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Anthem
1608 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 13 2006 : 11:55:38 PM
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Hi there,
We haven't talked about practices recently, I thought I would share some pranayama observations that maybe others will find of benefit? Or maybe you already do this?
I have recently taken, for some unknown reason, to breathing very slowly as I trace the spinal nerve up & down during pranayama. A second subtlety that has crept into practices recently has been making sure I feel every millimetre of the spinal nerve (fraction of an inch for you Yankees ) as I trace up and down in this slow fashion. Result? Going over all of a sudden after a long period (many months)of relative stability in this practice. Doesn't this sound appealing???
Seriously though, after that, I noticed it appears that you can go too vaguely up and down the spinal nerve and too quickly or choose to go more slowly and thoroughly and that the latter appears to be more effective at clearing things out. I had to shave approximately 3 minutes off my pranayama. Don't say I didn't warn you about the self-pacing part of this! Feel free to share your observations with this or similar experiences.
I have also noticed that overall, all the practices get way more powerful over time and that the more I clear things out, the less I can do. I am doing at best 70% of what I was doing a year ago in terms of time in practices and repetitions and it's currently more than enough! Anyone else notice this?
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sadhak
India
604 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2006 : 01:32:07 AM
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Hi Anthem,
I did notice that when I go sloooow, and the ujjai breath is cool and hissy, it affects the meditation that follows. But I do not sustain the slowness for very long.
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riptiz
United Kingdom
741 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2006 : 12:44:04 PM
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Hi Anthem,
The practices get more powerful because you are at a higher level of purification and so more energy flows through you.
L&L
Dave |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2006 : 2:52:19 PM
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| I've never gotten the hang of pranayama. I gave up on siddhasana (no perineum maybe), and I go through the motions of spinal breathing, but the benefits have been minimal. This morning I tried your suggestion, Andrew, so instead of doing my usual spinal sweep I tried slowing it way down. I had to catch my breath after one in/exhale. Once the attention gets to my heart center, I can visually guide it the rest of the way to ajna, no problem. But below the heart it's a blur and difficult to visualize the spinal column. Any comments/suggestions? How do you slow the breath so much without running out of it? |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2006 : 4:54:13 PM
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Hi Meg,
If you gave up on Siddhasana because you weren't noticing anything you could always give it another chance, I see it as doing something (stimulating the root chakra) just in a quiet background kind of way. If you gave it up for other reasons like perhaps it was uncomfortable or distracting then disregard the above.
In regards to slowing the breath down, sounds like maybe you slowed down a little too much, it still needs to be timed with your awareness reaching the ends of the spinal nerve. I still time it to reach either end as my breath is almost all the way in or all the way out depending which direction I am going in. I speed up or slow down the tracing of the nerve with my awareness accordingly if I have gone too fast or too slow with the breath. The overall gist of my observations is just to put as much of ourselves in the process of spinal breathing as we can, the more awareness we can bring into the process the better.
I like what you are noticing about the spinal nerve being a "blur" in some areas. I have also found some areas are more defined for me and others less defined as well. The part between the back of the head and the front of the third eye is not as defined as other areas for me but now more than it used to be. I also have just recently had the area between root and lower back become more defined than it used to be for some reason. I have observed that some days I have less sensation in the spinal nerve overall and others more, hard to know why, but I believe it's all part of a natural 2 steps forward 1 step back progression. I speculate for myself that the less defined areas contain more blockages, I have observed over the last year and a half of pranayama that overall the whole sushumna is much more defined than it was.
