Prana-yama(Sanskrit प्राणायाम, prāṇāyāma) is the yogic practice of controlling, retaining, balancing, and working the breath in yoga. It is described in Hindu texts such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, it is described as one of the eight limbs of yoga ("union" with spirit, breath, the universe's energy). In classical yoga, what we call "the breath" is actually the life energy called prana(chi, qi, holy spirit, wind, pneuma, esoteric energy, Vayu-Vata).
In later Hatha Yoga texts, it means the complete suspension of breathing [which is something that happens in Buddhism's meditative absorptions (jhanas) four through eight]. Prana-yama practices in modern yoga done just as exercise, such as in Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga, differ radically from those of the Hatha Yoga tradition, often using the breath in synchrony with movements. Pranayama
(The School of Breath) Breathing techniques (and bandhas or chakra locks) to activate pineal gland and open third eye (with instant results).
A bandha (Sanskrit बंध) is a kriyā [simple action] in Hatha Yoga, being a kind of internal mudra [disposition or pose] described as a "body lock" [1][2].
It is done to seal or lock the vital energy (prana) into a particular part of the body, such as the area of one of the spinal chakras or energy wheel centers. Bandha literally means bond, fetter, or "catching hold of" [3][4][5]. More
Mindfulness of breathing is letting go of control
Mindfulness in Plain English
It is easy to misunderstand and mistakenly think that we are being "mindful" of the breath by controlling (holding it in, exhaling out, making it long or short or like a bellows). This is completely wrong. To be mindful, we radically allow, accept, and observe it as it is, however it is. There is no attempt to control it. By watching it with great interest but noninvolvement, not wishing for it to do anything different than it is doing, we radically accept it and remain observant. This kind of watching, observing, keen interest will bring us to stillness (right-concentration, samma-samadhi, coherent all-togetherness of mind, super consciousness).
Uddiyana bandha in a Western yoga class (wiki)
Breath work, on the other hand, is manipulation of the breath (retention, expulsion, tightening, speeding up, bellowing, etc.) for some other purpose, such as wrestling it, forcing it, extending it, and so on in the play/work of yoga (union with spirit or spiritus, the "holy spirit" that is the subtle breath sometimes called pneuma or prana).
When it is time to practice mindfulness (satipatthana) of it, just watch. But keep watching no matter how fine it gets, even when it seems to disappear for stretches. Remain at the tip of the nostrils waiting for it, like a shepherd who has no need of going out to find wandering livestock, knowing that simply waiting by the waterhole, such livestock will surely return of their own accord. This sort of watching of the breath is then broadened to other parts of the
body
feelings
mind
phenomena (dhammas, not the Dhamma or Dharma).
All of this is spelled out in detail in the "Discourse on the Fourfold Setting Up of Mindfulness," popularly known as the "Four Foundations of Mindfulness Sutra" (Satipatthana Sutta), of which there are two, one a little longer than the other.
The School of Breath, YouTube; Yogi Dhr. Seven and Yogini Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly
Psyched Substance, The Purple Lady on DMT; Dakota of Earth, Is Mother Ayahuasca Real [for Amazonian shamans]?; A Mindful Emergence, Do this after inhaling cannabis as plant medicine; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly
(Solace Owl) What if I were to say that the key to shifting "reality" [timeline, position in the universe, psychophysical health] lies in something as simple as breathing?
As crazy as it may sound, we’re inhaling the essence of the universe with our every inhalation (prana). It’s the most fundamental act of life, something we do unconsciously every moment of every day, yet 99% of people don’t know the truth about breathing.
This simple action has the power to transform our entire existence, but only if we know the secret behind it.
Let’s discover the long-kept secret of ancient breath masters, something so powerful that it had to be kept hidden for centuries.
Issues about video? Feel free to contact: bizemailyt@gmail.com. Thanks for joining in on this journey. Subscribe to the channel: @SolaceOwl. Buy a coffee (and support the channel): https://ko-fi.com/solaceowl. Music by: @ironcthulhuapocalypse.
Solace Owl, 9/13/24; Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation) (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
O, I see it now. It's starting to kick in. Oh wow!
Taking things up a notch, there is also Holotropic Breathwork, or HB for short, which utilizes accelerated deep breathing, stimulating music, and a tailored setting to help participants enter a nonordinary state of consciousness that activates the natural inner healing process.
