Pranayama: Purification of the Nerves
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Vivekananda recommends a sort-of pre-pranayama exercise in Raja Yoga (page 24). It involves 3 or 5 alternate-nostril breathing cycles 4 times/day in order to purify the nerves, which should occur within a month of practice.
I began this practice some time ago, seeing as how I wasn't yet sufficiently advanced in asana to start pranayama proper.
Has anyone else practiced this? If so, have you gained any benefit from doing so? Or have any advice on this practice?
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I did it many years ago for probably 3 weeks as a warm-up purif for one cycle of heavier PY work. Hard to draw concrete conclusions, but the general sense was that, yes, it was a good warm-up.
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Hi Sasha,
93
I never used that specific practice. I just began the "standard" pranayama exercises in a very gradual way to ease into them. For example, beginning with easy timing of inbreath and outbreath, and no holding of the breath. I would say that exercises of the sort you describe can't hurt, and might help, depending on the specific individual's constitution and overall readiness.
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David
@Sasha said
"Vivekananda recommends a sort-of pre-pranayama exercise in Raja Yoga (page 24). It involves 3 or 5 alternate-nostril breathing cycles 4 times/day in order to purify the nerves, which should occur within a month of practice.
I began this practice some time ago, seeing as how I wasn't yet sufficiently advanced in asana to start pranayama proper.
Has anyone else practiced this? If so, have you gained any benefit from doing so? Or have any advice on this practice?"
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I think this is the best place to ask this:
93
I've been doing what I've been calling pranayama every morning for a couple of months now. What I've been doing is this: after performing an LBRP first-thing in the morning, I do 4-4-4 breathing (4count in, 4 hold, 4 out) to the mantra Aum Mani Padme Hum. I do this for 20mins, then (depending on schedule/how I'm doing that day) I begin breathing 7-21-14 and attempt to keep this up for 20mins. If I get this far I often have been attempting 10-30-20 for however long I can.
I've seen great results in terms of the physical "purifying" effects, as well as the training in focus and staving-off of impatience that such practice has afforded me.
Basically I've read a few posts that make it sound like I should be doing such exercises for only a few cycles, and more for the purposes of studying the effects (ala Liber E). Am I approaching pranayama wrong? Or am I doing it for too much time? (I've been trying to get it up to an hour)
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Darren, you're doing great!
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Phew! It's easy to start second-guessing yourself with all the varying and often conflicting info out there!
Thanks Jim, much appreciated words of encouragement!
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Alternate nostril breathing helps to cleanse the Nadis and bring them into balance.
The word "Hatha" from Hatha yoga can be translated as Sun/Moon and relates to the nostrils as the right nostril(Pingala) is Solar and the left nostril(Ida) is lunar. Most of the time one of the nostrils is somewhat clogged and the breath flows easier out of Ida or Pingala. The Solar breath is usually at a time of physical effort and your mind is very active. During the solar breath is a good time to eat solid food. The Lunar breath is a physically inactive breath. When you read or watch tv normally the Ida is functioning. It is a good time to drink liquids.
When both Solar and Lunar breaths are balanced One feels extremely at ease and it is very beneficial for deep meditation.
The point of striving to clear both Pingala and Ida is that when both are open you gain access to sushummana which is a prerequisite to the kundalini response.
The goal of hatha yogis is kundalini.93 93/93
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93, PainMeridian,
Thanks for the explanation -- very informative.
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