PRANAYAM

PRANAYAMA : (Preparation for death with awareness)

Life begins with an incoming breath which goes out but keeps returning till the last breath which goes out but does not come in. Thus the practice of observing once breath goes a long way to prepare us for that last breath which goes out but does not come in.

Breath holding after breathing out comes closer to the situation of death. It simulates death. At the time of death when the intangible is leaving the tangible and the breath has gone out and the Prana has abandoned the body there has to be a great turmoil in the body which leads to complete loss of awareness and one dies unaware and unconscious. If one is able to observe the last breath leaving the body there is no total death only physical death.

This type of death wipes out the memories of previous births leading to the continuation of wheel of birth and death. An aware fully conscious death may go a long way in preparation of our future births.

If we observe the changes happening in our body when the breath is out they simulate death although Prana has not actually left the body though it may leave the body if the breath does not come in. This is a time of agitation and uneasiness which we can perceive and feel a little bit before we allow the breath to come in or the breath forces its way in.

Taking the breath in or keeping the breath in , is life as it is the only happening which ensures continuation of life.

SUJAYI PRANAYAM

1. Breathe in with alternate nostrils and breath out with alternate nostrils. Continue till comfortable. Stop immediately with slightest discomfort.
2. Go on breathing in alternately with each nostril till you can take no more of it. Then leave the breath with alternate nostril till you cannot force any more out. Repeat this cycle without any discomfort. In between take normal breaths.

3. Take breath with alternate nostril and hold it for a second in between. Leave the breath out again holding for a second. Do it with great comfort.
4. Take breath with alternate nostril. During the breath holding continue to breathe in against the closed nostril. Breathe out with alternate nostrils. During the breath holding continue to breathe out against the closed nostril. Do not be violent in any breath holding pauses. The forces which we are dealing with are extremely powerful beyond imagination. Slightest discomfort is a signal to either breathe in or breathe out according to the situation.

This Pranayam can be done almost anytime and as many times as it feels comfortable. At no point of time should any kind of discomfort be endured. The duration of each pause has to be comfortable and the installment of air taken in or given out should be comfortable. It varies with the moment in time.

This pranayam influences the space in human body.

CENTRES:

Main centers in the human body are three. Each centre representing one of the three primordial forces in nature. The mooladhar represents Brahma or the force of creation. The nabhi represents Vishnu or the force of maintenance. The ajnya represents the Mahesh or the force of destruction.

The universe is represented by human body and all the three forces are active in the universe. Pranayama is befriending the Prana behind these three primordial forces.

Breathing in is Life or Brahma. Breathing out is Mahesh or destruction. Holding the breath is Vishnu or maintenance. One cannot hold on to any of these positions for long or one is not able to voluntarily prolong the state indefinitely. Prana forces us to alter the state.

Sujayi pranayam takes us to the limit of each of the forces of creation and destruction and the force of maintenance in our body.
At the end of a few cycles of this Pranayam one experiences a state of centering which is a balance of three tangible and intangible elements in our body.
1. Body mind and spirit
2. Satva Raja Tama
3. Brahma Vishnu Mahesh
4. Inside Outside and in between

It has special effect on the coordination faculty of human body or the element of space. Thus the exercises for five elements are as follows :
1. Earth : Strength : Weight training
2. Water : Flexibility: Yoga
3. Fire : Speed : Any kind of sprinting activity
4. Air : Endurance : Any prolonged repetitive activity
5. Space : Coordination : Sujayi Pranayam

CONJECTURES

Sujayi pranayam leads to Prana flowing in Sushumna
Adjusts the intracerebral milieu of both the hemispheres
All energies can operate only in space. This Pranayam offers them space and they can interact with each other and balance each other better.
Skill improves because any skill is essentially an intra and intermuscular coordination in space.

WHAT IS AGING?

WHAT IS AGING ?

It is almost a Zen Koan. The body is formed of organs which in turn are formed of tissues, cells, protoplasm, molecules and atoms. Molecules and atoms do not age. They simply move from one body to another body and get organized by life force. Life force does not age it simply assembles another body and moves on as a traveler who moves form one abode to another.

If atoms do not age if life force does not age then how come a combination of these two which forms the human body age ? Aging is reality or is it? If it is aging where does it start ?

In Human body it is the connective tissue which apparently ages. All the other tissues do not “age” as such. Connective tissue is made up of proteins which show alterations in their configuration depending on the age of the tissue. These proteins are made up of amino acids which again are made up of atoms of nitrogen and C H and O.

Is it the interface of body (matter) and life force(energy) which ages ? Interface is ill defined. It may be some space.

Does “space” age? If so what element in space undergoes aging?

Atoms are known to contain energy which holds the elements in atom together. Thus there is energy inside the atom and some external energy called life force is directing the atoms to perform various tasks. The atoms take their place in human body according to some prearrangement which is under the control of life force. The atoms get out of the human body if the life force ceases to occupy the human body. Nothing can stop them from doing so.

The external appearance of the body changes. The cognitive functions become less functional. The motor functions show some decline in function. This happens although the constituent atoms forming the body are same.

The body is the interface of external and internal environment. It is affected by things inside and things outside. Is it possible balance the external and internal environment in such a way that the quality of the interface remains unchanged?

Breathing is the sign of life force residing in the body. It is thus the sign of energy occupying matter. Matter contains this energy called life force and energy contains the matter called subatomic particles.

Physics tells us that matter and energy are inter-convertible. Where is the place of life force in this convertibility? Is life force a kind of atomic energy released by matter in an unknown way? This energy then self regulates, till mysteriously, this self regulation is no more possible and the organism dies.

Is it possible to explain life in quantum mechanical terms? How will life explain life ?
Mechanical things also age. They have no facility of a life force residing in them. They age because of mechanical friction with their external or internal environment. Their function thus suffers. Apart from friction there is no other force which ages mechanical contraptions.

Human body counters this friction through healing. A chalk will reduce in size with friction against the blackboard but a joint cartilage will regenerate due to life force. Apparently this is gradually insufficient and the aging starts. Gravity greatly assists in aging as it is vital for joint friction to occur.

Plants take lifeless minerals and convert them or bring them under control of their life force. Animals first release the life force from plants or other animals and then eat them and then bring the same lifeless molecules under their own life force. Thus atoms and molecules which were part of a deer soon are under control of the life force of a tiger. How come this life force allows the animal to age ?

How to control or direct this life force? Life must know how to influence life. Where is the key?