WhatisPranayama?

ranayamaisaprecisesciencewhichprovidesmethods

tounderstandtheessenceofpranaandtoguideitwithinoneselfaswell
astherestofcreation.SwamiSivanandasays,"Hewhohasgrasped
pranahasrealizedtheverycoreofcosmiclifeandactivity.Hewho
conquersandcontrolsthisessenceisabletocontrolhisownbodyand
mind,aswellaseveryotherbody,mindandpowerinthisuniverse.
Thus,pranayamaisthatmeansbywhichtheyogirealizesthewholeof
cosmiclifeinthislittlebodyandtriestoattainperfection."
Themediumofpranayamaisthebreath.Thepracticesinvolveguiding
therespirationbeyonditsnormallimit,stretchingit,speedingitupand
slowingitdowninordertoexperiencethefoilrangeofrespirationon
boththegrossandsubtlelevels.Oncethishasbeenachieved,pranacan
beguidedfurtherbythepracticeofpranavidya.IntheYoga
ChudamaniUpanishad,ithasbeenstated(v.31):
Onewhoknowsthesignificanceoftheascendinganddescendingof
jiva(inhalationandexhalation)istheknowerofyoga.
Accordingtothetheoryofpranayama,theinvoluntaryprocessof
breathing,bywhichthejivaconstantlymovesup
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anddown,canbemadevoluntarybytheintroductionofawareness.It
ispossibletoattainmasteryoverthebreathingprocessandharmonize
theflowofpranaandapana,thetwoprincipalflowsofenergyinthe
body,throughbreathawarenessandcontrol,coordinationofthebreath
withthemantra,andawarenessofthepranicmovementwithinthe

body.Oncethisharmonyandcontrolisattainedthroughthepractices
ofpranayama,itbecomespossibletoobserveandtranscendthegunas,
andthusattainliberation.
Theunderstandingofpranayamaasaprocesswhichbeginswiththe
breathbutculminatesinliberationisemphasizedbySri
Shankaracharyaalso.HesaysintheAparokshanubhuti(v.118120):
Pranayamaisthecontrolofalllifeforcesbyrealizingnaughtbut
Brahmaninallthingsasthemind,etc.Thenegationoftheuniverseis
theoutgoingbreath.Thethought'IamBrahman'itselfiscalledthe
incomingbreath.Thepermanenceofthatthoughtthereafteristhe
restrainedbreath.Thisisthepranayamaofthewise,whilethepressing
ofthenoseisonlyfortheunknowing.
SriShankaracharyaisbringingtoattentionthefactthatwhilethe
practicesofpranayamadocarryaphysicalcomponent(the'pressingof
thenose'referstonadishodhanapranayama),thepractitionerwho
limitshimselftothisaspectfailstorealizethevastscopeofpranayama.
Forpranayamaisnotmerelythescienceofbreath,butthescienceof
universalenergy,universalmind,time,spaceandmatter.Itisasystem
throughwhichthevital,pranicenergythat

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holdstheuniversetogetherisdynamizedandredistributedatvarious
levelsofexistence.
Etymologicalmeaning
Theword'pranayama'hastwoetymologicalexplanations.Ithasbeen
interpretedasacombinationofthewordsprana+ayama,andalsoasa

combinationofthewordsprana+yama.Thewordayamameans
'expandingthedimension',sointhefirstsensepranayamameans
expandingthedimensionofprana.Thewordyamameans'restraint'or
'control',soherepranayamareferstothecontrolorrestraintofprana.
Bothetymologicalexplanationsareabletoconveythemeaningof
pranayama.
Pranaisaforceinconstantmotion:therefore,ifpranayamais
understoodasprana+yama,thentheonlywaytocontrolamoving
forceisbystoppingittotheextentofcompletecessation.Onlythenis
oneabletoharnessitspower.Thispointofcompletecessationis
kumbhaka,orbreathretention,wherebytheforceofpranaisheld,
restrainedanddirectedtowardsaspecificpurpose,theawakeningof
kundalinishaktiandunionwiththedivine.However,whenpranayama
isunderstoodasprana+ayama,itreferstoaprocessofstretching,
extendingorexpanding.Inthiscontext,pranayamaistheprocessby
whichtheinternalpranicdimensionisexpanded,increasedandheld,
therebyactivatingthequantumofpranainthebodytoahigher
frequency.
Thescripturesdescribesevenayamas,orplanesofindividual
existence.Thefirstayamaisbhurloka,thegrossphysicaldimension,
perceptibletothemindandsenses.Thesecondisbhuvalokainwhich
oneperceivesdreamsandexperiencesmomentsofhallucinations.The
thirdisswahloka,perceivedindeepsleep.Theconsciousnesstraverses
thesethreeayamasinwaking,dreamingandsleepingstates.Whena
childisconceived,pranaiscreatedinitsphysicalbodyandgradually
extendstheareaofcontroltothesethreefieldsofhumanexperience,
butnofurther.Normally
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humanperceptionisconfinedtothesethreestatesandoneisnotableto
perceivethedeeperlevelsofexistence.
Thefourhigherdimensionsofexistencearedescribedsymbolicallyas
mahaloka,janahloka,tapahlokaandsatyaloka.Thegrosspranais

