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solo
USA
167 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 4:28:46 PM
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It seems to be difficult taking a full belly breath, poofing out the stomach, and applying the root lock all at once while tracing the awareness up the spine. Kind of like, if I apply root lock I cannot get as deep of a belly breath and my stomach doesn't poof out as much on the inhale.
Comments or suggestions?
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 6:00:33 PM
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| I wouldn't focus on inflating the belly on inhalation, it is more of an initial abdominal relaxation with an upward direction. If you poof out the belly you are forcing the breath too much into the abdomen when at that point the ribs should begin to expand with the opening. The belly does contract at the end of exhalation however and the abdominal relaxation that follows upon inhalation is what begins to open the belly rather than any pressure of the breath into the abdomen. Not sure if my explanation is easy to understand but I will be happy to clarify |
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Arjuna
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 8:11:37 PM
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Wow!!! I have been wondering the same thing regarding expanding the belly during inhalation and simultaneously applying mulabandha. Thanks for posting this question.
I have a background in Patabhi K. Jois Ashtanga yoga system, and as such, my natural tendency during inhalation is to apply both mulabandha and uddiyana bandha. These bandhas are applied very gently, but my belly certainly does not poof outwards. Also, during the exhalation phase, I maintain both bandhas...so my natural tendency during SBP is to gently maintain both bandhas from start to finish.
During DM, I release all bandhas and forget them totally.
All comments and critiques are greatly appreciated. |
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Akasha
421 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 9:50:56 PM
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You might want to consider making the root-lock/mulabandha subtler, as that is what it will evolve into, a natural integration of SbP.The nervous system knows a good things after some conditioning.
Also not giving too much focus to what the belly is doing; if you're breathing slow and deep you're doing okay.Although feel free to experiment.
Slow deep breathing using the full yogic breath in ujjayi on the exhale but not obstructing the epiglottis on the inhale is a precursor to adding the tracing of the spinal nerve with the breath, and then adding mulabandha, and sambhavi once these feel less clunky to take on all at once.Add each element on at a time as it's too much to begin with.
In short- try making your mulabandha alot subtler.Once i did this what you're talking about was'nt an issue (or lot less so)A subtle contraction of the anus/anal sphincter is all that's prescribed.You may indeed be barely aware of it.Same with uddiyana bandha.Alot of folk make this mistake; i was one of them.It is actually very subtle.
I've heard said before, don't know if this helps,but something like bandhas are 95-99% psychic and 1-5% physical.So effectively what is being suggested in this regard is that you're waking up neural circuits in the brain,& in our neurobiology. |
Edited by - Akasha on Nov 10 2009 9:52:41 PM |
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Tibetan_Ice
Canada
758 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 10:24:10 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by solo
It seems to be difficult taking a full belly breath, poofing out the stomach, and applying the root lock all at once while tracing the awareness up the spine. Kind of like, if I apply root lock I cannot get as deep of a belly breath and my stomach doesn't poof out as much on the inhale.
Comments or suggestions?
Hi Everyone,
This was the same for me. I was kind of shocked that I had so much trouble keeping the gentle root lock held while the lower abdomen was puffing out. I just kept at it. Practice practice!
Eventually I got it. It took me many months. At first it was very uncomfortable because the two actions seem to oppose each other and I kept letting go. I did many clunky repetitions but kept at it. I even practiced just that part of gentle root lock and deep abdominal breathing together by themselves. If you want an example of deep abdominal breathing to practice with, try laying on your back and totally relax, just to practice.
At one point, while I was doing a total relaxation meditation, just experimenting with totally letting go and relaxing the body, I discovered that when you do that, the body naturally does the root lock all by itself. Further, deep breathing goes right down into the testicles. You have to really let go to learn that. So, just be persistent and don't try so hard. If you do the root lock too hard it could give you hemmorhoids! And it is way better to practice one step at a time, become solid in it and then add the next step as Yogani suggests.
Good luck.
:)
TI
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Spinal breathing, root .lock and belly breathing
