"But I give the illustration of the sound of a gong:
'tom', t-o-m. It is the merging of the Lila in the Nitya: the gross, the subtle, and the causal merge in the Great Cause; waking, dream, and deep sleep merge in Turiya. The striking of the gong is like the falling of a heavy weight into a big ocean. Waves begin to rise: the Relative rises from the Absolute; the causal, subtle, and gross bodies appear out of the Great Cause; from Turiya emerge the states of deep sleep, dream, and waking. These waves arising from the Great Ocean merge again in the Great Ocean. From the Absolute to the Relative, and from the Relative to the Absolute. Therefore I give the illustration of the gong's sound, 'tom'. I have clearly perceived all these things. It has been revealed to me that there exists an Ocean of Consciousness without limit. From It come all things of the relative plane, and in It they merge again. Millions of Brahmandas rise in that Chidakasa and merge in It again. All this has been revealed to me; I don't know, much about what your books say."
~Śrī Rāmakrṣna Paramhamsa, "Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna", chapter 33 'With Various Devotees'.
Welcome
Bon Appétit Buddha love to you!
"When the Buddha said that his job was done, this is what he meant. There were still pains in the body, there were still issues in life, but the mind no longer had to suffer because of them. That's where Awakening makes a permanent difference, once and for all. We hear over and over again that, because of the principle of impermanence, even Awakening must be impermanent, but that's not true. The Buddha didn't say that everything is impermanent, only that conditioned things are impermanent. And even on the conditioned level, it's possible to make irrevocable changes. This is why training the mind is so worthwhile. With practice, we can cut through the fetters that keep us bound to suffering so that thev'll never bind us ever again.
~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Sweets of fruit and Veggies Before Main dish
When a woman cuts herself off from her own feminine/Earthly/material power, seeking to renounce it from that fear or shame, she rejects herself in her essential manifestation. Femininity and the female form has been demonized and feared because of its destructive power. We’ve been told to hide ourselves for the safety of others, but it is clear that that age is ending. Women’s bodies are not, as many would have you believe, the SOURCE of sin and shame, but rather the vehicle that causes OTHERS to sin, stirring out and pulling on their own weaknesses and impurities. Do not be afraid to take up your beauty, which immediately means you accept that you take up your form as dual, BOTH a wrathful and beneficial goddess, like Parvati, appearing in the form that those who perceive you deserve.
Not everyone can handle being around a woman who confidently embraces her femininity, as it causes endless lust/jealousy/anger/disgust and so is constantly suppressed and challenged.
Don’t feel forced to hide or repress yourself to seem pure or keep from causing negative internal reactions in others; the reaction that a person has to this kind of woman only reveals his or her own faults in their relationship and reaction to shakti.
How he or she handles the shakti is up to him or her alone, and no true adept (male or female) needs to shield their eyes from a woman
👅 A woman can cause a person to drown in his or her own negativity, or can be the very source of a man raising his kundalini, and is therefore the greatest destroyer of evil. Your partner has NO access to the natural luxuries of a female and to his powerful animal nature without YOU as his inspiration.
You and only you can fulfill this role for him. Don’t seek to imitate man, seek to become fiercely opposite him, to become both his biggest challenger and his saviouress, and remember that you must carefully choose the man who is allowed to shape you and access you, so that you can become the true manifestation of his Kundalini Shakti projected into matter
. The shedding of one’s inhibitions in regards to one’s body and sexual nature is the gift that Bhairavi gives us by removing the blockages in the Mulhadara center, and is the beginning of all real spiritual paths.
~ Claire Nakti
Banquet of Bliss
Tantra: An Unexplored Science, Basic Meaning Explained. How Is It Connected To Bhagawan Shiva? ||
In Hinduism, there are three ways to worship any Deity-
1. The satavik way- In which we show our devotion to a deity using satvik ways like ringing the bell, offering jal, prasad etc.
2. The rajasik way- In which we show our devotion by dressing up in a specific way, using fragrance, using ratnas, some yantra etc.
3. The tamasik way- In which we show our devotion by using some specific rituals, dead bodies, animal sacrifices, sex etc.
It is common for people to misunderstand tantra, but it shouldn't come as a surprise because everyone possesses different qualities within them, namely Sato (purity), Rajo (activity), and Tamo (darkness).
