Re: Digest Number 1239 - Ida and Pingala Nadis Channel Cleansing / and Part II Breath of Fire

08-21-2002, 08:37 PM

Dear Christa,

Regarding feeling the ida and pingala, these are energy channels that start at a
point between the eyebrows, then up over each side of the top of the head, then
each side of the vertebra in the neck, then each side of the rest of the spine,
down to the base of the spine. Using certain pranayamas, you can feel these
channels fill up with prana like an electric current.

When the mind becomes very still, the senses automatically withdraw and you can
see in your minds eye in the field of consciousness of 3 dimentional space the
nidis throughout the body filling with prana, as your awareness deepens into
brightness. then you will see the energy withdrawing into the ida and pingala
then to the base of the spine and upwards. Your mind will be utterly still, pure
- satvic and filled with the longing for God and abiding in His Name which is
our True Identity (SAT NAM).

To begin to feel and become aware of these nadis, you might want to do the
following channnel cleansing KY kriyas. These are just 3, but there are many
others that will do the same thing.

Here in BKK we start all the classes with various excersizes using long deep
breathing (LDB) and breath of fire (BF), just so that the entire nervous system
and circulatory system are purified to carry easily the greatest possible
charge. Then ewe begin to include these several channel cleansing kriyas.

So after some LDB maybe 10 to 20 breaths completely expandintelungs from the
bottom through the middle and upper part, then contracting all the air out, you
may want to try these pranayama kriyas:

1. Sit with the legs crossed, spine straight. Extend the left arm upwards,
straight and reaching, so you feel a pressure in the armpit, with the left arm
close to the ear, palm facing inwards. With the right hand flat with the
fingers together facingstraight upwards like an antena, place the right thumb
against the right nostril and begin a very powerful LDB through the left
nostril, at least 15 to 25 breaths, with each inhalation focusing on the
extending and reaching of the left arm upwards. Then inhale deeply, hold the
breath, pull the root lock, reach the left arm up and hold 30 seconds, exhale,
inhale, exhale, inhale hold again 30 seconds with the root lock pulled, chest
expanded forwards, chin in slightly, eyes rolled towards the top of the head.
Then keeping the left arm up slowly exhale, remain still for another 10 seconds,
then slowy lower the arms and hands back to the knees, as you relax the breath.
Then sitting, you may feel the energy all along the ida / moon channel, as
described above, like an electric current. After around a minute (maybe longer)
to let the energy become fully absorbed and assimilated into the ida nadi, begin
the same pranayama with the right are extended up and the thumb of the left hand
covering the left nostril to breath through the right nostril, same as with the
left. Then you will also feel the radiance within the pingala / sun nadi.

2. In this next pranayama kriya, you sit on the left heel, so that the heel is
between the buttox pressing against the anal sphinctors to block the downward
flow of energy. Then you place the palm of your right arm on the floor just
behind the side of the body with the elbow pressed against the ribs. Then
extend the left arm up reaching, as in the first pranayama, press the chest
forwards, again begin a powerful LDB, as with the first pranayama. After 15 to
25 powerful and complete breaths, inhale and hold the breath, pull the root
lock, reach the left arm up and hold 30 seconds, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale
hold again 30 seconds with the root lock pulled, chest expanded forwards, chin
in slightly, eyes rolled towards the top of the head. Then keeping the left arm
up slowly exhale, remain still for another 10 seconds, then slowy lower the arms
and hands back to the knees, as you relax the breath. Then sitting cross
legged, you may feel the energy all along the ida / moon channel, as described
above, like an electric current. After around a minute (maybe longer) to let
the energy become fully absorbed and assimilated into the ida nadi, begin the
same pranayama sittingon the right heel leaning back against the left arm (palm
o the grount), with the right arm extended up, and repeat the breathing and
holding of the breath as with the left side. Then you will also feel the
radiance within the pingala / sun nadi.

Breath of fire - preliminary excersize:

Apart from stretching the legs to gather circulation, we usually practice BF
before the final pranayama kriya for the ida and pingala.

As you know, BF is not the same as kapalabati, where one rythmically and
forcefully pulls the root lock and contracs the navel and lower diaphragm
inwards expelling all the air, then relaxing the ribs to let airflow in without
inhaling. Nor is BF a kind of bellows breath of the abdomen extending inward
and outward ad one expands the lower diaphragm. And it is definitely not the
same as bastrika, where one has an even rythmical shallow and very fast
breathing, as taught by many hatha yogis.

