
situations like these have led to the belief that asanas are definitely
not just meditative postures, with due respect to the commentators
on the different yogic literature.
When you begin to gradually coordinate and harmonize the
different body systems, such as the skeletal, muscular, nervous,
glandular, respiratory and digestive systems, through various
positions and movements, that is asana. When physical harmony is
achieved through this practice, that is the culmination of asana, the
apex that can be achieved during asana practice. Once we reach this
apex, there is no limit to what our bodies can do and to what we can
do. Even difficult asanas such as vashishthasana, dynamic asanas like
surya namaskara and the simplest group of asanas such as
pawanmuktasana become a meditative process when performed
properly. So, asanas are those positions or movements whereby
perfect coordination of the body is attained.
Range of asana
The tradition also maintains that the benefit achieved through the
practice of asana is knowledge of the three dimensions. Any
layperson trying to study traditional literature will begin to wonder
how one can achieve knowledge of the three dimensions by the
practice of asana. The three dimensions can be understood in any
sense, such as physical, mental and spiritual; gross, subtle and causal;
waking, dreaming and sleeping states, and so forth. However,
looking at the different descriptions of the three dimensions we can
see that these dimensions are best understood in terms of the koshas:
annamaya, manomaya and pranamaya, because the extent of
experience of the physical body is limited to these three dimensions,
and asanas are physical in nature.
1. Annamaya kosha is the physical aspect, the bones, muscles,
nerves, blood circulation and the internal organs, such as the lungs,
heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas. Everything that is physical in
nature is included within annamaya kosha. The practice of asana is
never unconscious or mechanical. It should always be done with
awareness and concentration. For the practice of each asana, the
yogis have described where we have to concentrate, which chakras
and what kind of sensation and feeling we have to be aware of, and
also what kind of pain we may experience. There is a wide range of
experiences of which we have to become aware and observant.
This faculty of awareness or observation will increase our
sensitivity to our own body. Therefore, through the practice of asanas
we must first learn to observe our own body. What the body needs,
what type of stretch, what type of release the muscular system needs,
what kind of tension underlies which system, whether there is any
disturbance being experienced anywhere in our physical body. What
is the physical experience in the state of comfort, in the state of
stillness and quietness? This in-depth awareness of the body is the
first benefit of asana practice at the level of annamaya kosha.
2. Manomaya kosha is the mental aspect. At the level of manomaya
kosha the effort made to still the mind is very important. While
making a physical movement, we are adding awareness and trying to
concentrate. We are trying to practise asana pratyahara by
withdrawing the mind from the distractions that pull it outside and
merging it with the physical posture. So, asana pratyahara is the
experience of manomaya kosha, where one begins to know the
movement, nature, quality, strengths and weaknesses of the mind
through the practice of asana.
3. Pranamaya kosha is the energy aspect. When the body and mind
are attuned with each other, pranamaya kosha is definitely affected.
This is because prana relates very much to physiological experiences
such as muscular stiffness and tiredness, and different pranic blocks
are experienced in the physical body in the form of discomfort,
energy depletion or disease. If there is dissipation of mind, one
cannot be aware of this pranic energy or direct it into the right
channels, where it can become the tool for the awakening of the
subtle and dormant potentials. Awareness of prana requires intense
sensitivity of mind. If the mind is not sensitive enough, there cannot
be an experience of prana. Without concentration and awareness
there will be no experience of prana.
This knowledge of pranamaya kosha, which is awakened through
the practice of asana, prepares the practitioner for the techniques of
pranayama, which deal specifically with the field of prana. So, asana
becomes the stepping stone to the practice of pranayama. The
purpose of asana is to remove the pranic blockages and regulate the
flow of prana throughout the body. The purpose of pranayama is to
awaken the pranas, and this is where the range of asana ends. This is
the meaning of the statement from the Upanishads that knowledge
of the three dimensions dawns through perfection of asana. To
continue beyond this physical range, techniques of pranayama,
pratyahara and dharana are required.
PRANAYAMA
Pranayama is the fourth aspect of raja yoga, which follows the
sequence of asana. Through asana one transcends the limitations of
the body and mind and gains an in-depth awareness of the koshas up
to pranamaya. The techniques of pranayama further intensify and
develop awareness of pranamaya kosha. They awaken the different
pranas within the physical structure and also remove blockages from
the chakras, thus paving the path for the awakening of kundalini.
