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Ida
and Pingala
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There
are the two nerve-currents one on either side of the spinal column. The left
one is called Ida and the right is known as Pingala. These are Nadis.
Tentatively, some take these as the right and the left sympathetic cords, but
they are subtle tubes that carry Prana. The Moon moves in the Ida and the Sun
in the Pingala. Ida is cooling. Pingala is heating. Ida flows through the left
nostril and the Pingala through the right nostril. The breath flows through the
right nostril for one hour and then through the left nostril for one
hour. Man is busily engaged in worldly activities, when the breath flows
through Ida and Pingala. |
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When
Sushumna operates, he becomes dead to the world, and enters into Samadhi. A
Yogi tries his level best to make the Prana run in the Sushumna Nadi, which is
known as the central Brahman Nadi also. On the left of Sushumna is situated Ida
and on the right is Pingala. The moon is of the nature of Tamas and the sun is
that of the Rajas. The poison share is of the sun and the nectar is of the
moon. Ida and Pingala indicate time. Sushumna is the consumer of time.
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Sushumna
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Sushumna
is the most important of all the Nadis. It is the sustainer of the universe and
the path of the universe and the path of salvation. Situated at the back of the
anus, it is attached to the spinal column and extends to the Brahmarandhra of
the head and is invisible and subtle. The real work of a Yogi begins when
Sushumna begins to function. Sushumna runs along the centre of the spinal cord
or spinal column. Above the genital organs and below the navel is the Kanda, of
the shape of a bird’s egg. There arise from it all the Nadis 72,000 in number.
Of these, seventy-two are common and generally known. Of those the chief ones
are ten and they carry the Pranas. Ida, Pingala, Sushumna, Gandhari,
Hastijihva, Pusa, Yusasvini, Alambusa, Kuhuh and Sankhini are said to be the
ten important Nadis. The Yogis should have a knowledge of the Nadis and the
Chakras. Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are said to carry Prana and have Moon, Sun
and Agni as their Devatas. When Prana moves in Sushumna, sit for meditation.
You will have deep Dhyana. If the coiled-up energy, Kundalini, passes up along
the Sushumna Nadi and is taken up from Chakra to Chakra the Yogi gets different
sorts of experiences, powers and Ananda.
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Kundalini
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Kundalini
is the serpent power or sleeping Sakti, that has 3 1/2 coils with face
downwards, in the Muladhara Chakra, at the base of the spine. No Samadhi is
possible without its being awakened. The practice of Kumbhaka in Pranayama
produces heat and thereby Kundalini is awakened and passes upwards along the
Sushumna Nadi. The Yogic practitioner experiences various visions. Then the
Kundalini passes along the Six Chakras and eventually gets united with Lord
Siva, seated on the Sahasrara or thousand-petalled lotus, at the crown of the
head. Nirvikalpa Samadhi ensues now and the Yogi gets liberation and all the
divine Aishvaryas. One should practise control of breath with concentration of
mind. The awakened Kundalini that is taken up to Manipura Chakra may drop down
again to Muladhara. It has to be raised again with effort. One should become
perfectly desireless and should be full of Vairagya before he attempts to
awaken Kundalini.
Kundalini is like a thread and
is resplendent. When it is awakened it hisses like a serpent beaten with a
stick and enters the hole of Sushumna. When it travels from Chakra to Chakra,
layer after layer of the mind becomes open and the Yogi acquires various
Siddhis (psychic powers).
For further particulars, see my
book, Kundalini Yoga
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Shat-Chakras
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Chakras
are centers of spiritual energy. They are located in the astral body, but they
have corresponding centers in the physical body also. They can hardly be seen
by the naked eyes. Only a clairvoyant can see with his astral eyes. Tentatively
they correspond to certain plexuses in the physical body. There are six
important Chakras. They are: Muladhara (containing 4 petals) at the anus;
Svadhishthana (6 petals) at the genital organ; Manipura (10 petals) at navel;
Anahata (12 petals) at the heart; Visudha (16 petals) at the throat and Ajna (2
petals) at the space between the two eyebrows. The seventh Chakra is known as
Sahasrara, which contains a thousand petals. It is located at the top of the
head. Sacral plexus tentatively corresponds to Muladhara Chakra; Prostatic
plexus to Svadhishthana, Solar plexus to Manipura, Cardiac plexus to Anahata
Chakra, Laryngal plexus to Visuddha Chakra and Cavernous plexus to Ajna Chakra.