Breath of fire uses the full extention of the diaphragm, from the top part of
the chest, through the middle and down to the bottom, like a full length
bellows, where the whole diaphragn expands maybe to 50 or 70% of the lung
capacity and contractst maybe 10% of lung capacity (assuming 20% capacit beinhe
lungs at rest). This is to say that you will feel the suspension of air from
below the navel in the Kandal, through the solar plexus and up through the heart
area, but without the full expansion of the upper part of the rib cage and
raising of the shoulders, as with a long deep breath. (Shati Parwa's book
explains this aspect of how the breath also fills into the chest and heart area
clearly as well.)

As a BF excersize, i.e., to get into it and feel it, in class we sit cross
legged, spine straight with the left palm facing inwards around 4 inches from
the abdomen just below the navel (the Kandal area) and the right palm similarly
just above the navel (Solar Plexus area). Then sniffing some air in, you expand
your hands forwards as though pulling the air in throguh the full length of the
lungs without a full inhalation, but just to the point of feeling the sispension
of the air throughout the full length of the diaphragm. Pause for a moment,
just to feel that suspension from the Kandal through the Solar Plexus and
through the heart area. Then contract/sniff the air out, pulling the hands
back in wowards the Kandal and Solar Plexus. Continue this slow rythmical
sniffing of the are in and out with a slight pause to fee the inward and outward
suspension of air. Gradually, increase the rythum and speed and power of the
breath without makint shallow, as with bastrica, with the hands expanding twards
and back. You might visualize the idea of the iron bars that link the wheels of
an old time locomotive, as your hands reach out and pull back with each
expansion and contraction of the diaphragm ad lungs, as though you are buildingp
power and steam, and transformin it energy. Finally you will be at a maximum
full length power and rythm of the breath of fire. Continue for some time, 3 to
5 minutes, then put your hands on your knees, inhale very deeply and fully.
Press the shoulders back, bring the chin in slightly, pull the root lock, press
the soine and chest forwards, rol the eyes to the top of the head and hold the
breath for 30 seconds, then exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale hold again 30 seconds
with the root lock pulled, chest expanded forwards, chin in slightly, eyes
rolled towards the top of the head. Then exhale, relax the breath and feel the
electromagnetic current running from the Kandal (located between the 4th
vertebra and navel)through the spine and through the top of the head. Just sit
for a while and let the radiance become fully absorbed and assimilated into the
cells of the body and spine and brain, allowing them to build up a charge.

3. Now you're ready for the last pranayama kriya for the channel ceansing of
the ida and pingala. Sittingwh the spine straight, bring the left knee to the
chest with foot flat on the ground, heel against the buttox. Then you place the
palm of your right arm on the floor just behind the side of the body with the
elbow pressed against the ribs. Then extend the left arm up reaching, as in the
first pranayama, press the chest forwards, begin a very powerful BF for 1 to 3
minutes or longer. Then inhale powerfully, deeply and completely and hold the
breath, pull the root lock, reach the left arm up, arching the spine, pressing
the chest forwards, and hold the breath for 30 seconds; exhale forcefully,
inhale, exhale, inhale hold again 30 seconds with the root lock pulled, chest
expanded forwards, chin in slightly, eyes rolled towards the top of the head.
Then keeping the left arm up slowly exhale, remain still for another 10 seconds,
then slowy lower the arms and hands back to the knees, as you relax the breath.
Then sitting cross legged, you may feel the energy all along the ida / moon
channel, as described above, like an electric current. After around a minute
(maybe longer) to let the energy become fully absorbed and assimilated into the
ida nadi, begin the same pranayama, bringing the right knee to the chest, right
foot flat on the ground, heel close to the buttox, leaning back against the left
arm (palm on the ground), with the right arm extended up, same as with the left
and repeat the breathing and holding of the breath as with the left side. Then
you will also feel the radiance within the pingala / sun nadi.

This completes the ida/pingala pranayama set we typically do before our classes,
sometimes with some additional kriyas that open and charge these energy channels
as well, but with different pressures from different positions.

If you do tese 3 pranayama kriyas for the ida and pingala with the LBad BF
preparations before each one, and then you do alternate nostril breathing of 10
cycles or more on a regular basis, where you inhale through the left nostril to
the count of 4 watching the flow of prana along the ida nadi, then hold 16,
wathching the prana at the sacral plexis and base of the spine, then exhale to
the count of 8, while watching the flow of prana along the pingala up to the
agna chakra between, behind, slightly above the point between the eyebrows,
holding for 16 counts, then inhaling 4 along the pungala, hold 16 at the sacral
and exhaling 8 along the ida - constituting one complete cycle, then you will
feel the whole body becoming light, loosing all its inertia, the mind becoming
clear, still and expansive.