In Sanskrit the word prana means ‘vital energy’ and ayama means
‘to expand’. So, the actual meaning of the word pranayama is
‘expansion of the range of vital energy’. However, before the practice
of pranayama there is another stage, known as prana nigraha. The
word nigraha means ‘control’, so prana nigraha is the ‘control of
prana’. These are the two aspects of pranayama covered by raja yoga.
Initially, when we begin the breathing practices, it is not actually
pranayama we are practising. Pranayama is the result of attaining
full control over the functions of the upa-pranas or sub-pranas. After
attaining harmony in the physiological structure, when prana is
awakened in the realm of the chakras then pranayama begins. It is in
this context, because of these subtle aspects of which we were
previously unaware, that we have to clarify our preconceptions about
pranayama. Therefore, we will take up the subject of prana first,
second, prana nigraha and third, pranayama.
1. Aspects of prana
Prana or vital energy is the essence of all created, manifest forms,
whether animate or inanimate. It is the essence or the force which
determines the existence of matter and other elements. In chapter 8
(Hatha Yoga), it was explained that the original prana is known as
maha prana. Maha prana is the transcendental aspect of prana
which is unmanifest and does not come into the categories of either
sthoola, gross, manifestation or sukshma, subtle, manifestation.
When the maha prana is combined with the attributes of prakriti or
nature, then it is simply known as prana.
This second stage is actually the combination of prakriti and
maha prana working together to create the gross and subtle
manifestations. From this prana comes ida, the sukshma or subtle
pranic experience, and pingala, the sthoola or gross pranic
experience. Another name for ida is chit shakti, the force that governs
the subtle dimensions, while for pingala it is prana shakti, the force
that governs the dimension of matter.
Diagram 2: Aspects of Prana
From this manifest, pranic force, there are five further
manifestations. The first is the physical prana or upward moving
energy. The second is apana or the downward moving energy. The
third is samana, the lateral moving energy that balances and
distributes. The fourth is udana, the circular moving energy. The
fifth is vyana, the all-pervading energy.
In brief, these five pranas belong to the dimension of matter, to
the physical realm of experience. Ida and pingala belong to the
mental realm of experience. The result of the merger of prakriti and
maha prana is the psychic realm of prana. So, the first aspect, the
group of five pranas, is physical; the second aspect, ida and pingala,
is mental; the third aspect, prana, is psychic or causal, and the fourth
aspect, maha prana, is transcendental.
Five pranas – the physical aspect
Beginning with the body, these five pranas have different functions
and flows.
1. Sthoola prana, the upward moving force, is situated in the
thoracic region between the diaphragm and the throat. The physical
organs associated with this prana are the lungs, heart, oesophagus
and trachea. Control and regulation of the functioning of these
organs is attributed to the physical prana. Inhalation and exhalation
of air are functions of the physical prana, and without these two
aspects of breathing we would not survive. If the heart or the blood
circulation were to stop, it would be difficult to survive. So these two
major organs which are necessary for survival are controlled by
prana.
2. Apana, the downward moving force, is situated in the pelvic
region between the navel and the perineum. This energy is
responsible for the elimination of waste matter and toxins from the
body. Apana controls the functioning of the kidneys, bladder, large
intestine and the urinary and excretory organs. Expulsion of faeces
and urine, which is necessary for the survival and fitness of the body,
is regulated by the apana force.
3. Samana, the lateral moving force, is situated in the abdominal
region between the diaphragm and the navel. This balancing force
controls the entire digestive process. The physical organs associated
with samana are the stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, duodenum and
small intestine. All the food that we eat is broken down and the
nutrients necessary to maintain the fitness of the body are
distributed by samana. The word sama or samana means ‘equal’, and
is the prana which distributes equally the nutrients necessary to
preserve the annamaya kosha.