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Nadis
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Nadis
are astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry Pranic currents. They can
be seen by the astral eyes only. They are not the nerves. They are 72,000 in
number. Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are the important ones. Sushumna is the most
important of all. |
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It
is through vocal cords that are located in the larynx that sound is produced.
Larynx is the sounding box. When the vocal cords are affected by too much
straining, as in singing and continuous lecturing, the voice becomes hoarse. In
females these cords are shorter. Hence they have a sweet melodious voice. The
number of respiration per minute is 16. In pneumonia it is increased to 60, 70,
80 per minute. In Asthma, the bronchial tubes become spasmodic. They contract.
Hence there is difficulty in breathing. Pranayama removes the spasm or
constriction of these tubes. A small membranous flat cap covers the upper
surface of larynx. It is called Epiglottis. It prevents the food particles or
water from entering into the respiratory passage. It acts the part of a safety
valve.
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Purification
of Nadis
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Pranayama
is said to be the union of Prana and Apana. It is of three kinds
expiration, inspiration and retention. They are associated with the letters of
the Sanskrit alphabet for the right performance of Pranayama. Pranava (!) only
is said to be Pranayama. Sitting in Padmasana (Lotus-posture) the person should
meditate that there is, at the tip of his nose, Devi Gayatri, a girl of red
complexion, surrounded by numberless rays of the image of the moon and mounted
on Hamsa (Swan) having a mace in her hand. She is the visible symbol of the
letter A (A). The letter U (u) has as its visible symbol Savitri, a young lady
of white colour having a disc in her hand, riding on an eagle (Garuda). The
letter M (m:Î) has as its visible symbol Sarasvati, an aged woman of black
colour, riding on a bull, having a trident in her hand. He should meditate that
the single letter, the supreme light—the Pranava OM (!) is the origin or source
of these letters—A, U and M. Drawing up the air through Ida (left nostril) for
the space of 16 Matras, he should meditate on the letter A (A) during that
time, retaining the inspired air for the space of 64 Matras he should meditate
on the letter U (u) during that time; he should then exhale the inspired air
for the space of 32 Matras, meditating on the letter M (m:Î) during that time.
He should practise thus in the above order again and again.
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Having
become firm in the posture and having preserved perfect self-control, the Yogi
should, in order to clear away the impurities of the Sushumna, sit in
Padmasana, and having inhaled the air through the left nostril, should retain
it as long as he can and should exhale through the right. Then drawing it again
through the right and having retained it, he should exhale it through the left,
in the order, that he should draw it through the same nostril, by which he
exhaled it before and had retained it. To those who practise it according to
these rules, through the right and left nostrils, the Nadis become purified
within three months. He should practise cessation of breath at sunrise, at
midday, at sunset and at mid-night, slowly, 80 times a day, for 4 weeks. In the
early stage, perspiration is produced; in the middle stage the tremor of the
body; and in the last stage, levitation in the air. These results ensue out of
the repression of the breath, while sitting in the Padma posture. When
perspiration arises with effort, one should rub his body well. By this, the
body becomes firm and light. In the early course of practice, food with milk
and ghee is excellent. One, sticking to this rule, becomes firm in his practice
and gets no Taapa (burning sensation) in the body. As lions, elephants and
tigers are gradually tamed, so also the breath, when rigidly managed, comes
under control.
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By
the practice of Pranayama, the purification of the Nadis, the brightening of
the gastric fire, hearing distinctly of spiritual sounds and good health
result. When the nervous centers have become purified through the regular
practice of Pranayama, the air easily forces its way up through the mouth of
the Sushumna, which is in the middle. By the contraction of the muscles of the
neck and by the contraction of the one below, viz., Apana, the Prana goes into
the Sushumna, which is in the middle, from the west Nadi. Sushumna Nadi is
between Ida and Pingala. The Prana which alternates ordinarily between Ida and
Pingala, is restrained by long Kumbhaka; then along with the soul, its
attendant, it will enter the Sushumna, the central Nadi, at one of three places
where it yields space for entrance through such restraint of breath, and in the
navel, by the Sarasvati Nadi, on the west. After such entry it is that the Yogi
becomes dead to the world, being in that state called Samadhi. Drawing up the
Apana and forcing down the Prana from the throat, the Yogi free from old age,
becomes a youth of sixteen. Through the practice of Pranayama chronic diseases,
that defy Allopathic, Homeopathic, Ayurvedic and Unani doctors will be rooted
out.
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When
the Nadis have become purified, certain external signs appear on the body of
the Yogi. They are lightness of the body, brilliancy in complexion, increase of
the gastric fire, leanness of the body, and along with these, the absence of
restlessness in the body. They are all signs of purification.
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