454 Light on Yoga
them after two or three cycles of deep breathing with piiraka and
rechaka alone. For example do two or three cycles of deep breathing
and one cycle of antara kumbhaka. Then do two or three cycles of
deep breathing followed by one cycle of bahya kumbhaka. Start with
3 antara kumbhakas and^3 bahya kumbhakas, and increase the number
of kumbhakas very gradually.2I2. Visama Vrtti.. Pranayama.- Visama • means among many other things irregular and difficult.
- Visama. Vrtti. Pranayama. is so called because the same length of
time for inhalation, retennion and exhalation is not maintained. This
leads to interruption of rhythm and the difference in ratio creates
difficulty and danger for the pupil.
3· In this type of pra�ayama if full inhalation takes 5 seconds, the
breath is held Cantara kumbhaka) for 29 s�conds, and exhalation takes
IO seconds, the ratio being I : 4 : 2. At first the pupil will find it hard
to maintain the rhythm during �xhalation, but it all eases with
practice.
.
4· Conversely, if inhalation is for ro seconds, the breath is held for
20 seconds and exhalation takes 5 seconds, the ratio here being
2:4:1.
5· Again if the length of. time can be so varied that if inhalation is
for 20 seconds, retention is for 10 seconds and exhalation for 5, the
ratio being 4 : 2 : r.- In one cycle of pra�ayama, one can adopt the ratios I :^2 : 4,
(^2) : 4 : I, and 4 : I .: 2. Then these three ratios are counted as one cycle
of pra�ayama.
1· If bahya kumbhaka (restraint after full exhalation and before fresh
inhalation) is also observed, the combination of ratios will be greater
still.
- If the different ratios are observed in the Viloma, Anuloma and
Pratiloma methods of pranayama (described below) in the basic
varieties of pranayamas lik� Ujjayi, Siirya Bhedana-, Nadi Sodhana,
Bhramari, Sitali and Sitakari, the number of combinations will be
astronomical.
9· No mortal could perform all these different combinations in one
lifetime.
Io. The path of Vi�ama V�tti Pra�ayama is fraught with danger. Do