The Science of Pranayama E-Book

Sri Swami Sivananda

• Herausgeber: David De Angelis
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

The practice of Pranayama has been viewed with fear in certain quarters on account of certain limitations, viz., the absolute necessity of the nearness to a perfected Guru, the dietetic restrictions and the like. Sri Swamiji has explained herein in clear terms the vagaries of such fears and has prescribed very simple and safe methods. The book contains suitable lessons for all types of Sadhakas. Those who follow the special instructions given towards the end of the book can be sure of their guaranteed success and safety.

Leseprobe

THE SCIENCE OF PRANAYAMA

By

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

Edition 2019 by David De Angelis – all rights reserved

Table of Contents

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

INTRODUCTION

Chapter One

Prana and Pranayama

What is Prana?

Seat of Prana

Sub-Pranas and Their Functions

The Colour of Pranas

The Length of the Air-Currents

The Centering of the Prana

The Lungs

Ida and Pingala

Sushumna

Kundalini

Shat-Chakras

Nadis

Purification of Nadis

Shat-Karmas (The Six Purificatory Processes)

Dhauti

Basti

Neti

Trataka (Gazing)

Nauli

Kapalabhati

Chapter Two

The Meditation Room

The Five Essentials

The Place

The Time

The Adhikari

Dietetic Discipline

Yogic Diet

Mitahara

Purity in Food

Charu

Milk Diet

Fruit Diet

Articles Allowed

Articles Forbidden

A Kutir For Sadhana

Matra

Padmasana (Lotus Pose)

Technique

Siddhasana (The Perfect Pose)

Technique

Svastikasana (Prosperous Pose)

Samasana (Equal Pose)

Three Bandhas

Arambha Avastha

Ghata Avastha

Parichaya Avastha

Nishpatti Avastha

Chapter Three

What is Pranayama

Pranayama (According to the Gita)

Pranayama (According To Sri Sankaracharya)

Pranayama (According to Yogi Bhusunda)

Control of Breath

Varieties of Pranayama

Three Types of Pranayama

The Vedantic Kumbhaka

Pranayama for Nadi-Suddhi

Mantra During Pranayama

Exercise No. 1

Exercise No. 2

Exercise No. 3

Exercise No. 4

Deep Breathing Exercise

Kapalabhati

The External Kumbhaka (Bahya)

Easy Comfortable Pranayama (Sukha Purvaka)

Pranayama for Awakening Kundalini

Pranayama During Meditation

Pranayama While Walking

Pranayama in Savasana

Rhythmical Breathing

Surya Bheda

Ujjayi

Sitkari

Sitali

Bhastrika

Bhramari

Murchha

Plavini

Kevala Kumbhaka

Pranic Healing

Distant Healing

Relaxation

Relaxation of Mind

Importance and Benefits of Pranayama

Special Instructions

Appendix

Concentration on Solar Plexus

Pancha Dharana

Prithvi Dharana

Ambhasi Dharana

Agneyi Dharana

Vayavya Dharana

Akasa Dharana

Story of Yogi Bhusunda

The Inner Factory

Yogic Diet

Sivananda’s Pranayama

Kundalini Pranayama

Questions and Answers

Glossary

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

Itisneedlessforustostressonthemeritsofthesubjectoritsauthor,SriSwamiSivanandaji Maharaj.SriSwamijialreadylivesintheheartsofthepeopleoftheworldasan‘unfailingsaviour’. The Swamiji’s method of presenting such intricate Yogic subjects in an inimitable, simple style with convincing assurances in unique and unrivalled. It is authoritative, the more so, because of Swamiji being a combination of an experienced medical practitioner, a full-blown Yogi and a Jivanmukta.

The practice of Pranayama has been viewed with fear in certain quarters on account of certain limitations, viz., the absolute necessity of the nearness to a perfected Guru, the dieteticrestrictions and the like. Sri Swamiji has explained herein in clear terms the vagaries of such fears andhasprescribedverysimpleandsafemethods.Thebookcontainssuitablelessonsforalltypesof Sadhakas.Thosewhofollowthespecialinstructionsgiventowardstheendofthe bookcanbesure of their guaranteed success and safety.

Pranayama is an important Anga in Ashtanga Yoga. It is equally necessary for all in their dailylife,forgoodhealth,successandprosperityineverywalkoflife.Howitisso,isexplainedin thesepages.Thescienceofrelaxationisaveryvaluablegiftforthereadersandwouldbenefitall.

We are greatly encouraged by the warm reception the previous editions had at the hands of our dear readers and we hope more and more Sadhakas would take up this important aspect of Sadhana in their daily spiritual practices, and feel for themselves the happiness and joy which will naturally lead them to blissful ‘Divine Life’.

—THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY

INTRODUCTION

Today, for quick travel, the material world presents us the Railway, Steamers, Aeroplanes and so forth, but the Yogins claim that by Yogic culture the weight of the body can be so reduced thatitcanflyoverthespacetoanydistanceinaninstant.Theycanprepareamagicointment,which when applied to the soles of the feet, gives them power to traverse any distance on earth within a very short time. By the practice of Khechari Mudra, by applying the elongated tongue to the posteriornasalopeningstheycanflyintheair.Bykeepingamagicpillintheirmouththeycanalso moveinspacetoanyplaceinthetwinklingofaneye.Whenweareanxious toknowthewelfareof ourownrelationsinadistantorforeignland,wetakerecoursetowritingletterssendingordinaryor urgent cables. But the Yogins claim that they can, by meditation (Dyana), know anything thathappensinotherpartsoftheworldbyaprojectionofthemindorbymentallytravellingthedistance whichisonlyamatteroffewseconds.YogiLahiri,whoseSamadhiisstillinVaranasi,travelledto London to see the state of health of his superior’s wife. For hearing a friend at a long distance the material world presents us with telephones and wireless receivers, but the Yogins claim that through their Yogic power, they can hear anything, from any distance, even the voices of God and other invisible beings in the firmament. Today when a man is suffering from a disease the material world presents us with doctors, medicines, injections and so forth, but the Yogins claim that byamere glance or by simple touch or by recitation of Mantras, not only the diseases can be cured but also life can be given to a dead man.

These Yogins by persistent effort in concentration get different Yogic powers that are known as ‘Siddhis’. Those who acquire these Siddhis, are known as Siddhas. The process through which they obtain Siddhis, is called Sadhana. Pranayama is one of the most important Sadhanas. ThroughthepracticeofAsana,youcancontrolthephysicalbodyandthroughPranayama,youcan control the subtle, astral body or the Linga Sarira. As there is an intimate connection between the breath and nerve-currents, control of breath leads to the control of vital inner currents.

Pranayama occupies a very important place in Indian religion. Every Brahmachari, and everyGrihasthaalso,hastopractiseitthreetimeseverydaymorning,noonandeveninginhisdaily worship during Sandhya. It precedes every religious practice of the Hindus. Before he eats, before he drinks, before he resolves to do anything, Pranayama should be performed first and then the natureofhisdeterminationshouldbeclearlyenunciatedandplacedbeforethemind.Thefactsofits preceding every effort of the will is a surety that, that effort will be crowned with success and the mind will be directed to bring about the desired result. Here I may refer to the feat of memory, practised by the Hindu Yogins, under the name of concentration on one hundred things. ‘Satavadhana’,whereinonehundredquestionsareputtoaSatavadhaniortheconcentratorinrapid successionbydifferentpersons;sometestingtheverbalmemoryoftheperformer;otherstestinghis power of mental calculation; again some others, trying to test his artistic skill, without giving him, any time for committing the questions to have been put to him. The performer begins, by reproducing the questions, in any order, in respect of those questions, with their answers. This is generallydoneinthreeormoreturns,ineachturngivingonlyaportionoftheanswertoeachofthe questions and then continuing from where he left off in the next turn. If the questions are of the nature of mathematical problems whose solutions are required, he delivers the answers along with the problems, having solved them mentally.

This faculty of concentration of mind is often exhibited not only with reference to the intellectbutalsowithreferencetothefivesenses.Anumberofbellsmaybemarkeddifferentlyand the sounds may be allowed to be studied and made mental note of with the mark given to it. A number of objects of similar shape and colour which are likely to cause deception to the eye ofan ordinarymanmaybeshownoncetothe‘Avadhani’withtheirmarks.Whileheisattendingtoother things,ifabellweretobestruckoroneoftheobjectssuddenlyexhibitedbeforehissight,hewillat once mention the mark of the bell or the number of the object shown. Similarly his keenness of touchisalsoputtothetest.Suchfeatsofmemoryareduetothetrainingwhichtheyreceivefromthe daily practice of Pranayama.

