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Originally posted by WSH

Hello all again,
As promised I am back with some more questions in relation to the Deep Meditation practice.

I am curious if it is possible to be both over and under sensitive to the practice.

I have been doing DM for about a month now, twice daily for twenty minutes (with the exception of the recent holidays where I had to make some adjustments because of a busy travel schedule) followed by a five minute rest period. I am not noticing much of anything happening.

I know this is not a long time period to be doing the practice, but I would think something might be noticeable, at least in my daily life. In the beginning a did feel a sense of greater peace and stability in my life, but to be honest I think a lot of this had to do with the excitement of taking on a new practice that seemed to be a good one which gave me a since of hope.

Lately I have been feeling a sense of irritability creeping in during the day. I don’t know if this is a result of the stresses in my life or the DM. I recently discovered that after 10 years in a professional career I do not care too much for my job. I also have recently transferred (this week) to a new office which I like even less, so career stress or DM?

Prior to AYP I was involved in heavier practices such as many forms of pranayama, lengthy meditations 1-2 hours at a sitting and other forms of intense energy work with little direction. What was happening as a result was that instead of peace willing up in me I was felling highly irritable and agitated in my daily life even over very benign or inconsequential things, almost to the point of feeling rage at times.

One of the last practices I undertook prior to finding the AYP site was a form of energy work where energy was felt and then directed to different energy centers of the body (chakras) followed by forms of spinal breathing. This practice was shorting me out. Soon after beginning to do this practice I developed a rash and felt light headed and nauseous at times because of too much energy being released in my body. I guess this is one of the pitfalls of not having a spiritual teacher (guru) to help regulate or guide your practice.

Thank God for this forum.

I backed off simply because I did not like the way I felt. Not enough though. The feelings of sickness left but I was still highly irritable. I was still engaged in strong forms of spiritual practice just not as intense. I know I can be long winded to get to the point, but I guess a little background never hurts when seeking advice.

I guess my question is can the DM be causing these symptoms of irritability to return. It is odd because I read the lessons on over and under sensitive meditaters and it seems like I am both. I don’t feel like much is happening during or after the DM. In fact it is often hard for me to allow the mantra to come back without forcing it. My thoughts often run rampant with very little mantra coming in and it seems like I stay very much on the surface of the mind.

My late afternoon or early evening meditation seems to be better than the early morning one for some reason. Maybe I should lay off the coffee first thing in the morning prior to doing DM? I know it has been said that the greatest gauge of DM progress is how one feels in their daily life. So with the irritability coming back in perhaps I need to back off.

In fact today I have cut my sessions down to 15 minutes to see if that helps. This is hard for me because of have a strong desire to meditate for long periods of time. Even cutting down to 20 minutes when starting DM was not easy for me. Maybe I am expecting too much too soon which I suppose can be a hurdle when it comes to the practice as well.

At this point I am not seeking enlightment, because I think that is an ongoing process of constant unfolding or flowering that is eternal in nature. Sure I will always have the burning questions from where did I come, why am I here and where am I going if anywhere? But what I would like for now is to find greater stability, peace and joy in my life and not to be so irritable. I want to be a beacon of joy for my two beautiful young children and my wife and everyone really for that matter, which can inspire them to want the same for their lives. I don’t want to be irritable and hurt anyone with my attitude or irrational verbal responses do to irritability.

Any advice or help in this matter would once again be greatly appreciated. Best of wishes to all!

WSH

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Originally posted by WSH

Lately I have been feeling a sense of irritability creeping in during the day. I don’t know if this is a result of the stresses in my life or the DM.

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Originally posted by WSH

Maybe I should lay off the coffee first thing in the morning prior to doing DM?

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Originally posted by WSH

This is hard for me because of have a strong desire to meditate for long periods of time. Even cutting down to 20 minutes when starting DM was not easy for me.

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Originally posted by WSH

At this point I am not seeking enlightment, because I think that is an ongoing process of constant unfolding or flowering that is eternal in nature. Sure I will always have the burning questions from where did I come, why am I here and where am I going if anywhere? But what I would like for now is to find greater stability, peace and joy in my life and not to be so irritable. I want to be a beacon of joy for my two beautiful young children and my wife and everyone really for that matter, which can inspire them to want the same for their lives. I don’t want to be irritable and hurt anyone with my attitude or irrational verbal responses do to irritability.

