Important exercises only, that are useful in awakening the Kundalini.
1. Sukha Purvaka
(Easy Comfortable Pranayama)
Sit in Padmasana or Siddhasana. Close the right nostril with your right
thumb. Inhale (Puraka) through the left nostril till you count 3 Oms
slowly. Imagine that you are drawing the Prana along with the
atmospheric air. In course of practice, you will actually feel that you
are drawing Prana. Then close the left nostril also with the little and
ring fingers of your right hand. Retain the breath till you count 12
Oms. Send the current down to the Muladhara Chakra. Feel that the
nerve-current is striking against the Muladhara Chakra and awakening
Kundalini. Remove the right thumb and exhale through the right nostril
till you count 6 Oms. Again inhale through the right nostril, retain and
exhale through the left nostril as stated above. All the above six
processes constitute one Pranayama. To start with do 6 Pranayamas in the
morning and 6 in the evening. Gradually increase it to 20 Pranayamas
for each sitting. The ratio of inhalation, retention and exhalation is
1:4:2. You should gradually increase the period of Kumbhaka.
Be
careful in doing the Kumbhaka as long as you can comfortably do. Do not
be in a hurry. Be patient. Contract the anus and do Mula Bandha also.
Concentrate on the Chakra and meditate on Kundalini. This is the most
important portion of this exercise. In this Pranayama, deep
concentration plays a vital part in awakening Kundalini. Kundalini will
be awakened quickly if the degree of concentration is intense and if
practised regularly.
This exercise removes all diseases,
purifies the Nadis, steadies the wandering mind, improves digestion and
circulation, helps Brahmacharya, and awakens Kundalini. All the
impurities of the body are thrown out.
2. Bhastrika
Rapid succession of forcible expulsions is a characteristic feature of
this exercise. ‘Bhastrika’ means ‘bellows’ in Sanskrit. Just as a
blacksmith blows his bellows rapidly, so also you should inhale and
exhale rapidly. Sit in your favourite Asana. Close the mouth. Inhale and
exhale quickly 20 times like the bellows. Constantly dilate and
contract the chest as you inhale and exhale. When you practise the
Pranayama a hissing sound is produced. You should start with forcible
expulsions of breath following one another in rapid succession. After 20
such expulsions, make a deep inhalation and retain the breath as long
as you can comfortably do and then slowly exhale. This is one round of
Bhastrika.
Begin with 10 expulsions for a round and increase it
gradually to 20 or 25 for a round. The period of Kumbhaka also should
be gradually and cautiously increased. Rest a while after one round is
over and again begin the next round. Do 3 rounds in the beginning and
after due practice, do 20 rounds in the morning and 20 in the evening.
Advanced students do this Pranayama after partial closing of the
glottis. They do not make a powerful noise like the beginners. They can
do it even in a standing posture.
Bhastrika removes
inflammation of the throat, increases the gastric fire, destroys phlegm
and all diseases of the nose and lungs, eradicates Asthma, consumption
and other diseases which arise from the excess of wind, bile and phlegm.
It gives warmth to the body. It is the most effective of all Pranayama
exercises. It enables Prana to break through the three Granthis. All the
other benefits of Sukha Purvaka Pranayama are obtained in this exercise
also.
3. Suryabheda
Sit on Padmasana or Siddhasana.
Close the eyes. Keep the left nostril closed with your right ring and
little fingers. Slowly inhale without making any sound as long as you
can do it comfortably through the right nostril. Then close the right
nostril with your right thumb and retain the breath by firmly pressing
the chin against the chest (Jalandhara Bandha). Hold the breath till
perspiration oozes from the roots of the hair (hair follicles). This
point cannot be reached at the very outset. You will have to increase
the period of Kumbhaka gradually. This is the limit of the sphere of
practice of Suryabheda Kumbhaka. Release the Jalandhara Bandha. Then
exhale very slowly without making any sound through the left nostril
with the thumb closing the right nostril.
Kumbhakah suryabhedastu
jara-mrityu-vinasakah,
Bodhayet kundalim saktim
dehagnim cha vivardhayet
“The practice of Suryabheda Kumbhaka destroys decay and death and awakens Kundalini.”
This Pranayama should again and again be performed, as it purifies the
brain and destroys the intestinal worms. It removes the four kinds of
evils caused by Vayu and cures Vata (rheumatism). It cures rhinitis and
various sorts of neuralgia. The worms that are found in the frontal
sinuses are also destroyed.
4. Ujjayi
Sit in your usual Asana. Close the mouth. Inhale slowly through both the nostrils in a smooth, uniform manner.
Retain the breath as long as you can do it comfortably and then exhale
slowly through the left nostril by closing the right nostril with your
right thumb. Expand the chest when you inhale. During inhalation a
peculiar sound is produced owing to the partial closing of glottis. The
sound produced during inhalation should be of a mild and uniform pitch.
It should be continuous also. This Kumbhaka may be practised even when
walking or standing. Instead of exhaling through the left nostril, you
can exhale slowly through both nostrils.
This removes the heat
in the head. The practitioner becomes very beautiful. The gastric fire
is increased. It removes phlegm in the throat. Asthma, consumption and
all sorts of pulmonary diseases are cured. All diseases that arise from
deficient inhalation of oxygen and diseases of the heart are cured. All
works are accomplished by Ujjayi Pranayama. The practitioner is never
attacked by diseases of phlegm, nerves, enlargement of spleen,
dyspepsia, dysentery, consumption, cough or fever. Perform Ujjayi to
destroy decay and death.
