Secret of Breath

Action (कर्म) and experience (अनुभव) are very deeply connected with breath. Without understanding the element of breath one cannot understand the mystery of action and knowledge. There is great difference  in the breath pattern of a ordinary person, spiritual practitioner and a yogi. One inhales breath from the realm of kaal (काल) or time outside out body. What attracts breath inside the body, is the gaze (दृष्टि) of the person of bindu (बिन्दु) or central point of the eye. This bindu has a very strong attracting power. Due to it only the breath affected by time enters our body. None knows the great secret of this breath. The breath attracted through the eye, descends into larynx behind our tongue into a bundle of nerves. The air which we are talking of being attracted into our body is basically atom of Kaal  (काल) or time. Therefore, afore mentioned nerve bundle is called nerve bundle of time. With the help the nerve bundle this air descends down towards navel and thus keeps on rotating there. From navel one of its flow goes upwards from front of the body below the rib cage to a dimensionless place called Niraya-sthan (निरय स्थान). On the other hand, from a place below the navel knonw a Apaang(अपाङ्ग्), a heat wave continuously keeps on rising. This also on its own rises upwards into that dimensionless Niraya sthan mentioned earlier. Then both, the air and the heat (ताप) which came together in the niraya sthan, pierces that point and enters into the respiratory system (श्वसन यन्त्र). 

Respiratory system comprises of subtle holes. The above mentioned air piercing these holes, travels upwards towards throat and palate (roof of mouth). Exahalation (प्रश्वास) can leave our body either through nose or mouth. Exhalation of breath through nose is very auspicious, because it draws us near death. When we exhale through mouth, it is inauspicious, as time pulls the breath away. Whatever should have been taken by Kaal or time, more of it is actually consumed by it. Because of this, time finishes before destined moment and journey of life stops, in other words, life span of the persons gets reduced. 

The natural place of exhalation is nasal passage. When it goes out of the nasal passage then it goes into the realm of power of karma or action. Now time cannot consume it. In this case, the practitioner, is benefited by movement or rising on the path of karma and if needed, he can even pull the breath  through the curtain of karma and hence it will come under his control. But if one exhales through both nose and mouth then his karm does not bear fruit. Because due to connection with Kaal now, he loses all power. An ordinary persons process of inhalation and exhalation is like this only, where entry gate is eyes, while base of palate, nasal and mouth are its intermediate (अवांतर) exits of exhalation.

Now in case of a spiritual practitioner, some speciality is seen in his breath. It is true that in sadhak's case, a flow of air from navel centre and another flow of heat from Apaang (अपाङ्ग) proceed upwards and meet in the Niraya place (निरय स्थान). But after this, his air cannot rise upward into respiratory system. Instead, the heat flow rises up and enters into the respiratory system. Due to this practice, after some time, the whole respiratory system gets extremely dried up. When this dryness (शुष्क्ता) reaches its maximum limit, at that moment a light of Jyoti (jyoti) emerges. This jyoti is immense and one cannot find any end to it. 

Sadhak perceives this jyoti as darshan of Atma but it is not. It is just a preliminary stage experience of it. Before this state of effulgence (प्रकाश) one realizes Kumbhak/ कुम्भक (breath cessation) state. Whatever is meant by kumbhak in Yogic scriptures is this but it is not natural kumbhak. Because air or breath is not arrested in this state but only heat. Breath seems to be won over. While from Khechari/ खेचरी bhaand/भाण्ड (utensil), nectar keeps dripping all the time. The subtle web of nerves above the khechari area, this is the place of nectar production. The nectar which descends from is felt by sadhak as realization of atma. This nectar is pure. Hence during this darshan, a sadhak is not able to guard it fully because his basic power is less. Though to a sadhak this darshan is thought to be realization but actually it is nothing but life-force (प्राणशक्ति) darshan (दर्शन), because nectar (अमृत) and life force are both one and same thing. 

After this sadhak makes his gaze (दृष्टि) upward and sets it in the middle of the eye brow centre. At that shakti or breath starts leaving slowly. The door of its exit is the outer angle of eyes and sadhak or practitioner this that now he has attained connection with Sahasrar but it is not so. This not joining with Sahasrar but only temporary darshan of it. Actually it is joing of jyoti/ज्योति (flame) with jyoti/ ज्योति (flame). When the inner jyoti joins with the outer jyoti, it is understood that last breath is leaving now. This is the adept state (सिद्ध अवस्था) of a Sadhak or practitioner. Then his connection with gross body is severed and gets connected with that which is in the vast light form in Chidakash (चिदकाश). This is not actual Sahasrar (सहस्रार) state because till Kundalini (कुण्डलिनी) has not arisen, this state is not possible at all. Only yogi's can attain this state. This is due the fact that Yogis are born with raised kundlini and enter the realm of sadhana equipped with a body provided by Guru at the time of initiation. Before leaving the body all his work are accomplished by this body only. At the time of death, Guru provided body (काया) does not hold hence one cannot attain Sahasrar state. But for getting jyoti there is no need of attaining raised kundalini as pre-requisit. The kumbhak of sadhak as explained is not natural kumbhak. Breath method of Yog path (योगपथ) is different which we will discuss later. Om! ........shaktanand.blogspot.com        

Path of Akhand Mahayog and Science of Death; written by Pt.Gopinath Kaviraj ji, hindi translation by Pt.Hans Kumar Tiwari.