Heart pounding during asana
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Hello,
I've been lengthening daily asana sessions (an hour or more without pranayama) and towards the end, (or from the mid point onwards?) my heart starts pounding. Is this the panic of ego-death?
*Daniel Merkur (1998) uses the term to refer to the "death crisis" which may occur during a trip:[18]
[The] death-rebirth experience * also described in the literature as "ego death." It is sometimes termed "ego loss" [...] The death crisis takes various forms. The early examples in a series of death crises are usually attended by extreme panic*
Should this panic be happening via mere asana? I was under the impression it was a pranayama thing.
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I doubt the ego is threatened by an hour of asana.
If your health is good (no blood pressure problems) and you aren't straining in exertion, it may be just greater sensitization - as things get really quiet comparatively.
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I was doing 50 minutes a night no problems but it started when I jumped to 1 hour 23 minutes. The next night I did an hour. I don't get treated for blood-pressure and I suspect it's related to me attempting to relieve the pain.
I feel that after weeks of 50 minutes a night I reached Crowley's threshold point where the pain is transcended. All good until I extended it to the hour so it's a form of writhing but without moving.
. I think I may take it back to the 50 minutes and gradually work up.The 1hour 23 minutes was a mistake due to the alarm clock cutting out. Was meant to be an hour only.