Close your eyes and watch your breath at the tip of the nostrils. Count the number of times you breathe in a minute (one inhalation and exhalation makes one count). What was your breath count? Our breath is a direct indicator of our state of health, and of how well and long we will go on in this body. Consider this: a dog breathes very fast. A turtle, on the other hand, breathes once or twice in a minute. A dog lives for 14-15 years while a turtle goes on 100-150 years... More is not always good. Breath should be optimum. In the act of breathing, a lot of energy is produced by the cells. Vedas say and modern science agrees that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The opposite of energy in this case being generation of toxins in the body.
These toxins are termed as ‘ama’ in Sanskrit. They gradually corrode the cells leading to their wear and tear. Greying hair, wrinkles, shrivelled up skin, fatigue, loss of strength and vigour, dullness of complexion, weak bones and muscles, dulling of senses - these are all products of action of ‘ama’ on the cells of the body. You might be surprised to know that the secret to FIFA World Cup victory of Germans in 2014 also has its root in the practice of optimal breathing as prescribed in Sanatan Kriya, to minimise the wear and tear of the body and enhance efficiency. The German team has a special monitor on their cleats that monitor their heart rate during practice and as the heart rate goes above a maximum limit, the player is put off the practice and is given a lighter schedule, hence optimising the efficiency. Thus with the simple act of right breathing one can achieve an alert mind and gradually the body reaches peak efficiency and is fit enough to even win the football world cup! Beauty, glow and well-toned body are added benefits. On the opposite end, a faulty breathing pattern can lead to withering away of the body and mind at a very fast rate.
Sit in vajrasan. Close your eyes and watch the breath. As you inhale, let the stomach expand and let it contract as you exhale. The shoulders and chest are relaxed, awareness of breath and abdominal movement is maintained. With every inhalation-exhalation cycle, try to make your breath longer and deeper. As you get comfortable with this breathing pattern, introduce a slight hissing sound from the pit of the throat (not from nose) while you exhale. This is Ujjai. Such a breathing pattern heats up the body eliminating impurities and simultaneously cools it to ensure the temperature remains optimum. The practice has an instant effect of purifying the body and inducing a balance. You can try it out. Whenever you are stressed or angry or nervous, close your eyes and breathe in Ujjai. It is the natural way of breathing, the way a baby breathes. Ideally, it should be practiced all day through, that is, it should be our natural breathing pattern. If it is not, one can start with ten minutes a day. When practiced in totality with other parts of the Sanatan Kriya, the results are phenomenal. As the body gets into a state of balance, whatever is heavy for the body leaves it automatically – be it disease, anger or any habit or lifestyle pattern that may be detrimental for the body.
The writer is an authority of Yoga, Tantra, Vedic Martial Arts, Spiritual Healing and other Vedic Sciences