You say the benefits of pranayama have been minimal but I thought you have mentioned in other posts to having increasing ecstatic feelings? To me the progression of ecstasy is accelerated my pranayama, just not necessarily when you are sitting in practice but better measured by an overall expansion or increase over months and years. |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2006 : 6:19:55 PM
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| Meg, it gets less blurry with practice. The practice won't be frustrating, in spite of the blur, if you just calmly sort of doing it, without worryign about your focus or acuity at all. Like all the practices, it's like brushing your teeth. Don't worry about how white they are right now. They'll get whiter! :) |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2006 : 10:14:02 PM
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| I agree with Jim here. Don't worry whether you "get" Siddhasana. just get your legs in position and find the most comfortable and well balanced seat and then don't worry about it. I always do the chin pump when I do preanayama but it doesn't feel liek a pump to me because I do it very slowly and gently allowing the *feel* of the breath to guide the movement. For me it is not an action as much as a gentle nudge that gets guided by the breath itself. I allow the exhalation to come from very deep tiny releases and teh inhalaion to flow in through a deep receptivity. Its all very delicious and doesn't feel like an exercise as much as a gentle process of receiving a wonderful gift and a deep letting go of any resistance in many tiny little ways in many tiny little areas. |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2006 : 10:31:19 PM
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fwiw, I don't do siddhasana. I'm not looking to cultivate more energy...I've got plenty of that. I do everything with simple crosslegs. But I think the pranayama's super important.
Meg, for one thing, don't get too distracted by postings like Anthem's. At certain stages, you may be moved to get real minute and subtle as he describes (not criticizing you, Anthem...your posting makes sense for where you're at). At others, you just sort of go for the arc. Don't think you've got to aim for any vibe or result. Just make the energy go up and down. Simple. Anytime AYP seems complex, it's time to just relax and take a step back. |
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Hunter
USA
252 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2006 : 11:57:21 PM
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Thank you Meg for your question, I have wondered the same thing myself recently.
And Thank you Jim for your answer, a great relief and clarification. |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2006 : 09:24:39 AM
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Hi Meg ,
As you know, I am really bad at visualizing... and went through a long period of frustrations.. because I could not see my spinal nerve. I still don't see it.. and I don't think I ever will.. I get so jealous of people who see the nerve.. feel it expand.. take over their entire body.. see a star.. I SEE NOTHING!!!!!
But after reading the spinal breathing book, and a million posts on spinal breathing.. I did realize.. all you have to do is take your awareness up and down the spine.. and this works.. For the longest time, that is all I did and saw absolutely nothing.. but now I feel heat move up and down with spinal breathing. I still don't see my nerve..
So after the heart.. when you lose your spinal nerve.. just follow your awareness down to the root.. If you run out of breath.. jump your awareness to the root and start back up again. Don't try to slow down your breath if it in not comfortable.. just follow it at your regular pace...
As long as you continue with your Spinal breathing.. following your awareness up and down.. you are doing just fine.. and don't worry siddhasana Meg.. |
Edited by - Shanti on Jul 15 2006 09:25:03 AM |
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nearoanoke
USA
525 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2006 : 1:53:28 PM
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Anthem,
I really like your posts and the progress you have made with AYP. It is good to be hearing about your experiences.
Hi Meg,
Even I am on the same boat as you. When some place in the spinal nerve becomes hard to trace, yogani suggested me to just bypass it smoothly and continue with the remaining nerve, but make sure you reach end point say 3rd eye/root. It is a case of blockages as anthem points out. I know when I will see my spinal nerve. On july 15 2016  . Till then no expectations to see the nerve during pranayama. I am sure I will do good with this expectation.
-Near |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2006 : 2:42:33 PM
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| Sounds good, Near. I'll look for a spinal nerve extravaganza on my 80th birthday, and not a day sooner. :) I appreciate all your suggestions, which haven't improved my pranayama as yet, but have made me feel better, knowing that I'm not the only one who's not fully reaping the benefits. I gave siddhasana another shot, and wherever my heel ended up was its resting place. We shall see. Thanks for that tip, Victor. |
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2006 : 10:45:54 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Anthem11
"..for some unknown reason, to breathing very slowly as I trace the spinal nerve up & down during pranayama.
Yes, Anthem, Thanks for sharing. I've noticed that too -- breathing slow and at times stillness of breath -- and it is new enough to me that it is still interesting. That "interest" will pass, I assume.
I love the enegy that flows up after slow/still out-breath. Up from the base, but not so orgasmic as it used to be. I don't imagine it so much as follow the energy with my in-breath as the energy rises. Sometimes it feels like I'm going to explode, and I just relax, let it happen. After a while, the energy is still, evenly pressing out from within my whole body rather than pumping up from the root. Then it flows out like in one of those aura photos, so it seems. The after-effects seem healthy and the energy does not disturb my witnessing silence.
