The Breath of Yoga & Martial Arts

7/27/2019 The Breath of Yoga & Martial Arts

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-breath-of-yoga-martial-arts 1/15

THE SCIENCE OF BREATH

Breathing Basics

Of all the vital functions none is more essential to life than the simple act of breathing. We

can cling to life for weeks without food, days without water but only minutes without breath.

In the breath is the most vital strand of life. As anyone who has been in a hospital knows,

blood oxygen is the most vital of vital signs. Of particular interest to the practitioner of Yoga

and Martial Arts is the body paradox that breathing is simultaneously under both autonomic

or involuntary control and voluntary control. Without conscious thought or effort an average person at rest cycles the breath 11-15 times per minute exchanging approximately 500 cubic

centimeters of air each. Without thought or training or conscious intervention, the rate and

depth of breathing will automatically adjust to the level of physical exertion to maintain

adequate blood oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal through some 300 million

diaphanous alveoli throughout the 5 lobes of the lungs (2 on the left three on the right). A

complex interplay between the efficiency of the entire circulatory system, respiratory system

and the biochemical processes of energetic metabolism, determine ones level of overall fitness.

Whether a sprinter, marathoner, professional fighter or sedentary armchair spectator you are,

a complex feedback loop of chemoreceptors and neurological circuits keep respiration in

synch with your body’s demands. Poor respiration makes larger demands on the heart. Poor

circulation and heart action require the lungs to work harder.

Observe yourself breathing for a moment. Notice the pattern. Inhale, slight pause, exhale.

Notice more. Is the pause long or short? Are the inhales and exhales smooth and even? Is the

flow of breath evenly distributed between both nostrils? Is one side more open than the

other? Now notice how simple it is to gain conscious control of the rate and depth of the

breath. You can hold the breath in, or out, for a brief time, you can speed it up or slow itdown, you can expand your lungs from various parts of your abdomen and thorax. Now

remember a time your were excited, terrified, in love, or nervous. There were sighs, gasps and

breathlessness. The quality of your emotional state a has a profound effect on the breath.

Similarly, the quality of the breath has a profound effect on the mind and emotion.



Common phrases such as “I held my breath in anticipation.” “I gasped at the sight.” “It was an

inspiration.” Are all indicative of the interplay between mind and breath. Why is this so? And

how is the breath used as a tool in the practice of Yoga and Martial Arts? Read on.

Control of The Breath

The nervous system is divided into the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) and THE

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS). The PNS is further divided into the voluntary

or Somatic system and the involuntary, visceral or AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

(ANS). The ANS is the body’s autopilot and has two branches: Sympathetic and

Parasympathetic. The ANS keeps everything running smoothly from respiration and

circulation to digestion and elimination. The ANS also keeps the balance between action and

rest, fight-or-flight and equipoise and meditation. Of special interest is a very special ANS

nerve called the Vagus. Vagus means wanderer, aptly named as its’ branches are distributed

throughout all the major organs of the body including the lungs. Nerve endings in the

bronchial tree inside the lungs begin to fire upon inhalation. “Afferent” or sensory fibers of the

Vagus nerver get this message and initiate exhalation. The Vagus also innervates the heart

where it regulates its’ rate and power of beating.

Although by no means a complete explanation, the fact that the breath can be consciously

controlled, provides a window into the normally uncontrollable ANS. By regulation of the

breath the ANS can be indirectly coaxed into relaxing the body and calming the mind. This principle alone will provide you with a new degree of mastery over yourself including the

ability to remain calm in stressful situations.

Attend again to the simple act of breathing. Place one hand on the naval and the other on

sternum. Notice the movement of the hands upon inspiration and exhalation. Now notice the

expansion of the torso from front to back and sideways. You are becoming aware of the

kinesiology of breathing. HOW and WHEN you breath is central to Yoga and Martial Arts

practices. Observe the breath again as it passes the nostrils. Notice the difference between

the flow in each nostril. It is likely that one will be more open and dominant. If you check it

again in an hour the dominance is likely to have changed. This is also a function of the ANS

which regulates the erectile tissues of the turbinates inside the nasopharynx. The 3 pairs of

turbinates filter incoming air and resonate the voice. Nostril dominance has been correlated

with activity of the contralateral hemispheres of the brain. But I digress only to show that

subtleties abound.