4. Udana, the circular moving force, is responsible for the
functioning of the jnanendriyas, sensory organs, and the
karmendriyas, organs of action. Udana is situated in the legs, arms,
neck and head. It coordinates and controls the movements of the
legs, arms and neck and directs the activities of the brain and
sensory organs, which are situated in the head region. These include
the eyes, vision; ears, hearing; tongue, taste; nose, smell; and skin,
tactile sensation. The organs of action controlled by udana are three
in number: hands, feet and speech; the other two – the excretory and
urinary organs, are under the control of apana.
5. Vyana, the all pervasive force, is the reserve tank of annamaya
kosha. When the pranic petrol is empty and there is no filling
station, then the reserves of vyana are used. Vyana is the reserve
force which becomes active whenever there is a lack of energy in any
of the other pranas. It is what is known as the second wind. Often
when we overexert ourselves physically and feel extremely tired, a
rush of energy comes which enables us to continue. This is the vyana
experience.
Apart from the physical aspect, these five pranas are connected to
the chakras. Apana is responsible for the functioning of the two
lower centres of mooladhara and swadhisthana. Samana is
responsible for the manipura experience of vitality and dynamism.
Anahata and vishuddhi are controlled by prana. Ajna, bindu and
sahasrara are controlled by udana. Vyana is all pervasive. These are
the physiological locations and aspects of the five pranas.
At the physical level, these five pranas, and more specifically the
prana located in the thoracic region, are said to be related to the ingoing and out-going breath. The breathing techniques, which are
known as pranayama, aim at stimulating and awakening these five
pranas through a process of controlled inhalation, exhalation and
retention. So, the breath is linked with prana in the physical sense.
Ida and pingala – mental aspect
Let us move on to the mental aspect of our life, which is dominated
by the experience of ida and pingala. Ida is the mental force, which
is represented by the moon, the lunar energy. The traditional name
for ida is chit shakti, the force of chitta. All the mental experiences
that we have in life and the functions of the four aspects of mind:
manas, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara, are controlled by ida, as long
as they remain mental in nature, without manifesting physical
interaction. What you are experiencing right now: the thoughts,
sensations, vibrations, creation of different ideas and images, are the
work of chit shakti, the ida force.
Diagram 3: Range of Ida and Pingala
The ida force is the subtle energy that controls manomaya and
vijnanamaya koshas, whereas pingala controls annamaya and
anandamaya koshas. Please remember that asanas influence
annamaya, manomaya and pranamaya koshas, and pranayama
influences pranamaya kosha. From pranamaya kosha, the ida and
pingala forces reach out in both directions.
The thoughts and mental experiences that remain confined to the
manomaya kosha or the mental dimension until they become
physical are known as ida activity. Desires, thoughts, emotions and
feelings are given form and vitality by the force of ida. Vijnanamaya
kosha, the intuitive ability and knowledge one gains through
sadhana, is also a function of ida, the mental force. So, the range of
ida covers manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas.
The range of pingala, or the vital force, is first experienced as
physical vitality in annamaya kosha. Physical stamina and
stimulation, the states of relaxation and tension, are the physical
aspects of pingala energy. In anandamaya kosha the awareness which
remains even in the deepest state of meditation, after the dissolution
of all the samskaras and karmas, is the result of awakened pingala.
Even in samadhi, where there is awareness, there is pingala energy.
This is the subtle aspect of prana.
Yoga says that even the subtle areas and experiences of mind can
be controlled through the practices of pranayama. Please remember
that pranayama is the expansion of the pranic range, it is not control
of the breath. The techniques of nadi shodhana, bhramari, bhastrika
or kapalbhati are techniques of prana nigraha, they are not
pranayama.
Kundalini – causal aspect
After the subtle aspect of prana comes the causal aspect, the
combination of prakriti and maha prana. This psychic area is where
the kundalini manifests, because kundalini represents the manifest
energy which has gone through different transformations, from the
sublime to the most earthly form. The reversal of this process, which
is known as kundalini awakening, is directed or motivated from the
causal aspect of prana. When all the chakras are fully active and
functioning, when the pranic passages are clear, then kundalini is
awakened. When a spiritual awakening takes place and the kundalini
rises up from mooladhara through the different chakras towards
sahasrara, it is controlled by the dimension of maha prana combined
with prakriti. The combination of maha prana and prakriti equals
kundalini. Maha prana is the final state of effulgence in sahasrara.
