Breath control

[Guest guest]

om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

 

Dear Alan and Gabriele,

 

When talking about samadhi, Sri Bhagavan spoke of '...the stillness of a

waveless ocean...' (Talk; 406) What a wonderful expression!

 

When the breath comes under control, this 'stillness' is experienced.

Control can be forced, as in various 'hatha yoga' practices, or spontaneous

as mentioned in Sri Ramana Gita, chapter 6:

---

prANarodhaSca manasA prANasya pratyavekSaNam /

kumbhakam sidhyati hyevam satatapratyavekSaNAt //

 

Control of the breath is attention to the flow of breath by the mind. In

this way, through constant attention, kumbhaka is accomplished.

---

 

Mind and breath spring from the same source so controlling one automatically

controls the other. However, in practice, constantly watching the breath

seems to be easier, and more efficacious, than forcibly controlling it. I

seem to remember Sri Bhagavan compared the two methods to the milking of a

cow. The first to cajoling the cow by feeding her grass and gently patting

her back and the latter to forcibly milking her, whether she likes it or

not.

 

Those who have used both methods have reported that there may be a danger of

falling into laya (unconsciousness) when using forcible control, therefore

nullifying any subsequent Enquiry. Whereas simple attention (pratyavekSaNa)

when coupled with atmavicara results in kumbhaka and the sphurana (so often

mentioned (and understandably so) on this list) arising spontaneously from

the Heart (with or without physical manifestation). It seems the gentle

cajoling method is Sri Bhagavan's first recommendation and hatha yoga

methods are recommended for those who are unable to achieve kumbhaka (which

is nothing more or less than sahajasthiti - abidance in the Self) this way.

It certainly is the method used here.

 

Ever Yours in Sri Bhagavan,

Miles

---------

 

> Here for reaching the heart breath control is also suggested as a

> means. Perhaps someone can say something about who has practiced.

>

> In Him

> Gabriele

 

 

>> -- In RamanaMaharshi, Alan Jacobs <alanadamsjacobs> wrote:

>> Dear Friends , I would appreciate it if any one has any practical advice on

>> this thispractice .The

>> Ashram published a book called The Technique of Maha Yoga .It suggested

>> focussing on the heart centre on an exhalation after breath retention .I

>> prefer focussing and diving on the retention.What do others find best for

>> them ? Yours in Bhagavan Alan

[Guest guest]

Yes, simply watching breath is most helpful.

Also in Zen one of the first and main-things which is taught is to

watch breath. By simply watching breath becomes slow and silent.

Herewith also the mind becomes silent. Sri Ramana said: "The I-

thought also will sink along with breath. Simultaneously, another

luminous and infinite 'I-I' will become manifest,which will be

continuous and unbroken." (from Talk 195)

To combine breath control in this way with vichara and follow the I-

thought back to its source while watching breath will surely be fine

and lead to the Heart.

Watching breath is a very gentle and effective method. I practiced

for many years and still do sometimes.

In Him

Gabriele

 

RamanaMaharshi, Miles Wright <ramana.bhakta@v...> wrote:

> om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

>

> Dear Alan and Gabriele,

>

> When talking about samadhi, Sri Bhagavan spoke of '...the stillness

of a

> waveless ocean...' (Talk; 406) What a wonderful expression!

>

> When the breath comes under control, this 'stillness' is

experienced.

> Control can be forced, as in various 'hatha yoga' practices, or

spontaneous

> as mentioned in Sri Ramana Gita, chapter 6:

> ---

> prANarodhaSca manasA prANasya pratyavekSaNam /

> kumbhakam sidhyati hyevam satatapratyavekSaNAt //

>

> Control of the breath is attention to the flow of breath by the

mind. In

> this way, through constant attention, kumbhaka is accomplished.

> ---

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Alan, Gabriele et al,

 

Yes, I too have found breath wathing helpful. Before I found Ramana

Maharshi's teaching, I had used this as an important part of my zen-

based practice for many years. And found it regularly brought a

sense of inner peace.

 

When I started my daily self-inquiry practice I found that my

concentration was not so good, so I returned to breath wathcing as a

way to get started and get both open and concentrated. (Then I would

start "Who am I?")

 

It seems that breath watching gives the mind "something to do" that

has a continuous focus. Start the focus and in a bit all else falls

away.

 

In the last few years I discovered that in "Freeway Zen" (something

that can be practiced in an urban enviornment like Silicon Valley

where I live and work), listening to the constant sound of the car's

tires can bring a similar effect. As can listening to the waves of

the ocean.

 

Now in inquiry I look for something that is constant that is within.

This is more formless, and yet goes deep. What is constant is "The

unknown Knower of all the known."

 

Today, driving to SAT for a "service day" I was inquiring, and in the

inquiry saw how "all of this," all the world, this body, these senses

and their sensing, this mind, this intellect, this ego, ALL OF THIS

is known. And who knows all of this? There is a "place" (no place,

really) where identity and knowledge merge. This "Freeway

mediation," and the subsequent meditation at the SAT hall before

service day, brought me so close to this place.