incapableofpenetratingintothesesubtledimensions.Thepurposeof
pranayama,therefore,istorefineandtransformpranaintoasubtler
forceandthenextenditintothehigherlokasorayamas.Whenthe
pranasareawakenedbeyondthefirstthreedimensions,thenthereal
purposeofpranayamaisfulfilled.
Pranayamafortransformation
Inthepracticeofpranayama,pranauniteswithapanaandtheunited
pranaapanaisdirectedupwardstothehead.Atthistime,pranaleaves
thepassagesofidaandpingalaandtravelsthroughthechannelof
sushumna.Whenpranapassesthroughsushumna,thelightofjnanais
kindledandthekundaliniisawakened.Themindentersathoughtless
region.Allthekarmicseedsoftheyogiareburntaway.Theoblationof
thesensesisofferedintothefireofprana.Asthepractitioner
undergoesthisprocess,thesleepingcentresofthebrainareawakened.
Usuallythebrainandthemindaretrainedthroughtheperceptions
availableandintelligibletothesenses.Yoga,however,hasa
completelydifferentviewofmindcontrol.Itsaysisolatethemindand
consciousnessfromthepathwaysofsensorystimulation.Thebrain,
mindandconsciousnesscanfunctionindependentofthesenses.By
isolatingthebrainandmind,theconsciousnessentersamorepowerful
stateofunderstandingandrealization,andthisisthebeginningofyoga.
Thepracticeofpranayamahasadirecteffectonthefunctioningofthe
intricate,sophisticatedfunctionsofthebrain.Whentheyogis
investigatedthepossibilityofanindependentmethodtodevelopthe
silentareasofthemindandbraininordertotranscendthelimiting
barriersofthehumanpersonality,theydiscoveredpranayama.Itis
possible
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tounderstandthisprocessthroughmodernscientificprinciplesaswell.
Therearebillionsofcellsinthebrainwhichexistinachaoticorder,
withoutanydisciplineorunity,shownasrandombrainwaveactivity

whenmeasuredonanEEGmachine.Thesecellsareoscillatingforms
ofenergyorshakti,comprisingthetotalityofbrainwaveactivity.The
chaosinthebrainandmindisalsoaresultofthemillionsofarchetypes
thatexistasunorganizedgeometricpatternsandinfluenceone's
actions,thoughts,decisions,feelingsandawarenessasawhole.When
thebasicelementsofthebrainmoveinsuchachaoticfashion,sodoes
thethinkingprocess.Pranayamaholdsthekeytoblendthemtogether
asonepulsatingunit.
Onecannotdisciplineororganizethephysicalbrainorbringorderinto
thechaoticelementsofthebrainwithoutfirstbalancingthenadis.The
brainiscontrolledbythechakrasandnadis.Mentalbalanceisnot
possibleunlessoneisabletobalancetheidaandpingalanadisthrough
yogicpractices.Thepracticesofpranayamaareofmajorimportance
becausetheypurifyandbalancetheflowsofidaandpingalanadisto
awakensushumnanadiandkundalini.Thusthebraincellsare
stimulated,thebrainwavesarestreamlinedandthearchetypesare
reorganized.Inthiswaynewlanguagescanbelearnt,behaviourcanbe
transformed,aculturecanbereconstituted,andacivilizationcanbe
givenanewturnaltogether.
Accordingtoscience,thegreymatterofthebrainchangesduringthe
naturalcourseofhumanevolution.Thisprocessishastenedthroughthe
practiceofpranayama,andoneisabletoevolvebeyondthenatural
evolutionarycycle.Thebenefitsofsuchaneventaretoonumerousto
describe,butcanberealizedonlybyselfinvestigationintoyoga.
Consciousbreathing
Breathingisauniquevitalprocess,whichnormallyfunctions
unconsciously,butonealsohastheabilitytobreatheconsciously.
Otherunconsciousprocesses,suchastheheartbeat,bodytemperature
andmetabolicactivity,cannotbecontrolled
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bytheaverageperson.Unconsciousbreathingiscontrolledbythe

