Is it necessary to practice breath-control?

[Guest guest]

>From Talks; 448

 

Mr. G. D. then asked: Is it necessary to control one's breath? What

becomes of the man who has not practised breath-control?

 

M. : Breath-control is only an aid for diving deep. One may as well

dive down by control of mind. On the mind being controlled, the breath

becomes controlled automatically. One need not attempt breath-control;

mind-control is enough. Breath-control is recommended for the man who

cannot control his mind straightaway.

 

Naham ––– I am not this ––– corresponds to rechaka [exhalation]

Koham ––– Who am I? (search for the I) ––– corresponds to puraka

[inhalation]

Soham ––– He am I; (The Self alone) ––– corresponds to kumbhaka.

[retention]

So these are the functions of pranayama.

Again the three formula are:

Na ––– Aham (Not ––– I).

Ka ––– Aham (Who ––– I).

Sa ––– Aham (He ––– I).

 

Delete the prefixes and hold on to the common factor in all of them.

That is Aham ––– 'I', that is the gist of the whole matter.

 

---------

 

From Talks; 345

 

Breath-control may do as an aid but can never lead to the goal itself.

While doing it mechanically, take care to be alert in mind and remember

the 'I'-thought and seek its source. Then you will find that where

breath sinks, there the 'I'-thought arises. They sink and rise

together. The 'I'-thought also will sink along with the breath.

Simultaneously another luminous and infinite 'I––I' will manifest and

it will be continuous and unbroken. That is the goal. It goes by

different names –– God, Self, Kundalini-Sakti, consciousness etc., etc.

 

---------

 

Regards,

Miles

 

---------

'The highest Truth... is realising that, 'there is neither destruction,

nor production; neither one who is bound by the fetters of existence,

nor one who has perfected release from them; indeed, there is neither a

seeker after Liberation, nor one who is liberated.' (amrtabindu

upanishad)

Attachment: (text/enriched) [not stored]