Pranic Breathing Advanced Breathwork for the Modern Yogi By Darren Main Here in the West the primary focus on yoga is physical with most of the styles falling under the umbrella of hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is really a blending of two larger styles of yoga, Kundalini which focuses on the energy body and classical yoga (Ashtanga or Raja Yoga) which is rooted in the Eight limbs outlined in the the Yoga Sutras by the sage Patanjali. In classical yoga there are eight limbs in total, but the defining quality in a hatha practice is its use of the third and fourth limbs, asana and pranayama. While in Kundalini yoga various techniques such as breathing (pranayama), asana (yoga poses), bandhas (locks) and visualization of body energies are used to open the energy body and increase the flow of life energy (prana). In every style of hatha yoga, from the most gentle to the most vigorous, we use the asanas to open up the energy pathways (nadis) in the body of which there are said to be 72,000. is opening is then combined with pranayama (yogic breathing techniques), which flood the body with prana and regulate its movement. By working these two limbs in tandem, we can achieve dramatic results that are far greater than the obvious physical effects of stretching. By working to purify the energy body (nadi shuddhi) we prepare both the physical body as well as the energy body for longer and deeper seated meditations which is the goal of classical yoga. When people first begin a yoga practice, the vast majority of the focus is usually on the physical poses. Some styles such as Iyengar and Anusara Yoga focus on proper alignment of the body. Other styles such as the Ashtanga Primary Series and Vinyasa (flow) yoga focus more on building heat through flowing movement that are connected with the breath. e focus, however, remains decidedly physical. In the beginning, it is a good idea to focus on opening up the body and the energy pathways. For most the physical level of the practice is an essential first step. However, when a student of yoga is ready to move beyond simply stretching the body, the breath is the next step and moving beyond basic yogic breathing techniques such as the ocean breath' (ujjai pranayama) and 'three-part breath' (dirga pranayama) becomes appropriate. Why Breathe? As we live our lives (or multiple lives if that is your belief ), we have experiences. e ego mind (ahemkara) judges these experiences as either positive or negative and then files these judgments or 'seeds of karma' (samskaras) in our energy body. ese seeds of karma are rooted in the duality of maya (illusion) rather than the unity (yoga) of Brahman (formless spirit). An apt analogy for the energy body is a compact disc that can hold information. Just as a CD can only hold ones and zeros, your energy body can only hold positive and negative samskaras. But even though a CD can only hold ones and zeros, the pattern of those digits can create a wide range of things such as the new Madonna album, your accounting for the past ten years, or your family photos. e energy body is quite similar. e arrangement of your samskaras will determine everything from your physical health and your Copyright © Darren Main • All Rights Reserved PO Box 14584 • San Francisco • CA • 94114 • USA • [email protected] WWW.DARRENMAIN.COM psychological well being to the ebb and flow of your emotions. ese samskaras determine your perception of the world and influence your decisions on an unconscious level. Sometimes these patterns serve us, but most of the time, they hold us back and weaken us in ways in which we may not even be aware. Have you ever quit one job because it is unsatisfying only to find another just like it? Have you ever dumped one love interest only to find the same personality traits in your next mate? Do you find yourself eating food that you know will make you feel ill or harm your health even though you know better? All of this is coming from a very unconscious level and nothing will ever change until you re-program the CD. Many people are unsatisfied with their lives. ey complain that the universe is somehow conspiring against them to make them miserable, or that the "devil" made them do it. is of course makes about as much sense as complaining that you can't stand the new Madonna CD while at the same time choosing to put the CD in your stereo and hitting repeat play. is is where the breath comes deeply into play. Every time we make a judgment about an experience we hold the breath or let it grow shallow—every time. Because we are judging things all day long, our breath is habitually shallow and we are, in a very real sense, slowly suffocating ourselves. is shallow breathing becomes the lid on the pressure cooker of the energy body. As long as you keep that lid in place, you can go through life relatively unaware of all your samskaras. ey are still there mind you, and they are affecting every aspect of your life, but you are, with the exception of the occasional breakdown, unaware of them. When we willfully and consciously deepen the breath and change that long held habit of shallow breathing, we take the lid off the pressure cooker and we are able to look at our samskaras consciously. Make no mistake about it; this is not an easy process. It is one that may result in laugher or tears, physical discomfort or the release of long repressed memories. It is a process of fearlessly encountering all the things you are holding onto that prevent you from being fully alive. In removing the lid, all of our past programming is exposed and we have the opportunity to choose again. Sometimes we will make the same choice as before, but oen we will make the wiser and more life- affirming choice to let go, and in that surrender is a freedom that is beyond words. In Sanskrit it is called moksha (liberation). What is Pranic Breathing? Pranic Breathing is a simple yet profound breathing technique that is born out of the kundalini yoga tradition and rooted in Tantric philosophy. The tecnique mimics the natural breath pattern or a sleeping infant. Like other forms of pranayama it helps to quickly access the deepest levels of the mind and realize our true nature. Although more advanced practice requires sitting with an erect spine, beginner level Pranic Breathing is done lying down. For new practitioners, physical comfort is paramount, so using blankets, pillows and other props are highly recommended. Once the practice begins, you will be instructed to breathe with a very simple yet very powerful breathing technique. Although different teachers will facilitate the practice in slightly different ways,the technique will be very simple to learn and you will be guided though the entire process. Copyright © Darren Main • All Rights Reserved PO Box 14584 • San Francisco • CA • 94114 • USA • [email protected] WWW.DARRENMAIN.COM e purpose of this article is not to teach you the technique itself. at is something you will need to learn from an experienced teacher. Most people feel emotionally and spiritually refreshed aer a breathing practice, and it is not uncommon to have life-changing experiences that alter the course of your life for the better. Kriya Yoga, Rebirthing & Holotropic Breathings Pranic Breathing is a unique practice that is taught in a very specific way, yet there are other forms of breathwork that are similar to and in fact related to Pranic Breathing. While the techniques and teaching methodology vary significantly, it is worth noting the some of these techniques here for clarity so as not to confuse the these different styles of breathwork. Kriya Yoga In 1920, Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) traveled from India to America. He was one of the first yoga masters to come to America. In addition to introducing the West to yogic philosophy he also brought with him the practice of Kriya yoga. Kriya yoga, according to Yogananda was first developed by the ancient Rishis who authored the Vedas. Yet in time, the practice was almost completely lost. It was not until Lahiri Mahasaya (1828-1895), a contemporary Indian saint, encountered the legendary deathless saint Bapuji in the Himalayas that the technique was reintroduced in our modern age. Lahiri Mahasaya brought the technique back to his home in Banaras, India (Also known as Varanasi) where he incited thousands in the breathing technique he called Kriya. One such student was Sri Yukteswar Giri of Serampore, India who became the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda. It was under the direction of Sri Yukteswar Giri (1855-1936) that Yogananda traveled to the west to teach Kriya yoga around the world. Yogananda's book, Autobiography of a Yoga is a modern spiritual classic which discusses the amazing, seemingly supernatural abilities that advanced yogis are alleged to have. Chapter 26 of his seminal work discusses Kriya Yoga in detail. To learn the technique of Kriya Yoga, I recommend the Self Realization Fellowship home study lessons. Rebirthing Rebirthings was developed and refined by Leonard Orr (1938-present) who originally studied to become a Christian preacher. Aer becoming disillusioned with mainstream religions Orr became involved in the New ought movement. Orr himself has traveled numerous time to India to study with great Yogis some of whom claim to be immortal. His studies in India had a great influence on his development of the breathing technique known as Rebrithing.