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yajvan
25 March 2009, 05:07 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

We know that prāṇa is part of our daily life support. The wise say we breathe 21,600 times a day (+/-). This breathing is called prāṇāna प्राणन- breathing, respiration.

Some also may practice prāṇāyāma - we know as the regulation of the breath. Prāṇāyāma is a method to control the breath/life force, but at the same time āyāma, to extend it. The ultimate extension is perfect balance, the center or mādhya, of breath-and-no-breath.

It is said as prāṇa goes, so do the senses. He or she that manages/ befriends prāṇa is able to manage and control the various dimensions of prāṇa - the mind, taste, touch, etc.

So my question ( and I hear various views on this matter, I stay neutral ), prāṇa they say is the inward breath, taking in, and apāna is outward breath, the release of air. Yet others say that prāṇa is the outward breath, because it is described as 'rising up', and apāna is described as 'going down'.

Do people have an opinion on this? What is up or down? In or out?


praṇām and dhanyavāda

vcindiana
25 March 2009, 06:53 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namast

We know that prāṇa is part of our daily life support.

So my question ( and I hear various views on this matter, I stay neutral ), prāṇa they say is the inward breath, taking in, and apana is outward breath, the release of air. Yet others say that prāṇa is the outward breath, because it is described as 'rising up', and apana is described as 'going down'. Do people have an opinion on this? What is up or down? In or out?

praṇām and dhanyavāda

Dear Yajavan:

I do not know exactly how people do Pranayama. After an Upanayanam most people are taught about this mostly as a ritual. When they do Sandyavandana they are taught to breathe in through one nose and breathe out through other nose. I have no idea what that does. For me it did not make any sense for a long time.
After studying the physiology I understood in my own way. I look at the lungs as having two components, upper and lower. Normal unlabored and involuntary breathing is shallow. Typically we move about 400 to 500 ml of air in and out. This amount of air usually fills most, if not all the upper part of the lungs. In general we seldom fill the entire lungs (1500-2000 ml). Pranayama is a conscious voluntary breathing that makes most of the upper and lower parts of the lung to expand. During this breathing first I exhale all the air. Then I start slowly inhaling preferably through nose, does not matter left or right nostril. First I pay attention to my lower part of the lungs. This is the part that is close to the diaphragm. This muscle has to go down to fill the lower segment of the lungs. While filling this part I observe my stomach muscle slowly raise up, accommodating the downward motion of the diaphragm. Once this is accomplished with continuous slow inhalation I fill the upper lungs by making the chest to expand to its maximum and at the peak I observe my shoulders are fully elevated. Now I pause for a while and then exhale at first bringing the shoulder and chest down. Finally I get all the air out of the lower lungs by drawing the stomach close to spine thereby pushing the diaphragm up to its maximum. During the entire process I remain very conscious and imagine the air literally going in and out and both parts of the lungs expanding and deflating. Inhalation ( prana) part is important as it is very active process, exhalation (apana) can be passive It is interesting to know people who discovered and practiced pranayama understood the importance of the deep breathing. At least 5 minutes each day spending on conscious breathing is probably beneficial.
Love ... VC

srivijaya
26 March 2009, 11:55 AM
Hi yajvan,
A very good question. What exactly is prana? Breath or some kind of life-force which travels along subtle channels in the body?

The sustaining force of the dream body, or something else?

It seems the term is nebulous and used in different ways. I would be very interested to see what replies are posted here.

Namaste

yajvan
26 March 2009, 12:41 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

VC writes,

I do not know exactly how people do Pranayama...I have no idea what that does.
srivijaya writes,

What exactly is prana? Breath or some kind of life-force which travels along subtle channels in the body?

There are mutiple ways to practice prāṇāyāma - deep breath, alternating breath, and there are multiple HDF posts on this. Yet one can consider prāṇāyāma 'breath management'.

My teacher called it 'ordering the breath' i.e. management. Many say prāṇāyāma is a process for cleansing the nadi-s ( nerves yet nādi means sounding) throughout the system.

Another idea:
' As lions, elephants and tigers are tamed very slowly and cautiously, so would prāṇa be brought under control very slowly in gradation measured according to one's capacity and physical limitations '
Haṭha Yoga Pradipīkā - chapter 2, 16th śloka


Also:
The notion of prāṇa प्राण is associated with Brahmā - from prā the breath of life, it is Brahmā that brings vitaility to all. In the sāṃkhya philosophy prāṇa is viewed as Puruṣa.