2. Prana nigraha
The word nigraha means ‘control of ’ and prana means ‘vital energy’.
Therefore, prana nigraha means ‘control of the vital energy.’ This
vital energy can be seen from the physical as well as the pranic
viewpoint. The physical aspect deals with control of the vital air and
the pranic aspect deals with control of the movement of vital energy
that takes place at the level of prana, apana and samana.
First we will deal with the physical aspect. When we talk about
prana in the physical body as something which is manifest, then the
attention is automatically diverted to the breath. There are certain
traditions in yoga, including those of pranayama and swara, which
say that the normal breath is the external manifestation of this vital
energy. Therefore, it is imperative that we know how to breathe
properly. Correct breathing will provide oxygen, strength and
stamina for the whole body. It will also deepen the awareness of the
pranic flow in all the channels.
In the physiological description of pranayama, the practices begin
with i) awareness of the breath, ii) lengthening of the breath and iii)
directing the breath within a particular part of the body, for
example, in the frontal passage from navel to throat, or from navel
to ajna, or in the spinal passage from mooladhara to ajna. Once
these three steps have been covered then we come to the fourth step,
which is alteration of the flow of breath in the different nostrils. This
fourth step is an important one.
Purification of the nasal passage so that there is no difficulty in
breathing is one of the first considerations in pranayama. Therefore,
as a general rule in pranayama it is always suggested that any kind of
practice is begun with whichever nostril is open and flowing, and not
necessarily with the right or the left nostril. Inhalation should be
through the open nostril, whether right or left, and exhalation
should be through the blocked nostril. Awareness, lengthening,
direction and alteration of breath are all known as prana nigraha.
Whatever practice we do, whether nadi shodhana, kapalbhati,
bhastrika, surya bheda, chandra bheda, sheetali, seetkari, bhramari
or ujjayi, the main purpose is initially to become aware of the
breathing process and then lengthen it.
Lengthening the breath
Normally, due to the dissipated state of pranic energies, our breath is
very shallow and short. We tend to breathe more through the
thoracic cavity, rather than through the lower abdomen. This
thoracic breathing is not acceptable in yoga because breathing in
through the upper part of the chest does not utilize the full capacity
of the lungs. However, by moving the diaphragm with the breath,
there is access to the lower part of the lungs and a greater quantum
of air. Using the full capacity of the lungs is an important
consideration for yoga practitioners as well as for those who wish to
improve their health and raise their energy levels.
Initially, in the yogic practices lower abdominal breathing is
taught to develop the awareness of air filling the lower half of the
lungs. The diaphragm and abdomen work like a pump which sucks
the air inside and pushes the air outside. With this practice the
process of increasing the inhalation and exhalation pattern of the
breath begins. Later on, different ratios are added in order to
gradually increase the length of the breath without discomfort at the
time of controlled respiration. If we try to breathe slowly and deeply
without any training, the lungs get tired very easily. So the breathing
ratio is increased slowly one count at a time. At first, inhalation and
exhalation are given the same count, for example, 5:5, as in nadi
shodhana. Then the exhalation becomes twice the duration of the
inhalation. In this way the ratio keeps increasing to strengthen the
lungs and diaphragm, so that there is no tension, tiredness or
discomfort felt when we come to the more advanced stages of
pranayama.
It is said that a person who has perfected pranayama should
normally breathe about one breath per minute. Now, we breathe
approximately ten to fifteen times per minute. Ultimately, however,
it should be possible to gain sufficient control over the process of
breathing so that even in the normal waking state, whether sitting,
walking or working, it will take thirty seconds to inhale and thirty
seconds to exhale, and that should become the normal everyday
pattern.
To reach this point of breath control, the final ratio
corresponding to the Gayatri mantra is taught. This is performed in
the following manner: one slow and steady inhalation, with one
repetition of Gayatri mantra, which has twenty-four matras or
counts, then internal retention with repetition of four Gayatris,
which is ninety-six counts, then exhalation with repetition of two
Gayatris, which is forty-eight counts, and external retention with
repetition of two Gayatris, again forty-eight counts. This count of
1:4:2:2 is the ideal ratio of the breath: one: inhale; four: retain the
breath inside; two: exhale; and two: retain the breath outside. To
reach this level of control may take many years, but this is the final
stage of breath control to which pranayama can take you at the
physical level. This describes the process of lengthening the breath
and how total control is gained over the breathing process, while still
remaining at ease and feeling no discomfort.
