Long Deep Breathing

[Guest guest]

Part II. Long Deep Breathing

 

Just a brief explanation of what happens physiologically when practicing

Kundalini Yoga exercises and kriyas.

 

The once side of the heart receives the vitalized blood from the lungs, then

pumps the blood out through the arteries to the capillaries of the organs and to

their cells. The cells take in the vitality from the blood and discharge toxins,

waste and gasses, which travel back up through the veins to another chamber of

the heart, which pumps the blood through the lungs, where the impurities are

discharged and vital air recharged into the blood, and so on. This process is

explained in detail in various Kundalini Yoga Manuals, as it reveals a key to

how and what Kundalini Yoga is all about and provides the understanding of why

these Kundalini Yoga sets and kriyas combined with proper breathing is so

effective.

 

The postures and movements create an expanding or contracting pressure on

certain areas of the body that causes the blood to saturate the organs and

glands, which with the nerves expand under the pressure opening more and more to

the vitality of the blood.

 

To vitalize the blood, it is necessary that the lower part of the lungs, where

most of the blood sacks are, is expanded.

 

The diaphragm comes down behind the ribs and wraps under below the lungs. When

you expand your breathing downward, the lower part of the diaphragm expands

downward and out pushing against the abdominal muscles. Pressing the diaphragm

down, you should feel the sense of its distention all the way below the navel

and to the sides above the pelvis as the abdomen comes out. The abdominals

remain relaxed, as the diaphragm does the breathing.

 

In a long deep breath, while expanding your breath downward, the diaphragm will

naturally expand and distend forward. First you feel the expansion of the air

filling the lower lungs higher and higher until there is a sense of suspension

that continues to lifting the rib cage from the lower solar plexus area to the

shoulder cavacular area, without the slightest exertion of the muscles of the

rib cage.

 

As an assistance to this experience of the diaphragm, you sit cross-legged on

the floor with the spine straight, hands resting on the knees, breath in

consciously expanding and compacting the air downward to the lowest part of the

lungs. As the air is filling in, you press your hands inward against the knees

towards the hips and slightly downward. This causes the spine to arch forward

and rib cage to open and lift without any exertion of the muscles in the ribs.

(Try it.) As you continue to inhale, pressing the air downward, the middle and

upper parts of the lungs become completely full. Then bring the shoulders back

and exhale compressing all the air out of the lungs so that the lower ribs

(solar plexus) and abdomen ( the Kandal, behind the navel area) contract. This

is one long deep breath. It can be done easily and smoothly or with force and

power. Either way, it is the diaphragm which generates the expansion and

contraction of the lungs. You can feel the extension of the diaphragm when you

breath inward slightly and suspend the breath, which gives a unique sensation

without reference to inhaling or exhaling or holding.

 

With this kind of breathing the blood's chemistry changes dramatically with a

few breaths. Before we start a Kundalini Yoga class, we will take several long

deep breath, maybe 10 or 20 in different sitting positions, as a means to cleans

the channels, charge the nerves so they resonate and clear the mind of

distracting thoughts. In this way the mantra dedicating one's practice at the

start of the class will have its full effect.

 

For example, try this to cleans the channels before a class: Sitting straight,

as mentioned above, you stretch up your left arm straight beside the left ear,

palms facing inwards. Then you raise your right arm, with the right thumb

covering the right nostril fingers pointed straight up like antenna. Then begin

long deep breathing, stretching the left arm up so that pressure is always felt

in the armpits and upward reaching arm. Continue long deep breaths 10 to 20

times (or more), then inhale deeply and completely, hold the breath, turn the

eyes towards the top of the head, tongue pressing the pallet, pull the root lock

expanding the chest, and hold for 30 seconds (or more) without strain.

 

During this breathing and while you hold the breath, with a slight attention,

you will feel the ida nadi or moon nerve (that cools the body), an energy

channel from the point between the eyebrows (left lobe of the pituitary) up over

the left side of the top of the head and down the back of the left side of the

neck and left side of the spine to the base of the spine. You may even be able

to consciously follow the flow of energy in and down the energy channel as you

inhale and up and out, as you exhale, which draws in and deepens the mind into a

penetrating stillness.

 

Then, keeping the left arm straight, slowly exhale through the left nostril, and

after few moments gently lower your arms and hands back to the knees.

 

Sitting straight, you will feel an electric current along this ida nadi, that

will become stronger as you sit, while stilling the mind.

 

After a minute or 2, begin the same breath on the opposite side, which will

cleans the pingala nadi, or sun nerve (heats the body), an energy channel from

the point between the eyebrows (right lobe of the pituitary) up over the right

side of the top of the head and down the back of the right side of the neck and

right side of the spine to the base of the spine.

 

When you notice how this simple Kundalini Yoga exercise has this dramatic

effect, even for many students very first class, then you also realize and

understand that this same purification process occurs in every Kundalini Yoga

exercise and kriya as it relates to the creation of a pressure on the glands,

organs and nerves, where such pressure causes the blood to saturated the area

under pressure.

 

You will feel your life force, and as the glands purify and secrete, vitalizing

the blood, the electric feeling will deepen and become almost liquid.

 

There are several types of pranayamas combined with certain angles, mudras,

pressures that generate a similar effect.

 

Even though we are not aware of it, the body field generates and is in the midst

of tremendous levels of energy. The sounds and images we hear and see in the

mind are the creation of the movement of atoms that vibrate on a molecular

level. The same energy that powers the atom, forms and binds the molecules to

create the cells of the body and regulate the entire continuous manifestation of

the body and mind as a constant single intelligent support and substratum.

 

As we continue to practice Kundalini Yoga, gradually the cells charge and we

begin to become aware of this energy as consciousness. The yogis call prana, as

an intelligent force of light that begins to become brighter and more pervasive

than the typical firing of action-reaction thought patters, emotions and moods.

 

We find ourselves no longer gripped by the identity to these inherent

tendencies, and we begin to feel and become aware of ourselves as this

intelligent pervasive light. She body seems to become spacelike - transparent

and free, like a light in a projector, turned up to become brighter, as it

passes through the reel to reel ongoing movie of impressions and drama,

appearing on a screen that fades to white.

 

Over time, especially if one remembers to relax between Kundalini Yoga exercises

to allow the body to readjust to the discharging of waste and recharging of the

cells, and the balancing of the glands, organs and nerves, the energy levels

deepen to the point where the encoded patters of the mind in all the cells and

molecules of the body field are outshined, and you feel the pervasive light

shining through you from within, between and behind the atoms of the body.

 

All this to say that, if one practices the Kundalini Yoga exercises and Kriyas,

Laya chants and meditations with still watching awareness; if one practices the

long deep breathing, as outlined herein with the energy locks (Bhandas) when

required, the outturned mind will begin to reflect the single pervasive Living

Light penetrating from the core of Being, and you will recognize yourself as

That.

 

Once one is able to do Long Deep Breathing, which is to say, to feel the

complete expansion an contraction of the diaphragm and lungs without the need to

feel that the abdominals or ribs are involved in the breathing process, then the

Breath of Fire comes naturally and easily. More on the Breath of Fire later

.....

--