My "self pacing" is very natural. It seems to happen without my deliberately trying. No complaints with me at present. |
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Babaly
USA
112 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2006 : 10:50:06 PM
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Meg,
Thanks for your post....... I felt close to you after reading it. It just seemed very real to me.
Lately, I have been doing a lot of introspection and I have been finding myself wanting to break out of this human bondage I feel sometimes.
That human bondage of wanting to appear like I have it all together. That I'm mastering all this stuff. That I'm somehow .... dare I say it... special.
Your post made me feel safe.... like it's okay not to be perfect at pranayama....that it's okay that I don't feel swept up in God's divine embrace 24 hours of everyday..... that it's okay to be just where I am right now in my process. (Anywhere else is a mind game, no?)
I want to be sooo much further on.... I feel like I am going to break out of my heart..... but this is where I am..... and you know what...
I have lovely days, most days.... and some days my meditations are Divine..... sometimes I feel God's love wrapping itself all around me and through me.... and for that, for those moments, those glimpses... I am so grateful.
So thanks Meg for your post... for being so real. It helped me.
Babaly
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Sparkle
Ireland
1457 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2006 : 05:46:21 AM
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Hi Meg
Just on siddhasana, I have found the heel does not work for me, I use a small object, which I find more focused on the hot spot.
The pressure needs only to be very slight and although I don't usually feel surges of ecstatic energy the difference to the meditation is subtle but very substantial.
I'm sure I'm missing out on the energy currents through my leg and heel, but that's what works for me. 
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2006 : 10:32:16 AM
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| Thanks Sparkle - I'll try that one. What exactly do you deem a 'small object'? Tennis ball? Pea? I tried the ball but it was a little distracting. Babaly - I'm glad that it was of help to you. Siddhasana and spinal breathing are just a sampling of the practices that I've yet to master. :) Hey - I'm new at this! :) |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2006 : 11:21:59 AM
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Meg, see the lesson on siddhasana, which explains the object thing.
RTFM! :) |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2006 : 12:12:17 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Jim and His Karma
[br}
RTFM! :)
?? Right toe for me?? |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2006 : 12:17:14 PM
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| Meg, do you have trouble sitting in siddhasan, or is it you don't feel any difference when you sit in Siddhasan? |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2006 : 2:30:08 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by meg
quote:
Originally posted by Jim and His Karma
[br}
RTFM! :)
?? Right toe for me??
It's an old-time online acronym for "read the freakin' manual." |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2006 : 1:42:19 PM
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| Anthem - I've made progress with spinal breathing, thanks to your suggestion. I can now trace my spine all the way from root to brow and back again. Yay! I actually enjoy SB for the first time, and realize how sloppy I'd been doing it. No energy or scenery or bells or whistles, but a sense of satisfaction at being able to go up and down the spine with some accuracy. |
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Nicole
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2006 : 2:26:21 PM
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Hi everyone!
Meg,
As far as your siddhasana ... I have found some asanas to be helpful. I will try to explain one... try sitting in siddhasana but instead of the the outer leg (the one not being used for pressing with your heal) bent, extend it out on the ground in front of you like you would in a "forward bend" pictured here: http://www.santosha.com/asanas/ugra.html
Use this for each side/leg. It might help to become comfortable with the forward bend first though.
If that is too easy try this
:http://www.yogaman.com/sittinghips.html
I hope this is helpful and not confusing LOL
Check this lesson out too : http://www.aypsite.org/T28.html
Also,
Jim said:Meg, see the lesson on siddhasana, which explains the object thing.
RTFM! :)
I think he is referring to using a sock. Correct me if I am wrong Jim :) |
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Sparkle
Ireland
1457 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2006 : 4:47:16 PM
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Nicole/Meg
quote:
Hi Meg
Just on siddhasana, I have found the heel does not work for me, I use a small object, which I find more focused on the hot spot.
The pressure needs only to be very slight and although I don't usually feel surges of ecstatic energy the difference to the meditation is subtle but very substantial.
Forgot about this untill now Meg, I use various objects depending on the surface I am sitting on.
If it is a hard surface a small torch battery lying lengthways along the perinium usually does the trick. If say it is in the car a larger object is necessary because of the absorbsion of the seat.
Louis
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Pranayama observations
