Guest guest Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Yoga and Pranayama > > Q: What is the difference and effect of the three methods, i.e., > Self-Inquiry, bhakti (devotion) and control of the breath? > > M: Kumbhaka (retention of breath) is an aid to control of the mind -- > suppression or annihilation of thoughts. One person may practice pranayama > [control of breath] that is, rechaka, [exhalation] puraka, [inhalation] and > kumbhaka [retention of breath between both] or practice only kumbhaka), > while another, a jnani, (one who has realized the Self) on controlling the > mind, controls the prana, (breath) and kumbhaka (retention, or quietness) > automatically results. Watching the inhalation and exhalation is also > pranayama. These methods only appear to be threefold. They are in fact > only one because they lead to the same goal. However, they are adopted > differently according to the stage an aspirant is at, and on an > individual's vasanas (tendencies or conditions) or samskaras (mental > tendencies). > > Breath control is meant for those who cannot directly control their > thoughts. It serves as a brake serves a car. One should not stop with > pranayama but proceed to concentration and contemplation. The postures > help breath control, which in turn help contemplation; hence hatha yoga, > which is also a cleansing process. > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > From the book, "Conscious Immortality" by Paul Brunton and Munagala > Venkataramiah, published by Sri Ramanasramam. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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