The 'Conquering' Breathing Exercise

Why is this specific type of breathing called victorious? "It is so called because the technique allows us to become victorious in pranayama... extension of prana, [extension of life force] and that is exactly what Ujjayi [pronounced: "oh-jai", (jai rhymes with pie)] or victorious breath does." (from page 224)

Continuing with the book club we are now in the most fascinating part of Gregor's Book in which he is discussing the specific practices of pranayama. After spending several weeks on his chapters with the preparations, we are now onto the actual sitting for the practice itself.

Context: This is a series called Claudia's Book Club.  The first book we are looking at in great detail is Pranayama The Breath Of Yoga, by Gregor Maehle.

I find the book infinitely rewarding to read and to learn from about the fourth limb of yoga and a very timely message to carry as we move away with our obsession with asana and start paying attention to the breath which is as much a central element of yoga.
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Breathe as Darth Vader would, only slow and long...
That is Ujjayi breath, it makes that sound

If the Darth Vader analogy does not make sense to you then here is a more specific and anatomical definition provided on page 224:

"If one inhales through both nostrils, the technique used is Ujjayi, the victorious breath. In Ujjayi the epiglottis, the lid on the throat that prevents water or food from entering the bronchi when swallowing, is partially closed. This produces a gentle hissing or whispering sound. "

Krishnamacharya called it
"the hissing of a serpent"

The Yoga Secret Behind The Ujjayi Breath

Gregor says that there is a secret behind this breathing, a yogic secret of sorts, and that is that "the breath whispers consists of the sibilant sah on the inhalation and aham on the exhalation", therefore, whenever practicing to this sound we are pronouncing the mantra soo-ham which means "I am that".

By repeating "I am that" we come into contact with the discrimination of noticing what is real and what is not, we pray in each breath that we identify with that which is never born and never dies, with the energy of the eternal now, away from the constraints set up by our chatting mind and ego desires and aversions, we become present, we are.

How To Practice

1) The sequence Gregor proposes starts with slowing down the breath, adding the ujjayi technique and using the three part breathing that we looked at last week.  

You could start with 6 counts for the inhale, while breathing in three parts, and six counts for the exhale also breathing in three parts (see last week), all while pronouncing the secret mantra.

"The long term goal is to slow down the breath to one respiratory cycle per minute or less that is assuming a 1:1 ratio, one takes 30 seconds for the inhalation and 30 seconds for the exhalation. At this point concentration develops powerfully."  From page 228

That is the connection between pranayama and the limb that comes after it, withdrawing senses and falling into a state of concentration.  I can see how slowing the breath and controlling it in this manner, focusing on the sacredness of the sound, and over a long period of steady practice, can bring about a centered state of concentration.

However, proceeding with caution is always stressed:

"Generally speaking you want to increase your practice only once you are absolutely sure that you are ready for it. For most people it is more difficult to arrive at the 20:40 count than to practice a 30:30 count, though the total length for both is the same." Page 232

And in order to move onto the next practice that will be explored on the next chapter he advocates being at least at the 20:40 (inhale/exhale) ratio.  

One Important Point

He says: "Yogis never thought that rigidly fixing ratios would bring success ... What is important is what works for you."

We are slowly extending the breath, soon we will be adding retention and practices that cleanse all nervous systems, both gross and subtle, here more than ever it becomes key to work with our own system, with what we have, and how it gets along with the changes.

I have had practices that left me twitching, my face would not stop moving, I knew immediately then that I had overdone it.  Working with our own body becomes more and more of a subtle practice  we re reaching the more subtle levels of being embodied and using our bodies for divine purposes.

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CLAUDIA'S BOOK CLUB: 

"PRANAYAMA THE BREATH OF YOGA"

Chapter One: How Many Breaths Do You Do Per Minute?
Chapter Two: Part I: Who Is An Expert In Yoga?
Chapter Two: Part II: How To Get Your Body To Be 16 Years Old Again

Chapter Three: Meditation is Useless Unless Both Nostrils Are Active

Chapter Four: Is Your Retention Really Pranayama, or Just Holding The Breath? 5 Checks

Chapter Five: How Do I Know If I Am Ready For Pranayama?

Chapter Six: Food, Drugs And Yoga: Stacking The Odds In Your Favor

Chapter Seven: Padmasana (Lotus Pose) A Laboratory for Spiritual Emancipation

Chapter Eight: Pulling Your Brain Updwards. On Bandhas and Pranayama

Chapter Nine: Why Gross Purification Is Critical To Yoga

Chapter Ten: The Breathing Exercise That Gets Rid Of Our Fears

Chapter Eleven: The Conquering Breath Exercise

Here is a link to the book in Amazon. Join me in reading!