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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 4:00:27 PM
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Hi,
Ever since I started spinal breathing it has been difficult. From the beggining it felt unconfortable and I could only very gently do 1 or 2 cycles of it.
I have found that it kind of "hurted" going up the nerve on inhalation. It was not an actual physical pain, more like a very unconfortable feeling, as bringing energy to the head was bad for me.
I always had the impression in the last years that I had some sort of energy imbalance, with a lot of energy in the head, and/or some kind of blockage in my neck. I even thought, after reading about it, I have had some kind of activity in the crown in the recent past. I am not sure about this. I just know there is usually an unpleseant feeling (coupled with dizziness/faintness/mental confusion most of the time) in the head that is reflected also when I do spinal breathing going up.
The thing is that, almost by coincidence, I heard about the "chin lock" (jalandhara) pranayama, the simple version - simply doing the pranayama with the chin going down into the hollow of the throat. When I heard about it it made sense to me to try it during spinal breathing and I noticed that it makes the practice much more smooth and confortable and even pleaseant. I can go up to the centre of the eybrows and back down quite effortlessly and pleseantly with my chin there.
My question would be if you think it is ok to continue with the practice of spinal breathing with jalandhara or not. I would like to continue as it seems to be having a positive effect - even in my daily life I can feel it although I've been doing it a couple of days only - more energy and relaxation, the effects, I think, of proper spinal breathing. The way I see it, maybe this practice will help clear the blockage on the neck and/or the excess energy or energy imbalance in the head and after that I could continue with normal spinal breathing with the neck erect.
What would be your (experienced!) views on this? I appreciate your help. |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Sep 13 2008 : 1:16:11 PM
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namaste my friend,
my view on the matter is that it's dusty up there and it needs, but at least the headache shows that SBP is working but still the time might be too early for it.
the best advice i can give is practice more deep meditation and get more grounded in stillness and after that experience with sbp from time to time just to see if it's going smoother.
now concerning jalandhara even thought it seems pleasant in the beginning; it might be too early for you to practice that so don't over do it and if the symptoms of overdoing do appear then at least you'll know where they came from.
practice safely and enjoy.
light and love,
Ananda |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Sep 13 2008 : 1:50:36 PM
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Thanks for the reply Ananda.
You might be right. Doing the chin lock I feel makes SBP very effective and powerful for me and seems to be clearing the neck area. But you might be right in that it is powerful and may be too early for it or SBP. I will do as you say, focus more in DM and experiment now and then with SBP.
Yesterday, after the SBP with chin lock I had a slightly disturbing meditation with lots of energy cursing my body. So, the SBP with chin lock does work in loosening the circuitry and making energy flow but it might be too soon for it. I even been feeling more awake and energetic and even my sexual desire re-awakened!  |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2009 : 12:13:41 PM
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Hi all,
An update on this as I found some progress and it might help others looking in the forums for help with similar problems.
I have been mainly doing meditation and feel energy moving inside and obstructions dissolving slowly. I self-pace even in meditation and my ideal time is 10min. But I continue to wonder why I feel this disconfort in the head when doing SBP (I would like to add this practice in) and now I find that it is a bit better, but still unconfortable. I asked Yogani for his advice and one thing he suggested is working at the moment: to concentrate only on the brow on the end of inhalation and at the root at the end of exhalation and not care much for the acutal path going up and down. I find that like this I effortlessly "pass" through the affected areas without strain and at the same time see the exercise dissolving and loosening the obstructions and feel ecstasy for the first time with this practice (I even moan a little spontaneously sometimes!). It is quite powerful. In fact, it is so powerful that I think I'll have to continue to self-pace and cut it completely for a while longer and come back to it later agian and go like this step by step slowly. And I don't even do a minute of it! Impressive, thank you AYP. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2009 : 12:27:57 PM
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Hi Yogaislife....
I have tried a similar thing on occasion and I find it works just as you have said. I went through a short stage where I was having pain in my mid to upper back when going up in SBP and found that if I just ignored that area with my attention as I passed it on the way up it made a big difference and I was able to continue the pratice. I also found that I could go "around" the area if it wasn't too big. Meaning on my way up the nerve I could go around a small area that hurt by going to the side of it when I was passing. I found this worked similarly to skipping the area.
Love,
Carson |
Edited by - CarsonZi on Jan 07 2009 12:33:32 PM |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2009 : 1:08:07 PM
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Yes Carson. I am not yet accurate enough to know how the energy passes if one ignores the path but it goes somehow on its own. In my case it seems to follow the path of least resistance curbing the obstructions as you say, slowly dissolving them. It is great! It can go also through the middle of the body generally it seems.
I never was able to feel the effects of SBP before but they are really powerful I feel (maybe is because of all the meditation I have already under my belt already). This last times I felt as if I was literally floating inside. Hard to describe, as if you are inside your body and floating inside this vast space. Groovy! The relaxation effect is quite strong as well, my breathing stops almost immediataly and I feel ecstasy at the same time. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2009 : 2:17:47 PM
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Sounds like it is all coming together quite nicely then YIL! That is great. I don't know exactly how the energy moves when not focussed on it either, but I agree that it seems to take the path of least resistance. And I too have had times where I just go through the "middle of the body" in general. Almost like filling yourself up with water if you were an "empty shell" body with no organs. Maybe that's not the best way to explain the feeling but I can't think of a better way.
If you are getting feelings of floating inside a vast space while doing SBP I think you are doing quite well and need not have any worries at all except maybe self pacing if you start to get overload symptoms. But it sounds like you are doing great! Keep up the good work! haha.
Love,
Carson |
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YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2009 : 4:34:44 PM
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Thanks a lot Carson!
Yes, it is nice, but it also changes from experience to experience. Today for example I didn't feel the floating, except maybe some ecstasy. I think Yogani is wise when he says to favour the practice over the experiences, so we don't get attached to the experiences. The practice is what brings the results.
I also wonder lately how external circumstances may influence practice as well. Say you are sad for some external circumstance (anything from girlfriend that left or losing your job) - how does that influence our practice and the outcome of it? In my case I might feel a lack of motivation to practice. I guess this is normal but maybe this is why Yogani focuses so much in Bakhti or Desire - that is what pushes us forward in the worst of times, hein? But maybe I'll start a new thread with this subject.
Meanwhile Thank You for the encouragement my friend and see you around! |
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why does it "hurt" going up in spinal breathing?