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Originally posted by WSH

Hello Shanti,
I forgot to ask you. You suggested doing some spinal breathing before meditation. Couldn't this be even more distabilizing? I know from past experience that this can really get the energy flowing. Any toughts?

WSH

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Originally posted by WSH


Also any thoughts on nadi shodana? I don’t believe it is part of the AYP system but I know that it can be beneficial in balancing energies in the mind and body?

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Originally posted by yogani

Hi emc:

It is alternate nostril breathing, called "nadi shodana," a very common technique. It is also called "anuloma viloma."

Below is an excerpt from the AYP Easy Lessons book, an addition to lesson 41, which covers it.

As with any pranayama, be careful not to overdo. The combined effects from all pranayamas we do in a given day, regardless of type, will be cumulative. A teacher who offers a limited range of practices may not be aware of the increased potency of any individual practice when combined with a larger range of powerful practices in the daily routine. The same goes for adding intentional breath suspension (kumbhaka) in any part of our routine, which we just covered here: http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....D=4130#35367
(see follow-up posts there as well)

In other words, simple alternate nostril breathing is one thing by itself, and may be something else when added to a full boat of practices like we do in AYP. Always self-pace as necessary.

The guru is in you.

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Addition to Lesson 41 – Over the months, several have written and asked about a form of pranayama called “nadi shodana.” This is alternate nostril breathing. It is one of the most basic breathing techniques, and is usually the first breathing method taught to beginning students in hatha yoga classes. These days it is also taught by mental health professionals due to its calming influence on the nervous system. Nadi shodana is done by breathing slowly out and then in with one nostril blocked by the thumb of one hand, and then slowly out and in with the other nostril blocked by the middle finger of the same hand. That is all there is to it. It is a well-known practice that brings almost immediate relaxation. Why is it not taught in the Advanced Yoga Practices lessons?

The reason nadi shodana is not used here is because spinal breathing includes the benefits of nadi shodana, plus it is a tremendously more powerful practice with effects extending far beyond those of nadi shodana. The calming effects of nadi shodana come primarily from a reduction of the breath rate by using one nostril at a time – restraint of breath. In spinal breathing, the breath is restrained on inhalation voluntarily with the lungs and on exhalation with ujjayi (partially closed epiglottis), while the attention is used in the particular way of tracing the spinal nerve discussed in this lesson. While spinal breathing does not include alternating nostril breathing, this is not a shortcoming. Otherwise nadi shodana would be included along with spinal breathing. It is possible to do both practices at the same time, but it would be complicating our practice for very little gain. That is one of the guiding principles in all of these lessons – Is there a substantial benefit derived through the addition of an element of practice? If there is not a significant benefit from an additional element of practice, we leave it out. That is how we keep the routine of practices as simple and efficient as possible. Otherwise we would be loading ourselves up with all sorts of supplementary things and risk losing focus on our main practices. There will be plenty of practices added as we go through the lessons that will have huge impacts on results. We want to save our attention, time and energy for those, so we can achieve the most with our yoga.

Still, if you are an avid nadi shodana practitioner, or are strongly attracted to it, it will do no harm to incorporate it into your routine. If you have time, you can do some alternate nostril breathing before spinal breathing. Or you can incorporate it into your spinal breathing session. Keep in mind that nadi shodana is not recommended if you are a beginner in spinal breathing. There is plenty to learn in taking up spinal breathing – new habits to develop – and nadi shodana is not in the mix for the reasons mentioned. But, since it has been asked about by several people, and perhaps wondered about by others, it is covered here.

It should also be mentioned that nadi shodana is sometimes taught in combination with voluntary breath suspension. Breath suspension is an advanced practice and is discussed in detail later in the lessons. Nadi shodana with breath suspension is a different practice altogether, and can be hazardous if done without a good understanding of correct methodology and the effects. If you are a beginner and contemplating using breath suspension (holding the breath in or out) with nadi shodana or spinal breathing, it is suggested you wait until we get into it in these lessons, which is at lesson #91 (on yoni mudra kumbhaka) and beyond. The Sanskrit word for breath suspension is “kumbhaka.”

So, for now, it is recommended you develop a good understanding of spinal breathing and get the habit solidly in place, with as few distractions as possible. The following Q&As will help with that. Later on, there will be plenty more to add. One step at a time...

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