If we look to the Brahma Sūtras śloka-s 1.1.22 & 1.1.23 it says the following:

sūtra 22
Akasastallingat
Akasah: ākāśa ; tad: His, of Brahman; lingat:because of characteristic mark. The word akasa (ākāśa) must be understood as Brahman

** Sutra 22 above was necessary to allow prāṇa to be discussed next. **
sūtra 23
Ata eva prāṇaḥ
Ata eva: for the same reason ( this refers to sutra 22) ; prāṇaḥ -the breath (also refers to Brahman).
As prāṇa is described as the cause of the world, such a description can apply to Brahman alone. The word ‘ prāṇa ' must be understood as Brahman.

More can be added on what prāṇa is via the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (and others) on this. I will add but thought to continue to pursue other HDF members POV on the question what is up or down (in or out) for prāṇa and apāna ?

praṇām

reference

The Brahma Sutras by Svami Sivananda, The Divine Life Society, Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh
The Brahma Sutras, Commentary According to Adi Shankara, by Svami Viresvarananda, Advidya ashram

yajvan
27 March 2009, 01:15 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

One reason many view prāṇa as inward breath is due to 'pra' प्र rooted in pṝ or prā which means filling, fulfilling; hence one fills (pra) their lungs with air.
Others see the same in apāna as 'down' or inward breath, due to 'apa' अप which means down, away. So one can see why there may be different views on this matter.

I thought to add a reference for one's consideration regarding 'up and down' of prāṇa and apāna. Also the Praśna Upaniṣad is good reading (along with the Chāndogya Upaniṣad ) on the qualities, nature and importance of prāṇa.

The kaṭhopaniṣad, 2nd adhyāya (chapter) 2nd vallī, 3rd śloka says the following. Note that 'It' in this śloka is discussing the One, or Brahman, the Self of all.

ūrdhvaṁ pranaṁ unnayatyapanaṁ pratyag asyati
madhye vāmanam āsanaṁ viśve devā upāsate ||

It is the one that leads (unnaya) prāṇa upwards (ūrdhvaṁ),
It is the one that brings down (pratyag) apāna ,
It is the one seated (āsana) in the middle (madhya) as worthy of adoration.
It is the one all the gods (viśve devā - senses) adore (upāsate).

praṇām

words

ūrdhvaṁ ऊर्ध्वम् is upwards , towards the upper part , aloft , above , in the upper regions , higher
ūrdhva ऊर्ध्व rising or tending upwards , raised , elevated
unnaya उन्नय the act of leading up , raising , elevating
pratyag प्रत्यग् ~ pratīka प्रतीक - turned or directed inwards
asyati - as अस्- to abide, to abide , dwell , stay + yati यति restraint , control , guidance
madhya मध्य - middle, middlemost , intermediate , central
upāsate or upāsana उपासन adoration , worship
āsanaṁ is āsana आसीन - seated or sitting.

yajvan
28 March 2009, 12:21 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namast

This HDF post http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3351&highlight=pranayama (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3351&highlight=pranayama) reviews various approaches to prāṇāyāma i.e.

Ujjāyī prāṇāyām
Sūrya Bhedana prāṇāyām
Nādī Śodhaba prāṇāyām
Bhastrikā prāṇāyām
Kapālabhāti prāṇāyām
etc.As a wind drives away smoke and impurities from the atmosphere, prāṇāyām drives away impurities from the body and mind - B.K.S. Iyengar

praṇām

ConnieD
18 April 2009, 04:52 PM
Prana is neither in nor out.

I am only reporting my prana experience.

I was not breathing. There was no in or out.

There was only "prana" refreshment: that is the best description.

I think it is appropriate to say "prana-breath".

I understand prana yama is Hatha Yoga.

My first experience of Hatha Yoga was Richard Hittleman Yoga for Health.

It didn't mean much to me, except in terms of joints and organs and flexibility and a healthy body, until he had on special about yoga asanas.

I was just old enough to start school. In one particular asana, I meditated spontaneously.

I never did prana yama, unless the special breathing and postures under the instructional tape and one time instruction, for me, by an american siddhi, counts. It was efficacious. It isn't as if I had to do it 10,000 times, or something like that. One time thru, done correctly, helped.

