Shift in focus in my practice from asana to pranayama which entails cutting back the asana to the bare minimum to make room for the longer pranayama practice.
Krishnamacharya's minimum practice
"Most important asanas shirshasana, sarvangasana, mayurasana, paschimatanasana and baddha padmasana must be practiced daily without failure.
Other asanas are practiced according to their convenience as people become proficient.
By practicing shirshasana, sarvangasana and thier variations at very early morning, great benefits are obtained Those who want to expand intelligence, heart energy and Jnanendriayas (sense organs) must practice these asanas ( shirshasana and sarvangasana) for long periods.
After practicing this, practice 15 minutes of one of the pranayama routines followed by 5 minutes of shavasana, without failure".
Krishnamacharya, Yogasanagalu
On pranayama
"In yogashastra, one must do 320 pranayamas everyday. This means that it was classfied as 80 in the morning, 80 in the afternoon, 80 in the evening and 80 in mid-night. Since this is impossible, one can do 80 pranayama in one sitting. The reason is that now a days, you need to spend more time working to support your life. Benefits are delayed too."
Krishnamacharya, Yogasanagalu
Apart from mayurasana that's the same as the key/essential asana recommended by Ramaswami although he also includes maha mudra ( like janusirsasana but without the forward bend) and we always started asana practice with ten minutes of tadasana vinyasas.
A note on counting pranayama
There are many kinds of pranayama techniques, suryabheda, nadi shodana, Ujjayi, Viloma Ujjayi shodana... but this is problematic, suryabheda involves one inhalation and exhalation, nadi shodana includes inhalation and exhalation through both nostrils so involves two breaths and viloma ujjayi shodana, both nostrils and the throat so three breaths. If we count each cycle as a 1 pranayama nadi shaodana is going to take twice as long as suryabheda and viloma ujjayi shodana, three times as long.
However, my understanding now is that one pranayama equals one breath. This is often counted as one inhalation followed by kumbhaka (breath retention). obviously you would then inhale and perhaps include another kumbhaka after the inhalation before Inhaling again for the second pranayama.
Therefore...
a cycle of suryabheda counts as 1 pranayama
a cycle of anuloma or pratiloma Ujjayi counts as 1 pranayama
a cycle of nadi shodana counts as 2 pranayamas
a cycle of Viloma Ujjayi shodana counts as 4 pranayamas
So to get to 80 pranayamas I can choose to include cycles of
10 x Suryabheda = 10 pranayamas
10 x Chandrabheda =10 pranayamas
5 x Anuloma ujjayi = 5 pranayamas
5 x pratiloma ujjayi = 5 pranayamas
10 x Nadi shodana = 20 pranayamas
5 x Viloma Ujjayi Shodana = 20 pranayamas
10 x Sitali = 10 Pranayamas
----------------------
80 pranayama
How long each cycle takes depends on your ratio. In suryabheda at the beginning I'm doing
a shorter kumbhaka using the gayatri mantra (10 seconds) but building up to longer inhalations and exhalations (fifteen seconds each) and a short kumbhala after inhalations.
In nadi shodana I'm doing my regular
5 second inhalation/20 second kumbhaka (with the pranayama mantra) /10 second exhalation/five second kumbhaka, for the first ten cycles.
for the second 10 cycles I'm doing Krishnamacharya's One minute breath
15 second inhalation/20 second Kumbhka (with pranayama mantra)/ 15 second exhalation/ 10 second kumbhaka
In Viloma ujjayi shodana or sitali I'm exploring the longer kumbhaka after exhalation, chanting the pranayama twice (40 seconds).
A note on Effulgence meditation (reminds me just a little a bit of Jhana meditation)
from Aranya's commentary to the Yoga Sutras
"I:36 Or by perception which is free from sorrow and is radiant (stability of the mind can be reached)." p82
"(1) This experience is described as free from sorrow because when a very pleasant Sattvika feeling is acquired, the mind always remains immersed in it. And it is described as radiant or effulgent because on account of Sattvika enlightenment there is an abundance of the light of knowledge. The light referred to here is not the optical light but the fine illumination of knowledge which manifests things that are subtle, covered from view or situated at a distance.
