Pranyama practice - advice required

[Guest guest]

I am sorry I have no advice on the pranayama, except following the ashtanga

form. I do, however, recomend you practice asana 6 days a week. I teach ashtanga

as taught by Sri K Pattabhi Jois.

 

the_fractionater <the.fractionater wrote: Hey all,

 

I have a question regarding Pranyama practice - perhaps an advanced

yogi/yogini may be able to offer advice here?

[Guest guest]

Hi! the.fractionater, I recommend style two. Theball of light below navel. That

method is better, it will also help Kundalini. Details later. I gotta go now.

Write if you need more info. Will help to best of ability.

Nalin Patel

 

the_fractionater <the.fractionater wrote:

Hey all,

 

I have a question regarding Pranyama practice - perhaps an advanced

yogi/yogini may be able to offer advice here?

 

I've recently stared investigating this side of yoga and face a bit

of a dillema.

 

I want to develop a deeper sense of grounding, intuition, and

connection and have been advised that a regular pranyama practice is

the way to do this (in addition to my regular Asana practice - of

which I do 4 days a week). Anyway I have come accross 2 distinct

styles of Pranyama:

 

(1) The Ashtanga style of Pranyama......

- warm-up with Sama Vrithi for a few minutes

then move on to.....

-Inhale deeply into chest, sides and back, whilst holding Mullah and

Udiyahna bandah contractions through-out.

-Contract Jalanda bandha at top of inhale and perform a Kumbakha -

retention of breath for a count of 15

-Release jalanda bandha and exhale steadily (matching the rate of the

inhale)

-At the end of the exhale contract Jalandar bandha and perform

another Kumbakha - pause for a count of 10 before starting the inhale

-and continue the cycle again (approx 10mins daily)

There are different variations of this method - but you get the

general idea.

 

(2) The Heart Yoga style of pranyama.......(this method was

recomended to me by a relative who practices this style)

-Inhale deeply through the nose, and as you do, imagine there is a

ball of light/energy spinning just below your navel. Inhale by first

expanding your ribs, and as your inhale progresses, finish the inhale

by pushing your belly OUT.

 

-When you inhale, imagine the energy moves in a SOFT line, down the

front of the body til it reaches the point about two finger widths

below your navel (udiyana bandha?) and then it moves inside your body

to pool there. The energy on the inhale is soft, soft, SOFT...receive.

 

-Pause for just a moment when you are done with the inhale. This

pause on retention (kumbakha?) will give you just the briefest(at

first) moment of total internal silence. THE PAUSE IS PERHAPS THE

MOST IMPORTANT PART.

 

-Now, exhale, again through your nose. EXHALE BY PULLING YOUR BELLY

TOWARD YOUR SPINE.

When you exhale, imagine the strong energy is now moving right up the

center of your spine, from the base of your spine all the way up to

the center of your brain-core and then out through the top of your

head. When you are finished exhaling, PAUSE at the end of the exhale,

BEFORE you begin the next inhale.

(approx 10mins daily).

 

Can any pranyama specialists offer me any advice as to which method I

start persuing, as they are both very different in relation to

treatment of the inhale - udiyana contracted vs belly soft? Like I

said my aims are for grounding, Connection, and greater intuition. If

the Ashtanga method will achieve this then I will gladly follow that

path as its compatible with my asana practice too.

 

Smile,

 

Fraction8r

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nalin

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Nalin,

 

One of the things I have observed when practicing both styles is that

thae Ashtanga method just feels too mechanical. The "ball of light"

method certainly feels deeper.

 

Peace + piece,

 

Fraction8r

 

 

ashtanga yoga [ashtangayoga]

On Behalf Of nalin patel

22 January 2006 04:49

ashtanga yoga

Re: ashtanga yoga Pranyama practice - advice required

 

Hi! the.fractionater, I recommend style two. Theball of light below

navel. That method is better, it will also help Kundalini. Details

later. I gotta go now. Write if you need more info. Will help to best of

ability.

Nalin Patel

 

the_fractionater <the.fractionater wrote:

Hey all,

 

I have a question regarding Pranyama practice - perhaps an advanced

yogi/yogini may be able to offer advice here?

 

I've recently stared investigating this side of yoga and face a bit

of a dillema.

 

I want to develop a deeper sense of grounding, intuition, and

connection and have been advised that a regular pranyama practice is

the way to do this (in addition to my regular Asana practice - of

which I do 4 days a week). Anyway I have come accross 2 distinct

styles of Pranyama:

 

(1) The Ashtanga style of Pranyama......

- warm-up with Sama Vrithi for a few minutes

then move on to.....

