PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION 199Although the benefits of pranayama practice are powerful, it is imperative
that you progress slowly and steadily. In our culture, we often want things to
come fast and furiously. Think about your pranayama practice like a marathon
instead of a sprint. Move forward with the wisdom of patience.
Just to be clear, I cannot overemphasize the importance of working with
prana respectfully. Imagine that your nervous system is like a circuit board.
If you run too much voltage of electricity through the board, then you will
blow a fuse and cause permanent damage. The human body is the same.
This is why Patanjali, in the Eight Limbs of Yoga, put the physical poses before
the practice of pranayama. The yoga poses create a strength and stability
within the human body that can effectively harness an increase of life force
that pranayama practice invokes. If one jumps into pranayama prematurely
or moves too fast, then nervous system issues such as shakiness, tremors,
anxiety, and depression can arise. I’ve met and received correspondence from
concerned people that this has happened to. Recently, a student who was in
my pranayama and meditation training shared with the group about a time
when she suffered from a seizure while doing pranayama with an inexperi-
enced teacher. She was traumatized from the experience, but fortunately, our
time together initiated her healing process.
I don’t want to scare you, but take your time to progress slowly and care-
fully as the practices have been outlined in this chapter. Have respect for the
awakening of prana within the body. Think of prana like a cobra and you
are a cobra trainer. An unskilled trainer can be bitten, but the skilled trainer
harnesses the energy of the cobra. Be skillful and enjoy all the clarity, energy,
and power that the practices of pranayama provide.
Pranayama Practice Tips
Pranayama is typically sequenced after the physical practice and before med-
itation. Your pranayama practice should take place in a quiet and clean space
with minimal clutter. The space should be well ventilated to prevent breathing
in harmful particles. The temperature of the space should be slightly warm,
but avoid practicing in direct sunlight unless it is sunrise or sunset. Also, avoid
heavy drafts or an overhead fan that can disrupt the element of air within the
body. If cold weather or insects are an issue, cover your body with a sheet
or blanket for protection.
Although the best time to practice pranayama is in the early morning, find
the time that works best for you. As much as possible, try to practice at the
same time and in the same place each day. No matter what time of day you
practice pranayama, be sure that it’s done on an empty stomach. Generally,
it is good to wait three to four hours after eating a meal because food in the
stomach will inhibit full respiration from taking place and can cause nausea
during some of the deeper pranayama practices. Choose a duration that works
for your schedule. This could be 5 minutes or 45 minutes. The key is regularity.