Help Yourself
And Others



Notices
What's New on
AYP Plus?
AYP Retreats
Worldwide Listing

AYP Teacher Training
Local
Contacts
Meditation Groups,
Training & Retreats
Key
Lessons
Start Lessons Here
Desire - Bhakti
Deep Meditation
Self-Pacing
Spinal Breathing
Pranayama
Chakras
Mulabandha
Sambhavi Mudra
Asanas - Postures
Siddhasana
Yoni Mudra
Kumbhaka
Uddiyana - Nauli
Navi Kriya
Kechari Mudra
Chin Pump
Jalandhara
Eight Limbs of Yoga
Samyama & Siddhi
Spinal Bastrika
Pranayama
Heart Breathing
Yoga Nidra
Cosmic Samyama
Mantra Enhancements
Solar Centering
Tantra
Brahmacharya
Vajroli Mudra
Whole Body Mudra
Yogic Diet
Fasting
Addictions
Hallucinogens
Shatkarmas
Amaroli
Nectar Cycle
Kundalini Assistance
Sensitivity Issues
Spirits & Entities
Shaktipat
Self-Inquiry
Jnana-Advaita
End of Suffering
Karma Yoga
Dare to Dream
Evolution of Action
Prayer & Healing
Yoga for Children
Ayurveda
Summary of Practices
Time Management
Modifications to
Baseline System
Teaching
Retreats
Enlightenment
Milestones
Freedom
More Resources
AYP Plus
Public Forum
Plus Forum
AYP Survey

AYP on Radio
& TV
Yoga FAQ
Sanskrit Glossary
AYP Books & Audio
Downloads
AYP Books Flyer
Extended Booklist
International
Translations
Press Releases
Articles & Media
Promotional
Materials
Website
Statistics
AYP-Related
Websites
Social Networks
Volunteer

| |
Advanced Yoga Practices
Main Lessons
Note: For the Original
Internet Lessons with additions,
see the
AYP
Easy Lessons
Books.
For the Expanded and Interactive Internet Lessons, AYP Online Books,
Audiobooks and more, see AYP Plus.
Lesson 39 -
Pranayama - Cultivating the Soil of the Nervous System(Plus)
(Audio)AYP Plus Additions:
39.1 -
Pranayama: Theory and Practice (Audio)
From: Yogani
Date: Wed Dec 10, 2003 0:21pm
New Visitors: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the archive, as previous
lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first lesson is, "Why
This Discussion?
It is common knowledge that when a friend is upset, really upset, it is good to tell him
to breathe, to take slow, deep breaths in and out for a while. This invariably has a
calming effect on the nervous system, mind, and emotions.
Why? Because it loosens the nerves. Tension constricts our nerves, and this restricts the
flow of consciousness through us. Breathing slowly and deeply loosens our nerves,
facilitating the flow of consciousness through us, and this has the desired relaxing
effect.
To say that consciousness flows through us is a bit of an over-simplification. While, in
truth, all is the flow of consciousness, it is more descriptive to say that the "life
force" flows through us. What is the life force? It is the first manifestation of
consciousness in matter. It is called, "prana," which means, "first
unit." In the string theory of modern physics, the miniscule, subatomic energy
strings thought to be the building blocks of everything in the universe might well be
analogous to prana. In any case, we know that influencing prana (the life force) in the
human body has significant effects on our nervous system, and our experience.
Meditation is a way of influencing prana with the mind taking the lead. The human mind
arises from a flow of energy through the nerves of the brain. In meditation, we
systematically allow that energy (prana) to become still, which brings us to the
underlying cause of that energy. We experience it as pure silent bliss consciousness. In
meditation, the attention is easily brought beyond the mind, and beyond prana. It is an
extraordinary natural ability we have.
Besides meditation, there are other ways to influence prana to facilitate the purification
of the nervous system for joining of our inner and outer nature. As mentioned, managing
the breath can have a noticeable effect on our experience. By restraining the breath in
certain ways we can produce certain predictable effects. This is the science of
"pranayama," which means, "restraint of prana." In terms of what we do
externally, it is called breath control. But there is more to pranayama than physical
control of the breath. Other actions are brought to bear that deepen and broaden the
effects of the breath. The mind is involved, and so is the body in ways other than by
controlling the breath. Taken together, these actions loosen and cultivate the nervous
system in ways that greatly enhance the effects of our core practice of meditation.
Think of the nervous system as the soil, and of pure bliss consciousness as the seed. We
have been awakening the silent seed through regular daily meditation. Now we will be
cultivating the soil of our nervous system so the seed of pure bliss consciousness will
grow to be dynamic and strong in us.
How does the breath affect the flow of prana in the body? There is an electromagnetic
relationship in the body between the breath, the mind, the flow of prana, and every aspect
of our biological functioning. All of these are connected. This is why, when we meditate,
the breath is automatically subdued and the whole metabolism slows down. During pranayama,
when we consciously slow down the breath and mentally take it along a particular pathway,
we influence the flow of prana in that pathway. It is a kind of induction. It is like
inducing an electrical current in a wire with a magnet. So, using the breath in
coordination with the mind, we are able to engage in selective purification of a
particular channel in our nervous system that plays a leading role in the rise of
enlightenment. This channel is the tiny thread-like nerve that runs up inside the spine
and through the brain. It is called the "sushumna." Purifying and opening this
nerve is where pranayama and additional advanced yoga practices will be focused.
We will begin with a breathing technique to be done right before each meditation session.
As we become comfortable with it we will add on new elements, step by step, that will
greatly increase the power of our practice.
The guru is in you.
Related Lessons Topic Path
Discuss this Lesson in the AYP Plus Support Forum
Note:
For detailed instructions on
pranayama, see the AYP Spinal Breathing Pranayama book,
and AYP Plus.
| |
News and
Events Near
You

AYP PLUS PREVIEW
Direct Download
eBooks - PDF, EPUB
and MOBI-KINDLE
FREE eBooks with
MP3 AudioBooks
SAVE with Bundled
Multi-Title Downloads
AYP Book Translations
Preview AYP
Books
(PDF Books Flyer)
Easy Lessons


Spiritual Adventure Novel

Enlightenment Series











Questions & Answers

|