Props to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Acharyas, and anyone else worthy of respect.
Thank you.
Now that is appreciation 
I always begin my meditation first with an invocation to the Risis/gurus/masters for the research they did, because if they had not, I would not know anything about spirituality, yoga and meditation today. It is thanks to them I have practices that can help develop me.
All my salutations to them. May I be fortunate enough to be graced by the masters.
[QUOTE=core789;34917]Hi YogiAdam
You are told yoga is good for you and will offer benefits like make you feel good.You’re doing it on good faith that it works.
If you give your life to Jesus, you will be saved. That seems a good enough reason.
You are willing to at least sample that pudding to confirm for yourself if it tastes good or not.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, the idea that you might as well accept Jesus cause you’ve got nothing to loose is know as ‘Pascal’s wager’. I don’t really go for that, cause Muslims would tell you you’ve got the wrong god, and I think it also cheapens the spiritual path, to say ‘I better believe it to be on the safe side’.
Having said that, I am open minded enough to sample the pudding, which is why I am asking questions about things like Pranayama. I’m skeptical, but open minded.
[QUOTE=YogiAdam;34944]Yeah, the idea that you might as well accept Jesus cause you’ve got nothing to loose is know as ‘Pascal’s wager’. I don’t really go for that, cause Muslims would tell you you’ve got the wrong god, and I think it also cheapens the spiritual path, to say ‘I better believe it to be on the safe side’.
Having said that, I am open minded enough to sample the pudding, which is why I am asking questions about things like Pranayama. I’m skeptical, but open minded.[/QUOTE]
all right mr skeptical but open minded.
Read post 19 in this thread and go do it already.
I gave it a go. Admittedly I’m a little disappointed that it was not very accurate. I kind of wanted it to work. The most inaccurate bit is definitely the bit that says I expect only the best… That’s the mirror opposite of me. Oh well, I gave it a go.
[QUOTE=YogiAdam;34948]I gave it a go. Admittedly I’m a little disappointed that it was not very accurate. I kind of wanted it to work. The most inaccurate bit is definitely the bit that says I expect only the best… That’s the mirror opposite of me. Oh well, I gave it a go.[/QUOTE]
Were you totally correct in the information it asked for?
You do have free will and opinions do change, life happens you know.
I do know you saw some accuracies. Certain patterns or repetitions are the keys. Your skeptical side was looking hard for anything false.
This is a generic chart.
Edit: Sorry there was a misunderstanding
Let go over some of the Kumbhakas.
If theres any information I mis present please feel free to offer suggestions of correction.
Kapala Bhati (Danielou Calls it “The Bellows Breath”, I’ve also heard the technique called the “Shining Skull.”
His description “Very rapidly breathe in and out LIGHTLY like the bellows of a Blacksmith. This is know as kapala bhati and is said to cure lymph deficiencies.” -HYP
When one has a cold, or any mucus in the lungs and the cleansing of the nose with a cloth is inadvisable, then the practice of the Breathing Bellows is strongly recommeneded. It purifies the lungs, stimulates the functions of the head and stomach, and clears the central artery of the subtle body. When one is in bad health, during rains, or while traveling, it should not be practiced. When done too fast, it may injure the respiratory tracts, and if done with excessive pressure, it may affect the lungs, which will lose their strength. This may also weaken the circulation of the vital energy.
So I guess the key here is not to be a block headed clod and push it to hard or to fast.
Perhaps this is a beginner technique, a foundational practice to ready one for Bhastrika?
I think this is a technique incorporated into Bikram’s sequence.
I wonder what it would do if you applied the throat contraction and then did it? Would the vayu get to moving around in the head? and thusly shine the skull?
Perhaps it could be used in this fashion to throw off inpurities in the noggin and face.
one approach…
I checked out the astrology site and got really conflicting information. Some of it sounds right and some of it sounds wrong.
Apparently Jyotisha, Vedic Astrology, is the most accurate kind of astrology out there. I have never really believed in astrology, even Vedic astrologers, but when I went to India recently I had a chart done. I was quite shocked at how much the astrologer knew about my life and I told him barely nothing.
The reason it is accurate is because it takes into account the precession i.e., the wobble of earth’s axis which means that there is a 23 degree difference between the signs of the zodiac. So traditional Western astrology is about 23 days behind what your actual sun star sign is, meaning you are not the star sign you think you are, you are the preceeding one.
One of the biggest skeptics in America did a test on Vedic astrology in order to debunk it and even the skeptic was surprised in the end at how accurate Vedic astrology was.
I found a book called Light on Pranayama by BKS Iyengar… anyone know if this book is good?
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;34882]I would like some advice myself seeing as you mentioned breath ratios suryadaya. I have seen conflicting advise on what the ratios should be, so please advise.
Should the out-breath be equal or longer than the in breath in anulom vilom(alternative nostril breathing/nadi shodana) I have seen one Upanishad mention the out breath should be much longer and some texts say they should be equal.
Should the breath retention be as long as possible in between breaths or should they be of a fixed period. Again I have seen conflicting advise, one mentioning it should be as long as possible and another saying it should be 1 second pause.[/QUOTE]
I don’t have much information to give you in regards to breath ratios. I know that in many older traditions the segments of pranayama (Inhale, Hold, Exhale, Hold) were samantraka, or by repeating mantra a number of times during each part, up to the person’s ability and then increasing the repetitions over time. As samantraka is not a mainstream practice now, I would find out what the student was capable of doing, and design a practice that could help them establish equaniminity or extension of their breath length, from where they are.
Since anuloma viloma has a great function of creating balance in all the realms, I would instruct my students to have equal breathing in this practice, for as long of a breath as they were comfortable doing. If they need a practice which will help them specifically with enhancing exhalation or inhalation, there are other ones that I can give. This is a confusing practice, no? Some people find it difficult to concentrate. Giving them one number to breath to and telling them to increase it over time is just easier.
I can’t argue one text over another because some school, somewhere, has a fantastic reason to teach their students both of those references. However, I think a one second retention of breath is really more like a pause. Most of us who are reasonably healthy will pause a bit before we begin our next inhale or exhale. That being said, I only teach a few beginning students right now and I won’t introduce kumbhaka into any of their practices until they get better at being conscious of their breath. I introduce holds into my own practice, but I design all the ratios ahead of practice to adjust to how I am feeling and what I am preparing for, so the only thing I can say for certain is that the implementation is normally to a minimal length of time - say three or four second worth of hold at a time, and almost always I introduce it after exhalation because my practice usually occurs before bedtime and I’m drugging myself to sleep. 
I would like to increase all of my capacities over time, but right now my focus is on keeping a stable breath wherever I go.
Despite my apparent lack of organization in my own practice, I have increased the length of both aspects and the time I pause in between breaths to a great deal over the last few years. This is greatly helpful in remaining calm and hiking to high altitude, because I require less air to function, and all I have to do to adapt to the need for oxygen is to breath a little faster. This didn’t help me on my last trek up a mountain though, because apparently you need ‘MUSCLES’ to go steep hills too, which I forgot to bring. 
I guess I had more to say than I thought.
Hello YA,
Yes it teaches ratios and retentions, and takes an incremental approach starting your off with the absolute basics and working your way along,i.e then adding them in at each stage of mastery.
Also digital pranayama,using the fingers with or without patial obstruction of the nose, or individual nostrils.He offers an explanation for this relatiing to equal flow…And both chandra and surya bedhana.It is pure pranyama.You might call it swara yoga.There is emphasis on what the nostrils are doing.Detailed.
An obvious master-piece.
There are even pranayam courses offered;in fact the book appeared to be structured along those lines.If you’re without a guru or experienced teacher it’s a good’un.Also bear in mind that pranayama is best learnt and mastered over years. It’s something you mature into,i.e develop and work at over time…But there are like say 12 week courses in there, i think.Just like his other book ,and good photoes of himself & illustrations…like placement on his mat, or doing things with his nose ,mouth etc.