I think apana refers to the movement up or down the subtle channels alongside the spine, preliminary to kundalini experience.

rkpande
31 July 2009, 02:38 AM
u may like to check out my posting of 29 jul "want to live long"u may like to go through prashna upnishad as well

rainycity
12 September 2010, 08:41 AM
I'm pretty sure apana goes out in exhalation and down into the earth through the feet, and prana is the inhalation and drawing up from the earth of subtle energy through the feet. So when you inhale you simultaneously draw in air gross and subtle and subtle energy from the earth.

amra
12 September 2010, 09:17 AM
It seems prana means different things to different people.

Breathing is a hinge between the instinctive processes in the human body and the waking mind. As breathing can be done with awareness and carries on whilst we are unaware. As there are many processes which we are unaware of in our body, altering breathing patterns can mess up our internal system, because most of us are unaware of ourselves, except superficially.

Breath is also connected with the blood of the emotional body. If the emotional body is unstabilised due to other reasons and you do breathing excercises this can unhinge you more in a emotional way. This is why I have always been told not to do breathing excercises until my life is sorted out. Or if i went to live in a cave in the mountains then I could do breathing excercises because there are no other interferences.

Prana is used in a techincal sense in different ways according to different systems of thought. Modern thought which is a cacophony of different ideas mixed together cannot define prana. This word has just become abused has become entirely subjective, people just cherry picking from here and there whatever meaning they feel like.

yajvan
12 September 2010, 11:09 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

Prāṇa as prajāpati you move within the wombs; you are born repeatedly - says the praśna upaniṣad (chapter 2).
If someone wished to gain better clarity of prāṇa, then the praśna upaniṣad is a good source.


In kaśmir śaivism the movement of the breath is looked at ( identifed) in 3 different ways.

prāṇa śakti
ātma śakti
prabhu śakti

With prāṇa śakti, the movement of breath takes place automatically - part of the autonomic nervous system. We are breathing but do not pay much attention to it. An example would be our breath in sleep - all going on automatically. Or during a conversation no one notices the breath, or when being entertained, this prāṇa śakti is on auto pilot.

With ātma śakti we are managing the breath coming in and going out. We decide how deep, how long to hold the breath, all that. Some call this conscious breathing. This method is the basis for many upāyae-s or techniques , found in the āṇavopāya¹ approach.

With prabhu śakti the movement is by the grace of the Supreme. The prāṇa enters the madhyā-nādī some call the suṣumnā, the central or principle nerve (nādī ).

The breath is one vehicle that brings the possibility of experiencing the Supreme. In the vijñāna bhairava It is said that the breath goes in and out in a crooked way i.e. kuṭilākṛti¹ (bent , crooked, curled).
What does this mean ? It suggests to me that the energy flow is not symmetrical. Some times the breath is short, some
times long, some times deep sometimes shallow. It is not smooth and regulated.
Well who cares?
It is by the regulation of breath that kuṇḍalinī śakti straightens Herself and one enters into the sacred space (kṣetra)
of the transcendent ( some call parāparā)

praṇām

words

āṇavopāya

āṇu अणु = fine , minute , atomic is known as 'atom' - which is another name for the individual jiva. This upāya is the means whereby the āṇu or
the individual jiva uses his own kāraṇa-s or instruments i.e. senses, prana and manas for self-realization. It includes disciplines concerning the regulation
of prana, japa, concentration, meditation, etc.

kuṭilākṛti + kuṭilā -bent , crooked, curled + kṛti - doing yet also is a meter. We can think of the breath as a 'meter' of in and out.
This kṛti is kind of anuṣṭubh meter consisting of two pādas of twelve syllables each and a third pāda of eight syllables.

Mana
22 June 2011, 06:04 AM
Namasté Yajvan

I was just reading this thread as I have recently become aware of Prana in a new light, so I was drawn to your wise words.

After Yoga lessons and some meditation. I awoke one morning with my mind as clear as a mirror not a scrap of angst directing my course. I had the concious knowledge in my mind that I was breathing steadily through my right nostril.

Oh what will it take for me to realise regular organised sadhana???

In response to your initial question I would say that to my mind it is filling and emptying. Prana also being the substance. Like a wave of water rising and falling.

I have found it interesting to note in meditation that within the scientific doctrine. The consumption of oxygen which is a continual process of change happens at many different rates. That life and the carbon cycle is effectively a slower more complex form of combustion.

So just as fire needs oxygen, rust needs oxygen also life needs oxygen. I do not wish to imply that Oxygen is Prana. The scientific model from which the notion of oxygen as a molecule its self depends to a great extent upon a large amount of theoretical belief. The theory of Quantum Electro Dynamics although extremely elegant is totally incomprehensible to the intellect alone, it could be said that it leaves room for a lot of dark matter!