Tantra provides a pathway to worship the divine through the Tamo aspect of our nature. In essence, Tantra is a science of the mind, a form of psychological exploration that aims to expand one's perception. The term 'Tantra' originates from Sanskrit and has multiple interpretations. One explanation is that it is a play on the word 'sutra,' which means 'thread' or 'formula.' If sutras represent individual threads of thought, Tantra can be likened to a loom that weaves these threads together into a comprehensive system of thoughts.
Another understanding is that Tantra combines the words 'tattva,' meaning the science of cosmic principles, and 'mantra,' referring to the science of mystical sound and vibration. In this sense, Tantra delves into the knowledge of universal principles and the use of sacred sounds for spiritual purposes.
According to Hindu beliefs, at the beginning of Satyuga, Bhagawan Shiva appeared as Swacchandanatha, possessing five mouths representing his five energies: Consciousness Bliss Will Knowledge, and Action. Through these energies, Shiva revealed the Tantras, some spoken through each of his mouths and others simultaneously recited through multiple mouths. These Tantras fall into two main categories: Dualistic and Mono-Dualistic, known respectively as "Shiva Tantra" and "Rudra Tantra."
When these five energies of Bhagawan Shiva unite in a way that each holds the others simultaneously, they give rise to 64 Bhairav Tantras, which are purely Monistic (Advaitic) in nature. The philosophical teachings expounded in these Tantras are referred to as the "Trika" philosophy or Kashmir Shaivism.
The origins of the sacred Tantras are believed to involve teachings initially given by Bhagawan Shiva to his wife, which were then passed on to human sages like Matsendranath. It is crucial to understand that Tantra does not advocate promiscuity but rather emphasizes extreme discipline. It is viewed as a technology or method to harness the energies within the body and from the surroundings.
According to Tantra, every human being with limited mental vision is spiritually ill. The true state of health is attained by transcending the constraints of time, space, and causation. The ultimate goal of Tantra is to replace the limited personality with an unlimited and permanent one, facilitating spiritual liberation and profound transformation. Indeed, the practice of Tantra is deeply rooted in the tradition of receiving Guru Diksha or initiation from a qualified spiritual teacher.
As Bhagawan Shiva emphasized in the Kularnava Tantram, all the practices advocated by Tantras, such as Yoga, Dhyana (meditation), Puja (worship), Japa (chanting), and others, are considered futile without proper initiation (adikshata). Just as seeds sown on stones fail to grow into plants, similarly, the efforts of an uninitiated person in these practices may not bear fruit. It's crucial to understand that Tantra is a profound and intricate spiritual path that goes beyond the understanding of today's science. It is not synonymous with black magic or superficial spells (tona totka). Instead, it involves a deep exploration of the mind, energy, and spiritual consciousness.
Oh, sadhika!
Are you manifesting your true Self
Or a story of yourself?
Are you expressing yourself
Or someone else's definitions?
Are you revealing yourself
Or hiding it underneath the veils of physical attributes, labels, names, ideologies, identities?
Are you expressing the whole, all its elements, each one utilised according to a given situation you find yourself in,
Or are you just playing the same old broken record?
Are you speaking from the past, its scars,
Or the living, beating heart of the present?
Are you quoting a textbook
Or letting knowledge and skillful means, applied to practice, bring forth a new synthesis?
Who decides?
Who speaks?
Who acts?
Look within and
See.
--Prema Kalidasi
"We bow to you, O great ruler, who is the form of the supreme bliss. You have come on the water for the sake of protecting our life-breath. Homage to you, homage to you, homage to you, homage and more homage.
Homage to you, o great Fierce Goddess, Homage to you who are the Night of Time.
Without you, o supreme Fierce Goddess, we would be as dead ghosts.
Protect us, protect us, o supreme one, who is the Vidyā, who is the womb of all the creatures in the three worlds.
O, slayer of Madhu and Kaitabha, o destroyer of the demon Nisumbha, you give the Gods their powers to rule.
O Goddess, homage to you, the beloved of Shankara."
--Brihannila Tantra
Feed your Head! Let me know how these morsels, and knowledge drops move you or touch you and if you would like to explore anything further.
