Dyskusja:Pranajama - Regulacja Oddychania Energią Życia

Pranayama - the basics of regulating breathing with the energy of life (U-212)

Beginners in the yogic arts, meditation, kriya techniques, and qigong should begin their studies by regulating their natural breathing. The process of regulation known in yoga as pranayama should be carried out until the person achieves the ability to breathe prana, qi energy, and life energy, and then by regulating the flow of prana (qi) through the energy channels (nadi, mai), they reach the level of flow of divine energy, daiva prana, heavenly qi. The teachings on aspects of breathing and working with the energy of life are known in the systems of traditional pranic yoga, in gigong, especially in the old sitting qigong and in old Chinese chan and Japanese zen. Traditions of working with breath and life energy (prana, qi) in the East usually distinguish eight aspects of breathing regulation at the beginning, which at an advanced level of practice develop into about thirty exercises.

(1) Calm, peaceful breathing - we achieve it when the mind is emotionally calm and soothed. Calmness in emotions and emotional thoughts results in calm, peaceful, natural breathing. Then, we can properly recognise and assess the situations we are in; we can relax, unwind, and rest. For our rest, we should be able to calm our breath by extinguishing emotions, calming emotional tensions and all excitements, at least for a while. In the Chinese language, the characteristic of pranic, energetic qigong is that we talk about “jing” as natural, calm breathing when the mind is free from the emotions and tensions that usually torment it.

(2) Gentle, subtle breathing – we achieve it when it resembles a narrow stream, natural, smooth, delicate, without grinding, whistling, acceleration and deceleration, without clogging or suffocating from lack of oxygen. Breathing is like a lazy, calm stream, a narrow stream of calm water. In Sufi teachings, this breathing is sometimes called ethereal or subtle breathing because the breath is quiet and calm for a long time, does not break, does not need sudden gulps or intakes of air, does not pant, does not rustle, does not wheeze. Chinese qigong mentions such breathing as xi.

(3) Deep breathing, deepened breathing – we achieve it when maintaining the two previous states, we draw the breath deeply into the belly, into the lower abdomen, into the depths of our belly. We have the impression that it was not so much the lungs that were breathing, but the belly all the way down, into the deep lower abdomen, even into the tailbone or generally also into the spine. Then, we draw in the breath comfortably, lowering the diaphragm, usually without expanding the rib cage. Some people take quite a long time and trials before they learn to feel the movement of prana, qi, towards the lower abdomen, towards the centre of the abdomen, and as a result, before their breath becomes truly deep and useful for the lower reservoir of energy in yoga known as svayambhu lingam, and in qigong as dan dien (Japanese tanden). Learning and freely practising deep, lower abdominal breathing is always the basis for further practice with prana or qi, as well as the serious practice of yoga, prana yoga, kriya techniques, or qigong. It should be added to self-taught people that deep breathing does not mean filling the lungs with air to the maximum of 100 per cent, but relaxing the lungs, absorbing air usually to 70-90 per cent of the lung capacity, but directing the breath to the lower abdomen. Most self-taught people cannot master this deep breathing in Chinese energy work systems known as shen correctly without a longer study under the supervision of an experienced teacher or master of yoga or qigong.

(4) Long breath, prolonged breathing - we achieve when we extend the duration of breathing as long as is freely possible, and its frequency counted in the number of breaths per minute significantly decreases compared with the naturally free daily breathing pace. We extend the breath as long as possible and maintain free breathing; however, extending the duration of the breath does not mean stopping it. In order for breathing to become prolonged, the lungs, or more precisely the muscles controlling the work of the lungs, must be relaxed, and the centre of gravity lowered, which means the mind and body are very loose and relaxed. The mind usually has to sink deeper than in the previous exercises into inner silence and peaceful space, free from emotional tension and tormenting emotions. The heart rate usually slows down a bit, and the body needs less oxygen. Classical yoga usually begins with a long exhalation exercise, known as praćchardana practice. Qigong uses the keyword chang to describe a long breath. Tantra and Kriya yoga also examine whether the stream of breath is felt farther from the nostrils than in ordinary breathing, which is used to determine whether the length of the breath has not weakened its energetic power – the stream from the nostrils should reach far.

