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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 07 2008 : 4:54:43 PM
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Hi,
I am going through this phase in deep meditation (AYP-style) where my breathing wants to stop. It goes very very shallow and sometimes I have to remember to breath, althought it feels pleaseant and efortless. It also feels I am in this nice peaceful (but inherantly alive) open space. I feel quite steady and quiet. I have read about breathlessness and samadhi in the forums many times so I guess this is a good thing.
The thing is that I still don't practice pranayama, just DM. Since I started (about 8 months now) I've tried to add pranayama along the way but it is not confortable or pleasant at all to bring the energy up to my head and then it doesn't seem to come down so easily. I still don't know why this is but I am guessing obstructions in the neck/head area that are slow to dissolve - although I do see them clearing from deep meditation alone. My question would be if you think I should force spinal breathing pranayama or just go like I am going. deep meditation alone seems to be the doing the trick for me at the moment but am concerned sometimes that because things are going so well that I will have some inner energies (the dreaded word "kundalini") firing up inside and have not "cleared the channels" properly with pranayma.
With many thanks,
YIL |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 09:49:26 AM
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I'm sorry to insist here but I find it odd that it feels unconfortable to me to go to the head (and down) in spinal breathing, and I would prefer it to be a confortable exercise. I wonder if other people experience the same and how they delt with it.
I have been studying and very atentive to "my" case until now. I came to AYP (8 months ago) with severe states of depression/exhaustion/mental confusion, etc. I always had the sense this was not merely psychological but rather neurtological/energetic at some level. That is when I started reading about the energy body, chakras, meditation, breathing exercises, etc.
I have had problems with my sight for a long time and once had a retinal detachment due to anxiety/paranoia. I.e., I was feeling rather out of balance and having visions, etc. and suddenly this sort of a flash burst through my left eye and later I found I had a retinal detachment there. Having a kind of proud and obstinant nature I did not follow any doctor's or friend's advice (they didn't know what caused it but thought myopia could be a cause) and decided to go without glasses for 1 year and a half (I need glasses clearly to see as I have myopia) because I wanted to "correct" my myopia. I see clearly now that that was a very foolish thing to do and that that year and a half kind of ruined my overall neurological system, especially in the head (well, I've been feeling off-balance since that flash bursted over my eye). I feel head clouded or I feel dizzy or confused for no apparent reason, digestive problems, nervous for no reason, etc., etc., etc. To cut it short: out of balance, both energetically and neurologically (sorry, I know this sounds confusing, trying to make it as simple as possible - it's been quite a ride, believe me).
I know now it was not plain psychological and there is a clear energetic/spiritual dimension to my previous state because only yoga (and the AYP framework in particular) was efficient in explaining and balancing my symptoms (I've talked about them elsewhere already). Since I started AYP deep meditation I have been feeling much more stable, confident and centered in daily life, so much so that I was able to return to my previous occupation in another country, that I had to leave because of the imbalances. But although DM has been great and I have been finding a lot of progress (as I described in my previous post above) I still find a few things unsettling like not being confortable in spinal breathing and not knowing exactly why. In fact, any (and I really mean ANY) energy work brings a bit of imbalance to my system (I became very sensitive). I am much more stable with DM but I still notice some symptoms. The usual remedies pointed in the forums such as spinal breathing and walking can have a stimulatory effect and are thus imbalancing.I notice myself getting a bit better but it is kind of slow. What is happening? Is DM helping me stabilise and slowly dissolving obstructions so energy can flow more smoothly? Should I allow this process to unfold like this without forcing any energy work (like SBP) or would anything else work? I have also wondered if it is the pingala (or ida? I mean the left channel) that has been kind of "burned" by the energy. I have been feeling sensations on the left side of my body (in specific locations) for years and they seem to be "melting away" (slowly but surely) with DM alone, although I still feel them now and then.
Just hoping that someone out there can relate and have similar experiences (although I do know mine seems to be pretty unique!). |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2008 : 4:29:34 PM
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Well, I see no one can relate to my problem...I really don't blame you, it is quite a unique set of problems 
Anyway, I just wanted to say that it is becoming clearer for me. I can see my health problems and causes clearer now. I know it had to do with years of abuse to myself, where I would force myself to go without glasses and other stupid behaviour. I really screwed up my system and made it all a mess. I think it became a neurological problem. I can tell how the nerves in my body, especially in my neck/head/eyes and particularly in my left side are constricted and tense still. I also notice that everything gets worse when I am a tiny bit stressed or something like that.