Ramakrishna said: "Those who seek nirvana are selfish and small-minded. They are full of fear. They are like those parcheesi players who are always eager to reach home. An amateur player, once he sends his piece home, doesn't like to bring it out again. Such players are unskilled. But an adept player is never afraid of coming out again, if by doing so he gets the opportunity to capture an opponent. Then he rolls the right number and returns home once more. It seems that whenever he rolls the dice, the right number comes up for him. So do not fear. Play without any fear."
I asked, "Does it actually happen?" The Master replied: "Of course it happens. By Mother's grace everything takes place. Mother likes people to play. Take the game of hide-and-seek. [There is a granny, there is a thief who is blindfolded, and there are children trying to escape being caught by the thief.] The granny likes to have the children run about and make the game go on. She may extend her hand to help a child so he will not be caught by the thief, if she thinks it necessary. Similarly, the Divine Mother is not really pleased with those who seek nirvana, for they want to retire from the game. She wants the game to continue. That is why devotees do not seek nirvana. They say, 'O mind, it is not good to become sugar. I want to eat sugar.'
[…] "The practice of excessive physical mortification and of harming the body in any way stems from tamas [delusion]."
[…] One of the gentlemen said: "Sir, this body is the root of all evils. If it can be destroyed, all troubles will cease."
"The raw earthen pots when broken are made into pots again," the Master said, "but the burnt ones, once broken, can never be remade. So if you destroy the body before the attainment of Self-realization, you will have to be reborn and suffer similar consequences."
"But, sir," the gentleman objected, "why does one take so much care of his body?"
The Master answered: "Those who do the work of moulding, preserve the mould with care till the image is made. When the image is ready, it does not matter whether the mould is kept or rejected. So with this body. One has to realize the Supreme Self. One has to attain Self-knowledge. After that the body may remain or go. Till then the body has to be taken care of." The gentleman was silenced.
--Ramakrishna As We Saw Him
"Code of comprehensive and spontaneous worship in order: Navjivan Rastogi
____________________________________
This is the stream in which the order thinker considers the general forms of worship as fake and textured (Kalpitar Kadyamadar:). He rejects them for the same reason for which the sake aspects of yoga were considered useless. The order has developed its code of holistic and spontaneous worship against pseudo worship. This is because order does not believe in fictional religious services and instead, commands services that are assured of truth from the beginning. The split option we approach when the process of purification is over is nature adverse to quality and therefore spiritually most favorable, while purification may include same phases during spiritual progress, technology adopted in each case is different Happens.
Thus anointing, purification, archana, home, meditation and chanting etc all become important in the view of launching inter-perfection mission. These simple words taken from our daily religious language are filled with technical meaning, so that they become vehicles of the vision of religion and divine worship. For example, the anointing or holy bath is not something we do with ordinary water, but something is basically different. Coating white ash on the body is the meaning of bath. Every word here is filled with mysterious prosperity. The world of objection is completely absorbed through knowledge, survived only by the personal consciousness of the same, thus theory of individuality is the only remnant. Now, the tool of knowledge acts as fuel, because it turns outer object into zero, otherwise said that object burns to ashes. Now these ashes, pure residue, are the symbol of individuality. The aspiring person is to immers his body in these ashes, which means subjecting to limited personality and then immersing into the universal self. Similarly, purity means curbing dualistic consciousness, to bring different consciousness, impurity in accordance with truth, purity.
The highest order of worship is established ideal science which rejects the type of worship performed with floral offerings etc, and declares that real worship accompanies the identity of the person with indefined reality. For example, the same erotic act, which revolves around the outer world, takes the form of real worship when its emphasis on the outer completely towards conscience. Thesis is right everywhere. Thus, all objects and materials for ordinary worship participate in genuine worship, when prepared to embody the spirit of inner power, i.e. oneness with self. This is primary worship which is self-brief and self-perfect with nothing to do with calling and bead-roll etc. Such identity is possible because reality always reveals itself both outer and internally due to its inner freedom."
"Those who let the body decay, destroy the spirit; and they won't attain the powerful knowledge of truth. Having learned the skill of fostering the body, I fostered the body, and I nurtured the soul.
"Formerly I thought that the body was foul. I saw that there was Ultimate Reality within the body. The Perfect One has entered the temple of the body. I protected and preserved my body."
