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PrāNāyāma (Pranayama): Popular Yoga

Swami Kuvalayananda

Kuvalayananda, Swami;

PrāNāyāma (Pranayama): Popular Yoga

Popular Prakashan, 1966, 140 pages [Pune 89? Rs.30]

topics: |  yoga | health | pranayama | philosophy | india


prANAyAma : prANA = breath; Ayama = pause, break; in later haTha yoga
literature, prANa is sometimes used to indicate a subtle psychic force;
however in patanjali, it is clearly used as a breath; either together with
pracchhardana (expulsion) or vidhAraNa (retention); or shvAsa/prashvAsa, etc.

patanjali: originally 4 types of prANAyama; later authors merge types 3 and 4
to reach three types p. 36:
  - bAhya kumbhaka, (hold or kumbhaka after full exhalation or recaka);
  - Abhyantara kumbhaka (kumbhaka after inhalation or puraka)
  - kevala kumbhaka - unclear - pause all at once and with ease (patanjali 3)
      or pause through many inhalation and exhalations (patanjali 4)
svAtmArAma sUri, author of haTha-pradIpikA - 8 types of prANAyAma or
kumbhaka; these include ujjAyI, bhastrikA, and 6 others.

duration of puraka : kumbhaka : rechaka may be 1:4:2 (most favoured view) or
1:2:2 (more suited for beginners).  the mAtra for the kumbhaka should be
determined first, based on ability. p.42
Distinction between spiritual practitioner and physical practitioner; former
must be sitting in a proper Asana (sitting, padmAsana, svAstikAsana or
similar) in a calm place, latter may do it standing, or even walking.
closing nostrils: thumb+fingers  -general process

ujjAyI: ch.VI
	produces a loud sound, as in a greeting with "jaya".
puraka: inhalation thru one nostril (right), w partially closed glottis -
	produces a sound like sobbing, low and smooth, no jerks
kumbhaka: by closing the glottis, and close both nostrils
recaka : exhale smoothly and for the entire duration through left nostril;
        must ensure complete emptying of lung;
	should never be so prolonged as to make the following inhalation very
	hurried

kapAlabhAti: ch.VII
	kapAla = skull, bhAti - shine; only breathing, no kumbhaka
	sudden expulsions of breath follow one another; emphasizes rechaka
	intended to clear nasal passages in the skull;
makes whole body vibrate - increasing with time - hence padmasana,
	which locks in the legs, is best
recaka: must drive out as much air as can be done in a sudden expiration
	(does not require very deep inhalation or expiration)
	ribs remain raised throughout while the diaphragm and front abdominal
	muscles, which are suddenly and vigorously contracted, work to expel
	breath
	volume of air inhaled must equal that exhaled in earlier recaka
in normal breathing, inhalation is active and exhalation passive; in kbhati,
this is opposite.
"oxygen value" - retain more oxygen while expelling CO2 [Hmmm?]

bhastrikA: kapAlabhAti + kumbhaka ch.VIII
	word means "bellows" - characterized by quick and incessant
	expulsions of breath, imitating bellows at village smith
	rounds of expulsions, followed by kumbhaka

shItalI (ch.IX)
bhrAmarI (ch.X)
mUrcchA (ch.XI)
plAvinI (ch.XII)

Full course:
ASANAS: (abt 1/2 to 1 min each, increasing each week)
   shIrShAsanam, sarvAngAsana, matsyAsana, halAsana, bhujangAsana,
   shalabhAsana, dhanurAsana, ardha matsyendrAsana, paschimatAna,
   mayUrAsana (10s), shavAsana (2-10 min),
BANDHA: uDDiyAna bandha - 3 to 7 turns
MUDRA:  Yoga-mudra: 1 to 3 min
KRIYA:
   nauli: 3 to 7 turns
   kapAlabhAti: 3 rounds of 11 to 121 expulsions, +11 expulsions / week
PRANAYAMA:
   ujjAyI : 7 to 28 rounds, + 3 rounds / wk
   bhastrikA : 3 rounds of 11 to 121 explulsions, +11 / wk; every round
      followed by a suitable kumbhaka


amitabha mukerjee (mukerjee [at] gmail.com) 17 Feb 2009