Doctoral Research Request

One cannot move the breath without influencing the mind, body and spirit which are linked. If the breath is calmed the mind and spirit is also calmed. To me meditaton is the knowledge that these three aspects are linked. (five if you use the koshas). Using the five koshas: The breath is the physical response to increased CO2 in the blood or the energy created by the burning of O2 or the hedonistic aspect of enjoying breathing or the wisdom to realise that without the breath one would die or It is Divine to breathe. There should be a harmony between all these aspects of breathing. Is pranayama an exercise based on the physical chest wall muscles or perhaps aspects of all the koshas come to play in said exercise?
[Koshas: Physical,mental,energy,wisdom and bliss.]

 

Pranayama means restraint of the breath, or control of the life force. Pranayama is my primary practice.

 

Pranayama = control of the prana (life force). The breath is the physical manifestation of the life-force that moves through all five koshas. Restraint sounds a violent practice The breath is slowed down and the in-breath and out-breath flows in and out with awareness. Next one creates a pause at the end of inhalation and at the end of exhalation. Not a forced retention but more a gentle rest. Taking only that which you need but not being a glutton. Controlling the amount of prana (energy) that you access. No point being super-charged to read a book. Waste of prana.

Ujjayi breathing develops this practice further by restricting the air-flow so inducing better (?) control. Darth Vader breathing for the Star Wars fans!

Do remember to have the spine aligned (using the three bandhas) and all limbs held slightly flexed i(not locked) in order to allow the prana to flow.

Clothes can act as an attachment and this can lead to sorrow; so best done nude on your own or in company. The distraction of clothes is not present in the purity of the human body. It is fear that makes you wear clothes but fear is a negative force. [slight plug for naturism here].

Patanjali suggested that pranayama was a step on the way to meditation but since his times the science of pranayama has grown. Perhaps instead of pranayama being used to achieve meditation I would suggest that meditation allows one to access the pranayama.

 

Restraint is a word. You could also say suspend, or regulate. You are describing a breathing exercise. Prana is not air. Nothing can be wasted except time.

why oh why.

I would say all things work together.

 

Even though words are a poor medium one tries.

This comes down to the yamas/niyamas only taking from 'the planet' that which you need. Not being a glutton. Prana=energy and the Bramacharya "do not waste prana" edict comes to play.

In reply to naturist yoga plug...why not?. This is a social practice (religious belief) and has nothing to do with yoga. ...but it is my belief. Does this belief detract from my teachings? Dualism infers that some may be inspired and others may suffer aversion. This is a strongly held belief of the Jain monks (Digambar) whose beliefs I appreciate. No living thing is denied the right to live and respect to all including respect of ourselves.

The dualism theorem implies that life is a path between two directions with many 'stop-off' points (pluralism in work although this word is rarely used). I think you have 'hit the nail on the head' here. Man attempts to explain 'life' by 'pigeon-holing' but in reality life is a soup. IMHO I understand that Patanjali felt that the 8 step path was the ladder to climb. Start with the yamas and moving forever onwards. I feel that today we consider a backward path as important. One cannot meditate efficiently if you do not practice the yamas since building on weak foundations is fraught with problems. In the western world (dislike this term) most yoga concentrates on asanas. By starting on the physical one develops the other attributes. By moving along one step others are influenced and the exact path depends on the development of the individual. But do we neglect the other 7 attributes by emphasising the asanas?

 

This is a doctrine with which I am unfamiliar. I'm not sure I can distinguish "what is needed". Reality supports me. My understanding of control of life force is creative engagement, not to invigorate oneself.

If that is your teaching, that which "has nothing to do with yoga", then I would say no.

I am a yoga teacher. I teach all the time using every available circumstance but I teach asana not at all. There are many places to go to learn an asana practice. A teacher can offer technical assistance to a student, but his practice is his own.

 

httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ynnSdBIda8"]httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ynnSdBIda8

 

OK TD', I love the tits
Yoga is a science and personal beliefs are the art. They both make me complete. It is hard to teach the science without introducing the art but it is important that students are aware of the difference. I often say that yoga is not religion but most religions use yoga and I define naturism as a religion (a belief structure).

We all see things from different viewpoints as in the elephant story and the blind men. I see my yoga as strengthening my life force and you see yoga as acknowledging your life force. I see yoga as active you see yoga as passive. Are we not both right? We take what we need out of the practice. The yamas are there for consideration but not necessarily dogma perhaps? Everything is justified and all laws/ dogmas can be broken if the means justify this. I will reflect on your wisdom further (passive:active). I think you are saying that "when you engage with your life-force you expect no change" if I understand you?

I always teach asanas but yesterday I chose not to. My patient complained of depression and all of my work was being a good listener to stories of 'household violence'. Her need was to unload her pain to move towards health.

It is nice to see the several threads in this forum on meditation problems which suggests many have unresolved issues. Wonderful opportunity for learning. Brill!

 

Reference: Bhagavad Gita 2:55-72 describes the man of steady wisdom. It seems to give a comprehensive guide to meditation. This is the Indian model and I suspect there are many other forms.
It suggests that one attempts to control the mind, exercise self restraint and free oneself from attachment/aversion.

 

I am actually learning to use creative power. I do not teach asana other than technical points, because I do not have the time, not because I disagree with asana. If I can give you an idea of what I mean, part of my teaching includes what that man on the elevator says to you two days hence. It is not that I expect no change but that I expect no particular manifestation in cultivating the awareness of the harmonic convergence of all things.

We can be assured of one thing, anxiety is always caused by the misapprehension of what is so.

 

I was reflecting on your words regarding active or passive awareness and wonder if the following quote is relevant? Bhagavad gita chapter 3 on "action".
Perform our duty>add to life rather than take. More you give>more you receive back. Cause:effect. Harmony in nature. Wise can discriminate beneficial actions from those that are not. Fire covered by smoke>mirror covered by dust>Foetus by membrane ... Wisdom covered by desire. Senses higher than body> Mind higher than senses>Intellect above mind>Self above intellect.
As I see this we are duty bound to be part of nature and not be a passive observer. Desire forms an illusion that clouds our wisdom. Our duty is to undertake action not inaction. To move towards the good and away from the bad (rajas,tattvas,satvas idea)

 

Meditation is covered in the following reference. Any translation of the Gita will do but this specific book (3 volumes) has a refreshing discourse:
Dru Bhagavad Gita http://shop.druworldwide.com/books-14-c.asp
Chapter 6 - Living meditation