Prana Therapy — 6: The Techniques of Prana Therapy — 2

Pranamaya Swasochhavas (Exhaling Prana-Energized Breath)

Healing a sick person by breathing out Prana energy is a practice being followed by man since time immemorial. According to the historian Arnov, many people in the ancient civilization of Egypt believed it as the most effective discipline of medicine. The age-old practice of healing by 'Sweeping and Blowing' — colloquially known as Jhaad-Phoonk — is popularly used all over this country.

Respiration Too is a Rhythm of Nature

Cyclic activity is omnipresent in all natural phenomena. Rhythm means uniform, patterned, recurrence of an activity. Occurrence of high and low tides in the oceans, rotations of heavenly bodies, alternation of day and night, inhalation and exhalation during respiration, beating of heart and circulation of blood in body — each one amongst these is a manifestation of rhythm in nature.

Synchronicity of rhythmic activity produces a great force. Marching of soldiers on the rhythm of "Left-Right" creates a miraculous effect on their psyche. While crossing some bridges, soldiers are asked to discontinue the rhythmic marching and walk randomly — otherwise, marching in rhythm is likely to generate great force capable of damaging the structure.

Learning Pranayam

For learning the exercise of Pranayam, the beginner is required to examine the frequency (rhythm) of the beating of his/her heart, like a physician feeling the pulse of a patient. Hold the wrist of your right hand with the index, ring and middle fingers of your left hand. Focus your attention on the frequency of throbbing felt by the fingers.

Generally, each breath of man corresponds to six beats of pulse. The ratio of number of beats during the time taken in: (1) inhalation of breath (Poorak), (2) pause during retention of breath in the lungs (Kumbhak), (3) exhalation (Rechak) and (4) the period after exhalation when the lungs are empty (also Kumbhak) is kept fixed as 1:½:1:½.

Practice Steps

1. Early in the morning, choose a quiet place and facing eastwards, be seated comfortably on an electrically non-conductive mattress. Keep the spine erect.
2. Slowly inhale air counting six beats of pulse (Poorak).
3. Retain breath for three beats of pulse (Kumbhak).
4. Exhale air slowly in six beats of pulse (Rechak).
5. Do not breathe-in for three beats of pulse (Kumbhak).

When beginning to learn, this exercise may be repeated for a few minutes only, till one can do it comfortably. Only when the rhythm is clearly perceived should one increase the period beyond six beats of pulse. Gradually, the breathing can be slowed down to 15 pulse beats per breath. This perception of rhythm itself is the source of energy for treatment.

[In the next episode, we will discuss various applications of Swasochhavas.]