Pranayama and Siddha

Lecture on Pranayama techniques
in ancient scriptures
By
T. Sumanenthiran B.Sc, M.Sc,
Siddha Ayurveda Physician
Venue: 14th October 2014, Indian Culture Centre, Colombo
Agenda
Part 01 : understanding the concepts
Introduction
to
ancient
system
of
studying
understanding Human body and Universe
Ancient models of Human system
What is Prana and Pranayama
Relationship of Prana with Human model and Universe
Aspects of Prana
Function of Prana
Etc
&
Part 02 : Pranayama techniques in Ancient scriptures

Questions on presentation
Part 03: Practical session
(c) T. Sumanenthiran
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Human Body and Universe

"Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmande it means Universe &
Human Body is Homologous." in Tamil

What is the linking factor of Body & Universe?
That is Prana primarily as a vital energy!
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96 Constituent principles of Body according

to Siddahas
Ten
nerves
Four
intellectu
al
faculties
Five
organs of
perceptio
n
Five
elements
Five
objects of
senses,
Five
organs of
action
Five
states of
the soul,
Three
Impurities
Of The
Soul
Human
body
Three
principles
of moral
evil
Nine
doors
Five
cases of
the
sheaths
of the
soul
Three
humours
Three
regions
Eight
predomin
ant
passions
Six
stations
of the
soul
Seven
constitue
nt
elements
Ten vital
airs
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Dynamics of 96 Constituent principles

depend on three pillars!
Prana
Consciousness
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Simplified understanding of
Human body
Five fold Model Pancha Kosha
Three fold model Thiri Deha Stula Sookshma Karana
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Pancha Kosha
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Links of Pancha Kosha
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What is Prana?
Prana is the vital force that sustains not only the body,
but also creation at every level.
The Sanskrit word prana is a combination of two
syllables, pra and na, and denotes constancy, a force in
constant motion.
Prana exists in sentient beings as the energy that drives
every action, voluntary and involuntary, every thought,
every level of the mind and body.
Definition of Prana in Upanishad In prana all moveable
and immoveable beings merge (during dissolution) and
rise out of prana (during creation). (Chhandogya
Upanishad (1:11:5)
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Types of Prana
Universal prana:
This cosmic prana, also called mahaprana, came into
being at the time of creation.
This primal energy, called mahaprana, is variously known
as mahashakti, mahamaya, the cosmic creatrix or the
Cosmic Mother.
Prana was never separate from consciousness;
Individual prana
Often the word prana is translated as breath. However,
prana is not the oxygen or the air that one breathes.
Yogis have proved that one can stop breathing for long
periods of time and yet continue to live.
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Level of Prana in body

Prana is the dynamic principle within everything.
Everyone is born with a certain quantum of prana, but the
quantity and quality change continuously, as one goes
through life.
Positive thoughts, higher feelings and yogic practices
generate higher levels of prana.
At the material level one also receives prana from the
environment, food, water, sun and air.
So, the quantum of prana within each individual is influenced
by the quality of the elements to which one is exposed and
which one ingests in the course of everyday life.
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Interrelationship between Individual

prana and cosmic prana
Prana is not received solely from external sources;
it is also self-generated and its quality can be refined
and directed.
One can work with one's own prana to enhance vitality,
will and strength, cure diseases, boost capability and
efficiency, and evolve to a higher consciousness.
Working with his own prana is the is the aim of
pranayama and prana vidya,
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Technique of working with prana

is
The breath is the external manifestation of prana.
breath is gross and prana is subtle, the two are
intrinsically connected.
Yogis, Siddhas state that prana is sustained and the
duration of life is prolonged by deliberately decreasing the
distance of the exhaled air.
Based on this fact, they devised a technique to measure
the prana expended during different actions.
They stated that the pranic outflow can be gauged by
observing the length of the exhalation during different
actions.
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Length of exhaled air during

different actions
The average length of exhaled air is twelve digits (nine
inches).
While singing the length becomes sixteen digits (one
foot),
while eating twenty digits (fifteen inches),
while sleeping thirty digits (twenty-two inches),
while copulating thirty-six digits (twenty-seven inches)
while performing physical exercise, it is much longer.
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Breath and Prana

Although the breath is gross and prana is subtle, the two are
intrinsically connected.
One can influence the level of prana shakti in the body with
the help of the breath.
When prana is influenced through modification of the breath,
all the functions of the body, brain, mind and consciousness
are affected.
The practices of pranayama raise the levels of prana by
working with the breath and lead to prana vidya, inner
knowledge or experience of prana.
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Prana & Mind

A significant outcome of pranic awareness is that one is
able to gain control over the mind.
When prana moves, the mind thinks and the senses
perceive their respective objects.
By developing sensitivity to prana, one becomes more
aware of the subtle forces of the mind,
Prana is grosser than the mind and hence easier to
control.
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Cosmic Prana
The individual prana within each being is a part of the
cosmic sea of mahaprana,
Pranayama practices activate the individual prana and raise
it to a higher frequency.
Kudalini Sadhana, Upasana of deity are some of the aspect
of realizing Cosmic prana in Human body.
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How cosmic prana is working in

Human body
Answer is through chakras and Nadis
Chakras are receive and store the cosmic prana, and act as
transformers to step down the level of energy to use by
organs.
They have been seen, not by physical dissection of the
body, but by psychic introspection.
six main chakras located along the spinal column are:
mooladhara, swadhisthana, manipura, anahata, vishud-dhi
and ajna.
Beyond the six are two other centres of awakening: bindu
and sahasrara
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Nadis
The word nadi means 'flow'.
Nadis are pathways of pranic, mental and spiritual currents,
Nadis are not physical, measurable or dissectible structures
within the body, but channels of energy which underlie and
sustain life and consciousness.
Major nadis :
As per the ancient texts 72,000 nadis are in the body.
Out of these ten are considered to be major.
Among the ten three are very significant; ida, pingala and
sushumna.
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Why these three are most significant?