~Tantrika Tirumular
A feature of the tantric worldview and methods of transferring knowledge is that they have several levels of meaning. On the one hand, we are dealing with highly developed sophisticated metaphysics and refined philosophy.(which reached its apogee in the tradition of Kashmir Shaivism), on the other hand, with a complex system of rituals, the external side of which, at best, is completely incomprehensible to the uninitiated, and at worst, can cause shock and even disgust. To truly understand them, it is necessary to be familiar not only with the texts, but also with the living oral tradition, which rarely happens with a purely academic approach.
On the surface, the Mahavidyas are simply a rare group of goddesses who must be worshiped in various ways to achieve certain, mostly mundane benefits. But the very word "Mahavidya" means "Great Knowledge" or "Great Wisdom" (in fact, the equivalent of the Buddhist Prajnaparamita). This indicates that the tantric practice associated with the Mahavidyas is aimed at acquiring such wisdom, which in turn is designed to free the adept from a dual perception of reality. Thus, personifying, in a metaphysical sense, certain levels of absolute Consciousness and managing certain cosmic functions, the ten Mahavidyas are primarily the paths of sadhana - a spiritual practice that takes into account the individual predisposition of the practitioner.
The unusual frightening appearance of some of the Mahavidyas serves as a kind of shock therapy, designed to blow up, excite the mind, push it out of the muddy hibernation of everyday life. The same applies to some tantric practices associated with pollution, horror, death, sex - that is, with everything that is considered forbidden, which is not customary to talk about openly, which is the dark realm of the subconscious. In the enlightened consciousness there can be no dark corners, repressed emotions of fear, hatred, depression. They need to "face it", pull it out and use the power of transformation hidden in them. Like Shiva, who drank the poison that came out of the plowed ocean, and thereby saved the world from destruction, tantric adepts work with the “poisons” of negative emotions and desires that constantly tear us apart, striving to experience the integrity and unity of being.
- Victoria Dmitrieva
Source : Bhāvachakra
And now for the finishing touch, a little yum yum for your belly
Tabouli
Important tips for this tabouli salad recipe:
1- In this tabouli recipe, extra fine bulgur is recommended. Extra fine bulgur does not need hot water nor too much time to soak before adding it to the salad. If you end up using coarse or extra coarse bulgur, then hot water is recommended and you will need to soak it for 45 minutes or so.
2- To achieve the right tabouli texture, you will need to chop the vegetables as finely as possible. Can one use a food processor to chop tabouli ingredients? You can use one to chop the parsley, if you like, but chop the tomatoes, green onions etc. using a sharp knife.
3- Be sure to use firm tomatoes. Once chopped, place the tomatoes in a colander to drain excess juice.
Recipie
1/2 cup fine bulgur wheat
4 firm Roma tomatoes, very finely chopped
1 English cucumber (hothouse cucumber), very finely chopped
2 bunches parsley, part of the stems removed, washed and well-dried, very finely chopped
12-15 fresh mint leaves, stems removed, washed, well-dried, very finely chopped
4 green onions, white and green parts, very finely chopped
Salt
3-4 tbsp lime juice (lemon juice, if you prefer)
3-4 tbsp Early Harvest extra virgin olive oil
Romaine lettuce leaves to serve, optional
Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark
INSTRUCTIONS
Wash the bulgur wheat and soak it in water for 5-7 minute. Drain very well (squeeze the bulgur wheat by hand to get rid of any excess water). Set aside.
Very finely chop the vegetables, herbs and green onions as indicated above. Be sure to place the tomatoes in a colander to drain excess juice.
Place the chopped vegetables, herbs and green onions in a mixing bowl or dish. Add the bulgur and season with salt. Mix gently.
Now add the the lime juice and olive oil and mix again.
For best results, cover the tabouli and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. If you like, serve the tabouli with a side of pita and romaine lettuce leaves, which act as wraps or "boats" for the tabouli.
Other appetizers to serve next to tabouli salad:Hummus; Baba Ganoush; or Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Oregano Tincture DYI
Tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts made by soaking the bark, berries, leaves (dried or fresh), or roots from one or more plants in alcohol or vinegar
Gather fresh Oregano
Rinse in cool water and pat dry or let air dry
Fill a mason jar with Oregano leaves and stems either cut up or whole
Pack down into the jar
Top off the jar with Vodka 40%
Add a plastic lid or if using a metal lid add a layer of freezer paper between the tincture and the lid.
