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Breathing
is classified into three types according to its rate.
- The
normal and natural steady breathing without any particular effort
- Deep
breathing that takes place after bringing breathing speed to
minimum possible extent with some extra efforts.
- Third
is fast breathing with extra efforts to increase breathing speed.
We
are going to study first two types.
Steady
Breathing
All the movements of the body as well as within the body are continuously
taking place due to the mild, slow burning taking place in body.
This burning is a result of breathing and blood circulation. Naturally
any action of the body or in the body directly affects both blood
circulation and breathing. This ensures the necessary oxygen supply
for movements with eventually increased breathing speed. If the
body movements are speedy, then breathing speed also increases
proportionately. Hence breathing is steady, when there is no body
movement and it is in natural condition. This is true when we
say breathing is steady. There is absolutely no control in this
type of breathing. On the contrary it helps to stop the external
movement of the body and eventually helps to keep it steady. It
is very essential to breath in this steady manner when we remain
in final posture for some time.
Deep
Breathing
After studying the process of breathing, our aim is to achieve
complete control over it. Hence as a first step towards the study,
it is better to study deep breathing. We do not have any control
over it in the process of steady breathing. But it is very essential
to achieve it in the process of deep breathing. Very keen efforts
have been taken to reduce the rate of breathing in this process
of deep breathing. Two important things are required to be taken
into consideration. First is to achieve control over these movements
which are necessary for puraka-rechaka actions and secondly to
reduce the speed of these actions. Due to this, breathing will
take place more and more slowly.
Similarly
our aim is also to reduce the requirement of oxygen by the body.
The construction of a body is such that, the speed of breathing
will not reduce unless and until we reduce the use or need of
oxygen for it. In such cases it may either be more difficult to
have control over such movements or may become really impossible.
One way to reduce the need of oxygen for body is to completely
stop any movement of body by allowing all the muscles to relax.
That means, while studying deep breathing, the state of body is
to be maintained as told above. For this purpose, take any state
that is related with Dhyana. Padmansa is the best option for it.
If not, Vajrasana or Swastikasana. Once you become steady in Asana,
this pleasing steadiness is to be retained till the end of study.
Otherwise, after some time your muscles may feel strenuous and
may start paining, which would disturb your concentration in the
study. Hence sit in such an Asana in which you could attain steadiness
and pleasure. Keep your hands in the state of Dyanmudra. Close
your eyes and straighten your neck and spine so that, it would
help you to concentrate at your mind. The rate of breathing is
steady, because we have not yet achieved control over it.
TOP
In
such breathing normally movement of chest does not take place
rapidly. This breathing takes place due to the movements of muscles
of stomach and respiratory organ. After sometime of breathing,
try to attain control over both of them by reducing their movements
considerably. Study of deep breathing takes place after performing
puraka and rechaka successfully. Try to do deep puraka to the
maximum stage as you can and similarly do the prolonged rechaka-in
the preliminary stage. You can perform such puraka and rechaka
number of times after your consistent study. You may feel tired
after particular interval of time and so it would be difficult
to do breathing in such a systematic manner. At such time, do
start with the natural steady breathing by removing the control
over it. Then again practice deep breathing after some time. Thus
after studying deep breathing in this manner for few days, try
to apply time bindings over puraka and rechaka i.e. try to do
puraka in the same time as that of rechaka. It is called a same-time,
same-speed deep breathing. Keep counting numbers in mind while
doing this study. Suppose if you do puraka upto no.4, then you
should complete rechaka up to no.4 only. Normally in initial stages,
rechaka completes just to the no. 2 or 3. Thus, it is very important
to have a control over speed of rechaka and keep it as low as
possible. You will find it easier after the study of few days.
To measure the time required for puraka and rechaka, you can make
use of a second hand in clock. You should be able to practice
this process for 10 to 15 minutes consistently. But this is not
an easy task. You may feel tired in first 2/3 minutes only. Then
you will have to do steady breathing. It is certainly achievable
after a continuous study.
Fast
Breathing
As you go on reducing the rate of steady breathing, the deep breathing
takes place. On the contrary if you increase this rate effectively,
fast breathing takes place.
Bhramari
Bhramari is one of the types of Pranayama. But we will not learn
Pranayama in this primary syllabus. As Pranayama is very easy
and useful, we will only study a part of it here. It is advisable
to study it in Vajrasana and Swastikasana.
We
have studied deep breathing earlier in this chapter. Same deep
breathing, we have to perform here. Only at the time of releasing
breath, your mouth has to be closed and then create a sweet humming
sound by nose like a black bee. That means you have to take in
ample air through your nostrils and create this sound thorough
your throat. Breathe out very slowly and at the same time make
this sound very steadily. Again breath in, create same sound and
release it again. Like this, you can perform 10-15 such repetitions.
Due to this sound, such vibrations are also felt in the body.
It helps to calm down your mind. Along with the peace of mind,
you can enjoy the benefits of deep breathing. Thus, it is advisable
to practice Bhramari at the end of your daily study.
Shitali
Shitali is a type of Pranayama. We are going to learn an easy
part in Pranayama. There is a special technique of breathing in
this type.
Try to suck in air by making your mouth like a flask and by turning
your tongue inwards. This is called as kaki mudra. Perform puraka
in kaki mudra and do rechaka in bhramari as told above. This type
may also be called as (shitali puraka + bhramari rechaka). Perform
such 21 repetitions in this manner.
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