From inside the mind, the healing activated by HB can potentially help alleviate past mental and physical trauma or mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders, for example.
Curious to learn more, we emailed Director of the Institute for Holotropics and Grof Transpersonal Training Cary Sparks.
For reference, Grof Transpersonal Training (holotropic.com) through the Institute for Holotropics is the only organization in the world that can certify Holotropic Breathwork facilitators.
What is Holotropic Breathwork?
Holotropic Breathwork was created in 1974 by Stanislav Grof, an American psychiatrist, LSD researcher, and one of the principal developers of transpersonal psychology; his wife at the time, Christina Grof, was a psychotherapist, teacher, artist, and student of Mythologist Joseph Campbell.
The Hindu-Yogi Science of Breath by Yogi Ramacharaka (1903)
(Master Key Society) This book explores the principles and techniques of yogic breathing, highlighting its benefits for physical health, mental clarity, and spiritual development.
SUMMARY: The book The Hindu-Yogi Science of Breath was written by Yogi Ramacharaka, first published in 1904. It is a study of the "science of breath" (pranayama) and the ways in which it affects body and mind.
At the core of the book is the idea that breath (prana, pneuma, holy spirit, animating principle) is the key to physical and mental well-being and that by learning to control and regulate our breath, we can improve our health and achieve a higher level of consciousness.
The book explores a range of techniques for controlling and regulating the breath, including pranayama, the practice of controlling the breath through specific breathing exercises.
Throughout the book, author Yogi Ramacharaka discusses the science behind the various techniques for controlling the breath and offers practical advice for incorporating these techniques into daily life.
He also explores the role of breath in spiritual development and offers guidance for using the power of the breath to connect with a higher power.
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Book Shelf
00:45 - I. Salaam
06:32 - II. “Breath Is Life”
13:10 - III. The Exoteric Theory of Breath
24:53 - IV. The Esoteric Theory of Breath
34:27 - V. The Nervous System
41:41 - VI. Nostril Breathing vs. Mouth Breathing
50:48 - VII. The Four Methods of Respiration
01:03:28 - VIII. How to Acquire the Yogi Complete Breath
01:10:02 - IX. Physiological Effect of the Complete Breath
01:19:48 - X. A Few Bits of Yogi Lore
01:27:11 - XI. The Seven Yogi Developing Exercises
01:38:02 - XII. Seven Minor Yogi Exercises
01:44:11 - XIII. Vibration and Yogi Rhythmic Breathing
01:53:46 - XIV. Phenomena of Yogi Psychic Breathing
02:08:33 - XV. More Phenomena of Yogi Psychic Breathing
02:27:45 - XVI. Yogi Spiritual Breathing
Credits: Text by Yogi Ramacharaka. Audio narration by Adam Hanin.
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What did the ancients know that we have forgotten? They, too, had bodies like this, only they used them. They moved them. They kept them moving, particularly in patterned, synchronized ways with others.
and someone saw me and joined in.
Social dancing, or even isolated moving around, seems to get the mind going rather than stagnating, ruminating, and falling into an abysmal emotional state. Release. Move. Reach catharsis. And most of all, have fun.
This just in: scientific discovery made by eggheads in a lab wearing white coats and very stiffly avoiding physical contact: New study says dancing is the best exercise to combat depression.*
It's not just for the kids, Agnes! - Oh, you're right, Herbert. I feel better already! Ha ha ha!
Wait, White Man only now figuring out it's joyful to move to drumbeat and feel elation?
.
Kathleen and Bree use yoga, dance, breath, sound
At Yogini Bree's Process Class, we always have a component of freeform dancing, just jumping around with some Huhs!. Guess she was onto something even without a science degree and university lab.
Even Johann Hari saw that there was something wrong in the way our civilization -- motivated by capitalist Big Pharma corporations to keep us sick and dependent on symptom alleviation -- was approaching the darkest emotionally fraught mental illness from which we suffer.
Why You're Depressed: How...
The corporations were never going to solve, never going to let a "cure" get out their and ruin their business plans.
There's a cure for diabetes, too, but one never hears about it. It's nutritional, getting enough natural chromium GTF (not fake picolinate) grown on nutritional yeast. Yeast overgrowth a problem?
There are cures for candida and other gut issues. Reforming the diet to leave out all the depression-inducing (after a little false pick-me-up from) processed sugars and starches like white flour and all gluten.