(2) The method of gradually reaching the contemplation of Bhuddhisattva or pure I-sense is first to imagine in the 'lotus' i.e. the core of the heart, called the abode of Brahman, the presence of limitless uninterrupted expanse of clear effulgence like the sky". p83
"...This effulgence is therefore called the conceptual representation of pure I-sense. The Upanisad says that it's size is that of a thumb (minute) and it's appearance like that of the sun. In the Svetasvatara Upanishad we have : "Brahma reveals himself in Yoga to one who first contemplates on an effulgence like that of the mist, smoke, sun, air, fire, fire-fly, lightening, crystal, moon." p83
"...First imagine in your heart a limitless, sky-like or transparent effulgence; then think of the self within that, i.e. 'I am spread all over it'. p83
"The carotid artery running from the heart to the brain, is also to be counted as forming part of the internal region. It has to be imagined as a flow of effulgence". p236
"It is best to conceive the heart etc. as 'space' in the form of transparent sky. the concept of effulgent light is also useful". p236
" in the matter of fixing the mind on objects, the two principle objects are sound and effulgence. of these the chief method is the adoption of the effulgence in the heart as the support for fixity on the pure I-sense or Buddhi. As regards fixity on sound, one has to focus one's attention on a spontaneous unstuck sound (Anahata-nada) emanating within the body". p250
Krishnamacharya's minimum practice
"Most important asanas shirshasana, sarvangasana, mayurasana, paschimatanasana and baddha padmasana must be practiced daily without failure.
Other asanas are practiced according to their convenience as people become proficient.
By practicing shirshasana, sarvangasana and thier variations at very early morning, great benefits are obtained Those who want to expand intelligence, heart energy and Jnanendriayas (sense organs) must practice these asanas ( shirshasana and sarvangasana) for long periods.
After practicing this, practice 15 minutes of one of the pranayama routines followed by 5 minutes of shavasana, without failure".
Krishnamacharya, Yogasanagalu
On pranayama
"In yogashastra, one must do 320 pranayamas everyday. This means that it was classfied as 80 in the morning, 80 in the afternoon, 80 in the evening and 80 in mid-night. Since this is impossible, one can do 80 pranayama in one sitting. The reason is that now a days, you need to spend more time working to support your life. Benefits are delayed too."
Krishnamacharya, Yogasanagalu
Current Morning practice
Asana (about an hour)
Surynamaskara
Trikonasana
Utthita hasta padangusthasana
Paschimatanasana
Mayurasana,
Baddha konasana
Baddha padmasana
Sarvangasana (shoulderstand),
Shirshasana (headstand),
Savasana
--------------------------
80 mixed pranayamas ( takes around 90 minutes).
ten rounds of Suryabhedana (inhale right/exhale left nostril)
ten of Chandrabhedana (inhale left / exhale right).
In these I mentally chant gayatri mantra on the inhale retention and work on slowing and lengthening the inhalation working up to twelve and then fifteen second inhalations.
Anuloma (exhale throat) and Pratiloma (inhale throat) Ujjayi, same thing, trying to slow and lengthen the breath, harder without the extra control of your fingers and thumbs on the side of your nose.
Switch to siddhasana
Vilouma ujjayi shodana
inhale throat/exhale left nostril/inhale left/exhale throat/inhale throat/exhale right/ inhale right/exhale throat, standard pranayama mantra on the kumbhaka (breath retention after the inhalation 20-24 seconds)
Nadi shodana
exploring repeating the pranayama mantra twice on the inhaled retention (48 seconds), ten rounds like that then another ten rounds trying to bring it all together, 15 second inhalation, 20 second kumbhaka with mantra, 15 second exhalation, 10 second kumbhala, so a one minute breath.
Savasana, scanning marma points
-----------------------------
Meditation
Effulgence
Japa (mantra)
*In my Evening practice I'm still exploring Krishnamacharya's Primary, Middle and proficient asana groups and how they relate to modern Ashtanga and morph into Vinyasa Krama
------------------------------------------
A note on counting pranayama
There are many kinds of pranayama techniques, suryabheda, nadi shodana, Ujjayi, Viloma Ujjayi shodana... but this is problematic, suryabheda involves one inhalation and exhalation, nadi shodana includes inhalation and exhalation through both nostrils so involves two breaths and viloma ujjayi shodana, both nostrils and the throat so three breaths. If we count each cycle as a 1 pranayama nadi shaodana is going to take twice as long as suryabheda and viloma ujjayi shodana, three times as long.
However, my understanding now is that one pranayama equals one breath. This is often counted as one inhalation followed by kumbhaka (breath retention). obviously you would then inhale and perhaps include another kumbhaka after the inhalation before Inhaling again for the second pranayama.