Effect of pranayama on the three pranas
After this, we come to two more important aspects of prana, which
are heat generating and cold generating. Samana, the force
responsible for digestion and distribution of nutrients or energy to
the different parts of the body, is responsible for the generation of
heat. Most of the pranayama practices that generate heat in the body
stimulate and activate samana. For example, bhastrika, or bellows
breathing, pumps the stomach in and out continuously and there is
direct stimulation of the samana force. Kapalbhati also directly
stimulates the samana force. These pranayama techniques which can
make us sweat and which increase the blood pressure, vitality and
stamina in the body are concerned with the awakening of samana.
On the other hand, we have cold generating pranayama practices.
These are the practices that lower the blood pressure and reduce
hyperactivity. Here the process changes. The breathing is done
through the mouth, which links the breath with the apana force.
These cooling pranayama practices include sheetali, where the
tongue forms a tube through which the breath is sucked in, or
seetkari, where the breath is drawn in through the clenched teeth.
So, the prana situated in the thoracic region is never used,
stimulated or awakened in the practices of bhastrika, kapalbhati,
sheetali or seetkari. These pranayama practices work only with the
energies of samana and apana. Activation of samana is activation of
manipura and the solar plexus, which is related to manipura.
Activation of apana is activation of mooladhara and the sacral
plexus, which is related to swadhisthana.
Kumbhaka, or retention of the breath, whether internal or
external, is the only method through which prana is stimulated or
awakened. If we hold the breath and concentrate, after some time we
will notice a build up of heat in the thoracic region. We will not
experience this heat at manipura. The heat generated in manipura
or samana dissipates throughout the whole body. But the heat
generated at the level of prana, in the chest area, does not dissipate;
it remains there. When this heat is experienced and intensified by
the practice of kumbhaka, the activation of prana will also combine
with the awakening experience of samana and apana.
In the Yoga Sutras, Sage Patanjali has spoken about different kinds
of pranayama, but he has been very simple and brief in his
description. He says that inhalation, exhalation and breath retention
are the three kinds of pranayama. When people read this statement
they think that the physical process of inhalation, retention and
exhalation represent the three kinds of pranayama referred to, but
this is not the case. These three actually represent the awakening of
the three pranas. Retention corresponds to the force of prana,
inhalation corresponds to the force of samana and exhalation
corresponds to the force of apana. So, according to that sutra, the
control of these three pranas is the real pranayama, which is called
prana nigraha.
In kundalini yoga another reference to the relationship between
these three pranas and pranayama can be found. Kundalini yoga
describes the process of kundalini awakening as the reversing of the
prana and apana flows and their meeting in samana or manipura.
Normally apana flows downwards and prana flows upwards; they are
being repulsed by each other. In the centre of the body is the lateral
flow of samana. So, when we reverse the flow of apana and prana,
and the three forces merge in samana, then kundalini awakening
takes place. This explanation is just a reference to explain more fully
the process of inhalation, exhalation and retention as the three kinds
of pranayama.
The breath plays a vital role in providing awareness of prana.
Through the breath we can direct this pranic force to merge at one
point. However, in the advanced stages of pranayama, the breathing
technique by itself is not enough. There are different techniques,
such as prana vidya, bandhas and mudras, and only when these are
combined do they become the advanced aspect of pranayama.
Conductors of prana
The nadi system described in pranayama does not correspond to the
nerve system of the physical body, rather it belongs to the bioplasmic
body. The word nadi does not mean nerve, it means ‘flow’, something
which is flowing. The nadis are the channels through which the
energy or prana flows. The energy pathways of the pranic body are
known as nadis. The system of kundalini yoga describes the medhra,
or plexus of the pranic body, from which all the nadis emanate. This
nadi plexus is situated in the region between mooladhara and
swadhisthana. From this particular plexus, seventy-two thousand
nadis emanate. These nadis are the conductors of the pranic force
which is distributed throughout the various parts of the body.
Out of these seventy-two thousand nadis, which include all the
major and minor flows, only seventy-two are considered important.