These three major nadis are situated in the spinal column
and pass through every chakra.
Ida nadi is the mental channel, pingala nadi the vital
channel and sushumna nadi the spiritual channel.
the three main channels for the distribution of energy
throughout the entire pranic network.
Maximum pranic charges flow through them and they
impact the entire network instantly;
In pranayama and prana vidya the practitioner works
chiefly with these three channels.
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Three Nadis
Pingala is also known as the surya, or solar nadi

ida as the chandra, or lunar nadi
Ida and pingala indicate time,
while sushumna is the devourer of time, since it leads
to timelessness or eternity.
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Location of Nadis
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Link of Nadi flows with nostrils

Ida and pingala dominance is directly related to the flow of
breath in the nostrils.
If one checks the flow of breath at any moment, one will
usually find that one nostril is more open than the other.
Observing this phenomenon, the yogis devised breathing
techniques to regulate the flows of ida and pingala (and
consequently sushumna) in order to intensify the
experience of the pranic body.
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Functionality of Prana within Body

There are five primary forces, known as pancha prana,
which operate in the physical body at all times.
Ancient seers identified these five pranas as: prana,
apana, samana, udana and vyana.
The five pranas are responsible for creation and existence
at the individual level.
Along with the five major pranas, there are five minor or
upa pranas, These are: naga, koorma, krikara, devadatta
and dhananjaya.
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What is Pranayama?
Pranayama is an art & precise science which provides
methods
to understand the essence of prana and to guide it within
oneself as well as the rest of creation.
The medium of pranayama is the breath.
According to the theory of pranayama, the involuntary
process of breathing, by which the jiva constantly moves up
and down, can be made voluntary by the introduction of
awareness.
It is possible to attain mastery over the breathing process
and harmonize the flow of prana and apana, the two
principal flows of energy in the body,
Once this harmony and control is attained through the
practices of pranayama, it becomes possible to observe and
transcend the gunas, and thus attain liberation.
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End of Part 01
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Techniques in Ancient Scriptures

This can be classify into following types:
1. Mantra japa pranayama
2. Specification of time period in Pooraka, Kumbaka and
Rechaka
3. Special visualization techniques with breathing
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Mantra Japa Pranayama 01
Gayathri Mantra japa is alone is Pranayama

"Om
bhur
bhuvah
svah
tat
savitur
varenyam;
Bhargo devasya dheemahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat. "
In the Gayatri Mantra is formed in special meter, called Gayahtri
Chandas
Any Gayathri Chandas mantra will protect the Prana in the body.
The recitation should have five halts or stops viz. ,
'Om' is the first stop;
'Bhur Bhuvah Svah' the second;
'Tat Savitur Varenyam' the third;
'Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi' the fourth; and
'Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat' the fifth.
While chanting or doing Japa of the Mantra, we should stop a
little at every stop or halt.
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Mantra Japa Pranayama 02 ;

AUM
The Yoga Chudamani Upanishad (v. 101-102) describes
Omkara or Pranava pranayama thus;
The inhalation, retention and exhalation are the Pranava
itself. Pranayama should be practised like this for a number
of twelve rounds. Twelve rounds through the ida and
pingala nadis unfastens the net of impurities. The yogis
should know this always.
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Prana pratistha in Tantra

In Tantra process called Prana pratistha is infusing
prana in to Human body or Idol or Yantra, etc
Whent this process in human it called Swa Deha Prana
pratistha, this will be done with the help of Beeja
mantras and conscious breathing.
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Special visualization techniques

with breathing
Mainly this techniques was called as Vasi yogam and Shiva
yogam in Tamil Siddhars & Kundalini yoga in Tantric texts.
In this techniques sadaka will first gain the control over the
Prana
Sakthi by Pranayama and then with the help of mind try to
establish the prana and Manas sakthi in Six chakras.
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Summary
We Understood
1. What is Prana?
2. How it is working in microcosmos (body) & Marcro cosmos
(Universe)
3. Subtle structure of Human Pancha kosha
4. Subtle storage of Prana Chakras
5. Subtle channels of Prana Nadi
6. Type of prana and its location in the body
7. Link of Breath and Prana
8. Some ancient techniques of Pranayama AUM & Gayathri
Mantra
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Reference
1. Tamil Siddhar songs of Agasthiya,
2. Thirumanthiram by Thirumoolar
3. Prana and Pranayama by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
10/15/2014
For more article on Tamil: http://yogicpsychology-research.blogspot.c
Many thanks!
Questions?
10/15/2014

Pranayama and Siddha

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Pranayama and Siddha

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Lecture on Pranayama techniques

Venue: 14th October 2014, Indian Culture Centre, Colombo

Part 02 : Pranayama techniques in Ancient scriptures

Human Body and Universe

96 Constituent principles of Body according

Dynamics of 96 Constituent principles

Links of Pancha Kosha

Level of Prana in body

Interrelationship between Individual

Technique of working with prana

Length of exhaled air during

Breath and Prana

Prana & Mind

How cosmic prana is working in

Why these three are most significant?

Pingala is also known as the surya, or solar nadi

Link of Nadi flows with nostrils

Functionality of Prana within Body

Techniques in Ancient Scriptures

Mantra Japa Pranayama 01

Gayathri Mantra japa is alone is Pranayama

Mantra Japa Pranayama 02 ;

Prana pratistha in Tantra

Special visualization techniques

For more article on Tamil: http://yogicpsychology-research.blogspot.c

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