That’s obviously partly his own system btw that he’s developed.It kinda looks that way.Although obviously he’s learnt from greats before him.We’re all standing on the shoulders of giants,of course,that came before.
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;34957]I checked out the astrology site and got really conflicting information. Some of it sounds right and some of it sounds wrong.
Apparently Jyotisha, Vedic Astrology, is the most accurate kind of astrology out there. I have never really believed in astrology, even Vedic astrologers, but when I went to India recently I had a chart done. I was quite shocked at how much the astrologer knew about my life and I told him barely nothing.
The reason it is accurate is because it takes into account the precession i.e., the wobble of earth’s axis which means that there is a 23 degree difference between the signs of the zodiac. So traditional Western astrology is about 23 days behind what your actual sun star sign is, meaning you are not the star sign you think you are, you are the preceeding one.
One of the biggest skeptics in America did a test on Vedic astrology in order to debunk it and even the skeptic was surprised in the end at how accurate Vedic astrology was.[/QUOTE]
I didn’t say it was perfect. A competent well studied astrologer would do a better job I’m sure. But they gotta be good.
And there is no way in hell I’m a vigro. no offense to the virgos out there. 
Sun in Libra. Moon in Leo. There is no doubt.
Sometimes I can guess the persons sun sign by their facial structure. LOL
Not always. But sometimes.
It’s fairly easy for Saggitarius, Leo. Cancer. Sometimes I can get a scorpio too.
[QUOTE=The Scales;34977]I didn’t say it was perfect. A competent well studied astrologer would do a better job I’m sure. But they gotta be good.
And there is no way in hell I’m a vigro. no offense to the virgos out there.
Sun in Libra. Moon in Leo. There is no doubt.
Sometimes I can guess the persons sun sign by their facial structure. LOL
Not always. But sometimes.
It’s fairly easy for Saggitarius, Leo. Cancer. Sometimes I can get a scorpio too.[/QUOTE]
Can I send some photos of family members to see if your claims score better than chance. I would really find this experiment interesting.
[QUOTE=YogiAdam;34981]Can I send some photos of family members to see if your claims score better than chance. I would really find this experiment interesting.[/QUOTE]
It works best to be around them feeling their personality and looking at them from all angles. Sometimes I can get it from a picture but its really tough.
Profile is important too. Especially with the Cancers, Scorpios, and to a lesser extent Sags.
Theres different versions of Sags. The Fawnish/pan type i.e. Brittany Spears. Which her last name is funny because of the Archer thing. Then the harder type ala Kirk Douglas. Who may remind one more, at least from the profile of a Centaur Type. Common to mythology.
These are not hard/fast laws or rules but they show up in patterns more often to be considered merely coincidence.
Sometimes I can get Taurus as well . . . they CAN remind one of a Bull.
Leos Feline.
Sags fawn and centaur.
Scorps - Usually have some wicked eyes and sometimes have a nose that curves smoothly in profile like perhaps an eagle…
Cancers - aquatic features associated with turtles and fish. Usually in the nose and profile.
Capricorns are tough.
Pisces are tough but they have types. Elizabeth Taylor is a Pisces. A friend of mine is a Pisces and they while not looking exactly alike they could be said to Remind you of one another.
Aries is tough. But I find the shape of the face can indicate.
Gemini: can be tough but I’ve seen some patterns.
Aquarious: Impossible at least for me. Very hard.
Virgos: Are tough but there are patterns.
Libras are tough but I’ve seen one pattern in males and a different one in females.
People born on the Cusp are pretty near impossible to guess correctly - at least for me.
The Animals are easiest because they can remind one, like an echo…of the animal.