More Details

The prime mover for respiration is the dome-like sheet of muscle that separates the thoracic

from the abdominal cavities of the body. When contracted, the dome flattens thereby

increasing the thoracic volume, creating a vacuum for inspiration. When the hand on your

naval moves outward it is an expression of the diaphragmatic inspirational movement as it

presses against the abdominal organs. But this is only part of the story.

The lungs fit snugly into the thoracic cavity filling it from clavicles to diaphragm neatly

wrapping around the heart which is askew to the left gliding against the double membrane of

the pericardium. The 12 pair of ribs protect the thoracic cavity and also aid in respiration

through the warp and weave of intracostal muscles. No yogic breath is complete without

recruiting this network of so-called “accessory” breathing muscles. A complete Yogic breath

requires lifting the sternum and clavicles followed by diaphragmatic contraction and an all-

around expansion of the thoracic cavity via contraction of the intracoastals. Think of a paint

bucket handle. As you lift the handle away from the bucket a space opens. This is how the ribs

move. Learning to properly use the diaphragm, the intracostals and the tiny muscles of the

nasopharynx, form the foundation of breath control. Complete, controlled, smooth, slow

breathing will enable you to relax, have more aerobic capacity and generate greater power

and balance in all movement.

Two Misconceptions

Yogic breathing gets you more oxygen. Wrong. If your blood oxygen saturation drops much below

99% you would be running to the ER or ascending Everest. Great breathing might boost

your blood oxygen by a few tenths of a percent but the overall effects are much more

complex. Breathing exercises impact your heart rate, blood levels of CO2 and entire nervous

system. Deep breathing and/or forms of hyperventilation lowers blood CO2, which decreases

the rate of respiration, constricts blood flow stimulates the Sympathetic nervous system. It

costs less than a double espresso and provides a great wake-up call. Breathing better improves

the amount of air you exchange with each cycle of respiration. A secondary effect is the

stimulation of the organs packed-in just below the diaphragm in the abdominal cavity. More

efficient respiration certainly can improve endurance and may even boost aerobic fitness.



Exhale upon exertion. It’s not about exhaling, it’s about sustaining pneumatic pressure in the

entire thoracic cavity that supports your core. With experience you can do this while inhaling

or exhaling. Both Yoga and Martial Arts practices have a library of exercises to develop this

kind of oft-overlooked “pneumatic” core strength. Taoist techniques include the vigorous practice of “reverse” breathing whereby the abdominals are contracted upon inhalation

instead of expanded to increases the pneumatic forces. I have had direct experience with

masters of this method and the mechanical forces they can exert with the aid of these

techniques are impressive.

Prana

The basic anatomy and physiology of respiration is only part of the picture. Patanjali’s Yoga

Sutra #34 translated says: “The mind may also be calmed by expulsion and retention of the

breath.” Patanjali’s Sanskrit word for breath is Prana. Prana is much more than air made of

nitrogen and oxygen molecules. It implies a vital energy that circulates through in channels

called Nadis. The largest of these channels is the Sushumna which roughly corresponds to the

spinal chord. Corkscrewing around this central channel are two more called Ida, Pingala.

They are like Hermes mythical Caduceus, a winged staff coiled around by twin serpents

which has come to symbolize medicine and healing. Interestingly this ancient symbol also

evokes the double helical structure of DNA. Ida and Pingala also roughly correspond to thesympathetic “chain of ganglia”. A prominent network of nerve centers that bi-laterally

parallel the spine.