Interesting that the same analogy was made oh so many years ago without the need of the scientific models.

That our body's use of oxygen is just as that of the flame which consumes all matter.

Is there more than one fire? each one lit independently or is all fire one?

I think one.

Pranam

Iain

yajvan
21 July 2011, 08:49 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté
I wrote on another post,

What are the components of breath? space, time and number. These 3 things :

space - the depth of breath
time - the amount of time between breaths
number - repetitions ( as in a practice of prāṇāyām)

Where does this come from ? patañjali’s yogadarśana ( his sūtra-s) chapter 2 ( sādhana pada ), 50th sūtra , We can see space, time, and number called out. It says the following:

sa tu bāhyābhyantara stambha vṛttir deśakāla saṃkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭo dīrgha sūkṣmaḥ || 50

sa - can mean air, wind ( since this is about prāṇāyām it is a good fit); yet also means knowledge, meditation; also procuring , bestowing
tu - can mean 'certainly' ; also to go
bāhyābhyantara is the following:

bāhya - external, the outer part.
ābhyantara - being inside


stambha - stoppage, fixed ( neither inside or outside)
vṛttir = vṛtti = course of action , nature , function
deśakāla = place and time

deśa - point , region , spot , place , part , portion
kāla - a fixed or right point of time , a space of time


saṃkhyābhiḥ

saṃkhyā - counting, summing up + counting up or over , reckoning or summing up (number)
abhi with regard to ; also its one after the other ; this word can also mean fearless when looked at like this a-bhi ( not + fear)
paridṛṣṭo =paridṛṣṭa - seen , beheld , perceived , learnt , known


dīrgha - long , for a long time
sūkṣmaḥ - subtle

Basically this says the breath in prāṇāyām has an external component, an internal component and there is a place where it is fixed or suspended. The breath becomes long and subtle over time ( practice).

Why is this of interest ? All of us breathe , no? So any one can consider this technique.
We will continue with this idea and look at:

what is subtle ? long ? short ?
what is external and internal ?
udghāta - breathing through the nostrils
... and compare this to a simular approach found in kaśmir śaivism , particularly called out
in the vijñāna bhairava kārikā-s

praṇām

AmIHindu
22 July 2011, 12:33 PM
Namaste Yajvan ji,

With above said - Prana In and Out, there is one more concept
Kumbhaka, which is also very much important in part in Pranayam.


Breathing In - Holding Breath - Breathing out , this process is for cleansing of Nadi. For a normal person of normal spiritual practice, it takes 2-5 years of regular practice to clean Nadi, it may take longer but not less. I am not sure what happens by cleansing the Nadi, how one will feel !!! Guess Mind and Sense comes under little control.

yajvan
22 July 2011, 01:51 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

AmIHindu suggests the idea of kumbhaka ( a pot, container, being empty or full). We will address this as prāṇāyām considers pūraka (to take the breath inside), kumbhaka (to retain it), and recaka (to discharge it) - this is the prāṇāyām approach.

I wrote,


what is subtle ?
What is external and internal ?
udghāta - breathing through the nostrils
... and compare this to a simular approach found in kaśmir śaivism , particularly called out in the vijñāna bhairava kārikā-s


First lets start with external and internal space as this is indicated by the word bāhyābhyantara and deśa ( place) in the sūtra aforementoned.

External - is outside the body form ( no news here)...but where ? We consider it from udghāta ( breathing through the nostrils).
One instruction is ' from the tip of the nose to the point where the breath is extented ( stops)'. Now there is two ways of looking at the tip of the nose yet let's not concern ourselves with that now. For this post let the 'tip' be the end of the nose furthest from the face. The breath from the nostrils extend from there to where the exhailing of air ends.

The internal portion is within the chest area, within the lungs yet perceived in the chest area, the heart area.

With regard to this bāhyābhyantara, prāṇāyām is practiced with the observation of these two points (deśa) AND how they can be shortened in length. Prāṇāyām is looked at ( in this conversation) as the increasing subtly mentioned as sūkṣmaḥ in patañjali’s 50th sūtra we are discussing.

Now what is subtle ? It is the ease, and fineness of breath, effortless. Yet one askes how subtle is subtle ? What is offered is this - when the fibers of cotton are put at the tip of the nose and not a strand moves, this is the most subtle.