Therefore...
a cycle of suryabheda counts as 1 pranayama
a cycle of anuloma or pratiloma Ujjayi counts as 1 pranayama
a cycle of nadi shodana counts as 2 pranayamas
a cycle of Viloma Ujjayi shodana counts as 4 pranayamas
So to get to 80 pranayamas I can choose to include cycles of
10 x Suryabheda = 10 pranayamas
10 x Chandrabheda =10 pranayamas
5 x Anuloma ujjayi = 5 pranayamas
5 x pratiloma ujjayi = 5 pranayamas
10 x Nadi shodana = 20 pranayamas
5 x Viloma Ujjayi Shodana = 20 pranayamas
10 x Sitali = 10 Pranayamas
----------------------
80 pranayama
How long each cycle takes depends on your ratio. In suryabheda at the beginning I'm doing
a shorter kumbhaka using the gayatri mantra (10 seconds) but building up to longer inhalations and exhalations (fifteen seconds each) and a short kumbhala after inhalations.
In nadi shodana I'm doing my regular
5 second inhalation/20 second kumbhaka (with the pranayama mantra) /10 second exhalation/five second kumbhaka, for the first ten cycles.
for the second 10 cycles I'm doing Krishnamacharya's One minute breath
15 second inhalation/20 second Kumbhka (with pranayama mantra)/ 15 second exhalation/ 10 second kumbhaka
In Viloma ujjayi shodana or sitali I'm exploring the longer kumbhaka after exhalation, chanting the pranayama twice (40 seconds).
A note on Effulgence meditation (reminds me just a little a bit of Jhana meditation)
from Aranya's commentary to the Yoga Sutras
"I:36 Or by perception which is free from sorrow and is radiant (stability of the mind can be reached)." p82
"(1) This experience is described as free from sorrow because when a very pleasant Sattvika feeling is acquired, the mind always remains immersed in it. And it is described as radiant or effulgent because on account of Sattvika enlightenment there is an abundance of the light of knowledge. The light referred to here is not the optical light but the fine illumination of knowledge which manifests things that are subtle, covered from view or situated at a distance.
(2) The method of gradually reaching the contemplation of Bhuddhisattva or pure I-sense is first to imagine in the 'lotus' i.e. the core of the heart, called the abode of Brahman, the presence of limitless uninterrupted expanse of clear effulgence like the sky". p83
"...This effulgence is therefore called the conceptual representation of pure I-sense. The Upanisad says that it's size is that of a thumb (minute) and it's appearance like that of the sun. In the Svetasvatara Upanishad we have : "Brahma reveals himself in Yoga to one who first contemplates on an effulgence like that of the mist, smoke, sun, air, fire, fire-fly, lightening, crystal, moon." p83
"...First imagine in your heart a limitless, sky-like or transparent effulgence; then think of the self within that, i.e. 'I am spread all over it'. p83
"The carotid artery running from the heart to the brain, is also to be counted as forming part of the internal region. It has to be imagined as a flow of effulgence". p236
"It is best to conceive the heart etc. as 'space' in the form of transparent sky. the concept of effulgent light is also useful". p236
" in the matter of fixing the mind on objects, the two principle objects are sound and effulgence. of these the chief method is the adoption of the effulgence in the heart as the support for fixity on the pure I-sense or Buddhi. As regards fixity on sound, one has to focus one's attention on a spontaneous unstuck sound (Anahata-nada) emanating within the body". p250
16 comments:
Hi Anthony
I would have counted the viloma ujjayi as four breaths? Anyway, it only matters to a certain point, at least for me as I count each complete pranayama as one cycle (so the one breath in ujjayi, the two breaths of nadishodana, the four breaths of viloma ujjayi to me count as one cycle/type)
My standard practice now is 12x nadishodan, 12x ujjayi (throat both in and ex) with both antara and bahya kumbhakas, and 12x bhastrika wih kewal kumbhaka after exhale... as I said, I know in the Krishnamacharya tradition bhastrika is considered more of a kryia, but it is very effective and I like to include it.
I tend to do ratios of 1:1:1:1 when I include kumbhakas, but if i have a longer kumbhaka it is normally after exhale. I think it makes the pranayama more langhana in quality, so more relaxing than energising. Works for me!!
