Chandi Question -- pranayama......Qstn(3)

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Does Swamiji recommend breathing thru the nose or mouth when doing

these simple pranayams?  Also where does He recommend the gaze and

attention be placed?

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parvati_saraswati

Thursday, February 26, 2004 11:15 PM

Re: Chandi Question -- pranayama.......Qstn(2)

Dear Steve,There are  many  forms of pranayama. One  simple one that

Swamiji teaches is  1:4:2 or  2:8:4 , etc. Since you are learning

Shiva puja  you  could use Om Namah Shivaaya.First you inhale the

mantra for 1 count.  Say the  mantra 1 time  in  your  mind as you

inhale. You f ill your diaphragm  with  air, your  stomach  should

fill up  like a balloon. You bring  the air up  as high  as you

canand retain the  breath reciting the mantra 4 t imes in your  mind 

and  then you  will exhale the mantra reciting the mantra 2 times.You

can  begin  the  cycle again.Hope this  helps a little.--- In

, "bingo_ridley" wrote:> parvati dear,> >

thank you for your response. a little more looking into this if you >

have time ...> > after we do some studies, such as i am working on

the beginner's > shiva puja, is it the teachings of shree maa and

swamiji, > considering one has one's dharmic obligations lovingly

attended to, > that the longer one is able to meditate the better?

this is part of > what i learned from shivapuri baba and hope to be

able to continue > with if it is wise to do so.> > pranayama yes this

is great. is there written down or preferred way > to do it? i found

most effective counted inhalation, counted > retention, and very long

counted exhalation. but my knowledge on > this is very limited.> > jai

maa> > steve c.> > > ,

"parvati_saraswati" > wrote:> > Dear Steve,> > That union happens

through grace. Grace is defined as kripaa. What > > you do is what

you get. The longer we can sit, the more focused we > > make our

attention, the greater the fruit.Pranayama will help > take  > > us

deeper into meditation and acts like a bridge between the outer > >

and inner world.  > > > > > > > > > > --- In

, "bingo_ridley" > > wrote:> > >

parvati,> > > > > > is that union of shakti and shiva as rising

kundalini in the > > > sahasrar meant generally, or as a specific

exercise, or as a > > natural > > > consequence of devotions ... or,

is the answer dependant upon > the > > > devotee's individual

practice and circumstance?> > > > > > steve c.> > > > > > > > > ---

In , "parvati_saraswati" > > > wrote:> >

> > Dear  Latha,> > > > I was looking through my notes and here is

one example of how > > > > the Chandi is applicable on other levels.>

> > > > > > > In  the Athaargalaa stotram verse 24 it  says:  Give  me

a  > wife > > > in  > > > > harmony  with my  mind, who follows the

changes of mind, and > > > > who can lead  a family  of noble birth

across the > difficulties  > > of > > > > the ocean of  objects and

their  relationships.> > > > > > > > Swamiji explains that this wife

is  not necessarily a physical > > > wife.  > > > > Consciousness is

singing this praise. That is Shiva. Shiva is > > > > asking for union

with nature, his shakti.  Here Shakti resides > > in > > > > the

muladhara and Shiva resides in the sahasrara. He is asking > > > > to

consumate the marriage by  bringing the kundalini energy up > > > >

from the  muladhara to the sahasrara where we will  commune > > > >

and  lead that  good family across the ocean of objects  and > > > >

relationships. We w ill cross the samsara by uniting our > Shakti > >

> > with our Shiva.> > > > > > > > In Sanskrit the  prayer for a wife

in  harmony with my mind > > > > follows  the grammar of the sanskrit

because it says> > > > "patniim" which means wife. But on a greater

level it  means > > > > more than a physical spouse. It means an

energy. Let me > > > > become a partner of the divine. If we are

shakti give me a > > shiva  > > > > and if we are shiva give me a

shakti in harmony with  my mind. > > It > > > > is not just talking

about a physical relationship.> > > > > > > > The Chandi goes beyond

gender. Swamiji reminds us not to > > > > think of ourselves as

limited beings housed in a body of > gender. > > > > The Chandi is

the story of the evolution of consciousness. It > is > > > > not

about having relationships in the world. It is about > > > >

surrendering the egotism of thought and living in the world of > > >

> consciousness.Consciousness is seeking to unite with nature.> > > >

> > > > , "Latha Nanda" > > > >

wrote:> > > > > Swamiji says that all the verses in the Chandi are >

applicable > > in > > > > the > > > > > 3 levels - gross, subtle,

causal . Does anyone have notes > from > > > > his > > > > > talks

and can give an example?