Place in a cool dark place for 6 weeks or longer, and shake once a day.
After the 6-week period or anytime after that, strain off the solids and store in a glass amber jar until needed.
Don’t forget to label the jar.
🧚♀️To make an oregano tincture without alcohol,
you can use glycerin instead of alcohol as the solvent to extract the herbal properties:
Pour one part water and three parts glycerin into a jar.
Seal and shake well.
Fill a second jar halfway with finely chopped herbs.
Add the glycerin mixture to the herb jar until full and seal.
Keep the jar in a cool, dark place.
Shake several times a week for six weeks.
Use a cheesecloth, funnel, and tinted bottle to extract the tincture.
Store the tincture in a cool, dark cupboard, where it should keep for at least six months
✨️Early studies suggest that oregano oil's anti-inflammatory properties make it an effective natural option for pain relief from inflammatory conditions like arthritis and for reducing muscle soreness and stiffness after exercise.
✨️Oregano is high in antioxidants. "One active agent in oregano is rosmarinic acid, which is a strong antioxidant that may support immune system health."
"Oregano oil is also a excellent source of vitamins and minerals. It is high in the vitamins A C, and E complex, as well as zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese and niacin."
Our very own oregano Tinctures will be available just in time for Christmas and also contribution based plus shipping.
🥣How do you make oregano leaves for medicine?
Boil 3 cups of water and add a handful (2 teaspoons) of clean oregano leaves, they can be dried or fresh. Boil for three minutes, remove from heat, let stand for five minutes. Strain the leaves and serve. OPTIONAL: You can sweeten it with a teaspoon of honey and half a lemon
"Agitation due to circumstances occurs when because of an external incident, you follow a thought, and your mind becomes agitated and scatters into a disturbing emotion. When that happens, keep the attitude of "There is no need to do anything!" Train in loving kindness and compassion, disenchantment, means and knowledge, and devotion. Following that, persevere in the practice as at the time of the view. That will clear it."
- Padmasambhava
Much gratitude for your support, all of it, the lines/shares/follows, the supporting the art and me and my journey of overcoming naturally.
On my path to healing, I've been blessed with the opportunity to share spiritual insights, energetic readings, and transformative practices through my Buymeacoffee store.
From Yoga Nidra recordings to Tantric Meditations, your support fuels not only my journey but also the journeys of those who seek solace and guidance.
Visit the Home page here to explore the Shamanic Offerings, each one a testament to the power of collective contribution.
And for those seeking deeper connection, the Plant Medicine Ceremony offers a sacred space for healing and transformation. This offering is not contribution based but I do go based on each individual ceremony. The ceremony includes prep/dieta/ceremony 1 on 1 or Max 4 people with 2 attendants and integration.
For those who wish to further support my endeavors, my Art awaits discovery at Healingartsforthecure and on my RedBubble store. Every purchase, every gesture of kindness, is a beacon of hope on this path to wellness and allows me to continue offering most of the shamanic & death doula services contribution based.
Together, we weave a tapestry of healing and resilience. Thank you for being a part of my journey.
Please find all Links and more here:
What Is Pranayama? (Definition, Purpose, History, Stages and Types)
While the practice of pranayama or yogic breathing holds significant importance in the methodology of tantra and hatha yoga, it is not emphasized very much in modern yoga classes. The popularity of western yoga classes is due to its accessibility on focused on physical postures and fitness. While the esoteric practices of breath control often take a backseat to make yoga more welcoming and approachable, this essential component of yogic practice should not be overlooked if one wants to deepen their spiritual awareness and experience the true transformative power of yoga.
The definition of Pranayama
The Sanskrit word pranayama is composed of two parts. “Prana” translates as breath, vigor, energy, power, vital energy or life force1. Prana is the subtle energy that flows through the body in nadis or energy channels. These pathways move and circulate prana throughout the entire body. “Yama” translates to control, restraint, regulation, or discipline.
Therefore, pranayama is often translated as breath control or the regulation of life force energy. A more thorough definition would be: Pranayama is a collection of different types of yogic breathing practices used to influence the flow of prana in the body, to promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
The purpose of Pranayama
The practice of pranayama is a powerful tool to bring balance and harmony to the body, heart, and mind. By directing your attention to the flow and rhythm of your breath, you can train your mind to become more present and self-aware. Conscious deep breathing is also an important connection between the mind, body and spirit, and creates a bridge between our conscious and subconscious realms.
