- He who controls his
breathing controls the life itself -
Yoga Breathing seems to be made for yoga instructors and those who have practised yoga for some time but it still gives a good general idea of the philosophy behind yoga and the objectives of practising it. The book has tens of techniques starting with practises for the beginners all the way to
chakra breathing, awaking the cundalin energy and becoming a channel. Here the word channel is used to describe a person who can spread healing
prana. In addition the book has a whole chapter about the
breathing system and a good information package about chakras. There are also some examples of really dangerous yoga excercises that are only meant for the advanced level.
The central concept in the book is
prana. The theory of prana explains why - in addition to the physiological reasons - breathing is important. In Sanscrit the word prana means cosmic energy, vitality that's everywhere around us, especially in the
air. In yoga breathing the goal is to separate the prana from the air. In other words a better breathing
technique ads vitality. The correct breathing technique - the yoga breathing- purifies the blood and that instantly affects our entire body. Children naturally breathe the right way but the skill is lost in the modern, busy life style. Too warm room temperature, the lack of excercise and relaxational skills encourage wrong breathing techniques. Both superficial breathing, which concentrates on the upper chest and doesn't bring enough oxygen, and breathing through your mouth, which doesn't filter the air' are considered to be incorrect breathing techniques.
Yoga is a life style that heads for unification and the integration of the soul and the universe. There are several types of yoga and one isn't any better or worse than the other.
Yoga Breathing deals with
hatha yoga. Hatha has eight steps:
Jama and
Nijama - living by the moral rules
Asana - postures, all in all 84
Pranajama - controlling one's breathing
Pratjahara - keeping the senses separated from the outside stimuli
Dharana - concentration
Dhjana - contemplation
Samandhi - integration with the soul of the universe
The pranajamas are divided into lower, physical
methods and higher, mental methods. The lower methods can be divided into recharging, calming and healing techniques. The legends say that he who masters the mental methods can store so much prana in his system that he can stop his heart and breathing for days, elongate his life into centuries and levitate. In the eastern world stories about levitating, age old gurus are quite common.
It has been proven that a correct breathing technique has increased peoples resistance to infections, healed asthma, several lung diseases, scoliosis, silicosis, heart problems, insomnia, loss of appetite and all sorts of emotional problems. The original Yoga Breathing was published in 1966.
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