Once we are in the realm of Prana, we leave Western science and enter into the eastern mode

of thought. Pranayama is the practice of controlling, cultivating and strengthening the Prana

(s). There are many Pranas in the Yogic sense. They regulate assimilation, elimination and the

health of vital organs, reminiscent of the meridians of Chinese Medicine. The Prana of Yoga is

akin to the Qi of Taoist traditions and the Ki of Japanese martial arts. Prana in the Nadis and

Qi in the meridians are likely different cultural manifestations of the same phenomenon. Both

use breath as the foundation for the cultivation of vitality and inner or spiritual power. Of all

the systems I have studied Kundalini Yoga as passed down from Yogi Bajan addresses this

energetic aspect of Yoga most directly as Taoist Qi-Qong does from the Chinese traditions.

Both find their origins in the Vedanta of ancient India.



Add Better Breathing to Your Regimen

Familiar to practitioners of Power Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga and its many cousins is the constant

reminder to BREATH. Some teachers cue inhales and exhales, others urge their classes to

sustain the “Ujjayi” breath. Loosely translated Ujjayi means controlling the expansion.

Practically it means sustaining expanded lungs and controlling the rate and depth of

respiration. Like the regulator on SCUBA gear, the muscles at the back of the throat or glottis

can be employed to regulate the breathing and sustain the pneumatic pressure on the thoracic

cavity as an aid to balanced graceful movement. Singers will be familiar with the “elevator”

exercise that controls resonance in the nasopharynx. The nasopharynx essentially is the

cavity behind the face that can give a nasal quality to the voice. Experiment with the control

of the glottis and the hissing sound of Ujjayi and you will be rewarded with a stronger more

invigorating practice. A secondary benefit will be greater vocal resonance and fewer colds as

you flush out the susceptible cavities behind your nose.

To begin learning, or to refine your breathing practice learn to isolate the kinetics of breathing

by using lying on bolsters to support your chest and laying one hand on the chest and the

other on the belly. Be able to isolate the rise and fall of the abdomen and feel the expansion of

the thorax with each breath. After that be sure to work on the side stretches which to a large

extent are designed to stretch and strengthen the intracostal accessory breathing muscles.

After, or during, your mastery of these basics learn the fundamentals breathing techniques ofalternate nostrils control, Kapalabhati, Bhastrika and Great Circle Breathing. These are

subjects for another time.

Namaste

References:• The Science of Breath ,Yogi Ramachakra, 1905

• Light on Pranayama, BKS Iyengar, 1985

• Bhastrika and Kapalabhati, Yoga International, The Himalayan Institute Press

• Bone Marrow Nei Kung, Mangak Chia and Meneewan Chia, 1988

• The Human Nervous System 2nd Ed, Murray L. Barr, 1974

Radical Healing, Rudolph M. Ballentine, M.D.,1999



LEARNING TO BREATH

Learning to Breathe Correctly

We do deep breathing while asleep. Hence a simple way to learn how to breath properly is to

simulate sleep. Lie down, close your eyes, relax the whole body, drop the chin and imagine

that you are asleep, thus letting your breathing become deeper and deeper.

In Yoga deep breathing, you start filling the lower part of the lungs first, then you fill the

middle and upper part. When exhaling you first empty the upper part of the lungs, then the

middle, and last of all the lower part.

This process, however, is not divided into three separate actions. Inhalation is done in one

smooth continuous flow just as one might pour water in filling a glass. First the bottom is

filled, then the middle, and finally the upper portion. But the process itself is an uninterrupted

one. Inhalation should be done in one continuous operation both the inhalation and the

exhalation. Do it slowly and in a most relaxed manner. No effort or strain should ever be

exerted. This is very important. Keep mouth closed.

You then become aware of the function of your own diaphragm. You expand the flanks wheninhaling and contract them when exhaling. The lower part of the rib cage naturally expands

first when you breathe in and is compressed last when you let the air out. This too should be

done gently, without any force or strain. The chest remains passive during the entire process

of respiration. Only the ribs expand during inhalation and contract during exhalation,

accordion-fashion. To use force during inhalation is completely wrong. One should do it with

ease, without any tension or strain whatever. In deep breathing, exhalation is as important as

inhalation because it eliminates poisonous matter. The lower part of our lungs seldom are

sufficiently emptied, and tend to accumulate air saturated with waste products, for with

ordinary breathing we never expel enough of the carbon dioxide our system throws off even if

we do inhale enough oxygen. If, on the other hand, the lower part of the lungs are properly

expanded and contracted, the circulation in the liver and spleen, which are thus "massaged" by

the diaphragm, are greatly benefited.