Is this possible ? Absolutely. If one starts off with gross breath, it is considered that of an animal (paśu - a tethered beast). Yet with time and practice one can manage the breath. This comes from practice and settling down the mind. For this we use a mantra to accompany the practice and begin the process... we will leave this for another time and continue to stay focused on prāṇāyām.

praṇām

arjunah
22 July 2011, 03:44 PM
I was doing some reading today. The chapter I am on has some discussion of prana. Maybe some of you will find it of interest.

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/patanjali/raja_13.html

yajvan
23 July 2011, 07:02 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

A very important word in the sūtra offered in post 13 above is stambha - stoppage, fixed
( neither inside or outside) that is practiced during prāṇāyām.

The breath is brought in (bāhya) through the nose (udghāta, nostrils) done in a subtle way (sūkṣmaḥ) ;
at the end of the stroke ( udghāta also has this defintion of ~stroke~) there is this stoppage, this fixed point (stambha) where breath is neither going in or out.

This too occurs on the exit of the breath stoke (ābhyantara) when the breath is external to the practitioner.

This fixed point is what brings balance in the breathing cycle. This is considered prāṇāyām. This fix point is a place in space and time (deśakāla). It is considered the gap, the central location, the middle place between in and out (bāhyābhyantara), between prāṇa and apāna.

From post 5 above we see the following from kaṭhopaniṣad, 2nd adhyāya (chapter) 2nd vallī,
3rd śloka says the following:
ūrdhvaṁ pranaṁ unnayatyapanaṁ pratyag asyati
madhye vāmanam āsanaṁ viśve devā upāsate ||

this says,
It is the one that leads (unnaya) prāṇa upwards (ūrdhvaṁ),
It is the one that brings down (pratyag) apāna ,
It is the one seated (āsana) in the middle (madhya) as worthy of adoration.
It is the one all the gods (viśve devā - senses) adore (upāsate).

You see, when this prāṇāyām¹ is done properly ( time, space, subtlety) what occurs is madhya - standing between two , impartial , neutral. It is here we can experience the 4th , turīya. That is why this prāṇāyām is practical and of great import.

This, if anyone asked me, that is beginning a spiritual unfoldment and does not know where to start, start with the breath. We all use this breath all day, but most use it as prāṇa śakti and miss the opportunity for ātma śakti ( see post 11 above).

praṇām

references

various approaches to pranayam - see post 6 above.

yajvan
24 July 2011, 07:52 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

Q: ...yajvan, you have talked much of this prāṇāyām & the breath brought through the nose (udghāta, nostrils), but I do not know where to begin, give me a hint.


A: Observe the breath. Sit quietly, eyes closed and observe the breath coming in ( inward stoke) , its halting place (stambha), then as the breath exits, and its halting place. We observe the process, easily, effortlessly. This is the simplicity of the practice.


Q: but for how long ?


A: If you are new to this process, start with 5 minutes. Do this every day for a week to start. Tell me what the mind does, what the breath does after that time.

praṇām

Mana
25 July 2011, 04:09 AM
Namasté yajvan, All.

Thank you yajvan for your inspiration.

I have found that my breathing must be oval or even round in form, that rather than in out, in out. I should "land smoothly" on the hold by decelerating the movement exponentially and then accelerating exponentially when I fill.

Creating a more circular movement of the diaphragm. A more natural oscillation than my previous efforts.

It is fascinating to observe the natural pauses people make in there breathing during their sleep, also during waking hours when we are extremely concentrated on something at the precise moment that extreme concentration and focus is needed we hold our breath naturally.

Oh dear I think I'm going all mathematical again.

Nature Looooves "e (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_%28mathematical_constant%29)" (natural exponential) as a matter of curiosity e is inherently connected to Pi by i, a connection of pure beauty which is to my mind unfathomable yet strangely obvious.

e^(Pi*i)=-1


Aum shri Ganeshaya namah

Mana

yajvan
25 July 2011, 09:54 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté



I have found that my breathing must be oval or even round in form, that rather than in out, in out. I should "land smoothly" on the hold by decelerating the movement exponentially and then accelerating exponentially when I fill.
Yes, when one first thinks of this in-and-out there is the notion of a linear movement. It does not have to be this. Many talk of an oval or circle. It makes perfect sense. This allows the pause, the halting place (stambha), connected to its next stroke ( back in or out) in line with the next move. The ~halting~ comes then at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock fond on the circle and allows one to visualize these locations - giving awareness to these gaps or points.