 

Breath watching is a wonderful and gentle tool. Gazing at "He who

knows the breath watcher" then turns breath watching into deep

inquiry.

 

Thank you Ramana Maharshi for teaching us about this.

 

We are Not two,

Richard

 

RamanaMaharshi, "gabriele_ebert" <g.ebert@g...> wrote:

> Yes, simply watching breath is most helpful.

> Also in Zen one of the first and main-things which is taught is to

> watch breath. By simply watching breath becomes slow and silent.

> Herewith also the mind becomes silent. Sri Ramana said: "The I-

> thought also will sink along with breath. Simultaneously, another

> luminous and infinite 'I-I' will become manifest,which will be

> continuous and unbroken." (from Talk 195)

> To combine breath control in this way with vichara and follow the I-

> thought back to its source while watching breath will surely be

fine

> and lead to the Heart.

> Watching breath is a very gentle and effective method. I practiced

> for many years and still do sometimes.

> In Him

> Gabriele

>

> RamanaMaharshi, Miles Wright <ramana.bhakta@v...> wrote:

> > om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

> >

> > Dear Alan and Gabriele,

> >

> > When talking about samadhi, Sri Bhagavan spoke of '...the

stillness

> of a

> > waveless ocean...' (Talk; 406) What a wonderful expression!

> >

> > When the breath comes under control, this 'stillness' is

> experienced.

> > Control can be forced, as in various 'hatha yoga' practices, or

> spontaneous

> > as mentioned in Sri Ramana Gita, chapter 6:

> > ---

> > prANarodhaSca manasA prANasya pratyavekSaNam /

> > kumbhakam sidhyati hyevam satatapratyavekSaNAt //

> >

> > Control of the breath is attention to the flow of breath by the

> mind. In

> > this way, through constant attention, kumbhaka is accomplished.

> > ---

> >

[Guest guest]

Dear Richard,

 

> Now in inquiry I look for something that is constant that is within.

> This is more formless, and yet goes deep. What is constant is "The

> unknown Knower of all the known."

 

> > >

 

Unheard , unspoken, unseen...yet heard , spoken of, even seen...oh

Arunacalaramana, such dichotomy? ... Oh Lord...how can I express such

things... ? Who am I? Who am I? Who am

[Guest guest]

Dear Everybody,

 

Same experience here. Watching breath is very good.

 

The Buddha (in one of the main Theravada scriptures)

says that watching the breath is enough of a practice

to lead you all the way to enlightenment.

 

I would add to Richard's comments about tire noise

that I think there is something special about the breath

as an object of attention. The rise of the breath, as

Bhagavan used to say, is linked to the rise of thoughts.

 

This really got hammered home to me during

a several-month period of my practice a few years

ago when it became very difficult to meditate because

my breathing would stop whenever I did. I couldn't

attend to anything for more than a few minutes because

I would suddenly become aware of a gasping need for

breath, and I would have to direct my attention to a

sort of deliberate instruction to resume breathing.

Luckily this was a passing phase. I think this similar

to what Barbara described here a week or two ago,

except that for me, this was never more than a nuisance

that interrupted meditation; it wasn't scary. I think there

are methods for dealing with this phenomenon in Yoga

under the category of disengaging the mind and breath

but I never looked into it very hard. I still hold my

breath involuntarily a lot of the time but it doesn't

seem to interrupt anything.

 

Bhagavan used to say that watching the breath is the

safest form of pranayama. Here's a typical quote:

 

.. Mr. Prasad again asked whether, for controlling

.. breath, the regular pranayama is not better in

.. which 1 : 4 : 2 proportion for breathing in,

.. retaining, and breathing out is prescribed.

.. Bhagavan replied, "All those proportions,

.. sometimes regulated not only by counting but

.. by uttering mantras, etc., are helps for controlling

.. the mind. That is all. Watching the breath is

.. also one form of pranayama. Retaining breath,

.. etc., is more violent and may be harmful in some

.. cases, e.g, when there is no proper Guru to guide

.. the sadhak at every step and stage. But merely

.. watching the breath is easy and involves no

.. risk. (A.D. Mudaliar, Day By Day With

.. Bhagavan, page 47.)

 

Rob

 

-

"Richard Clarke" <r_clarke

<RamanaMaharshi>

Saturday, September 21, 2002 5:28 PM

[RamanaMaharshi] Re: Breath control

[Guest guest]

Dear Rob and Everybody,

 

I certainly agree that breath watching has deeper inner connections

that does tire noise. My point was merely that any experience that

is continuous can be used as a concentrative focus. And I wanted to

lead from the "objective" continuous experience focus to the "non-

objective" continous focus.

 

Not two,

Richard

 

RamanaMaharshi, "Rob Sacks" <editor@r...> wrote:

> Dear Everybody,

>

> Same experience here. Watching breath is very good.

>

> The Buddha (in one of the main Theravada scriptures)

> says that watching the breath is enough of a practice

> to lead you all the way to enlightenment.

>

> I would add to Richard's comments about tire noise

> that I think there is something special about the breath

> as an object of attention. The rise of the breath, as

> Bhagavan used to say, is linked to the rise of thoughts.

>