Inhaling

1. Push the stomach forwards as you breathe in.

2. Push the ribs sideways while still breathing in. The stomach will automatically go inwardsslightly.

3. Lift the chest and collar bone up while still breathing in.

Even though this is described as three separate processes, it should be done in a smooth,

continuous rhythm with each part following smoothly on from the previous part. Try to avoid

any jerky movements.

Exhaling

1. Allow the collar bone, chest and ribs to relax-the air will go out automatically.

2. When all the air seems to be out, push the stomach in slightly to expel any remaining air in

the lungs.

3. Exhaling is a more passive affair, except for the second stage when the stomach is pushed in

slightly.

Basic Instructions For The Breathing Exercises

1. Find a quiet place where you won't be distracted. If doing the exercises inside, make sure

the window is open to allow plenty of fresh air into the room.

2. Sit on a chair or if you prefer, cross-legged on the floor. Sit straight. Unless your spine is

erect, some of the benefits of the breathing exercises will be lost.

3. Breathe deeply and slowly, without strain. 4. You should do the exercises on an empty stomach. Wait at least three hours after a heavy

meal, and about one and a half hours after a light snack, such as fruit. This are two

reasons for this. First, a heavy meal will reduce your concentration. Second, food in the

stomach causes some of your blood and oxygen supply to be diverted to the stomach for

digestion.



This will reduce the blood and oxygen available for directing to the brain while you are doing

the breathing exercises.

5. To gain maximum benefit, do the exercises twice a day, in the early morning before

breakfast, and in the early evening. It's best not to eat for about fifteen minutes after the

exercises.

While doing deep breathing the spine should be kept straight, so as not to impair the free flow

of the life-force, or prana. This also helps to develop correct posture. The yogis attach such

great importance to correct posture that they have devised several different positions for their

various advanced breathing practices as well as for meditation and concentration. One very

popular pose for deep breathing is lotus posture or cross legged posture.

When you sit down on the floor with your legs crossed, visualize a stream running through

you in a straight line, starting at the top of your head and continuing into the ground.

Imagine, too, that this is the axis around which your body has been molded. This will help you

learn to sit up straight without being stiff and tense. You should, in fact, feel comfortable and

relaxed as you sit this way.



PRANAYAMA

Pranayama: The Breathing Exercises of Yoga

Pranayama, as traditionally conceived, involves much more than merely breathing for

relaxation. Pranayama is a term with a wide range of meanings. Patanjali defines pranayama

as "the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath with retention." It is to be

practiced only after perfection in asana is attained. Pranayama also denotes cosmic power, or

the power of the entire universe which manifests itself as conscious living being in us through

the phenomenon of breathing. The word pranayama consists of two parts: prana and ayama.

Ayama means stretch, extension, expansion, length, breadth, regulation, prolongation,

restraint and control and describes the action of pranayama. Prana is energy, when the self-

energizing force embraces the body. When this self-energizing force embraces the body with

extension, expansion and control, it is pranayama.

Prana - Prana is an auto-energizing force which creates a magnetic field in the form of the

Universe and plays with it, both to maintain, and to destroy for further creation. It permeates

each individual as well as the Universe at all levels. It acts as physical energy, mental energy,

where the mind gathers information; and as intellectual energy, where information is

examined and filtered. Prana also acts as sexual energy, spiritual energy and cosmic energy.

All that vibrates in this Universe is prana: heat, light, gravity, magnetism, vigor, power,

vitality, electricity, life and spirit are all forms of prana. It is the cosmic personality, potent in

all beings and non-beings. It is the prime mover of all activity. It is the wealth of life.

