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JonJon
United Kingdom
22 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 06 2009 : 05:37:31 AM
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This will probably seem like a basic question, but I'll ask it anyway. When doing spinal breathing, are we to imagine energy travelling up and down our spine as an external observer, or is our consciousness meant to be travelling up and down the spine? Also, sometimes I have fully inhaled or exhaled before the imagined energy has gone from top to bottom of vice-versa, with the result that I'm left holding my breath. Any tips.
Finally, when doing pranayama recently I have felt my hands and feet contorting slightly on inhalation or exhalation. It's a pleasurable, tingly, kind of feeling, but quite wierd. Is this normal.
Thankyou! |
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themysticseeker
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2009 : 09:28:10 AM
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| Often instead of visualizing, I will just feel a sense of traveling up and down my spine, as if a ghost finger were stroking the front of my spine inside my torso. You are doing well. Carry on. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2009 : 10:57:10 AM
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Hi JonJon....
quote:
Originally posted by JonJon
When doing spinal breathing, are we to imagine energy travelling up and down our spine as an external observer, or is our consciousness meant to be travelling up and down the spine?
As I understand it it can be either. Whatever is the most natural for you at the time. SBP will change over time, or at least that is my experience. At some points you may be following the sushumna from outside of it, watching with the awareness the energy moving from the root to the brow and back again....at some points you may actually be inside the spinal nerve as you travel up and down with your attention. At some points the sushumna may even transform into something else. I have had experiences where I am doing spinal breathing on the sushumna but the nerve is no longer in my body but is a tree truck and a branch, or is out in the open air and I am doing SBP from the ground to the stars. So my point is basically that SBP can and will change over time and I don't think it is vitally important that you try to force it to be the same every time. If one session you are outside the sushumna then that's ok. If the next session you are inside the nerve that's ok. If in the next session you are underwater and doing SBP from the ocean floor to the ocean's surface that is ok too. Just as long as the attention stays on the sushumna. This is my understanding and if I am wrong to say this I hope someone will correct me.
quote:
Originally posted by JonJon
Also, sometimes I have fully inhaled or exhaled before the imagined energy has gone from top to bottom of vice-versa, with the result that I'm left holding my breath. Any tips.
This is just the clunky part of SBP and it can come and go. Your breath and your attention will sync up the more you practice and the more SBP becomes second nature. This is very common and is nothing to worry about. If it is really distracting you and you feel like this is a big issue I would suggest trying to just put the attention at the ajna spot on the inhale and on the root for the exhale. Don't travel the nerve at all and just "put" your attention at the top and the bottom until the clunky stage passes.
quote:
Originally posted by JonJon
Finally, when doing pranayama recently I have felt my hands and feet contorting slightly on inhalation or exhalation. It's a pleasurable, tingly, kind of feeling, but quite wierd. Is this normal.
This is normal. I find that on the inhale I occasionally find my toes curling. This seems to me to be caused by the pressure of the energy being pulled upwards. It seems to "clench" the lower extremities. I don't think this is anything to worry about and actually could probably be considered indicitive of a productive session. You are doing well.
Best of luck!
Love,
Carson |
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JonJon
United Kingdom
22 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2009 : 07:54:07 AM
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| Thanks for the comments guys! |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2009 : 11:03:37 AM
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Hi JonJon,
Carson has covered it all. 
This topic may help too.
A couple of questions |
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Spinal breathing 101