5. Plavini
Practice of this
Pranayama demands skill on the part of the students. He who practises
this Plavini can do Jalastambha and float on water for any length of
time, Mr. ‘S’, a Yogic student, can float on water for twelve hours at a
stretch. He who practises this Plavini Kumbhaka can live on air and
dispense with food for some days. The student actually drinks air slowly
like water and sends it to the stomach. The stomach gets bloated a bit.
If you tap the stomach when it is filled with air, you will get a
peculiar tympanic (air) sound. Gradual practice is necessary. The help
of one who is well versed in this Pranayama, is necessary. The student
can fill up the stomach with air by gradual belching. After the
practice, the air should be completely taken out. It is done by Uddiyana
Bandha and hiccough.
6. Pranic Healing
Those who
practise Pranayama, can impart their Prana for healing morbid diseases.
They can also recharge themselves with Prana in no time by practising
Kumbhaka. Never think that you will be depleted of your Prana by
distributing it to others. The more you will give, the more it will flow
to you from the cosmic source (Hiranyagarbha). That is the law of
Nature. Do not become a niggard. If there is a rheumatic patient, gently
shampoo his legs with your hands. When you do shampooing (massage), do
Kumbhaka and imagine that the Prana is flowing from your hands towards
your patient. Connect yourself with Hiranyagarbha or the cosmic Prana
and imagine that the cosmic energy is flowing through your hands towards
the patient. The patient will at once feel warmth, relief and strength.
You can cure headache, intestinal colic or any other disease by massage
and by your magnetic touch. When you massage the liver, spleen, stomach
or any other portion or organ of the body you can speak to the cells
and give them orders:—“O cells! Discharge your functions properly. I
command you to do so.” They will obey your orders. They too have got
subconscious intelligence. Repeat your Mantra when you pass your Prana
to others. Try a few cases. You will gain competence. You can cure
scorpion-sting also. Gently shampoo the leg and bring the poison down.
You can have extraordinary power of concentration, strong will and a
perfectly healthy, strong body by practising Pranayama regularly. You
will have to direct the Prana consciously to unhealthy parts of the
body. Suppose you have a sluggish liver. Sit on Padmasana. Close your
eyes. Do Sukha Purvaka Pranayama. Direct the Prana to the region of the
liver. Concentrate your mind there. Fix your attention to that area.
Imagine that Prana is interpenetrating all the tissues and the cells of
the lobes of the liver and doing its curative, regenerating and
constructive work there. Faith, imagination, attention and interest play
a very important part in curing diseases by taking Prana to the
diseased areas. During exhalation imagine that the morbid impurities of
the liver are thrown out. Repeat this process 12 times in the morning
and 12 times in the evening. Sluggishness of liver will vanish in a few
days. This is a drugless treatment. This is nature-cure. You can take
the Prana to any part of the body during the Pranayama and cure any kind
of disease, be it acute or chronic. Try once or twice in healing
yourself. Your convictions will grow stronger. Why do you cry like the
lady who is crying for ghee when she has butter in her hand, when you
have a cheap, potent, easily available remedy or agent ‘Prana’ at your
command at all times! Use it judiciously. When you advance in your
concentration and practice, you can cure many diseases by mere touch. In
the advanced stages, many diseases are cured by mere will.
7. Distant Healing
This is known as “absent treatment” also. You can transmit Prana
through space to your friend who is living at a distance. He should have
a receptive mental attitude. You must feel yourself en rapport (in
direct relation and in sympathy) with the people whom you heal with this
Distant Healing method.
You can fix hours of appointment with
them through correspondence. You can write to them: “Get ready at 8 p.m.
Have a receptive mental attitude. Lie down in an easy-chair. Close your
eyes. I shall transmit my Prana”.
Say mentally to the patient,
‘I am transmitting a supply of Prana (vital force)’. Do Kumbhaka when
you send the Prana. Practise rhythmical breathing also. Have a mental
image that the Prana is leaving your mind, passing through space, and is
entering the system of the patient. The Prana travels unseen like the
wireless (radio) waves and flashes like lightning across space. The
Prana that is coloured by the thought of the healer is projected
outside. You can re-charge yourself with Prana by practising Kumbhaka.
This requires long, steady and regular practice.
Importance Of Pranayama
Tamas and Rajas constitute the covering or veil. This veil is removed
by the practice of Pranayama. After the veil is removed, the real nature
of the soul is realised. The Chitta is by itself made up of Sattvic
particles, but it is enveloped by Rajas and Tamas, just as the fire is
enveloped by smoke. There is no purificatory action greater than
Pranayama. Pranayama gives purity, and the light of knowledge shines.
The Karma of the Yogi, which covers up the discriminative knowledge, is
annihilated by the practice of Pranayama. By the magic panorama of
desire, the essence, which is luminous by nature, is covered up and the
Jiva or individual soul is directed towards vice. This Karma of the Yogi
which covers up the Light and binds him to repeated births, becomes
attenuated by the practice of Pranayama every moment and is destroyed
eventually.
Dharanasu cha Yogyata Manasah: “The mind becomes
fit for concentration”—Yoga Sutra (II-53). You will be able to
concentrate the mind nicely after this veil of the light has been
removed. The mind will be quite steady like the flame in a windless
place as the disturbing energy has been removed. The word Pranayama is
sometimes used collectively for inhalation, retention and exhalation of
breath and sometimes for each of these severally. When the Prana Vayu
moves in Akasa Tattva, the breathing will be lessened. At this time it
will be easy to stop the breath. The velocity of the mind will be slowly
lessened by the Pranayama. It will induce Vairagya also.
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