Kriya Yoga and Spinal Breathing Pranayama
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- Опубліковано 12 кві 2023
- Some Kriya Yoga schools incorporate spinal breathing pranayama in their Kriya practice. Although some Kriya Yoga teachers have denounced spinal breathing pranayama, a careful examination of the principles of Kriya Yoga reveals how it may still be a viable practice provided it adheres to certain foundational principles. Understanding these principles can make spinal breathing pranayama effective and help improve your own Kriya Yoga practice. For more info, please visit modernkriya.com.
Great advice. I have incorporated your advice into my spinal breathing practice (using peripheral vision, adding OM japa in each chakra as you trace the attention along the spine, slowing down the breaths below 7 per min. and making the out breath longer.) That now seems to me to be the ultimate pranayama technique. The reason I like the spinal breathing visualization is because it helps to keep the mind occupied and prevent it from wandering. If I don't visualize this, my mind will start "multi-tasking" and I'll start thinking of other things at the same time while doing OM japa or breathing without any visualization.
It sounds like you've been able to make some refinements to your practice and it's working well! Good to hear!
I appreciate your insights by bringing in neuroscience and understanding to the perennial yoga traditions
Thanks!
very true brother and its in harmony with the nondoing/wu wei principle. from my limited experience its easier to relax the mind and listen to the breathing
sometimes i feel inspired to practise qi gong after meditation because I'm already in the flow
@colm rooney That's great to express wu wei through your qigong practice!
Ive been doing visualizations of energy moving up the spine as a tube but its more like its already there and im sensing it, and if i do my own visualizations of that energy moving up, then i become more attuned to it. I wasnt sure if it was imagined though previously but i feel that it helps for reasons i dont understand but im unsure if thats confirmation bias as well.
Also for someone with a very active mind, i think this would be a good visualization exercise to help them but its not needed
Some Kriya Yoga schools focus on the 'tube' of the sushumna nadi and the warm and cool currents. In the original Kriya Yoga, Lahiri Baba advocated the use of Om Japa as an essential technique to help avoid the tamasic (negative) results of kundalini activation without the requisite integration.
Doesn't Panchanan Bhattacharya lineage use continuous trace of Susumna along with japa during pranayam? Only japa that's not even put at any part of the spine? This seems similar to what Sri Mukherjee told about Pranayam.
Kriya in the the Panchanan Bhattacharya lineage is more nuanced than that. The practice follows Lari Baba’s instructions for the use of Om Japa during pranayama. It’s very different than the spinal breathing pranayama used in other Kriya schools.