The Prana may be defined as the finest vital force in everything which becomes visibleon the physical plane as motion and action and on the mental plane as thought. The word Pranayama, therefore,meanstherestraintofvitalenergies.Itisthecontrolofvitalenergywhichtinglesthrough thenervesofpersons.Itmoveshismusclesandcauseshimtosensetheexternalworldandthinkhis internal thought. This energy is of such a nature that it may be called the vis viva of the animal organism. The control of this force is what is aimed at by the Yogins by means of Pranayama. He whoconquersthis,isnotonlytheconquerorofhisownexistenceonthephysicalandmentalplane, but the conqueror of the whole world. For, the Prana is the very essence of cosmic life, that subtleprinciplewhichevolvedthewholeuniverseintoitspresentformandwhichispushingittowardsits ultimate goal. To the Yogi the whole universe is his body. The matter which composes his body is the same that evolved the universe. The force which pulsates through his nerves is not different from the force which vibrates through the universe. The conquest over the body does, therefore, mean to him the conquest over the forces of nature. According to the Hindu Philosophy the whole nature is composed of two principal substances. One of them is called the Akasa or ether and the other, Prana or energy. These two may be said to correspond to matter and force of the modern scientists.Everythinginthisuniversethatpossessesformorthathasmaterialexistence,isevolved outofthisomnipresentandall-pervasivesubtlesubstance‘Akasa’.Gas,liquidandsolid,thewhole universe, consisting of our solar system and millions of huge systems like ours and in fact every kind of existence that may be brought under the word ‘created’, are the products of this one subtle andinvisibleAkasaandattheendofeachcyclereturntothestartingpoint.Inthesameway,allthe way of forces of nature that are known to man; gravitation, light, heat, electricity, magnetism all thosethatcanbegroupedunderthegenericnameof‘energy’,physicalcreation,nerve-currents,all suchasareknownasanimalforcesandthoughtandotherintellectualforcesalso,maybesaidtobe the manifestations of the cosmic Prana. From Prana, they spring into existence and in Prana, they finally subside. Every kind of force in this universe, physical or mental can be resolved into thisoriginal force. There can be nothing new except these two factors in some one of their forms. Conservation of matter and conservation of energy are the two fundamental laws of nature.While one teaches that the sum total of Akasa forming the universe, is constant, the other teaches that the sum total of energy that vibrates the universe, is also a constant quantity. At the end of eachcycle the different manifestations of energy quiet down and become potential: so also the Akasa which becomesindistinguishable:butatthebeginningofthenextcycletheenergiesstartupagainandact on the Akasa so as to involve the various forms. Accordingly, when the Akasa changes and becomes gross or subtle, Prana also changes and becomes gross or subtle. As the human body is only a microcosm to a Yogi, his body composed of the nervous system and the internal organs of perception represent to him, the microcosmic Akasa, the nerve-currents and thought-currents,and the cosmic Prana. To understand the secrets of their workings and to control them is, therefore,to get the highest knowledge and the conquest of the universe.

He who has grasped this Prana, has grasped the very core of cosmic life and activity. He whohasconqueredandcontrolledthisveryessence,hasnotonlysubjectedhisownbodyandmind but every other body and mind in this universe. Thus Pranayama or the control of Prana is that meansbywhichtheYogitriestorealiseinhislittlebodythewholeofcosmiclife,andtriestoattain perfectionbygettingallthepowersinthisuniverse.Hisvariousexercisesandtrainingsareforthis one end.

Why delay? Delay means so much of additional suffering and misery. Let us increase the speed, struggle harder until we succeed in bridging over the vast chasm of time. By doing proper Sadhana let us attain the goal at once in this body, right now in this very moment. Why not we get that infinite knowledge, infinite bliss, infinite peace and infinite power, now alone?

ThesolutionoftheproblemistheteachingofYoga.Thewholescience‘Yoga’hasthisone end in view,—to enable man to cross the ocean of Samsara, to increase power, to develop knowledge and to attain immortality and eternal bliss.

Chapter One

Prana and Pranayama

Pranayama is an exact science. It is the fourth Anga or limb of Ashtanga Yoga. “Tasmin SatiSvasaprasvasayorgativicchedahPranayamah”—RegulationofbreathorthecontrolofPrana isthestoppageofinhalationandexhalation,whichfollowsaftersecuringthatsteadinessofposture or seat, Asana. Thus is Pranayama defined in Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Chapter II-49.

‘Svasa’ means inspiratory breath and ‘Prasvasa’ is expiratory breath. Breath is external manifestationofPrana,thevitalforce.Breathlikeelectricity,isgrossPrana.BreathisSthula,gross. PranaisSukshma,subtle.ByexercisingcontroloverthisbreathingyoucancontrolthesubtlePrana inside.ControlofPranameanscontrolofmind.MindcannotoperatewithoutthehelpofPrana.The vibrations of Prana only produce thoughts in the mind. It is Prana that moves the mind. It isPrana that sets the mind in motion. It is the Sukshma Prana or Psychic Prana that is intimately connected withthemind.Thisbreathrepresentstheimportantfly-wheelofanengine.Justastheotherwheels stop when the driver stops the fly-wheel, so also other organs cease working, when the Yogi stops the breath. If you can control the fly-wheel, you can easily control the other wheels. Likewise, if you can control the external breath, you can easily control the inner vital force, Prana. The process by which the Prana is controlled by regulation of external breath, is termed Pranayama.

Just as a goldsmith removes the impurities of gold by heating it in the hot furnace, by strongly blowing the blow-pipe, so also the Yogic student removes the impurities of the body and the Indriyas by blowing his lungs, i.e., by practising Pranayama.

The chief aim of Pranayama is to unite the Prana with the Apana and take the united Pranapana slowly towards the head. The effect or fruit of Pranayama is Udghata or awakening of the sleeping Kundalini.

What is Prana?