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AYPforum
351 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 07 2005 : 6:16:44 PM
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607 From: "jim_and_his_karma" <jim_and_his_karma@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue Apr 5, 2005 11:55pm
Subject: Approaches to (basic) Spinal Breathing jim_and_his_...
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There are probably an infinite number of ways to approach AYP spinal breathing, but here
are three I've noticed:
1. Like Driving
You mentally direct the front edge of the energy as it ascends and descends.
Advantages: it's a slow process, so you're really making the most of your breath and
extending it long and slow (one of the fundamental aims of any pranayama).
Disadvantage: you can lose that leading edge, it can slow down (and require multiple
breaths to complete the circuit), and this approach seems more vulnerable to energy
blockages (i.e. dead ends past which it's hard to move the energy). also, I find that using
this technique, I gradually lose energy over the course of the pranayama session...there's
less to "play' with. My latest theory is that the slow, bumpy movement allows some of it to
seep into other nadis as it goes up/down.
2. Like Ping Pong
You establish a connection between the mulha bandha and sambhavi mudra, and ping
pong the energy back and forth between the two, as if it were traveling a taut string. You
do have a focused awareness of the full route, but it's very "anchored" at top and bottom,
which ensures a smooth, easy transit.
Advantages: you get a lot more control, and you seem to lose less energy along the route.
Also, it seems like you're really "greasing the track", which is probably awfully good for
blockages.
Disadvantages: you have to remember to lengthen the breath, since you can, with practice,
complete a cycle very very quickly.
3. Like Flossing
Like ping pong breath, but you concentrate on sort of scrubbing the spine with it as it bats
back and forth
Advantages: seems like it's exactly what pranayama's supposed to do
Disadvantages: same as ping pong...also, might be an overcontrolling of what's supposed
to be a more innate process.
It's been pointed out to me that #2 and #3 are somewhat like spinal bastrika (see lessons
#171-173), except what I'm describing would be done slowly.
I realize that we're supposed to avoid imagery and other complications and abstractions.
Keep the practices simple. But there are a lot of ways to "allow one's attention to travel this
route" as Yogani puts it...and the non-specificness of that instruction invites exploration
of different approaches.
Thoughts?
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Approaches to (basic) Spinal Breathing
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