PRANAYAMA: THE SCIENCE OF BREATH
Symbolic representation of the Yogic 'Nadi' model
Pranayama is the limb of Patanjali's ashtanga yoga that focuses on controlled breathing practiced with awareness.
The word pranayama consists of two parts – prana (life-force) and aayama (to stretch or to control).
Prana flows through your body through a network of fine subtle energy channels called nadis. Nadis are not nerves but rather channels for the flow of consciousness. (The literal meaning of nadi is 'flow'.) According to tantra there are 72,000 nadis in your body, through which prana flows like an electric current from one point to another.
The three main nadis are Ida (left channel), Pingala (right channel) and the Sushumna (the central channel). They correspond to the sympathetic, parasympathetic and central nervous systems. Ida is the lunar nadi (passive or introverted), and corresponds to the left side of the body and the right hemisphere of the brain. Pingala is the solar nadi (active or extroverted), and corresponds to the right side of the body and the left hemisphere of the brain.
Pranayama aims at the purification and development of these two energy currents, resulting in the awakening of kundalini shakti (the tremendous universal life-force which lies latent in our bodies). When the kundalini awakens, it is guided into the central Sushumna channel, and both these powerful energy currents are balanced. The awakening of kundalini energy results in the awakening of divine consciousness or wisdom in us.
Pranayama is not just an aid to meditation. When you do it with complete awareness, your very breathing can become a powerful meditation. Today, pranayama is often confused with deep breathing techniques which are used to increase vitality, calm the nervous system and for general well-being.
Pranayama also includes introductory cleansing techniques that serve these purposes, but these are not real pranayama.
In real pranayama, the focus is not on breathing, but on witnessing the breath. More than the specific technique itself, it is the awareness that is important!
When you practice pranayama, you become aware of the deep connection between your breath, your emotions and your mind.
When you focus on your breath, you bring your mind naturally into the state of pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), and the process of looking inward begins.
Prana is an energy or subtle vibration that cannot be contacted directly by the senses. Even when you breathe, you are actually contacting only the air which is carrying the prana.
When the same vibration is expressed at a slightly grosser level, it is known as sound.
In the eastern culture, we believe that the whole material universe has been generated by the power of sound. According to the Hindu view of creation, it was sound and not light that appeared first. This sound is called nada brahman or the celestial sound.
The ancient Vedic rishis believed that the brahmanda or universe happened as a result of bindu visphota or an atomic explosion that produced infinite waves of sound vibrations. Eventually, these vibrations precipitated into forms, 'settled down' and became the material universe.
So the material universe is only a gross expression of these subtle vibrations. The whole of creation is nothing but vibrations at various frequencies and amplitudes, which has given rise to the phenomena of the world.
Sound is a grosser expression of prana movement. That is why you are able to contact it with the senses. The point where prana (energy) becomes nada (sound vibration) is very subtle. The most subtle sound is an almost inaudible vibration.
The universal prana itself is continuously being expressed as a subtle sound vibration which fills the cosmos. Understand: the whole cosmos is resonating with this imperceptible humming sound!
This sound is called anahata (unstruck sound), because it is a spontaneous, uncaused vibration. It is also known as the primary varna (letter), because this vibration is the source of all the letters or syllables which are the units of audible speech. All sounds lie latent in this one sound, and arise from it.
If this nada (sound) cannot be articulated, how can we know it?
We know it because this nada expresses itself in the breath of every living creature!
Just listen deeply to the sound of your own breathing.
You will see that the breath is inhaled with the very subtle sound 'ha' and exhaled with the sound 'sah'. This is the first and most natural mantra, which every living being is repeating with every breath. Each human being is repeating this mantra a day! Because it combines the sounds 'ha' and 'sah', it is known as the hamsah mantra.
Our ancient rishis had deeply studied and Mastered the science of sound.
They knew how to harness the tremendous power of sound!
Out of many thousands of years of research, they have formulated millions of mantras to invoke and honour deities, cleanse and energize outer and inner spaces, ward off illness, create material prosperity and aid in spiritual growth.