(5) Continuous breathing, connected, unceasing, uninterrupted breathing – we achieve this when, while maintaining the smooth and natural course of inhalation and exhalation, we achieve a state of continuous fluid breathing so that inhalation passes into exhalation and exhalation into inhalation. Breathing must be continuous and proceed without stoppages, without freezing or stopping, without holding the breathing. Classical yoga, according to the Yoga Sutras of Maharishi Patanjali, mentions such breathing as śvasa-praśvasa and inhalation-exhalation, and Chinese Taoist qigong mentions it as you type breathing. Schools of pranic breathing yoga often call it circular breathing or connected breathing. Usually, five connected breaths are practised at the beginning, then increased to twenty, then to one hundred, and finally to even three hours (yama). Of course, we learn the previous aspects of working with breathing and pranic energy earlier. Such breathing helps in the very deep cleansing of emotional tensions and mental blocks, frees the mind from blockages, and allows for deeper concentration and true meditation.

(6) Uniform breathing, the breath of ‘suchness’ - we achieve when the interior is free from confusion and emotional tensions for long periods of time, i.e. when the mind sinks into an unaffected or perhaps almost unaffected inner peace, in the peace and bliss of the interior in yoga known as anandam. Sometimes, such breathing is called the breath of heavenly peace; it flows uninterruptedly in the same way, and no violent waves or eddies of the ocean of emotions disturb the flow of prana or qi. The emotional mind, i.e. the subconscious usually torn by emotions, must be regulated at a deep level, and this is done by ego training and training in controlling0 over vṛtti, over the waves of emotions and tensions. In particular, yoga or qigong practitioners do not allow themselves to be drawn into the vortices of other people’s emotional waves, and in qigong treatises, this aspect of breathing is called yun.

(7) Slow breathing - we achieve it when our uniform breathing slows down the pace of its already calm flow, even more, so that to outside observers, it seems as if we were not breathing at all. Regardless of what the practitioner does and at what pace, the breath neither accelerates nor slows down, which seems strange to ordinary people and beginner practitioners. Qigong calls such constant rhythm and pace of breathing regardless of physical effort and situation - huan. This requires thorough purification of the reactive lower emotional mind, i.e. purification of the subconscious and strong control over the emotionally reactive subconscious mind. It seems that a yogi or yogini in such a state does everything effortlessly, and no work is tiring, even if it seems that superhuman strength and abilities are needed to perform it.

(8) Soft or softening, dissolving breath – we achieve when breathing becomes so light and subtle and luminous that the body seems to be in a state of weightlessness or full magnetisation. Nothing is too heavy for a yogi or qigong adept in this state. Classical yoga considers such a state a flow of daiva prana, or divine or heavenly energy. Similarly, qigong speaks here of heavenly qi, and calls the type of breathing by the term mian. Soft breathing not only relaxes and introduces the deepest states of meditation like samadhi but also softens and dissolves karmic bonds and material bonds, somehow diluting matter, which gives mystical-magical effects in the form of levitation and dissolution of the adept into the body of the luminous sky. The mere impression of achieving such soft breathing is not enough for its recognition - many physical and mental effects accompanying its achievement are also studied, and this is the knowledge of true masters of yoga, kriya and qigong.

Most practitioners of various types of yoga and various styles of qigong usually achieve, after longer training, the abilities of the first three aspects of breathing, pranayama, and, less often, of the first five aspects of the art of breathing and working with energy, prana or qi (Jap. ki). Unfortunately, in particular, various modern Western varieties of yoga and qigong, much simplified, practised only a few minutes a day, without a master and spiritual guide, and their own courses of authorial health exercises based on yoga or qigong - do not even have teachers or masters at the appropriate level to be able to teach adepts true, correct practices, let alone to show or lead to deep pranic results. That is why we must seek out the old good traditions in the area of yoga and qigong, accept the conditions of the old masters and undertake deeper practical training without slacking off and without tearing out only certain fragments of teachings or mindlessly selected exercises from these traditions, through the ignorance of “simplifiers” devoid of context and meaning.

Many Blessings on the Path of Awakening and Realization! Om Namaśśivaya! HUM!

Udana/MHM 212 - (C) The Himalaya Master - Himalaya Tirtha Swami