Like I said Its tough business but if you know what your looking for sometimes you can nail it. You have to see a lot of faces and know thier sun sign to start making comparisions. There’s information about this you can poke into…
You can see astrologly work in your own family. There will be USUALY be harmonious combos within the Family.
For Example:
My Pappy: Libra (air)
My Grandma: Aries (fire)
They are direct opposites on the Zodiac wheel + Fire and Air mix well.
Their Children:
My Mom: Leo (fire)
My Aunt: Leo (fire)
My Uncle: Picsces (water) The connection here is sequential in terms of the ZOdiac. Pisces is last. Then Aries. and so on. So there is a connection between those two signs. (my grandma:Aries and my Uncle: Pisces. A certain understanding if you will.
My Mom: Leo (fire)
My Dad: Sag (fire)
Me: Libra (air)
LOL
Its Hilarious but also awesome how it all works. My theory on the matter is that it has to do with the importance of harmony within the family unit.
So unfortunatly SD your Wrong on this theory about everyones zodiac being one behind. This is not the case.
Go ahead Adam. Compare. If you don’t know the signs just post the birthdays of your family members.
More Examples:
My Friend: Cancer (water)
His Wife: Pisces (water)
My Friends Best buddy: Pisces (water)
His mom: Scorpio (water)
His Dad? I dunno his birthday.
Another Friend: Scorpio (water)
His Best Buddy: Cancer (water)
His girlfriend/fiance: Cancer (water)
and so on . . .
The Daily Horscopes and what have you - as far as I can tell, are based on the positions of the planets and how they make their influence felt in humanity. They govern or rather influence certain qualities or aspects of humanity.
The Scales,
So what am I?
I’ve just done my charty thing.
Hello Core and everyone,
This is a misnomer. Oxygen deprivation plays no role in breath retention/kumbhaka, pranayama or any part of yoga. If it’s happening in your practice you should seek instruction. You should not hold the breath beyond what’s comfortable. Exhalation afterward should be regulated with control.
Anuloma viloma is all about regulation, so ratios are very important and what make it an exercise, otherwise it’s just breathing, but of course there is a graduated, daily process that sometimes takes weeks and months to gain good control of retention: first single nostril only, then alternating, then with retention. I have seen it introduced in as little as 14 days, but that’s just for the sake of instruction which also recommended backing off again afterward.
peace,
siva
Hi Siva,
This is an explanation i read which no doubt endeavoured to explain kumbhaka and it’s effects based on the modern scientific paradigm( & some research based on that.I think it might well be documented in a scientific journal somewhere.Indeed I beleive the author that said this may have based this speculation on these supposed conclusions). Perhaps i stated this a bit poorly. But it was said that during kumbhaka an oxygen deficit/deprivation occurs and it is thought this may allow or may cause,effect the prana to flow more freely.Now to me that makes a lot of sense.Make of it what you will.And BTW that may just be one part of the picture.Because prana or energy is tapped into through a complex chain and mixture of chemical,cellular and psycho-physical events & processes…Obviously there is more going on than oxygen.Mental processes for one… Mind controls prana and so on.
Interestingly ,there is a practice that called itself prana dharana that i saw performed by a proficient practitioner and it is based on prana vidya, on re-charging areas of the body-mind using concentration and kumbhaka.Also used with bandhas and mudras.Kumbhaka is used with a number of applications in yoga.
[QUOTE=core789;34992]The Scales,
So what am I?
I’ve just done my charty thing.[/QUOTE]
What are you? Pure consciousness i’m guessing.
In kind regards to your chart. I dunno. It will say on the chart.
Whats your birthday?
For Example
I came back into this world while the sun was said to be in Libra. The moon was in Leo . . . and so on.
So when someone says: “hey baby whats your sign.” I go “Libra. You wanna kiss me?”
It said on the chart
[B]Tropical Zodiac - Placidus Houses
[/B]I’m a scorpio even if you subtract 21 days, or whatever it is, and use the hindu calendar -18 nov 73, or the western calendar,I’m still scorpio.