This self-energizing force is the principle of life and consciousness. It is the creation of all

beings in the Universe. All beings are born through it and live by it. When they die, their

individual breath dissolves into the cosmic breath. Prana is not only the hub of the wheel of

life, but also of yoga. Everything is established in it. It permeates life, creating the sun, themoon, the clouds, the wind, the rain, the earth and all forms of matter. It is both being (sat)

and non-being (asat). Each and every thing, or being, including man, takes shelter under it.

Prana is the fundamental energy and the source of all knowledge. Prana and Consciousness

(Citta): Prana and citta are in constant contact with each other. They are like twins. Prana

become focussed where citta is, and citta, where prana is.



Yoga suggests that as long as the breath is still, prana is still, and hence citta is still. All types

of vibrations and fluxuations come to a standstill when prana and citta are steady and silent.

Because of this connection between breath and consciousness, yoga has devised pranayama to

stabilize energy and consciousness.

With reference to yoga prana can be described as something that flows continuously from

somewhere inside us, filling us and keeping us alive: it is vitality. In this image, the prana

streams out from the center through the whole body. Pranayama is the measuring, control,

and directing of the breath, and thus of energy within the organism, in order to restore and

maintain health and to promote evolution. When you are troubled, restless, or confused, you

have more prana outside the body than within. When you feel unwell; the quality of prana and

its density within the body is reduced. Too little prana in the body can be expressed as a

feeling of being stuck or restricted. It can also show as a lack of drive or motivation to do

anything; you are listless or even depressed. We may suffer from physical ailments when

prana is lacking in the body. Yoga Sutra mentions disturbances in the breath, which can take

very different forms. On the other hand, the more peaceful and well-balanced we are, the less

our prana is dispersed outside the body. And if all the prana is within the body, we are free of

these symptoms.

If prana does not find sufficient room in the body there can be only one reason: it is being

forced out by something that really does not belong there-such as blockages caused by

rubbish. When we practice pranayama, we try to reduce this rubbish and replace it with more

and more prana within the body. Our state of mind is closely linked to the quality of prana

within. The more content a person is and the better he or she feels, the more prana is inside.

The more disturbed a person is, the more prana is dissipated and lost.

Because we can influence the flow of prana through the flow of our breath, the quality of our

breath influences our state of mind and vice versa. In yoga we are trying to make use of these

connections so that prana concentrates and can freely flow within us. One definition of the word yogi is "one whose prana is all within his body." In pranayama we want to reduce the

amount of prana outside the body until there is none leaking out.



Prana is power. Proper acts of breathing are ways of harnessing that power. It gives control of

breathing processes and control of vital force. Even though, in breathing, fresh air from

outside the body enters the body and foul air leaves, mystical pranayama conceives

appropriation of power as a bringing to conscious manifestation an omnipresent cosmic power

which exists already latent within oneself as a particular expression of cosmic being. When a person attains a feeling of oneness with the rest of the universe, his anxiety tends to

disappear. When the in-flowing breath is neutralized or joined with the out-flowing breath,

then perfect relaxation and balance of body activities are realized. In yoga, we are concerned

with balancing the flows of vital forces, then directing them inward to the chakra system and

upward to the crown chakra or thousand petalled lotus (sahasara). When one acquires an

intuitive apprehension of ultimate power and of his own identity with it, he loses his fear of

external powers and develops a trust which is conducive to confident living.

Whatever happens in the mind influences the breath; the breath becomes quicker when we

are excited and deeper and quieter when we relax. In order to influence our prana we must be

able to influence the mind. Our actions often disturb the mind, causing prana to exude from

the body. Through daily pranayama practice we reverse this process, as a change in the

breathing pattern influences the mind. The idea of prana existing within or beyond the body

can be understood as a symbol for our state of mind. When the mind is as clear as transparent

glass there is nothing that could disturb the body; there is no rubbish lying about. On the

other hand, if we notice hesitancy, discontent, fear of doing something because it might be

inappropriate, and so forth, we can assume that there are blockages in the system. These

blockages do not just occur in the physical body; they exist even more in the mind, in

consciousness. Every kind of rubbish we find in ourselves was originally produced by

incorrect knowledge.