Hi Chiara. Your right of course
Inhale throat/exhale left nostril/inhale left/exhale throat/inhale throat/exhale right/ inhale right/exhale throat,
We always counted it as four on Ramaswami's course too, practising 20 rounds thus equaling 80 pranayama's
Not sure why I started counting it as three.
I suppose it only matters if your focussing on the 80 if you start trying to do 80 rounds of Viloma Ujjayi you'll be there all day : )
Ramaswami had us focus on kapalabhati rather than bhastrika, we do 108 of those in three sets of 36 with different arm positions in each. I know Ramaswami and Krishnamacharya counted kapalabhati as Kriya which is why we would do them just before starting pranayama practice.
kapalabhati and Bhastrika for anyone who doesn't know are sometimes described as bellows breathing. You force the breath out quite quickly through the nose and the body automatically inhales. The difference between them is that kapalabhati is focussed at the nose, bhastika at the throat (Ujjayish). Ramaswami put it that kapalabhati is a bit like sneezing, bhastrika, coughing.
There;s no chance for any retention, perhaps another reason they aren't considered pranayama
Interesting too what you say about the longer kumbhaka after exhale making it feel more langhana.
This for me is a period of experimentation, exploring some different pranayamas and different, ratios. once things settle down I'll probably simplify it and switch back to something along the lines of
10 x Suryabheda = 10 pranayamas
10 x nadi shodana = 20 pranayamas
10 x viloma ujjayi shodana = 40 pranayamas
10 x sitali (in warmer weather) = 10 pranayamas
All this is quite new to me so I'll have to research pretty much all of the terms for the pranayama and pratayahara practices you are completing. Nevertheless, for your morning practice... how long does all that take? And is that your practice every morning, including at home, or is that mainly for your vacation?
Brianna
Hi Anthony
forgot to say how long my breaths last... I normally go for a count of 15 which is aout 12 seconds each phase.
Also interesting your description of kaphalabhati/bhastrika... I normally tend to move my belly more for those.. in fact sometimes to explain those I have people closing a belt on the ribs (about half-way between the navel and the breasts for women) so that it is stable there after an exhale and then I get them to breath vigorously but in a way that the ribs do not move much.... is it the same with you?
As for retention in bhastrika you are very right that you have no chance of retention during it!!! when I mentioned kewal kumbhak I meant that after the bhastrika or kapalabhati series you are very oxygenated, so you can stop breathing and it is almost spontaneous, very pleasurable. I learnt this by someone from a different tradition.
I know the different arms positions (I saw it in the Ramaswami Inyasa book and sometimes practice it). Nice idea to keep the back straight. Another vaiation (again more on the kriya side) which I learns from some Russian guys following the Himalayan tradition was to 'throw' your hands/arms out or up during the kaphalabhati exhalation. Very vigorously. Very powerful, perhaps too much if you do not build gradually to it.
I know all this mix and matching of methods woudl be proably be frowned upon by purists but hey!mwe are exploring subtle effects on our bodies, right?
Hi all
went to the KHYF website and found this article who can be interesting for people exploring Pranayama.
http://www.khyf.net/khyf/articleview.aspx?spage=A&DParticleid=44&icategorylist=
also interesting how under the name of Bhastrika many different methods seem to be described...
enjoy!
chiara
hi Brianna
I've added links on some of the pranayama and pratyahara technique in the post. There's also a pranayama page at the top of my blog.
Chiara has just sent me a nice link through if you want to read up a little
http://www.khyf.net/khyf/articleview.aspx?spage=A&DParticleid=44&icategorylist=
Yes this is my current practice. On vacation I was able to spend more time on asana so could do a normal Ashtanga or vinyasa krama practice and still have time for the long pranayama practice and meditation.
At home I have two and a half to three hours in the morning for practice, I used to cut back the pranayama and focus mainly on asana now I'm just switching that around and focussing more on Pranayama. I also have the evening to practice an hour or so.
Of course there's no need to practice as long as that and pranayama is something that people often don't get into until later although I do think it's good to include some simple pranayama from early in your practice (as does my teacher Ramaswami). Some don't agree, in Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga these days. it mostly seems to be discouraged upon until after 2nd series (although not always and not by every teacher).
In my quote Krishnamacharya has a minimum practice that would probably take half an hour plus fifteen minutes pranayama.
Pattabhi Jois too in his book Yoga mala has a shorter core basic practice depending on how much time you have to practice.