medullaoblongatainthebrainstem,aregionknownastheprimitive
brain,whileconsciousbreathingcomesfromthemoreevolvedareasof
thebraininthecerebralcortex.Infact,consciousbreathingengagesthe
cerebralcortexandstimulatesthemoreevolvedareasofthebrain.
Theregularpracticeofpranayamaoveraperiodoftimereinforces
corticalcontrolofthebreath,aprocesscalledtelencephalization,where
oneshiftsfromunconscioustoconsciousbreathingwithprofound
effectsonone'swellbeing.Duringconsciouscontrolofthebreath,the
cerebralcortexbypassestherespiratorycentreinthebrainstem.
Impulsesfromthecortexalsoaffectadjoiningareasofthebrain
concernedwithemotions.Theinvolvementofthecerebralcortexin
consciousbreathingcausesthecortextodevelopandallowsthe
individualtoenterhigherstagesoftheevolutionarycycle.
Consciousbreathingbeginswiththeawareness:"Iambreathingin;I
ambreathingout."Theawarenessisanaspectofconsciousnessandthe
breathisavehicleofprana.
Thus,inthisway,pranaandconsciousnessmovetogether.Awareness
ofthebreathimpliesthatoneissimultaneouslyawareofthe
consciousness.Bythepracticeofconsciousbreathing,thewitness
aspectdevelopsandtheexpansionofconsciousnessbegins.
Consciousbreathinghasacalmingeffectonthemind.Evensimple
breathawareness,withoutexertinganycontroloverthenaturalpattern
ofthebreath,willinducearegularandrelaxingrhythmofbreathing.
Thisisaneffectivemethodofquieteningatensemind.Themore
complexbreathingtechniquesofpranayamainfluencethebraineven
moredeeply.Thereisnosystemlikepranayamathathassuchan
immediateinfluenceonthenervoussystem,brainandmind.
Thefirststep
Thefirststepinpranayamaistotuneintotherhythmofthebreath.A
smooth,slowrhythmusuallyindicatesarelaxedstateofbodyand
mind.Irregularrespirationusuallymeans

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tension.Inanxietythebreathisshallowandrapid,inangershortand
forceful,ingriefarrhythmicandgasping,andindepression,sighing.
Irregularbreathingisalsoassociatedwithneurosesanddisturbed
mentalstates.Ithasbeenobservedthatexhalationisunevenand
incompleteincertaintypesofneuroses.Ontheotherhand,slow
rhythmicbreathingcreatesfeelingsofrelaxation,alphabrainwaves
andreducedmuscletension.
Therhythmsofthebreathrelatetothebrainrhythms,heartbeat,muscle
tension,mentalandemotionalrhythms,hormonalandenzymatic
rhythms,sleepandwakefulness,allwithvaryingfrequenciesand
intensities.Theserhythmsalsotakeplacewithintheexternalrhythms
ofdayandnight,seasons,yearsandplanetaryinfluences.Pranayama
leadstotheawarenessofarhythmicforcewithinthebodyandmind.
Whenonebecomesawareofthebody'svitalcycles,theybegintowork
moreoptimally.Simultaneously,themindcanbetrainedtocontrol
theseforces,therebyopeningupareasofconsciousnesswhichare
beyondthenormalawarenessandcontrol.
Prananigraha
Technically,theinitialbreathingpracticesarenotpranayama,but
prananigraha,whereonebeginstocontrolthebreathandtheprana.
Thesamepracticeassumestheformofpranayamawhencontrolover
thepranasisattainedandthepranashavebeenawakenedintherealm
ofthechakras.Inthestageofprananigraha,oneusesthebreathasa
meanstodevelopandintensifytheawarenessofpranamayakosha.The
nervoussystemreceivesagreaterquantumofenergy,whichisessential
towithstandtheeffectsofhigherpranayamapractice.
Slowly,thepranasareawakenedwithinthephysicalstructureand
blockagesareremovedfromthechakrasandnadis,thuspavingtheway
forkundaliniawakening.AccordingtotheAmritanadaUpanishad(v.
7):