The link between mind and breath is most significant. The Yoga Sutra says that when we

practice pranayama the veil is gradually drawn away from the mind and there is growing

clarity. The mind becomes ready for deep meditations. Thus, pranayama is first and foremost

awareness of the breath. Here, we focus our attention on the breath. In the practice of pranayama it is therefore very important to keep an alert mind, for the processes that are

being observed are very subtle. There is no visible movement of the body as in asana practice;

we must acutely sense and feel the movement of the breath within. The only dynamic process

is breathing.



Patanjali makes a few practical suggestions for keeping our attention on the breath. For

example, we can focus on where it enters and leaves the body at the nostrils. It is also possible

to listen to the breath, especially if you make a slight noise by gently contracting the vocal

chords, a pranayama technique known as ujjayi. Or we can follow the areas through which

the air passes through.

The goal of pranayama is not to bring the inhalation and exhalation into a certain relationship

with each other, or to establish a particular length of breath. The various practices of

pranayama gives us many different possibilities for following the breath. When we follow the

breath, the mind will be drawn into the activities of the breath. In this way pranayama

prepares us for the stillness of meditation. The breath relates directly to the mind and to our

prana. Prana enters the body in the moment when there is a positive change in the mind. It is

true that our state of mind does not alter with every in-breath or out-breath. The change

occurs over a long period of time. If we are practicing pranayama and notice a change of

mind, then prana has long before entered the body. The proof of the pudding is in our

relationships with others. It tells us whether we had a positive changes in the mind and

whether we actually understand ourselves better.

Without prana there is no life. We can imagine that prana flows into us as we inhale, but

prana is also the power behind breathing out. As well, prana is transformed in the body into

various powers, and is involved in processes that ensure that we rid ourselves of what we no

longer need. Out breath is a very important part of the body's elimination processes. We can

use out breath as a mechanism to free the mind from blocks and thereby lead us to greater

clarity.

Pranayama or breathing technique is very important in yoga. It goes hand in hand with the

asana or pose. In the Yoga Sutras, the practices of pranayama and asana are considered to be

the highest form of purification and self discipline for the mind and the body, respectively. The

practices produce the actual physical sensation of heat, called tapas, or the inner fire of

purification. It is taught that this heat is part of the process of purifying the nadis, or subtle

nerve channels of the body. This allows a more healthful state to be experienced and allows the mind to become more calm.



In pranayama we focus our attention on the breath. In the practice of pranayama it is

therefore very important to keep an alert mind, for the processes that are being observed are

very subtle. There is no visible movement of the body as in asana practice; we must acutely

sense and feel the movement of the breath within. The only dynamic process is breathing.

Patanjali makes a few practical suggestions for keeping our attention on the breath. Forexample, we can focus on a place in the body where we can feel or hear the breath. Or we can

try to follow the movement of the breath in the body, feeling the inhalation from the center of

the collarbone, down through the rib cage to the diaphragm, and following the exhale upward

from the abdomen. Another means for paying attention to the breath is to feel where it enters

and leaves the body at the nostrils. It is also possible to listen to the breath, especially if you

make a slight noise by gently contracting the vocal chords, a pranayama technique known as

ujjayi.

Suggestions like these help us keep our attention on the breath and prevent our practice from

becoming merely mechanical. The goal of pranayama is not to bring the inhalation and

exhalation into a certain relationship with each other, or to establish a particular length of

breath. If exercises such as these help us concentrate on our pranayama, that is wonderful.

But the true aim of the various techniques and breath ratios of breathing in pranayama is first

and foremost to give us many different possibilities for following the breath. When we follow

the breath, the mind will be drawn into the activities of the breath. In this way pranayama

prepares us for the stillness of meditation. The breath relates directly to the mind and to our

prana, but we should not therefore imagine that as we inhale, prana simply flows into us. This

is not the case. Prana enters the body in the moment when there is a positive change in the

mind. Of course, our state of mind does not alter with every in-breath or outbreath; change

occurs over a long period of time. If we are practicing pranayama and notice a change of

mind, then prana has long before entered the body. Changes of mind can be observed

primarily in our relationships with other people. Relationships are the real test of whether we

actually understand ourselves better.