Pranayama can help enhance one’s overall yoga practice by boosting prana life force energy, increasing focus, cultivating vitality, awakening the chakras, promoting inner peace, promoting emotional stability, encouraging detoxification, improving lung capacity, boosting respiratory function, and facilitating a deeper connection with the self. Pranayama is also one of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga3, emphasizing its importance in spiritual development and as a key practice towards achieving Samadhi or enlightenment.
The History of Pranayama
The history of pranayama dates back thousands of years to ancient India, where it was practiced by sages and yogis seeking enlightenment and self-realization. Over time, these techniques evolved and were passed down through lineages of yogis and teachers, each adding their own insights and refinements to the practice.
Through dedicated observation and experimentation, they discovered that by regulating and manipulating the breath, one could experience profound physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. This knowledge was then preserved and further developed in ancient yogic texts, which serve as a testament to the profound wisdom and insights of the ancient Indian yogic tradition.
Demonstrating What Is Pranayama
What Is Pranayama? (Definition, Purpose, History, Stages and Types)
Written by TIMOTHY BURGIN
While the practice of pranayama or yogic breathing holds significant importance in the methodology of tantra and hatha yoga, it is not emphasized very much in modern yoga classes. The popularity of western yoga classes is due to its accessibility on focused on physical postures and fitness. While the esoteric practices of breath control often take a backseat to make yoga more welcoming and approachable, this essential component of yogic practice should not be overlooked if one wants to deepen their spiritual awareness and experience the true transformative power of yoga.
The definition of Pranayama
The Sanskrit word pranayama is composed of two parts. “Prana” translates as breath, vigor, energy, power, vital energy or life force1. Prana is the subtle energy that flows through the body in nadis or energy channels. These pathways move and circulate prana throughout the entire body. “Yama” translates to control, restraint, regulation, or discipline2.
Therefore, pranayama is often translated as breath control or the regulation of life force energy. A more thorough definition would be: Pranayama is a collection of different types of yogic breathing practices used to influence the flow of prana in the body, to promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
The purpose of Pranayama
The practice of pranayama is a powerful tool to bring balance and harmony to the body, heart, and mind. By directing your attention to the flow and rhythm of your breath, you can train your mind to become more present and self-aware. Conscious deep breathing is also an important connection between the mind, body and spirit, and creates a bridge between our conscious and subconscious realms.
Pranayama can help enhance one’s overall yoga practice by boosting prana life force energy, increasing focus, cultivating vitality, awakening the chakras, promoting inner peace, promoting emotional stability, encouraging detoxification, improving lung capacity, boosting respiratory function, and facilitating a deeper connection with the self. Pranayama is also one of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga3, emphasizing its importance in spiritual development and as a key practice towards achieving Samadhi or enlightenment.
The History of Pranayama
The history of pranayama dates back thousands of years to ancient India, where it was practiced by sages and yogis seeking enlightenment and self-realization. Over time, these techniques evolved and were passed down through lineages of yogis and teachers, each adding their own insights and refinements to the practice.
Through dedicated observation and experimentation, they discovered that by regulating and manipulating the breath, one could experience profound physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. This knowledge was then preserved and further developed in ancient yogic texts, which serve as a testament to the profound wisdom and insights of the ancient Indian yogic tradition.
It is mentioned in various ancient texts, including the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bhagavad Gita, Shiva Samhita, and Upanishads. An overview of these key texts reveals the importance of pranayama in the history and development of yoga.
The Upanishads: These philosophical texts, composed between 800–500 BCE, discuss the metaphysical concept of prana and underscored breathing as a medium to influence one’s pranic energies.
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is one of the earliest discusses the concept of Prana (life force) extensively but does not specify pranayama techniques.
The Chandogya Upanishad mentions breath as a vital force that sustains life and connects all living beings.
The Katha Upanishad explains the concept of controlling the senses through mastery of the breath. This control over the breath is seen as a means to stabilize the mind and attain higher states of consciousness and spiritual awakening.
The Taittiriya Upanishad contains more explicit references to breathing and the life forces (Prana), hinting at the need to control such energies, which paves the way for formal pranayama techniques.