I guess I just want to leave here a record as someone else might experience similar issues and search the forums or something. I can't stress enough how AYP's efficient method of meditation helped me. I was a real mess and I did not understand clearly what was wrong with me and couldn't even express it to anybody, not even a doctor. With meditation I gradually was feeling more and more stable and even starting to enjoy the small things again. Before I was like tense all the time. I feel that meditation really relaxes you inside, it makes sense when yogani says it is purifying the nerves inside for better flow, I can feel that. I am truly thnakful and haven't missed a single session of meditation. And I wish to remain like that.
I also want to thank the forum and all forumnites for giving me the oportunity to express my self here. I think it was because I put it all out here that things started to become clearer for me, I can see more clearly what happened to me and tear causes and effects apart, little by little. Before it was all a mess. It means I am evolving All thanks to deep meditation.
I was talking to a friend about this today. For the first time I could talk about this dispassionately, objectively, and make myself understood. She helped me also. She is a nurse and was asking her about neurologists or any other doctor that could help (she also mentioned homeopathy). She proposed some simple neck stretching exercises (kind of like yoga for the neck) and they are really helping me (I tried today). I need to stretch those nerves/muscles connecting eyes/neck, etc. I feel it working on me. It is all connected in our body, believe me, and the eyes are a sensitive part of our biology and neurology. |
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2008 : 10:08:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by YogaIsLife
Hi,
I am going through this phase in deep meditation (AYP-style) where my breathing wants to stop. It goes very very shallow and sometimes I have to remember to breath, althought it feels pleaseant and efortless. It also feels I am in this nice peaceful (but inherantly alive) open space. I feel quite steady and quiet. I have read about breathlessness and samadhi in the forums many times so I guess this is a good thing.
Hi YIL,
Breathing can stop repeatedly throughout meditation and samyama, it is completely normal.
quote:
My question would be if you think I should force spinal breathing pranayama or just go like I am going.
It sounds like you already know the answer, add it in when it feels like the right time to do so. As it is said, the guru is in you.
quote:
deep meditation alone seems to be the doing the trick for me at the moment but am concerned sometimes that because things are going so well that I will have some inner energies (the dreaded word "kundalini") firing up inside and have not "cleared the channels" properly with pranayma.
Nothing to dread about kundalini, it will come about when the time is right and is a very enjoyable experience. If you are doing regular meditation, the inner silence you are cultivating there is what will lead to openings when the time is right and you are ready.
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2008 : 10:17:06 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by YogaIsLife
What is happening? Is DM helping me stabilise and slowly dissolving obstructions so energy can flow more smoothly?
Yes, this has been my experience with AYP as well.
quote:
Should I allow this process to unfold like this without forcing any energy work (like SBP) or would anything else work?
If you are moving along smoothly and things are going well why force it? Sounds like you are finding a wonderful balance in life with DM.
quote:
I have also wondered if it is the pingala (or ida? I mean the left channel) that has been kind of "burned" by the energy.
Our minds love to wonder and analyse about this kind of thing, but at best it is all guess work and we can't really know without seeing it for ourselves, so until then, treat is as "under the hood" as it is said in the lessons.
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Edited by - Anthem on Dec 09 2008 10:18:31 PM |
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Divineis
Canada
420 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2008 : 11:44:30 PM
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I went through a bout of extreme "head imbalance". I found it was in big part due to a throat chakra imbalance. Someone once recommended slightly expanding the area beneath blockages to allow the energy down. Like starting at the third eye and working your way down, slightly expanding things, almost like a yawn that starts at your nose.
Throat is in big part about living out your truth, living a life of service. Dunno if that might help.
Balancing out everything else below too , I think can work as a bit of a "magnet" to draw things downwards.
Another thing for me was focusing on my sushuma, and the areas around it that that would draw my attention to. I reckon that could break some "unhealthy connections" and make room for more energy movement, more balance. |
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lakshmi_shegar
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - Dec 10 2008 : 12:21:31 AM
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Hi YogaIsLife,
I haven't experienced such things in my practice of DM. Thanks for sharing your experience. I am getting to learn more things from others experiences.
Thanks, |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2008 : 03:54:16 AM
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Thank you Anthem, Divineis and Lakshmi for your kind replies. Good to know someone was listening
Thanks Anthem for your kind and wise advice and for dismistifying kundalini. It is true I am a bit afraid of it, afraid of not being ready or able to cope...I had so many imbalances in my life in the past...
