Most people do not breathe in or breathe out in a systematic or harmonious manner
on account of distractions in the mind. The distraction of the prana is an indication
of the agitation of the mind. The more are the desires in the mind, the more is the
restlessness of the prana. There is an arrhythmic flow of the prana with heaves of
wave emotions, which has to be brought down by calm and quiet pondering. Deep
breathing is the only possibility for a beginner—not alternate breathing. There should
be only one-way breathing, and not these sideways and alternate processes. Even
that would be a difficult thing if we are not in a position to sit for a sufficient time. If
we are running about, how will we breathe?
In fact, the breathing practice should not be done after any kind of exhausting work.
For example, we should not start breathing after returning from a walk. We know
very well what our body is like after we return from a three-mile walk. There is
warmth in the system, sometimes also perspiration, and a very rapid movement of
the prana on account of the activity called walking. If we try to check the prana at
that time, we will be treading in a danger zone because the prana is trying to adjust
itself with the requirements of the body which has already undergone this fatigue
called walking, and we are trying to do something the opposite of it. Therefore, no
pranayama should be practised after walking. Also, it should not be combined with
physical exercises such as dand baithaks (knee bends) etc., because these physical
exercises—or vyayama, as they are called—of modern types are exercises which
extrovert the prana, drive the prana out of the system, whereas pranayama is the
opposite process which drives the prana inside.
Therefore, we should not do two contrary activities. It is said that even yoga asanas
should not be combined with physical exercises, for the same reason—because the
purpose of yoga asanas is to tend the prana inwards for toning the system, whereas
the purpose of physical exercises is to drive the prana out. And so, after having
exhausted ourselves in a volleyball or a tennis match, we find ourselves heaving with
heavy breath, with a warmed-up system, and wishing to lie down if possible. But this
is not so after we practise asanas. We do not feel tired. On the other hand, we feel
relaxed.
Inasmuch as there is a great contrary effect produced by yoga asana and physical
exercise, these two should not be combined; they are absolutely two different things.
Even more caution is to be advanced in the case of pranayama, because it is a more
dangerous practice than physical exercise or asana. It is very important to remember
that unless one is able to sit for an hour or two continuously, this composure of the
prana cannot come about. We must sit for half an hour or one hour without getting
up. This is very important to remember. Only then should we start thinking about the
deep breathing exercise.
The purpose of this system called pranayama is to cleanse the nervous system
through which the prana flows. Generally, when the prana flows in the usual
manner, there is a so-called normalcy maintained, but the system is not cleansed due
to a peculiar reason. We have, for instance, water flowing through a pipe. If water
flows through a pipe in one direction only, and we allow the water to flow in the same
direction for months, it can be seen that some sand or silt becomes deposited inside
the bottom of the pipe, and this silt is not disturbed by the flow of the water due to its
getting accustomed to the intensity of the flow. The silt remains there at the bottom.
Though the water is flowing over it, it will not be removed. But, suppose we drive the