Are We Addicted to Feeling Bad?
These things are available from criticalhealthnews.com, which came up with a product it calls "Sweet Ease" particularly for diabetics and prediabetics.
But who the Hades would want that if allopathic sorcery medicine promises us that we can just pop overpriced synthetic chemical in pill form to overwork our livers instead?
What does the latest scientific study reveal and say about exercise?
New study says dancing is best exercise to combat depression
What can dancing possibly offer a human?
(The Independent) A new study indicates that dancing is one of the best forms of treatment for depression.
Australian researchers have published a study that shows that the best form of exercise to treat depression is dancing, beating out several exercises including yoga, walking, jogging, tai chi, and strength training among others.
The meta study aimed to identify what kind of exercise would be best for treating major depressive disorder, either in tandem with another treatment or compared to the [commonplace and failed] prescription of psychotherapy and antidepressants.
Through 218 different studies with 14,170 participants, the researchers found that moderate reductions were made across the board with exercise, more so than simply prescribing participants with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). More
Psychedelics psilocybin (magic mushrooms), DMT, ketamine (Special K) also help (MAPS).
Vagus nerve stimulation: 3 Tricks to Stop Anxiety Fast
(YOGABODY) Suffer from anxiety, stress, and strain? Dysregulated? "Wired but tired"? Overwhelmed with worry, overthinking things that are out of one's control? Download PDF: yogabody.com/vagus-nerve...
A flexible spine means youth.
This video is about how to use ancient yoga techniques to warm up the parasympathetic nervous system response to help calm down, relax, and find greater peace and balance in life.
The key is to stimulate the vagus nerve -- the vagabond or wandering nerve that runs down either side of the neck. It plays a key role in stimulating the body’s parasympathetic nervous system (self-soothing to get back to the "rest and digest" mode).
It is involved in a host of important bodily functions, including stabilizing mood, digestion, and heart rate.
When the vagus nerve is operating optimally, it’s referred to as high vagal tone. This doesn’t mean we’ll never feel anxious or upset, but it does mean that we’ll be able to "respond" rather than "react" in those moments.
And we’ll be much more adept at self-soothing and calming ourselves down when a situation arises.
Free dive: Hold breath underwater by staying calm
00:00 Stress & anxiety
00:53 Safety disclaimer
01:07 What is the vagus nerve?
01:40 Parasympathetic nervous system
03:42 High vs. low vagal tone
04:55 Test vagal tone
07:52 Stimulate vagus nerve
08:11 Bhramari practice
09:48 Triangle breathing
12:06 Ear massage
14:07 Further learning
DISCLAIMER: Please do not use this video to diagnose or treat an illness or injury. Check with a trusted healthcare provider before starting any self-care routine.
ANATOMY: What is the vagus nerve? The name vagus comes from Latin, meaning "to wander," like a vagabond. This tenth cranial nerve wanders throughout the thoracic cavity. It innervates some of the most important muscles and is responsible for some vital functions such as: breathing, speaking, swallowing, blood pressure, heart rate, orgasm, taste, circulation, digestion, gut health, and more.
The nerve itself sits within a fascial tube, called the carotid sheath. The carotid sheath is an important landmark in head and neck anatomy and contains several vital neurovascular structures, including the carotid artery, jugular vein, vagus nerve, and sympathetic plexus.
Once we understand what the vagus nerve is and why it’s important, this video offers some simple ways to stimulate this nerve to self-soothe and calm ourselves down when we need to.
What it FEELS like when our nervous system is dysregulated
(Crappy Childhood Fairy) Dec. 26, 2022. "Dysregulation" is a core symptom of Complex-PTSD, which usually occurs due to childhood traumas. If we had a rough childhood, we may have thought these symptoms were our fault -- personal failings that we're ashamed we haven't changed yet. Once we know the normal signs that childhood trauma has impacted us, we can drop the guilt and learn to adopt workarounds that help us re-regulate and resolve life's problems.
LETTERS: Want to submit a question for the Crappy Childhood Fairy to answer in a video?
Keep it short, not too explicit, and relevant to this audience:
bit.ly/3VVxqjm
How to reset a dysregulated nervous system (in under 60 seconds)
(Brain retraining program | re-origin®) Jan. 31, 2023. Stressful events from the past can have a lasting impact on the state of our nervous system in the present and even determine our reactions in the future.