The Maitri Upanishad is a later text which begins to outline more clearly the types and methods of controlling breath. It describes a meditative absorption that integrates the control of breath, leading towards deeper spiritual experiences.
The Bhagavad Gita: Although primarily a scriptural dialogue on duty, righteousness, and spirituality, the Bhagavad Gita (circa 2nd century BCE) also touches upon concepts related to Prana. In particular, Chapter 4, Verse 299discusses different yogic practices, including those that involve controlling the life forces (Prana) through regulated breathing. Krishna speaks of yogis who offer inhalation into exhalation and vice versa, describing an early form of pranayama.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras: Patanjali explicitly discusses various techniques for controlling the breath, which he describes as essential for stabilizing the mind and preparing it for deeper states of meditation (Dhyana). The Yoga Sutras (circa 200 CE) explain how pranayama helps in removing the coverings over the light of knowledge and aids in achieving higher states of consciousness. There are several sutras (II.4910 and II.5011) that detail the processes and effects of pranayama, making it clear that mastering breath is crucial for advancing in the yogic path.
Shiva Samhita: This classical hatha yoga text composed in the 17th century CE provides detailed instructions on different breathing techniques12 aimed at balancing the pranic energy within the body and achieving higher states of consciousness.
Gheranda Samhita: This classical hatha yoga (circa 17th century CE) text further elaborates on the practice of pranayama13. It outlines various breathing exercises, known as kumbhakas, aimed at purifying the nadis (energy channels) and awakening the dormant spiritual energy within the practitioner.
Over time, the different schools of yoga developed their own unique approaches to pranayama, each emphasizing different aspects of focus, control, and energy manipulation. Some focus on slow, deep breathing to calm the mind and reduce stress, while others emphasize rapid, forceful breathing to energize the body and stimulate the nervous system. Some styles of yoga only use one technique, while others will teach multiple types of breathing exercises to their students.
The four parts yogic breathing
four parts of pranayamaIn the practice of pranayama, the breathing practices are described with four distinct parts. Awareness of these is essential for understanding and learning the subtleties of each technique. Mastery over these stages improves mindfulness, mental focus and control over the breath.
1. Puraka (Inhalation)
Puraka is characterized by a gentle and controlled inhalation of breath that brings oxygen and prana (vital life energy) into your body. Correctly practicing puraka involves focusing on silent, effortless breathing that naturally expands your diaphragm and chest in a manner that maximizes energy intake without strain. Techniques that have a longer duration of the inhalation create an energizing, invigorating and uplifting effect on the body and mind.
2. Antara Kumbhaka (Pause After Inhalation)
Antara Kumbhaka is the retention of breath after the inhalation of Puraka. For beginners, this will be a short pause of holding the breath for 1-2 seconds. The breath is held comfortably without strain or movement. While the breath is in Kumbhaka feel the stillness, silence and introspection that this stage creates. Advanced practitioners can hold their breath in for longer durations, gradually increasing their lung capacity and strengthening their respiratory system. Longer holds can be combined with one or more bandhas to harness, control, and direct the prana within the body.
3. Rechaka (Exhalation)
Rechaka is the stage of controlled exhalation following the retention of breath. During this stage, focus on releasing the breath slowly and steadily, allowing for a complete expulsion of air from the lungs. Techniques that have a longer duration of the exhalation calms the mind, promoting relaxation and mental clarity.
4. Bhaya Khumbaka (Pause After Exhalation)
Bhaya Kumbhaka is the retention of breath after the exhalation of Rechaka. For beginners, this will be a short pause of holding the breath for 1-2 seconds. External breath retention helps in improving mental focus, balancing the flow of prana, and enhancing the capacity of the lungs. This stage allows the practitioner to experience a sense of emptiness, inner stillness and peace within, as the body prepares for the next inhalation. Advanced practitioners can hold their breath out for longer durations, gradually increasing their lung capacity and strengthening their respiratory system. Longer holds can be combined with one or more bandhas to harness, control, and direct the prana within the body.
Types of pranayama practices
There are a diverse range of yogic breathing exercises available, each offering its own unique breathing patterns, focus, benefits, and opportunities for inner exploration and growth. They are categorized below based on their level of difficulty and their effects on the subtle body and mind.
Timothy Burgin
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