Pranayama by Mark Whitwell with David Hurwitz
Pranayama is the conscious regulation of breath. This is the meaning of Sutra II.49 (tasmin sati �) of Patanjali.
Asana, pranayama, meditation, and life form a seamless process. Asana is not there for its own sake; it's there to prepare for pranayama (YS II.49). Pranayama is not there for its own sake; it's there to prepare for meditation (YS II.53). Meditation is not there for its own sake; it's there to prepare for Life.
For pranayama is the means to clarify the mind. The ability of the mind to rest its attention, with ease, on a chosen object is developed and enhanced by pranayama. When pranayama is achieved, meditation will be achieved.
Pranayama has been standarized with ratios and counting, just as asana has been standardized with detailed description of structural anatomy. This is not the correct approach because Yoga is about feeling Life rather than imposing ideas on Life. Pranayama is a matter of feeling the breath and feeling the breath capability.
In
asana we use body movements to facilitate the breath. Otherwise,
there is really no difference between asana and pranayama. Even
in pranayama the body participates in the breath, from the lower
abdomen up to the upper nostrils. Asana and pranayama are guided
by the same principles: strong and soft.
In asana, the body must be soft to allow the breath (prana) movement through the whole body. Asana without the breath simply makes the musculature rigid. We need to be soft and receptive in our practice of both asana and pranayama. For receptivity is what allows strength to flourish.
We can go into a very strong asana, but we must be able to receive. The only real strength is a system that is soft and receptive. And, the measure of receiving is a steady inhale. If we do asana without this feminine quality of receptivity, we never learn to receive in the system. If we do asana only as a male, forceful activity, with only the male effort to achieve, we create rigidity in the musculature. And so, never become successful in pranayama.
The
exhale is the strengthening or male aspect of our practice. But
without receptivity through the whole system, this strength is illusory.
And, the ability to receive is through our inhalation. Our exhale
strengthens the base and spine that supports the crown and the front
which is soft and open, the feminine aspect. Strength must receive.
This is the form of Life itself. Without receptivity there is no
Life.
Many people complain that pranayama is boring because it seems passive compared to the action of asana. But, I want to assure you that quite the opposite is true. Because when pranayama is achieved, it is the merge of our polarities. When male surrenders to female, our pranayama becomes vibrant, enjoyable, deep, powerful, and successful.
In this way, our pranayama practice, indeed our Yoga practice in general, serves to bring our male and female aspects into balance, allowing us to be more available to receive love, in all its forms, and to strengthen the assertive character of our partner.
There is a notion, put forward by popular Yoga teachers, that mastery of asana is necessary before beginning pranayama. I want to counter this notion completely. "Tasmin sati" of Sutra II.49 is often translated as "This being achieved" with "this" referring to asana. So, they teach that only after months or even years of long study and practice of classical asana can we begin pranayama. But, Krishnamacharya, the teacher of the popular teachers, interpreted this Sutra differently. Krishnamacharya taught that asana is preparation for pranayama today. That is, on a particular day, for a particular person, we must choose the right asanas to prepare for his or her pranayama. The truth is that anyone can practice pranayama no matter what stage they are at.
Success in asana is not measured by asana itself, but by the degree to which it facilitates pranayama. Asana is not there for it's own sake. Success in pranayama means the mind has acquired the ability to rest its attention on a chosen object with ease. That is, to meditate. And, success in meditation is measured by the health of our relationships in life, particular those with our intimates. Our Yoga practice is truly successful when God's energy moves in us as prana and we are at ease in Life.
Remember, the whole point of Yoga is to be with the breath. If you're with the breath, then you're with That which breathes you.
So go, breathe, and enjoy the wonder that is Life.
A Pranayama Practice - to become familiar with you breath and your breath capacity.
"Work, but not struggle"
1.
Lie on your back with your feet on a chair. As you freely inhale,
move the arms overhead to the floor behind. As you exhale, return
the arms. Make your exhale slightly longer with each breath, but
don't exceed your comfortable maximum.
8-10 breaths
2. Repeat, this time with a free exhale and increasing the length of the inhale slightly with each breath.
8-10 breaths
3. The four aspects of the breath, inhale/pause/exhale/pause have different effects. These can be explored. This time repeat with the pause after inhale and exhale getting a little longer each time.
8-10 breaths
We become intimate with our breath, therefore intimate with That which is breathing us.