What is meditation?
What is Panayama? Inspired by a willingness to move beyond suffering to peace and a youtube from TedX, a link will be included on the article page.
Pranayama (Life extension) is a practice in conscious breathing. Personal experience has shown me that this is one of the most convenient and practical practices to energize, balance, and relax the state of the mind, very helpful qualities for inviting the mind into a one pointed experience with our friend meditation. Before practicing take a moment to feel out what would be most appropriate and then select a pranayama that would suit your state of mind. For instance... Sukham Pranayama can relax the mind if it is agitated, but can invite sleepiness into a relaxed mind. Anuloma Viloma can sometimes relax and sometimes energize, sometimes both, or sometimes invite agitation or sleepiness in my experience. Kapalabhati can sometimes energize, sometimes agitate. Pranayama techniques are a deeper practice and need to be treated carefully before you choose what is appropriate, always practice with respect and presence, appreciating the gift of your life force.
Beginner:
Sukham Pranayama (Easy Breath) : Sitting in a chair or in a cross legged position, back straight. Relax the mind when it is agitated by taking slow thorough breaths. Listen to the inhale one, exhale one, in two, out two, so on and so forth. If the mind is agitated for any reason whether it be anxiety of suffering brought on by physical pain this Pranauama is simple and effective. After you feel satisfied take a few moments in silence to experience the change of mind state.
Intermediate:
Anuloma Viloma (Alternate Nostril): Consult a physician if you have recently had abdomen, heart, or brain surgery before practicing.
Sitting in a chair or in a cross legged position, back straight. Relax and or energize and or balance the mind by breathing in the left nostril, holding the breath three times as long as you inhale, exhale the right nostril twice as long as you inhale, repeat this process moving back and forth between the left and right nostrils until you feel that you have achieved a better state of mind or stop if more aggravation arises. You can also use your fingers of the right hand to assist you. You can use your thumb and ring and or pinky finger to hold the nostrils closed. Gently follow the form of in breath, hold breath, out breath without forcefulness but with gentle encouragement.
If you feel light headed at any time return to a calm natural breath, gradually without forcefulness. If you have high blood pressure or asthma or are not able to hold the breath for whatever reason skip the retention, the middle part. After you feel satisfied take a few moments in silence to experience the change of mind state.
Advance:
Kapalabhati (Shining Skull): I advise this practice only after comfortable with the intermediate Anuloma Viloma and with the experience of practicing kapalabhati under an experienced caring instructor. Avoid if you are menstruating or pregnant. Exhale slowly if you have heart disease. Do not increase the rate of breathing if you have high blood pressure. If you feel light headed at any time return to a calm natural breath, gradually without forcefulness.
Energize the mind by exhaling quickly, making an audible sound, the inhale returns naturally as the abdomen settles back. Begin slow and gradually increase the frequency if comfortable. Try a set of ten kapalabhati breathes slowly. Then take two natural breaths. Retain the breath for a hold of ten. When you are comfortable with that, take twenty kapalabhati breathes at a moderate pace. Then take five natural breaths. Retain the breath for a hold of twenty. If comfortable with the moderate pace, take thirty kapalabhati breathes at a quicker pace. Then take eight natural breaths. Finally retain the breath for a count of thirty. If you feel light headed at any time return to a calm natural breath, gradually without forcefulness. After you feel satisfied take a few moments in silence to experience the change of mind state.
Thank you my friend for lending your attention to this exploration of "What is Meditation?" Next time we will look at another tool that can aid us in meditation with “What is Japa?”
The youtube that in part inspired this episode of our meditation adventure is TedX's Pranayama: Extend Your Life by Extending Your Breath with Jim Kambeitz