Source Text
Preface “Lead me from ignorance to Truth. Lead me from darkness to Light. Lead me from death to Immortality. Om shanti, shanti, shanti.” Brihadaranyaka Upanishad I.iii.28
MASTERING PRANAYAMA Part 1: The Foundation
“Still others offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath into the incoming breath, while some offer the incoming breath into the outgoing breath, seizing the movement of the outgoing and incoming breaths, intent upon the mastery of the life force.” Bhagavad Gita IV.29
Chapter 1 Pranayama, the Shortcut to Immortality Pranayama, the ancient Science of Life challenges our preconceived notions of death and life and takes us on an incredible journey, where the impossible becomes possible.
Meaning of Pranayama Pranayama is a composite of two Sanskrit words: prana means “vitality,” “the essence” or “the life force” and ayama means “mastery,” “control” or “regulation.” Pranayama is thus the mastery over the life force. Pranayama is also the mastery over the pauses in breath or over the transition between exhalation, inhalation and exhalation.
Through pranayama you can open the blocked energy channel known as sushumna and awaken the dormant energy in the body. This is not possible through mere breathing exercises.
Difference between Breath and Prana One of the most obvious aspects of prana is the breath, but the breath is not prana. Breath or air is known as vayu. An inflated balloon is also filled with air, but it is not living because it has no prana. Prana is something living, full of light and intelligence. If the breath were a horse, then prana would be the rider. It is prana that guides and directs the various functions of the body including respiration.
Adi means “the first.” Prana, as we already know, is life. Thus Adi Prana is the first unit of life. Adi Prana is far subtler and finer than the breath and lies beyond the mind.
This makes the breath unique. It can be used to gain control of the involuntary nervous system and the deeper aspects of the unconscious mind, since the breath gives us access to both, the voluntary as well as the involuntary nervous system.
The kind of extreme stress most people leading an ambitious and competitive lifestyle are exposed to, is like being chased by an aggressive dog. From the visualization exercise it must be clear that chronic emotional stress, in this case the flight mode, can have a massive health impact. Obviously you cannot keep running for days or weeks. Yet, the modern person lives under this kind of stress for months, even years.
AI Summary
Mastering Pranayama by Radhika Shah Grouven presents key insights from the Yoga tradition. The 10 passages above capture the essential teachings.
Core Themes:
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Key Passages: Highlights 1, 3, and 10 are particularly representative.
This entry was generated from Readwise highlights. Expand with additional context as appropriate.