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Justastheimpuritiesofmountainmineralsareburntbytheblower,so
thestainscausedbythesensoryorgansareburnedbycontrollingthe
prana.
Theeffectofprananigrahaisevidencedbyalightnessandvitalityin
thebodyandacalm,relaxedmind,andthencomesthestrengthand
abilitytopractisepranayama.
Pranayamaiskumbhaka
Theactualpranayamaiskumbhaka,theperiodofbreathretention.The
guidingofinhalation(pooraka)andexhalation(rechaka)aidsin
achievingkumbhaka,irrespectiveofwhereitisapplied.Innadi
shodhanapranayama,forexample,kumbhakaispractisedafter
inhalationand/orexhalation,butinbhastrikaitfollowsaroundofrapid
inhalationsandexhalations.IntheYogaSutras(2:49),Maharshi
Patanjalisays:
Pranayamaisthepauseinthemovementofinhalationandexhalation
whenthatissecured.
YogaYajnavalkyaSamhita(6:25)alsoequatespranayamawith
retention,describingthreegradesofpranayama,dependingonthe
periodsofbreathholding:i)adhamapranayama(producessweating),
ii)madhyamapranayama(producestremorsinadditiontosweat)and
iii)uttamapranayama(produceslevitation).
Kumbhakaisdifficultforabeginner,butitbecomeseasier,smoother
andlongerbysystematicandregularpractice.Breathretentionmay
comemoreeasilyforthosewhohavefollowedotheryogicpractices.
Therarefew,whoareblessedwithanawakenedkundalini,may
experiencekevalakumbhaka(spontaneousretention)attheirveryfirst
attemptatpranayama.However,itisofparamountimportanceforall

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practitionersthatthepracticebefollowedsystematically,irrespective
ofinitialexperiences.Thenonlywillthefullpotentialofpranayamabe
experienced.(Thefollowingchapterexplainsthemechanicsof
kumbhaka,aswellaspoorakaandrechaka,indetail.)
Unitsofpranayama
Inasystematicpracticeofpranayama,thefirstcriterionisabalanced
ratioofthebreath.Timinghasadeepeffectonthemindandprana."If
oneisabletopractisefiveroundsofnadishodhanawithabsolute
precisionintiming,thenthelayastateofsamadhiwillcome,"Swami
Satyanandasaidwhileexplainingthescienceofpranayamatoyoga
teachersinSpainduring1979.Theancientyogiswhopropoundedthe
practicesofpranayamawereextremelymindfulofthisfact,and
devisedvariousmethodstomeasuretheunitsofpranayama,inthe
absenceofdevicessuchasclocks.Eachtimeunitwascalledamatra.
Thefollowingphysicalactionsprovideaguidelineforunderstanding
thenotionofmatra.Eachdenotesonematra:

TwinklingofaneyeTimetakentopronounceashortvowelTime
necessaryfortouchingone'skneethricefollowedbyaclapTime
occupiedbyonenormalrespirationTimetakenupinpronouncingthe
sacredsyllableOm.
Aspranayamatrainingwasalwaysimpartedbyagurutodisciple,the
precisebalancecouldbeachievedunderactualguidance.Inmodern
times,despitetheinventionofclocks,themeasuringofinhalation,
exhalationandretentionremainsasomewhatperplexingissue.
Watchingaclockorevenmentalcountingcanbeadistractionwhile
practising.Thebestwaytomeasurethebreathiswiththeaidofthe24
syllableGayatrimantra.OnerepetitionofGayatrimantraprovidesthe

propertimingfortheinhalationandtwoGayatris
fortheexhalation.TheGayatriisanidealunitforpranayama,butin
caseoneisunabletochantitinoneinhalation,
a
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shortermantrasorasimplecountmaybeemployed,keepingthem
uniform(alsoseeChapter7:'PranaandMantra').
Alongwiththetimeunit,thespaceunitalsoneedstobetakeninto
consideration.Thismeasurestheforcewithwhichtheinhalationand
exhalationarepractised.Theexpelledaircurrentcanbefeltfora
specificdistancefromthenose,andthiswasmeasuredwiththefingers
bytheancients.Inregardtothespaceunit,theairpressuremustbe
uniform,theinhalationandexhalationmustbesmooth,andthelength
ofexhalationshouldideallybedoubleofinhalation,althoughonemay
practiseequalinhalationandexhalationatthebeginning.Overall,one
mustpractisepranayamawithutmostmindfulness,followone's
capacityandallowittobuildupgradually,fortheratiorepresentsthe
naturalevolutionofbreathcontrol.