Apaana Vayu and menstruation issue

[Viraja]

Namaste,

Jyotishi PVR Narasimha Rao in one of his articles dated 2012 has stated that a friend of his thought that apaana vayu flowing downwards during female menstruation, while it is in an upward motion during focused spiritual sadhana at other times might be a reason why it is advocated against sadhana during menstruation of females.

Following the above, I became curious:

Can apaana vayu ever be connected to muladhara? (Since muladhara is presided by Ganapathi, and is the residence of Kundalini, I thought if there is truth in this question, there is a possibility for the menstruation taboo to have emerged from this).

I understand so far there is no scientific evidence gleaned reg. the menstruation issue and possibly none will emerge out of my question here. But I may hold on to my beliefs and keep researching, asking questions, and this answer might help me do that.

Thanks,

Viraja

[bhaswathy]

Dear friend,

Even from logical and biological point of view also menstrual blood has to flow down wards only. where as in the state of sadhana , breath usually and necessarily flows up . The duty assigned for a female is primarily creation and once the duty is over , she can do sadhana . Breath flowing down in menstrual cycle is in way a prohibitory shield for the satisfactory performance of the role of a woman.

[Viraja]

Namaste Bhaswathy ji,

I don't think you got my question right. Apana vayu is always a downward flowing energy only. Except those doing asanas via hatha yoga are somehow able to mobilize and redistribute this apana vayu such that it takes on an upward motion to meet prana vayu (life force) and when this happens, kundalini is said to rise. Now logically, it makes sense naturally to ask women to refrain from doing such asanas during menstruation because at that time, apana vayu's primary duty of being engaged in this bodily function cannot be disturbed with. Whereas coming to regular sadhana - worship of deities using stotras, pujas, etc, do not involve the apana vayu as in doing asanas. Therefore I am attempting to ask people all over if the apana vayu is somehow engaged in this routine worships also during menstruation.

Thanks,

Viraja

[bhaswathy]

Dear friend ,
when we are in a perfect mental and physical state of well being we can do any sadhana , whether it is of serious contemplation or of light exercises such as recital of manthras or sthothras or pujas or the likes.Even though menses is not exactly a disease , we experience a sort of discomfort and feel a sort of pollution during that period , where in , any sort of mental discipline in the field of spiritual sadhana is not possible with whole hearted concentration. Mental contemplation is not a taboo.So the rules might have laid out that any thing strenuous at a deeper level is discouraged . I don't think , it is in any way connected with apanavayus flow. Even during normal times , when we attend call of nature , we wash hands , feet ,face and we change clothes if it is a special occasion.Then the observance of these should be more important for the above mentioned ritiuals.I have had been in the practice of pranayama , asanas and manthra sadhana for a quite long time and I am expressing this opinion out of my personal experience. But it could be possible that I could not explain my point with more clarity.

[Viraja]

Thank you, Bhaswathy ji.

[anirvan]

Thank you, Bhaswathy ji.

the action of APAN VAYU is not exactly pulling down. Apan is a name for prana vayu acting upon area from umbilicus below till anal region. So its main role involves Defecation,urination and reproductive function. Pulling down action is to get hold the upward moving Prana so that life continues.otherwise a living jiva will die.

During menstruation,a major physical transition stage in a female naturally needs lots of pranic energy(here this prana is contributed by APAN) and thats why female has to save this energy for reproduction system and not divert to more rigorous sadhna or any sorts of activities. otherwise normal pregnancy will be affected.

Regarding sadhna, the role of PRANA AND APAN is to unite both with help of BANDHA AT UMBILICUS level,where Manipur chakra situated....to enter the united prana into brahmarandhra inside SUSMNA.....and this upward flow of energy will help ASCENDANCE OF kUNDALINI WHICH IS SITUATED AT base of BRAHMA RANDHRA(SUSMNA).

[bhaswathy]

Just as defecation , urination ,reproductive function require the help of apanavayu , menstruation also requires that vayu to flow down to facilitate the menstrual blood to be thrown out of the body .It is the special function in case of females .Since it is of vital importance sadhana can't take place in that state . So where is the question of unification of prana and apana vayus during menstruation just as it happens in serious sadhana. The very statement is rather strange.

[anirvan]

you didn"t got my point. since you mentioned about the role of apan for kundalini.i just elaborated how exactly it works. it has no bearing in menses. and pushing blood down is no big deal for prana. it"s the whole uterus preparation for potential foetus,which starts taking place arround needs full attention of prana.

[Viraja]

Namaste Anirvan ji,

During menstruation,a major physical transition stage in a female naturally needs lots of pranic energy(here this prana is contributed by APAN) and thats why female has to save this energy for reproduction system and not divert to more rigorous sadhna or any sorts of activities. otherwise normal pregnancy will be affected.

I completely understand that no rigorous sadhana such as hathayoga is not allowed during menstruation. My question is not that. My question is, why just simple prayers, recitation of stotras, etc is a taboo? Is it because of some other reasons involving Apana Vayu?

Thanks,

Viraja

[anirvan]

As far as my knowledge is concerned, women are free to do Japa,dhyana,prayers and manas puja even during mense,but restricted to do physical puja and yogic sadhna.

physical puja is barred because high level of TAMAah (due to raja,counterpart of sukra in man). Because of this high tamash energy,they are barred to touch deities,other male members of family too.