Out of these seventy-two nadis, which are the carriers of prana and
the corresponding vayus, the upa-pranas, only ten are considered to
be major. These ten major nadis are situated in the spinal cord and
pass through each and every chakra. Each of these ten nadis carries
the ten different manifestations of prana, apana, samana, udana,
vyana, and the five minor pranas, naga, koorma, krikara, devadatta
and dhananajaya.
These minor pranas are responsible for such actions as sneezing,
yawning, itching, belching and blinking of the eyelids. The
autonomic activities over which there is no voluntary control are
regulated by these minor pranas, which are known as vayus. So the
five pranas and the five vayus flow along these ten channels which
emanate from the medhra or the nadi plexus in the region between
swadhisthana and mooladhara. They connect the seven chakras
together and move continuously from mooladhara to sahasrara in
one bunch.
Of these ten pranic flows, three are most important: ida, pingala
and sushumna. Both ida and pingala are nadis but, at the same time,
they represent the action of prana on the physical and mental levels.
Thus we have ida nadi and ida force, and pingala nadi and pingala
force. The channel and the force that it carries are two different
things. So, when we speak about ida we have to clarify whether we
are referring to the ida nadi or the ida force.
Ida and pingala nadis flow from mooladhara to ajna. The prana
they conduct is both subtle and gross, mental and physical. So, when
we speak of ida and pingala as being pranic force, we are referring to
the two aspects of prana which are active and passive in nature.
When we speak of ida and pingala nadi, we are referring to the
pranic passages which emanate from mooladhara and terminate at
ajna. The passive force flows in ida nadi and the active force flows in
pingala nadi.
Effect of alternate nostril breathing
Yogis have said that the normal breathing process is connected with
these two nadis and forces. This sounds logical because when we
check the flow of breath, we usually find that one nostril is more
open than the other. No physiologist has been able to say why we
have two nostrils, when the function of both nostrils is to breathe in
and out. No one has given an answer to this question so far, but it is
something we should consider. If the purpose was only to breathe in
and out, then there would be only one nostril. But I do not think
that was the consideration God had in mind when he made us. He
somehow created an invisible link between the two flows of the right
and left nostrils and the two forces of ida and pingala.
This speculation was made because each nostril flow creates a
different mental or physical state. In scientific terms we refer to these
activities as sympathetic and parasympathetic. This is something that
we can experience at any moment. When we are sleepy or drowsy, we
will notice that the left nostril is flowing. When we are active,
physically or mentally, then we will notice that the right nostril
begins to flow predominantly. Why does this changeover take place
and what is the connection between this change and the physical or
mental condition, for instance, in the state of drowsiness or in the
state of activity?
Therefore, yogis have speculated that each nostril is connected
with a particular nadi. When the breath flow is regulated in one
nostril, it will stimulate, awaken and vitalize the corresponding
pranic force. When the breath flow is regulated in the other nostril,
again the same stimulation or awakening will take place in the
corresponding pranic force. In order to manipulate the bioplasmic
or pranic body, and in order to intensify the experience of the pranic
body, the alteration and control of the breath in the nostrils is used.
Pingala, which flows in the right nostril, corresponds to the
physical aspect of life. It is ruled by the sun and therefore is known
as the solar force. Pingala is said to be positive in nature. According
to the Tao, it relates to the yang or male principle. It is hot in
temperature and is related to the sympathetic nervous system. Ida,
the flow in the left nostril, represents the opposite polarity. The
ruling planet is the moon, the negative force. According to the Tao,
it represents the yin or female principle. Ida is cold in nature and is
related to the parasympathetic nervous system. Ida and pingala
represent the duality of the pranic forces.
With physical control of the breath, by lengthening and
alternating the breath flow from one nostril to the other, certain
pranic changes also take place. These pranic changes help to clear
the pranic blockages which may exist in the nadis. For example, one
pranayama technique is nadi shodhana. In this practice we begin to
lengthen the breath and to alternate the breath through the nostrils
at a slow and steady pace. Then we increase the ability to retain the
breath.