Now you are ready to start a Kundalini Yoga class with Laya meditations and gain
some real benefits from it.

Placing the palms together w/ thumbs against the sternum you can begin a second
round of Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo, one breath for each sound, 3 times or more,
then inhale deeply hold the breath pullingtheroot lock for 30 seconds or longer,
then relaxingte breath, the body will be held in an electromagnetic inward
turning space of soundlessness.

Then the KY class can begin.

Try this and see what happens. There will be an electromagnetic pulling from
within the core of your being. Tas sense of a "yokin will emerge where the mind
becomes still and turns inward as though there was a vortex sucking in
everything, and you will "hear" the Truth resounding soundlessly from within and
abide as single all-pervasive being.

Pieter

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Message: 11
Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 14:59:50 -0000
From: "spatialagent1"
Subject: Ida and Pingala Nadis?

Sat Nam everyone!
Well I have a question and a meditation progress update.

As I mentioned the other week, I'm extending my 40 day med of the Ganputi Mantra
to 90 days (or at least making a sincere attempt to do so). I had an interesting
sensation occur last night that hadn't happended before. Half way through the
med (I'm doing it for 20 minutes) I began to feel the vibrations resonating
within my body, which has happened before. But when that started, I also began
to feel what I will describe as two 'electrical' streams down either side of the
back of my head and into my neck. I couldn't feel anything lower than my neck
though. So maybe this isn't them. If it's not them does anyone know what that
was? I know that ida and pingala run along the left and right sides of the
spine, and I believe up the back of the head as well. ANd everyone has spoken
about them many times, but I had never 'felt' them before. But I felt completely
'energized', like I had electricity running everywhere in my body. I know it
sounds somewhat contradictory, but the weird thing was that with all of this
energy, I felt completely peaceful and calm. It felt wonderful! After the 20
minutes, I stopped chanting and just sat there and 'soaked' it all in. I didn't
want to move. But after about 5 minutes, my daughter needed me to tuck her into
bed, so I ended the meditation. But I felt great the rest of the night, very
calm and content.

Christa
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08-22-2002, 07:32 AM

Sat Nam Pieter!

I haven't seen you post recently. I must tell you though. I LOVE your
posts. You may not post that often, but when you do, I need to print
them out and read them several times because there's so much to be
gained from them.

I'm familiar with some of the breathing kriyas you mentioned. I just
started doing the first breathing kriya you describe below this week.
You had posted that one in the last "Breath Series" post. I think
doing that one was what made me sensitive to the ida/pingala nadis
during my meditation.

I will make a confession though. And this is probably out of
ignorance as a novice. I've been a bit hesitant on doing alternate
nostril breathing or really heavy pranayama. From what I've
read/understood, that can 'jump start' kundalini. And while I would
like for that to happen, I don't want to 'force it'. The past 6
months I've been focusing on trying to get my physical and emotional
self in shape through yoga, sort of preparing for the day. I'm
probably being overly cautious. But I didn't want to start something
that I wasn't ready for. Does that make sense? The peacefulness that
I experienced the other night, though, could be quite addictive. So
now I'm reading more about how to do some pranayama so that I can
delve further into myself. The results you describe is one of the
things I've been striving towards. Thank you so much for your support
and encouragement.

Christa

08-25-2002, 04:48 PM

Hello all,

'you will feel the whole body becoming light, loosing all its inertia,
the mind becoming clear, still and expansive.'

I just tried these pranayamas that Pieter posted last thrusday. Wow ! I
felt a strong buzzing behind the top of my nose and as he said I felt my
whole body beoming light. I did mess up the alterante nostril breathing
as I had never done the second holding of the breath for 16 counts and
sometimes lost my place, but tomorrow is another day. In fact I can't
wait to try this during the ambroisial hours - I did it in the evening.
It has given me an beautiful sense of peace and detachment. Thank you
Pieter .

Love and Blessings,
Avtar

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08-26-2002, 06:05 AM

Sat Nam Avtar!

I too notice the effects of doing this. I had problems as well with
the counts, but mine is my inabality to comfortably hold 16 in and 16
out. I found myself struggling with that. So I reduced it to 2
inhales, hold for 8, 4 exhales and hold for 8. That is more
manageable for me right now. I will work on building it up though.

Christa