Re: Revisitng Turīya
Namaste Yajvan.
Originally Posted by
yajvan
There is many a debate on what is top (breathing in) and what is bottom (breathing out)--that is, which one is called prANa and apAna. I will leave this technical point to your discression. Knowing that it happens twice is the message.
Interestingly, when the NirguNa Brahman manifests as SaguNa Brahman and creates this universe, it is done by his outgoing breath (his apAna). At the end of the current Time Cycle, he breathes in everything that came out of him into himself (his prANa).
Born in the manifest world, the newborn child first breathes in, then breathes out, absorbing the particles and energy of Brahman and releasing some of them--a reverse of what Brahman does, and thereby starts the duality and polarity of manifestation.
The whole process of breathing and the action of the prANa and apAna (as everything else) is carried on, on the substratum of AkAsha (space), which is the first manifesation of the Cosmic Consciousness of Brahman; prANa and apAna as the energy behind all life forms, course through the turIya of space/consciousness in waves, with that turIya shining in the interval between two waves. As these waves thicken into grosser matter and life forms, their crests and troughs become closer, increasingly shortening the perceptible interval of turIya.
Thus the first sAdhana for increased perception and awareness of turIya is to watch and regulate the breath--prANAyAma. The rhythm of our breath is indeed greatly affected by our speech (specially in a language like the English), our emotions and thoughts of a grosser nature. The rhythm is automatically regulated in our dreamless sleep, and in moments we become immersed in devotion, divine music, satsang and other spiritual persuits, which serve, specially in this Kaliyuga as alternatives for the rigors of Hatha Yoga, meditation and other advanced forms of yoga sAdhana.
I have written only what seem to be the case to me: members might freely correct me where I am wrong.
Last edited by saidevo; 24 January 2009 at 09:19 AM.
रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥
To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.
--viShNu purANam
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