I think if you have less time to practice then you just make sure that you have really good focus in the time you do have. Really all we're doing is trying to focus our attention, stay concentrated and improve our blood circulation. If you only have ten minutes and just do sun salutations but can stay focussed on the breath for that whole time without wavering then that's a nice practice.
Yes Chiara, exploring ! just as we did/do with asana.
Interesting about the vigorous arm movements.
That 12 second inhalation is tough no? I only used to do five seconds inhalation, focussing on the long Kumbakha with mantra and the longer exhale instead. It's been quite an adventure exploring the longer slower inhalation and keeping it consistently smooth and steady over ten rounds at a time, challenging.
Anthony well.... funny but for me it is the long exhalation which is challenging, although I could then hold the "empty" kumbhaka forever.
Again I think it may depend on the individual constitution. I guess for me, I tend to be more of a controlling type, and apparently we tend not to want to let go, read: exhale... but then the emptiness feels extremely therapeutic.
Perhaps if you are a cool type then it is the taking in that is challenging? These yogis knew a thing or two!
So interesting to exchange experiences! I must say I see both 'types' in the class environment... people who hate feeling the minimal emptiness in the lungs and others who feel that after a one second inhalation are totally full. In both cases, I am sure Ramaswami must have thought that as well, breathing kramas are very useful. For example you inhale for a count of two and hold for a count of two, then inhale/hold, inhale/hold until finally you are full to the brim. Physiologically I guess we are relaxing the intercostal muscles during the holds which makes then it easier to resume the inhale (or exhale). There is a name for this way of breathing but I do not recall it now.
Anthony, would it be possible for you to outline your core practice a bit more, as I too have been practicing an hour of asana, followed by 30 mins of pranayama and sitting in the mornings. However, since I am still learning the VK, I tend to stick to one core sequence only, per day, such that in a week I have worked through 7 different sequences. I'd love to know how to effectively incorporate the sequence you've outlined, but according to the vinyasa sequence. Great post!
To clarify my post above > I am only speaking of your hour of asana.
...Regarding Pranayama, and m practice thereof, as was taught by Ramaswami, I have been reading and contemplating Adi Shankara's observations in "Aparokshanubhuti" translated by Swami Vimuktananda. E.g. From Sutra 114, Shankara writes:
114. That (Brahman) which is the root of all existence and on which the restraint of the mind is based is called the restraining root (Mulabandha) which should always be adopted since it is fit for Raja-yogins.
115. Absorption in the uniform Brahman should be known as the equipose of the limbs (Dehasamya). Otherwise ere straightening of the body like that of a dried-up tree is no equipose.
116. Converting the ordinary vision into one of knowledge one should view the world as Brahman Itself. That is the noblest vision, and not that which is directed to the tip of the nose.
117. Or, one should direct one's vision to That alone where all distinction of the seer, sight and the seen ceases and not to the tip of the nose.
118. The restraint of all modifications of the mind by regarding all mental states like the Chitta as Brahman alone, is called Pranayama.
119. The negation of the phenomenal world is known as Rechaka (breathing out), the thought, "I am verily Brahman," is called Puraka (breathing in), and the steadiness of that thought thereafter is called Kumbhaka 9restraining the breath). This is the real course of Pranayama for the enlightened, whereas the ignorant only torture the nose.
He then goes on to explain the remaining steps to the attainment of knowledge...
Hi Anon. just posted an expansion on the asana practice. Run out of time and have to race off to work will come back to your other comment tonight...unless it's a different Anon.
Thanks for the help. I'll check out that site and am going to go back over the post and your newest one to see what juicy tidbits I can find to process. I will also be visiting your pranayama page, and probably the others. I'd never heard of Vinyasa Krama until I found your blog. I've been practicing Ashtanga for less than a year and am sort of exploring with that still.
Never hurts to increase my knowledge of any aspect of yoga though. I find the study VK to be interesting, and albeit, a bit confusing haha. I may even be tempted to give it a go one day when I put my big girl britches on.
Thanks again for the help.
thanks a bunch for the lengthy explanation--i will read through this and study further today. (all 3 Anon comments were by me) :)
Hi Brianna, Vinyasa Krama can be a little confusing, my practice book was an attempt to make it more visual in the sense of the sequences and subroutines more clearly laid out, kind of like we're used to in Ashtanga.
In a sense Ashtanga is a sequence of subroutines. I made up a poster showing the different subroutines in primary. you can find it here
http://vinyasayogaathome.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/vinyasa-krama-subroutines-in-ashtanga.html
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