About the neurological issues I might see a doctor. I have symptoms that are persistent and not very nice, that maybe are neurological somehow and maybe I should have them checked, I've been avoiding this for years. At least I'll know. |
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michaelangelo7
USA
89 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2008 : 12:50:27 AM
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HEY yogaislife
i figured it out
the reason is overactive pingala, it gets congested above left brain/temple/eye and probably strangled your retina and blew it out..... 
focus energy downward, u will get cooling sensations. need to balance ida and pingala. i just did this and i am already feeling more relaxed and cooled down. remember im the one that had similar problem to yours! ida will cool down the active energy that makes all that pressure and congestion. i only did it for like an hour and it seems to help already. dont know why i didnt think of doing this before 
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Edited by - michaelangelo7 on Dec 14 2008 01:10:55 AM |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2008 : 07:00:09 AM
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Thnaks Michaelangelo,
How do you do that? Mentally? It makes sense what you say but since I am not really sure of how the circuitry inside works I am a bit afraid of using any forcing/directing energy techniques.
Actually I think it is realeasing now, slowly and gradually. I found out this neck exercises that are really helping me. They are awfully simple actually. I think my nerves/muscles have been really constricted (that was what blew my retina probably, bad blood flow there due to tense nerves). Just a simple tilting of the head to one side and keeping it there for a while while breathing normally (especially if I do it to the right, thus stretching the left side muscles and nerves in the neck) gives increadible release! It's unbelievable really. So I do this little routine (tilt to one side and the other, turn face to one side and the other, and face up and down) before meditation and I think I am starting to feel the effects. Meditation then further smooths and melts the obstructions.
There is definitely something happening in terms of energy, I feel all this energy currents, but I just let it go under the hood. I believe that, in meditation, it knows what's best for me and just works away. I feel all kinds of energy currents and movements all over my insides (and outsides!). and also gurglings in my belly, etc. Well, it seems to know what it is doing so I let it I find that any forcing of energy or breath (both connected of course) is probably not a good course of action. Simple pranayama for example, feels like straining to me, my body does not like it, so I'll stick with gentle meditation and this stretches for now. But thank you so much for chiming in!! Really appreciate it. |
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vijikr
United Arab Emirates
413 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2009 : 03:20:28 AM
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Hi Yogalife,
I hope your problem is solved now. There is one more method to this.
Sit on the floor(the best..the more you are closer to the earth it helps)if its your right side which is over active...keep your right hand facing the palm up on your lap. And put your left hand facing the sky and the palm facing the sky and remain in this position for few minutes and ask the holyghost or your Ishta God/Godesses to release the excessive energy to the ether(sky). It does really help.
For left side..put your left hand on your lap palm facing upward so that the prana flows. And now put your right hand to the earth palm facing the earth/the place that you sit. Now ask the God/Godesses/holyghost to clear that excess enery from left side and send it to mother earth.
This really helps and you can do it for both sides since this only sends the excessive energy to the ether and earth so that the prana will start to flow in the middle(sushmana)
Viji |
Edited by - vijikr on Feb 26 2009 03:45:04 AM |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2009 : 04:53:15 AM
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Hi Viji, thanks a lot.
I would like to try that but I did not understood this expression: "right hand facing the palm up on your lap". I just did not understood how to put the palms of the hands. Could you clarify please? Thank you.
P.S.: Is it true that we send energy through the right hand and receive from the left or is this not always the case? |
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vijikr
United Arab Emirates
413 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2009 : 06:08:57 AM
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Hi yil,
quote:
I would like to try that but I did not understood this expression: "right hand facing the palm up on your lap". I just did not understood how to put the palms of the hands. Could you clarify please? Thank you.
Sorry that was typo mistake..what I meant was Put your right hand on your right lap.The palm of the right hand should be facing up.
Now bring your left hand to shoulder level(Like when u take swearing in)and the palm of the hand facing the sky.
I learned this technique from sahaja yoga this technique that i mentioned balances both the nadis..ie it clears the nadis. Its better i give you this link..
http://sahajayoga.la/materials/Disc...0AboutSY.pdf
In the third page you will see what Iam saying..I guess that helps.
BTW I am not anyway related to this group and nor Am I her follwer as I believe truely in what Yogani said ie The GURU is IN YOU!
Love and Light
Viji |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2009 : 06:54:27 AM
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Thanks Viji, will try that.
The PDF looks interesting. |
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vijikr
United Arab Emirates
413 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2009 : 07:26:59 AM
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You are welcome! Take care..and I pray all be WELL with you.
Love and Light
Viji |
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Breathing wants to stop in meditation
