2. PRANAYAMA
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PRANAYAMA IS A TERM THAT REFERS TO THE BREATHING PROCESS. THE AIR YOU BREATHE IS JUST A VEHICLE IN WHICH THE PRANA (LIFE-ENERGY) COMES IN AND GOES OUT OF YOUR BODY. WHEN YOU INHALE, THE AIR COMES IN CARRYING PRANA, AND WHEN YOU EXHALE, THE 'EMPTY' AIR GOES OUT. THIS LIFE ENERGY IS UNIVERSAL.
YOGA KUNDALI-UPANISHAD I. 19 STATES:
प्राणरोधमथेदानीं प्रवक्ष्यामि समासतः ।
प्राणश्च देहगो वायुरयायामः कुम्भकः स्मृतः ॥ १९ ॥
PRĀṆARODHAMATHEDĀNĪM PRAVAKṢYĀMI SAMĀSATAḤ |
PRĀṆAŚCA DEHAGO VĀYURĀYĀMAḤ KUMBHAKAḤ SMṚTAḤ || 19 ||
AKASHIC REVELATION THEN I SHALL PRESENTLY RELATE BRIEFLY ABOUT THE CONTROL OF THE VITAL AIR. PRANA IS AIR COURSING THROUGH THE BODY AND AYAMA IS SAID TO BE KUMBHAKA (HOLDING UNDER CONTROL).
PARAMAŚIVA DESCRIBES PRANAYAMA AS BEING COMPOSED OF THREE PROCESSES: RECAKA, PURAKA, AND KUMBHAKA. PURAKA MEANS THE INHALATION OF PRANA FROM OUTSIDE THE BODY; KUMBHAKA REFERS TO HOLDING THE BREATH LIKE A FILLED-UP POT WITHOUT MOVING THE LIMBS, AND RECAKA REFERS TO THE EXHALATION OF AIR FROM THE BODY.
2. PRANAYAMA
CONSISTENT AND PROPER PRACTICE OF PRANAYAMA INCREASES OUR LIFE ENERGY, GIVING US GREATER MENTAL ABILITIES, SLOWING THE AGING PROCESS, RIDDING THE BODY OF DISEASES, FATIGUE AND THIRST, AND HELPING US MANIFEST DIVINE POWERS SUCH AS LEVITATION, TELEPORTATION, AND MATERIALIZATION.
PRANAYAMA IS WHERE YOGA REVEALS ITSELF AS MUCH MORE THAN A MERE PHYSICAL PRACTICE. NO OTHER DISCIPLINE HAS UNDERSTOOD AND PRESENTED THE MEANS TO REGULATE AND EXPAND ONE’S OWN LIFE ENERGY LIKE YOGA. THE PRACTICE OF PRANAYAMA LEADS TO THE PURIFICATION OF THE ENERGY BODY AND ITS CHANNELS, CALLED NADIS (YOGATATTVOPANISHAD 44-46), AND TO THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE OF MANIFESTING THE POWERS OF PARAMAŚIVA (E.G. KUMBHAKA PADDHATI 88-89).
THROUGH PROPER ASANAS, PHYSICAL WELL-BEING IS ACHIEVED, MUSCLES ARE TONED, THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS STRENGTHENED, AND VITAL ORGANS ARE REGULATED AND BROUGHT INTO A STATE OF HEALTH (HATHATATVAKAUMUDI 2. .5). THUS THE BODY BE-COMES READY FOR PRANAYAMA (DARSHANOPANISHAD, 3. 13. IT IS WITH PRANAYAMA THAT THE REAL TECHNIQUE OF YOGA BEGINS.
