PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION 177PRANAYAMA
Pranayama, the fourth limb of Patanjali’s ashtanga yoga, is the science of yogic
breathing. The ancient yogis, like the Taoists, studied nature with wonder and
passion. They also closely observed and respected the animals within this
backdrop of nature. One thing that became apparent to them is that longevity
in life is connected to rate of respiration. Animals such as pythons, elephants,
and turtles have long lives and their respiration rates are slow. Animals with
fast breathing rates, such as birds, dogs, and rabbits, have shorter life spans. A
turtle for example, has an average life span of 100 years and breathes approx-
imately 4 breaths per minute. In contrast, a rabbit has an average life span
of 10 years and breathes approximately 30-60 breaths per minute. From this
observation, yogis surmised that this pattern would transfer to humans. Using
themselves as an experiment, they explored slowing their breathing rate. They
determined that they could increase their life span through pranayama. Today
we know that short, erratic breaths induce stress in the body, exciting the
sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. The more stressed the
body is, the more quickly the body can break down, which can contribute to
disease and impair health and could lead to premature death. In pranayama,
the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in, allowing the body to rest and
restore. At times, the slower breathing rate can make the heart stronger and
better nourished, contributing to a longer and higher quality of life.
Pranayama means the expansion of life force. Prana is the vital energy that
is in a constant state of motion, permeating all life and existence. All vibrating
energies are prana, including light, heat, electricity, gravity, and magnetism.
Pranayama is more than just breath control. It is the technique of expanding
the quantity of prana throughout the body. Pranayama must be learned from
an experienced teacher only after the student’s body and mind have become
strong from the practice of the physical postures (asana).
Four Factors of Pranayama
Pranayama requires a mastery of four aspects of the breath. The following
are the four factors of pranayama:
- Inhalation (puraka)
- Breath retention after inhalation (antara kumbhaka)
- Exhalation (rechaka)
- Breath retention after exhalation (bahya kumbhaka)
Traditionally, students learning pranayama begin by learning how to exhale
properly. Once the exhalation can be performed well, the inhalation will