Nadi shodhana means purification of the nadis. Shodhana means
‘purification’ or ‘piercing’, and nadi means ‘the pranic flow’. So this
practice, which is simple and easy in the beginning but becomes
complex and difficult later on, has the function of clearing the
pranic blockages from the passage of ida and pingala through
alternation of the nostrils at the time of inhalation and exhalation.
This creates balance in the two breath flows and in the
corresponding mental and physical processes.
Awakening of prana and sushumna
When this balance is achieved, the awakening of prana can take
place. Yogis have given a name to the awakening of prana which
happens in prana nigraha. When the ida and pingala forces begin to
flow regularly, rhythmically and continuously, and no blockages or
physiological discomfort is encountered in the breathing process,
then that stage is known as pranotthana, which means ‘the awakening
of the pranas’, more specifically the awakening of the two pranas, ida
and pingala.
When the awakening of the two pranas, ida and pingala, occurs,
the third nadi or force, known as sushumna, awakens. This
awakening of the third nadi is considered to be most important in
pranayama, kriya yoga and kundalini. It is only when sushumna is
awakened that pranayama actually begins. Until this occurs ida and
pingala purification continues at the level of prana nigraha. With the
awakening of sushumna, the practice of pranayama and the
expansion of prana takes place within the pranic structure.
Therefore, the extent of our physical effort is limited to prana
nigraha. Even with the purification of the nadis and the awakening
and balancing of ida and pingala, there will be no expansion in the
field of prana. The pranic field expands only when sushumna
awakens, and actual pranayama begins after this.
3. Pranayama
The expansion of prana takes place in three stages. The first stage is
the reversal of the flow of apana, the second stage is the reversal of
the flow of prana and the third stage is the expansion of the pranic
energy at samana. As mentioned before, in the prana nigraha group
only three pranas are considered to be important: apana, the
downward moving force, prana, the upward moving force, and
samana, the lateral moving force. These three pranas are the ones
directly affected when we come to the stage of pranayama which
follows prana nigraha. Once we have achieved control over the
breathing process and can lengthen the breath and retain it with full
control, without any shortness of breath during the process of
pooraka (inhalation), rechaka (exhalation) and kumbhaka (retention),
then the first stage of pranayama, the reversal of apana energy, can
occur.
Stage one: Apana energy, which flows downward, is wilfully
reversed and made to flow upward from mooladhara to manipura.
The yogic texts state that at this stage the inhalation and reversal of
apana must happen through the ida channel. This is why it is
generally said that we should begin pranayama with the left nostril,
ida nadi. But in the prana nigraha stage, when we are simply trying
to practise breath awareness, breath control and lengthening of the
breath, it does not really matter through which nostril we begin the
practice. The reversal of apana takes place through ida nadi, by
inhaling through ida and feeling the flow of apana reverse and rise
up through the passage of ida from mooladhara to manipura.
However, to reach this level where you can sensitize the awareness to
actually feel the upward flow of apana from mooladhara to manipura
may take many months of practice.
Stage two: The force of prana, which normally flows upward in
the thoracic region, is reversed and made to flow downward from
vishuddhi to manipura. This process takes place at the time of
exhalation when there is awareness of the prana moving downwards
through pingala nadi from vishuddhi to manipura.
Stage three: The merger of the three pranas: apana, prana and
samana, takes place at manipura with the practice of kumbhaka or
breath retention. When the forces of apana and prana merge in the
region of samana, it is the culmination of pranayama. At the time of
kumbhaka there has to be total awareness of manipura, not in the
form of a chakra but in the form of agni mandala. Agni means ‘fire’
and mandala means ‘zone’ or ‘area’, so agni mandala means zone of
fire.
When there is mastery over the process of kumbhaka and the
aspirant is able to retain the breath for an extended period of time,
say for the duration of four to eight Gayatri mantras, at that time
dharana has to be practised on agni mandala. When concentration is
practised along with pranayama, then the three pranas fuse into one
and activate the other two pranas, udana and vyana. When the five
pranas are activated simultaneously, the kundalini energy is
awakened. This is the final process of the expansion of prana, the
third stage of pranayama. There is no written practical instruction on
how to practise this last stage. It is a verbal instruction given to the
aspirant by the master who sees the progress and perfection of the
technique.