The Forms of Prana

There are five forms of prana. They have different names according to the bodily functions

with which they correspond. These forms of prana are: bullet udana-vayu, corresponding to

the throat region and the function of speech bullet prana-vayu, corresponding to the chestregion bulletsamana-vayu, corresponding to the central region of the body and the function of

digestion bullet apana-vayu, corresponding to the region of the lower abdomen and the

function of elimination bullet vyana-vayu, corresponding to the distribution of energy into all

areas of the body Vayu is a sanscrit term meaning "air" or "breath". We will look at two of

these forms: prana-vayu and apana-vayu.

Prana and Apana:

That which enters the body is called prana and that which leaves it is called apana. The term

apana also refers to the region of the lower abdomen and all the activities that take place

there. Apana describes that part of prana that has the function of elimination and provides the

energy for it, and it also refers to the lower belly and the rubbish that collects there when the

power of prana is not in a state of equilibrium. When a person is slow and heavy we

sometimes say that he has too much apana. Apana as pranic energy is something we need, but

apana as refuse left from activating this energy actually prevents prana from developing

within. All forms of prana are necessary, but to be effective they must be in a state of balance

with each other. If someone has a lot of rubbish in the region of the lower abdomen then he or

she consumes too much energy there, and this imbalance should be addressed. The goal is to

reduce apana to an efficient minimum.

Apana as waste matter accumulates because of many factors, some of which lie within our

control. The practice of yoga aims to reduce these impurities. People who are short of breath,

cannot hold their breath, or cannot exhale slowly are seen as having more apana, whereas

those who have good breath control are considered to have less apana. An overabundance of

apana leads to problems in all areas of the body. We have to reduce the apana so that we can bring more prana into the body. When we inhale, prana from outside the body is brought

within. During inhalation, prana meets apana. During exhalation, the apana within the body

moves toward the prana.



Pranayama is the movement of the prana toward the apana and the movement of the apana

toward the prana. Similarly, holding the breath after inhalation moves the prana toward the

apana and holds it there. Holding the breath after exhalation moves the apana toward the

prana.

Agni, the Fire of Life

What happens within this movement of prana and apana? According to yoga we have a fire,

agni, in the body, situated in the vicinity of the navel, between the prana-vayu and the apana-

vayu. The flame itself is constantly changing direction: on inhalation the breath moves toward

the belly, causing a draft that directs the flame downward like in a fireplace; during exhalation

the draft moves the flame in the opposite direction, bringing with it the just-burned waste

matter. It is not enough to burn the rubbish; we must also rid the body of it. A breathing

pattern where the exhalation is twice as long as the inhalation is aimed at providing more time

during exhalation for freeing the body of its blockages. Everything we do to reduce the

rubbish in the body is a step in the direction of releasing our blockages. With the next

inhalation we bring the flame back to the apana. If all the previously burned waste has not left

the body, the flame will lose some of its power.

Certain physical positions are beneficial for the meeting of fire and rubbish. In all inverted

postures, the agni is directed toward the apana. This is the reason yoga attributes so much

significance to the cleansing effects of inverted postures. Cleansing is intensified when we

combine inverted postures with pranayama techniques.

All aspects of pranayama work together to rid the body of apana so that prana can find more

room within. In the moment when waste is released, prana fills the space in the body where it

really belongs. Prana has its own movement; it cannot be controlled. What we can do is create

the conditions in which prana may enter the body and permeate it.

The beauty of prana is that through this, we can influence purusa, the essence of life. Yogasuggests that we can influence prana via our breath and mind. By working with these through

pranayama, we create optimal conditions for the prana to flow freely within.

The Breath of Yoga & Martial Arts

Documents

Transcript of The Breath of Yoga & Martial Arts