The Almighty Breath
Swara yoga is an ancient science that correlates
the breath with the sun, moon and the five elements,
helping us to control moods, heal ailments and
be attuned to the cosmic rhythm
By: Prem Nirmal
Would you like to know how
to meditate better? How to be more effective when
addressing an important personage? How to change
a mood or feeling? How to be in rhythm with the
universe through the day? Well, believe it or
not, the answer lies in the breath. And swara
yoga is the science that helps you to understand
how to maximise your potential by manipulating
your breath. A holistic branch of knowledge found
in Shaiva Tantra, swara yoga is said to have originated
as a result of a question Shakti asks on the nature
of the governing forces of the universe. Lord
Shiva gave her a detailed and profound tuition
on swara yoga in response.
The word “swara”
in Sanskrit means sound or a musical note. It
also means the continuous flow of air through
one nostril. The word yoga means union. Thus swara
yoga is the science of breathing undertaken for
the realisation of cosmic consciousness. This
knowledge was kept secret since the Vedic period
and imparted only to a select few, mostly kings
and dedicated spiritual seekers through the guru
-shishya parampara.
A beginner may think of swara
yoga as “pranayam” as it is associated
with breath, but there is more to it. Swara yoga
is a systematic practice of the observation of
the breath flow through the nostrils in relation
to the time of day, the prevailing phases or the
position of the moon, sun, planets, seasons, and
the play of five basic elements (earth, water,
fire, air and space) with the physical, mental
and emotional conditions of the practising individual.
Swara Yoga helps by guiding you to take appropriate
action in accordance with these subtle relationships.
For example, knowing the phase of moon and checking
the dominant nostril before getting out of bed
in the morning and letting the corresponding foot
be the first to touch the floor, is a simple practice
that helps you align the subtle flow of energy
that ensures success in everything that happens
for that day.
The original script of Shiva
Swarodaya, the most popular scripture to study
swara yoga, consists of 395 sutras with amazingly
detailed descriptions of various practical aspects
which can be easily learnt and practiced by a
modern scientific man with confirmatory tests.
The practice of Shiva Swarodaya allows us to synchronise
our breath with the universal rhythm. This alignment
removes undue efforts, stress and strain from
our daily activities. Swara Yoga practice helps
us to change unwanted physical, mental or emotional
states at will, create favourable conditions for
one’s life by changing the internal environment
thus improving one’s attitude towards life
through increased awareness.
Here is how it works. The
right nostril dominance is associated with pingala
nadi or surya nadi (nadi is the channel through
which pranic energy flows in the body; we are
said to have 72,000 of these nadis but there are
three principal ones, of which pingala is one.
Another is ida and these two are said to flow
along the length of the spinal cord, on either
side of the main nadi or the shusumna). The pingala,
which is the masculine or solar principle, is
associated with the left hemisphere of the brain
that controls the right side of the body. The
left nostril dominance is associated with the
Ida nadi or chandra nadi, the feminine or lunar
principle, associated with the right hemisphere
of the brain and controlling the left side of
the body. Just by observing the direct effect
of solar and lunar currents of breath on human
behavior, swara yogis were able to ascertain the
activities best suited during the left nostril
dominance and activities best suited during the
right nostril dominance. The nose can be seen
as the main switch of cerebral hemispheres. It
can stimulate electromagnetic activity on one
side of the body and it can switch the hemispheric
activity on and off at will. The following table
gives activities associated with the nostrils.
Activities Associated
with the dominance of each specific nostril
|
Left nostril dominance
(right brain activities)
|
Right
nostril dominance
(left brain activities) |
| Beginning of regular intellectual studies |
Learning or teaching martial arts |
| Long-term activities |
Temporary activities |
| Stable business; requiring no movement |
Unstable business; requiring movement |
| Worshipping the guru |
Seeing the king, addressing officials |
| Playing musical instruments, singing, dancing |
Writing a manuscript, practice of tantra,
mantra, yantra |
| Planting, gardening |
Chopping wood, lighting fire |
| Construction of a hermitage, temple |
War, destruction of the country |
| Building wells, swimming pools, ponds |
Cutting jewels, gems, sculpting |
| Giving charity, lending money |
Accepting charity, borrowing |
Opening bank account
|
Gambling |
| Journey to far off places |
Journey to nearby places / return journey |
| Enjoy meditation |
Sexual or angry expression |
Performing auspicious acts
|
Worshipping evil spirits |
| Service |
Ordering or giving commands |
At any given time, we only
breathe through one nostril. You can check this
for yourself right now by closing one nostril
after another. The dominant nostril changes on
its own accord every one to two hours. You can
choose to do activities appropriate with the nostril
as per the above table. But on occasions you might
need to adapt the nostril to the activity, such
as while doing meditation (left nostril) or undertaking
a strenuous activity (right nostril). Here are
some tips on how to change the active nostril.
Sleeping on the left side
opens the right nostril, while sleeping on the
right side opens the flow through the left nostril.
Plugging the active nostril or the corresponding
ear with a cotton plug can close it and open the
other. Inhalation through the active nostril and
exhalation through the inactive nostril helps
to change the dominance. Cold water or hot water
bath helps to change the dominant nostril. The
swaras can also be opened by placing pressure
on the opposite armpits (this is why many portraits
of ancient sages always showed them meditating
with a stick under their armpits!). There are
other, purely mental methods.
Swara yoga also deals with
the third swara, the “shushumna” breath
where the left and the right are perfectly balanced.
It represents “Shiva” (pure consciousness)
in the state of “so-hum”. Whenever
the nostrils switch, both are open for seven to
eight breaths. That is the time when the shushumna
breath flows. No worldly activities are recommended
in Shiva swara. One must meditate. Intuitive knowledge
is received best during this state. A yogi tries
to remain in shushumna swara for maximum duration.
The practice of swara
yoga can produce miraculous results. Try these
simple measures:
