Every passion, every emotion has its effect upon the mind; and every change of mind, however slight, has its effect upon a man's body. Physicians in all ages have recognized that consumption is often the outcome of constant worry.
What keeps mind and body connected? What keeps the mind always active? What gives the mind its vigor to create imaginations, to create thoughts, and not only to create them but to retain them by the faculty we call memory, to keep the knowledge gained by the faculty we call reason, to possess emotions which can sometimes be felt and sometimes not felt? Where does the mind keep all these things? What force can it be that is behind them all? Is it not the breath? That is why the mystic studies and realizes and masters the breath, in order to master not only the physical body but also the mind.
From the mystical point of view, it is evident, that there is some strength, some current, some affinity, which runs through and binds together all the trees and plants in a forest, and which also causes the desert to be without them; which causes the coal-mine to have coal, the gold-mine to have gold, the sulfur-mine to have sulfur in them. This strength, or force, draws all these elements together.
So it is too with the tides of the sea. It accounts for the waters running in the same direction, where at first they tended towards the south, the east, the west, or the north; it accounts for the surface of the waves keeping a rhythm. Wherever we look, be it the changes of the seasons, the changes of the weather, or even the constant circles which the earth describes on its journey, all these show the same underlying current, the current of the whole of nature, which is the real breath. The whole universe is going on with a certain rhythm; there is a current which keeps the whole universe going. It is one breath, and yet it is many breaths.
https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VII/VII_13.htmThis dear friend is a wonderful description of breath!
Bringing this topic back to the surface coincides with some recent discoveries of my own. It is a fascinating encounter we at times have! As though an underlining synergy brings discovery through mirroring each other’s similarities and differences.
It all happened a few weeks ago when I was jogging. As I slowed down to a walk, I found my self practicing one of the techniques Paramahansa Yogananda taught in the SRF lessons. Many of those lessons come back to me at later times when I am more receptive to their meaning. If and when I find them in the lessons I will include them here.
He has various techniques of counting the inhalation’s/exhalations and pauses between breaths. At an earlier stage in my life I felt I just needed to keep going. Keep a steady pace and keep the rhythm going in jogging. At a certain point it is almost like riding a bicycle you don’t get tired you are lost in the motion. So I gave little thought to regulating and observing the breath at that time. Accept in meditation practice.
Now because of age and perhaps 🤔 some wisdom I have noticed things I did not at a younger age. So as I was breathing quite fast because of a lengthy jog I slowed down to a walking pace and was very cognizant of my breath also slowing down. Into longer and longer spaces between inhalation/hold/exhalation spaces.
I used to have difficulty being interested in anything but Kriya Yoga. Now I find myself watching my breath in the baby Kriya... Hong sau technique and other mantras. It is amazing watching breath in different states of the bodies emotional stages of exertion and rest— passion, exercise, rest, relaxation and meditation.
Sometimes I don’t feel like doing anything. It used to bother me. However lately I have had a different perspective. I think it comes with the awareness that every moment of our life is precious and there will soon come a time when breath is sucked out of these bodies. What then? Won’t we miss these times and experiences here?
Strangely enough it is some of the most lonely and difficult times I pensively think back on in life. I find that now they were some of the most happy moments of my life. Times I yearn to relive yet they are gone. What if this life when we will no longer experience breath?
And so as an example I had plans but they were disrupted because of circumstances and people. Nevertheless I wanted to get in the rhythm of divine plan and the moments awareness of the wonder around me. I was laying on the couch thinking. You know all that ‘thinking’ can cause troubles and worries. So I remembered something that a saint named Daya Mata once said to us. That is you can even watch the breath and meditate lying down. I really appreciate that bit of wisdom now. So I began watching my breath and became so interested that I included... ‘Hong’ to every inhalation and ‘Sau’ to every exhalation. That is ‘ Hong Sau’. Meaning; I am He. If interested; look to the Self Realization Fellowship Lessons for many techniques on the breath and meditation experiences. You may also look at other sources as for instance; You Tube. I’m particularly partial to the SRF lessons because they gave me my initial break throughs in meditation practice. Reading and remembering those lessons and the experiences I have had from them and the blessings surrounding the Grace of Paramahansa Yogananda and the SRF gurus will never leave me and has made miracles come true in my life.
As I was practicing the technique lying down I was absorbed in it and my roommate turned on some meditation music so I sat up and started practicing. Sometimes the littlest efforts pay off. The breath is such an important element of our life in this material world. It holds a phenomenal key 🔑 to opening us up to a different realm and exploring the souls secrets. Thanks again for sharing your interest here Eric ... may you be blessed and others as well by discoveries we make together here at the Portal.
~ Jitendra