Indications of perfected pranayama
The yogic texts describe the perfected process of pooraka, rechaka
and kumbhaka in the process of pranayama. At the time of pooraka,
inhalation, when apana is rising through ida nadi, there is an
incredible cold sensation. It is as if the whole being is entering into a
state of hibernation; there is a feeling of total withdrawal. It is the
last stage of sensory withdrawal that a person can have on a psychic
level. I have seen a few people who changed totally after a month or
so of normal pranayama practice. They became withdrawn and
quiet, as they went deeper and deeper into the pranic hole. That is a
physical indication of apana reversing through ida nadi.
The yogic texts also state that at the time of rechaka, exhalation,
when prana is being reversed, there is a feeling of total void, where
nothing actually comes to the surface of the mind. The mind goes
absolutely blank. There is no input of any kind from the world of
name, form and idea. There is a feeling of total shoonyata, as if the
entire energy is leaving the head, which is the active thinking centre,
and merging itself in manipura. So, the normal mind which sees,
experiences and thinks does not exist at that level. It is very hard to
relate to any kind of thought, idea, desire or emotion. Whatever
happens seems very far away. The body moves like a puppet, as if
someone else is manipulating it.
The difficulty here is that since many of these practitioners are
unaware of the physiological or psychological changes that may take
place due to pranayama practice, they become afraid and stop the
practice in order to return to the normal state. Therefore,
pranayama practices have always been secretive techniques. Twenty
years ago people were not aware of pranayama at all and even now
no one is aware of these esoteric aspects of pranayama. We consider
pranayama as simply opening one nostril and closing the other.
However, it is not possible to go deep, where these kind of reversal
processes and psychic manifestations occur, without proper
guidance. If one tries to do so, it is possible to lose balance of mind
and to lose control over the manifestations of energy, which may
begin to run wild in the body.
In kumbhaka, when prana and apana are merged at manipura, at
agni mandala, all the modifications or vrittis of the mind cease to
function. The entire consciousness, the mental perception and the
whole pranic structure cut off their connection with the physical
body, and there is a total stoppage of the vrittis. However, this
cessation of the vrittis is not the aim of pranayama. It is an
indication, a marker or milestone to let you know that you have
come to the point where you have perfected the techniques of
pranayama and it is now time to move on to the next practice.
Do not think that Sage Patanjali’s statement about controlling the
chitta vrittis is achieved through pranayama. In the final practice of
pranayama, the entire mind and all the perceptions of mind, the
prana and all the manifestations of prana, are brought together at
one point. Because of this merger there is no awareness of what is
happening at other levels. One feels as if one is being moved like a
puppet. One cannot rationally or logically see what is just or unjust,
but this is a temporary phase.
This third aspect of pranayama, the merger and awakening of the
pranic body, takes place within the span of a few weeks and then one
comes out of it. It does not last for years and years, nor is it a
condition to be aspired for. It is like all the spark plugs of a car firing
at the same time to start the engine. Once the engine starts they stop
firing and sparking. So, all these withdrawals of consciousness,
energy, perception and other mental faculties are the firing or
sparking manifestations which occur. Once the pranic generator
begins to function, they again revert back to their normal states.
When this last stage of pranayama is perfected, there are physical,
mental, psychic and spiritual experiences. On the physical level
there are two major indications. Good digestion is one. As agni
mandala becomes totally active, you can eat anything without
experiencing any problems. Yogis who have perfected pranayama
can even digest poison without ill effects. The second physical
indication is lightness of the body, which manifests as the siddhi of
levitation, or raising the body off the floor. These are the two
physical indications that manifest when one has perfected
pranayama.
On the mental level the vrittis are controlled but not stopped. To
become the master of the vrittis, you see the changes and act
accordingly. On the psychic level, it is said that the nada or psychic
sound is heard. This sound can be heard even when one is walking,
eating or talking to someone. The depth of one’s being opens up
and one becomes aware of the vibration that is controlling the whole
body. When the pranas are activated one becomes aware of their
movement and the sound they are producing at the time of their
activity; that is the manifestation of nada. Therefore, pranayama is
the technique that precedes pratyahara, dharana and dhyana. This
last aspect of pranayama is very subtle, and if we go into it deeply
then it is possible to have this experience in one split second.
Yoga Darshan by Swami Niranjan