-Inhale deeply into chest, sides and back, whilst holding Mullah and

Udiyahna bandah contractions through-out.

-Contract Jalanda bandha at top of inhale and perform a Kumbakha -

retention of breath for a count of 15

-Release jalanda bandha and exhale steadily (matching the rate of the

inhale)

-At the end of the exhale contract Jalandar bandha and perform

another Kumbakha - pause for a count of 10 before starting the inhale

-and continue the cycle again (approx 10mins daily)

There are different variations of this method - but you get the

general idea.

 

(2) The Heart Yoga style of pranyama.......(this method was

recomended to me by a relative who practices this style)

-Inhale deeply through the nose, and as you do, imagine there is a

ball of light/energy spinning just below your navel. Inhale by first

expanding your ribs, and as your inhale progresses, finish the inhale

by pushing your belly OUT.

 

-When you inhale, imagine the energy moves in a SOFT line, down the

front of the body til it reaches the point about two finger widths

below your navel (udiyana bandha?) and then it moves inside your body

to pool there. The energy on the inhale is soft, soft, SOFT...receive.

 

-Pause for just a moment when you are done with the inhale. This

pause on retention (kumbakha?) will give you just the briefest(at

first) moment of total internal silence. THE PAUSE IS PERHAPS THE

MOST IMPORTANT PART.

 

-Now, exhale, again through your nose. EXHALE BY PULLING YOUR BELLY

TOWARD YOUR SPINE.

When you exhale, imagine the strong energy is now moving right up the

center of your spine, from the base of your spine all the way up to

the center of your brain-core and then out through the top of your

head. When you are finished exhaling, PAUSE at the end of the exhale,

BEFORE you begin the next inhale.

(approx 10mins daily).

 

Can any pranyama specialists offer me any advice as to which method I

start persuing, as they are both very different in relation to

treatment of the inhale - udiyana contracted vs belly soft? Like I

said my aims are for grounding, Connection, and greater intuition. If

the Ashtanga method will achieve this then I will gladly follow that

path as its compatible with my asana practice too.

 

Smile,

 

Fraction8r

[Guest guest]

Well you know, "unfortunately" pranayama IS a mechanical procedure.

At least that is what the old texts seems to suggest. It is not some

sort of insight meditation you know...

 

Let me ask you one question, have you been taught pranayama by an

ashtanga guru, or you just learned it by yourself? Anyway it seems

odd to me, to say the least, to practice ashtanga and do other

styles's pranayama instead of ashtanga's own practices...!?

What is that "ball of light" thing anyway? there is no such thing in

any of the traditional forms of yoga.

 

To the original question, please find yourself a TRADITIONAL

ashtanga teacher and follow his/her guidance.

 

namaskar.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your post - but did you even read my initial post? The

context in which I wish to use pranyama is to develop a deeper sense of

"Connection and Intuition". Once again please read my initial post and I

describe the method and origin of the ball of light style.

 

And I totally disagree with your idea of keeping styles pure - this may

sound controversial but I say use the best of what works and discard the

rest! - I don't have enough time in my life!

 

Peace + piece,

 

Fraction8r

 

 

ashtanga yoga [ashtangayoga]

On Behalf Of andiniji

30 January 2006 17:48

ashtanga yoga

Re: ashtanga yoga Pranyama practice - advice required

 

Well you know, "unfortunately" pranayama IS a mechanical procedure.

At least that is what the old texts seems to suggest. It is not some

sort of insight meditation you know...

 

Let me ask you one question, have you been taught pranayama by an

ashtanga guru, or you just learned it by yourself? Anyway it seems

odd to me, to say the least, to practice ashtanga and do other

styles's pranayama instead of ashtanga's own practices...!?

What is that "ball of light" thing anyway? there is no such thing in

any of the traditional forms of yoga.

 

To the original question, please find yourself a TRADITIONAL

ashtanga teacher and follow his/her guidance.

 

namaskar.

 

 

 

 

 

Links

[Guest guest]

I agree with you 'fractionater' without 'change', there would be no 'progress'.

clinging only to the "old" not daring to change anything is stagnation. We can

never live the way they lived 100 or more years ago, culture changes, habits

change, food changes... so why can't the style of yoga? (by the way Mr. Jois

changed the style of practice over the years too, in the beginning he didn't say

that you should master all primary series before you can go to the second!!!

some details in first series changed as well, for instance parivritta

parsvakonasana was added later)

 

and if i'm not mistaken ashtanga yoga was partially designed for the British

gymnastic team as a part of the regular training routine.

 

in light,

diana