436 Light on Yoga
when the body is upset by indigestion, fever, cold and cough, or by
emotions like fear, anger or lust. The normal rate of breathing is 21,6oo
breaths inhaled and exhaled every^24 hours. The yogi measures his span
of life not by the number of days, but of breaths. Since breathing is
lengthened in praJ;layama, its practice leads to longevity.
45· Continuous practice of praJ;layama will change the mental outlook
of the practitioner and reduce considerably the craving of his senses for
worldly pleasures like smoking, drinking and sexual indulgence.- In the practice of praJ;layama the senses are drawn inwards and in
the silence of the kumbhaka the aspirant hears his inner voice calling:
'Look within! The source of all happiness is within!' This also prepares
him for the next stage of yoga, pratyahara, which leads to freedom from
the domination and tyranny of the senses.
4 7. Since the eyes are kept closed throughout the practice of praJ;layama,
the passage of time is noted by the mental repetition (japa) of a sacred
word or name. This repetition of the sacred words or names is the seed
(bi'ja) planted in the yogi's mind. This seed grows and makes him fit for
dhyanaorconcentration, the sixth stage of Yoga. Ultimately it produces
the fruit of samadhi, where there is experience of full consciousness and
supreme joy, where the yogi merges with the Maker of the Universe
and feels what he can never express-yet cannot entirely conceal. Words
fail to convey the experience adequately, for the mind cannot find words
with which to describe it. It is a feeling of that peace which passeth all
understanding.BANDHAS, NADIS AND CHAKRASIn order to follow the techniques of praJ;layama it is necessary to know
something about bandhas, na�is and chakras.
Bandha means bondage, joining together, fettering or catching hold
of. It is also a posture in which certain organs or parts of the body are
contracted and controlled.
Na�i is a tubular channel in the body through which energy flows.
Chakras are wheels or circles. Those in the body are the fly-wheels in
the body machinery.
When electricity is generated, it is necessary to have transformers,
conductors, fuses, switches and insulated wires to carry the power to its
destination, as without these the electricity generated would be lethal.
When praJ;la is made to ftow in the yogi's body by the practice of
praJ;layama it is equally necessary for him to employ bandhas to prevent
the dissipation of energy and to carry it to the right quarters without
causing damage elsewhere. Without the bandhas, praJ;la is lethal.