praṇām

yajvan
06 February 2012, 11:08 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

From post 13 above:


patañjali’s yogadarśana ( his sūtra-s) chapter 2 ( sādhana pada ), 50th sūtra , We can see space, time, and number called out. It says the following:
sa tu bāhyābhyantara stambha vṛttir deśakāla saṃkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭo dīrgha sūkṣmaḥ || 50
patañjali-ji continues in the 51st sūtra and offers the 4th prāṇāyām:

bāhyābhyantaraviṣayākṣepī caturthaḥ || 51

bāhya = outside, external
abhyantara = inside, internal
viṣaya = space, period of duration, range ; special sphere or department , peculiar province
akṣepī = (a+kṣepa ) = not + moving to and fro , hense no movement
caturthaḥ = the 4th

the 4th, space or duration , no movement , internal or external.

When we connect this to the 50th sūtra aformentioned in post 13:
the breath in prāṇāyām has an external component, an internal component and there is a place where it is fixed or suspended.
The breath becomes long and subtle over time ( practice).

The 51st sūtra says,

the 4th prāṇāyām occurs in the space where there is neither movement inside ( internal ) or outside ( external).
That is, this 4th (caturthaḥ ) occurs when the movement ( inside and outside) are transcended.

This 4th is quite significant. It too is called turīya (from the word caturthaḥ) and is considered the 4th, transcendental consciousness - beyond wake, dream and sleep levels ; it is akṣepī , without movement
and we can consider it a particual place or providence viṣaya.

The next post will go further into this ~space~ .

praṇām

yajvan
26 March 2012, 10:29 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté



From post 5 above we see the following from kaṭhopaniṣad, 2nd adhyāya (chapter) 2nd vallī, 3rd śloka:
ūrdhvaṁ pranaṁ unnayatyapanaṁ pratyag asyati
madhye vāmanam āsanaṁ viśve devā upāsate ||

this says,
It is the one that leads (unnaya) prāṇa upwards (ūrdhvaṁ),
It is the one that brings down (pratyag) apāna ,
It is the one seated (āsana) in the middle (madhya) as worthy of adoration.
It is the one all the gods (viśve devā - senses) adore (upāsate).
You see, when this prāṇāyām¹ is done properly ( time, space, subtlety) what occurs is madhya - standing between two , impartial , neutral. It is here we can experience the 4th , turīya. That is why this prāṇāyām is practical and of great import.

Let's look at another view of this from the netra tantra.
When breathing ( in and out) you maintain a continual (anusandhāna¹) awareness on the center between incoming and outgoing breath (madhyamaṁ prāṇam), then your breath will spontaneousuly become more refined (sūkṣma¹). At that point you are elevated (labha) to another world. This is prāṇayāma.


praṇām


words

anusandhāna - 'anu' is ~continuous~ i.e. side-by-side, one after another,methodically;
san is to gain or require repeatedly ; dhāna = holding, containing ;
sūkṣma - subtle , atomic , intangible

Etheros
05 September 2012, 07:36 PM
Dear Yajavan:

I do not know exactly how people do Pranayama. After an Upanayanam most people are taught about this mostly as a ritual. When they do Sandyavandana they are taught to breathe in through one nose and breathe out through other nose. I have no idea what that does. For me it did not make any sense for a long time.

For me also. Then I started reading about it, and came across this article. Surprisingly, this was actually published in a peer-reviewed medical journal so it's certainly not some anecdotal claim:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1938166

The gist of it is that throughout the day, your nose goes through cycles of having one nostril being slightly more open than another. This also corresponds with increased brain activity in the corresponding part of the brain - left nostril open means right brain is more active, and vice versa. As they discuss in that paper, it turns out that one can actually alter the levels of brain activity by altering which nostril the breath flows through.

With alternate nostril breathing you gradually make the flows more equal, which is said to help make the state of meditation attainable for the average person. I have not read any scientific articles on what exactly happens to the brain when the nostrils are equally open but in yoga the generally held idea is that it is the time when the main pranic channel in the spine, which is usually closed, begins to operate.

Here is another published experiment, this one in its entirety, by Montana University, where it was found that subjects who breathed only through one nostril for some minutes before a given task actually increased performance with that task, if the task was associated with the corresponding brain hemisphere:
http://www.montana.edu/wwwpy/Block/papers/Block-et-al-1989.pdf

So it's definitely not just ritual.