YOGA PRANAYAMA

PRANAYAMA

The fourth stage PRANAYAMA* [YS 2,49-51] means the ‘refusal of breath’ following the ‘refusal of movement’ by performing the asanas.  Breathing is an involuntary action and pranayama seeks to control it as a voluntary action.

Ancient Hindu seers believed that  just as psycho-mental tension affects the rhythm of breath, the stilling of breath can contribute to stilling the “modifications of the mind” and that by controlling the activity of breathing, they would also control the flow of prana [universal force or subtle energy] that supposedly gives life to the human body.

As psycho-mental activity is itself generated by prana, and breathing is the main channel for the influx of prana into the body, it has to be strictly controlled in order to attain control over the mind.

Prana (crystallisation), Vyana (circulation), Samana (assimilation), Udana (metabolism) and Apana (elimination) are the five aspects of the universal prana , by controlling which the yogis seek to operate from a higher level of consciousness.

‘Senses control’ follows ‘breathing control’. *Plenty on Pranayama in my report on “SURYA NAMASKAR AND YOGA…”

Stage five is PRATYAHARA, ‘withdrawal of the senses’ from external objects and thoughts and becoming 

completely engrossed within [YS 2,54-55]. At this stage the senses do not disturb the mind anymore, so it becomes 

shut down from all outside impressions.

Once this is achieved, the sixth stage, DHARANA or concentration of the mind [YS 3,1] on one single purpose 

becomes feasible. It is a slowing down of  mental activity by focusing it on a particular object of meditation.