Inspiration from Yoga, Day 6 - A Breathing Meditation

Pranayama

"Pranayama is control of Breath". 
"Prana" is Breath or vital energy in the body. On subtle levels prana represents the pranic energy responsible for life or life force, and "ayama" means control. So Pranayama is "Control of Breath". One can control the rhythms of pranic energy with pranayama and achieve healthy body and mind. (http://www.yogapoint.com/info/pranayama.htm)


Breathing powers us. It is vital to sustaining our life, and it happens from our first moment on this earth until we depart this plane of existence. It is a visible and audible meter of our lives, our stressors, our level of exertion, and our mental state of mind.

When our minds are settled, when our emotional bodies are at peace, our breathing is long, calm and slow, utilizing the diaphragm in "belly breathing". When we are frantic, racing about, stressing over deadlines, due dates or bills, our breath is short, shallow, comes only from our chests, and our racing minds reflect this state of disharmony.

To re-align ourselves into the center, the core, the essence, the soul, the self, the energy, the source of wisdom, the "qi" - there are so many names for what lies within us - whatever that spirit is that lies inside us, that empowers us, and that connects us to this network of life that we need to stay alive.

Today's work was meditation through breath control. Letting the stress, the worries, the to-do lists, the challenges of the outer world fall away, and to get in touch with that spiritual essence that binds the Universe together. Re-discovering that we are the conductors of this life energy, this love, this expansion of our hearts.

Today's yoga practice was a breath of fresh air, literally. I lit a candle, turned off the overhead light and left only a side lamp on, and settled into my mat, my legs crossed comfortably in front of me, and let the tension slide off my face, slip off my shoulders, drain out of my toes into the floor. To really quiet and slow my breath, calm my heart rate, silence my mind to help me find that quiet, still place of happiness and contentment. For me, even utilizing a "soft gaze" technique is oftentimes too distracting, so I gently close my eyes, let the chronic tension in my jaw relax, and let the breath control take over.

One of the techniques utilized in this breath meditation was one-nostril breathing, using the fingers of your hands to gently push the side of your nose closed. To do this breathing exercise you are pulling in the air through only one side of your nose, holding it, and then exhaling slowly with control through the opposite nostril, then reversing and inhaling through the nostril by which you just released the breath.

The control of the breath, the inherent stillness brought to my mind, and the release of tension all bring me to a state of such peaceful harmony that I'm often loathe to leave my yoga mat at the end of practice. (Ironic, since some days it seems such a battle of wills with myself to get me ONTO it in the first place.) Through a short but focused meditation I was left feeling invigorated and renewed, focused and refreshed.While this was a seated breathing exercise sequence and meditation, the same practice of breath control follows for moving through poses during a practice.

As Yoga Journal stated in an article about breathing through yogic poses:

Whether we are working on our breathing as we practice postures or on its own, we should understand that the inhale breath is very different from the exhale breath. The inhale is more energizing and is appropriate for movements that expand and extend. The exhale is more calming and is appropriate for movements that deepen and ground.

When you extend your exhalation, making it longer and slower, you create a calming effect by activating the "relaxation response"—the physiologic opposite of the stress-induced "fight or flight" reaction.

This activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, the calming mechanism which changes the energy patterns of the practitioner, is part of what draws me to my yoga practice. Above and beyond the strength, flexibility, balance, toning, improvement to posture and structural functionality, the breath control and feeling of elated relaxation keeps me coming back to my yoga mat for more. Following my practice is the reward - the moments of meditation and the sheer exultation of Savasana Pose. That introversion, introspection and calming centered feeling that leaves me ready to rejoin the world with a fresh perspective, so difficult to obtain while slogging through the mud, nose to the grindstone and shoulder to the wheel. Meditation provides that break and awareness that I need to stay focused on the larger goals in my life, the energy to do so, and the strength both mentally and physically to take on the next challenge.

And finally, one of my favorite quotes about yoga: "Meditation - don't just do something, sit there!"