Intense emotions, fearful thoughts, negative emotions, old (dysfunctional) behaviors, and past traumatic events can all build and contribute to a totally overwhelming stress load that can cause our nervous system to become "dysregulated" (out of control), causing us to feel constantly uneasy and on edge.
Yogini Stella Han leads us in Meditation and Breathwork on Saturdays.
Meditation is a practice where individuals use mindfulness techniques (presence of mind, staying in the moment, full awareness and acceptance of what is) to focus the mind on objects, thoughts, or activity to help cultivate attention, expanded consciousness, and heightened awareness.
This is done in an effort to enjoy mental clarity, decrease stress and worry, and return to balance. It is the higher training of the mind following the higher training in ethical conduct and stillness.
ABOUT: Stella Han (stella4yoga@gmail.com) is a passionate full-time yoga instructor and former social worker from Los Angeles She earned a master's degree in social work degree USC) and has many years of experience in the fields of social work and psychology.
This is a question that doesn't get asked nearly enough. It is not mere "awareness." It is paying attention to the present moment without giving in to the habits of
being fond and attaching to the pleasant,
being dejected and rejecting the unpleasant
being bored and inattentive to the neutral (neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant).
Mindfulness is therefore a special kind of awareness or presence of mind, wakefulness, vigilance that gives attention to whatever is in the present moment with radical acceptance, letting it be, and letting it go (just for the moment).
Simply being aware in the woods in not being mindful at all. Mindfulness (Sanskrit smirti, Pali sati) is remaining mindfully aware, dispassionate, detached, fully attending to without being entangled in that of which one is aware.
If lust or greed come up, be with them as a watcher without getting sucked in. If annoyance or anger creep up, be with them without becoming hostile. If boredom or mental-wandering arise, note them. That noting, that sudden awareness that the mind has wandered, is mindfulness.
Now it all becomes clear to me.
Now, bring it back to the present moment -- without becoming angry, frustrated, or dejected that wandered off, as mind by its nature will do.
Casting back to the past or forward to the future is the habit of the mind that mindfulness remedies. As Ram Dass famously said: "Be here now."
There is something magical about remaining in the moment. But we'll never know it if we never practice it until it becomes habit.
It is the way to happiness, contentment, and peace -- if done correctly, dispassionately, softly. It leads to clarity and vision, to knowing and seeing, and is essential for awakening.
The Buddha, in the famous "Fourfold Setting Up of Mindfulness Discourse," gives the four groups of things of which to be mindful:
(Penguin Books UK, 2/7/22) Author James Nestor says we're all breathing wrong. Here he breaks down five ways to transform our breathing, from increasing our lung capacity for longevity to stopping breathing through our mouths.
There is nothing more essential to our health and wellbeing than breathing: Take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day. Yet, as a species, we humans have lost our ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences.
In Breath, journalist James Nestor travels the world to discover the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like yoga to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.
Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can [as the Buddha recommended in the practice of mindfulness of in-and-out breathing called anapanasati:
jump-start athletic performance
rejuvenate internal organs
halt snoring, allergies, asthma, and autoimmune diseases
even straighten scoliotic spines
improve the beauty of the face.
None of this should be possible, and yet it is. Drawing on thousands of years of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry, and human physiology, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head.
We'll never breathe the same again.
ABOUT: Wim Hof (wimhofmethod.com), also known as “The Iceman,” holds multiple world records for his feats of endurance and exposure to cold — such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa, wearing only shorts and shoes, running a barefoot half-marathon in the Arctic Circle, and standing in an ice-filled container for more than 112 minutes. Having been taught by the majestic natural power of the cold, Hof is on a mission to share his discoveries with the world.
The benefits of his method, now practiced by millions, have been validated by eight university research studies. He has been featured on the BBC, VICE Media, Discovery Channel, and The Joe Rogan Experience, The Tim Ferriss Show, and The School of Greatness podcasts.
More
Time is running out to watch this video FREE on Gaia. It's titled "Using Breathwork to Make You Stronger and Calmer with Wim Hof." The "Ice Man" in an exclusive extended interview shares his knowledge from a journey using breathwork [yogic pranayama] coupled with cold therapy. The combination has made him mentally and physically super strong -- reaching to find the limits of human potential.WATCH
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