Search of Ancient Yogic technique

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi every one,

Hope all you are fine.

I have read a biography of a Muslim Saint from Pani Pat India. he passed away around 150 years back. In his tours it is mentioned that he met a yogi who taught him a technique of holding breath named (Chitin Tari). The saint praised much for this technique and said that after some practice any one can hold the breath for longer periods and can practice dhanaya very successfully. I have read so many books on yogi new & old but failed to find such a technique. Can anyone guide me about this

#2

[QUOTE=rize1159;47103]Hi every one,

Hope all you are fine.

I have read a biography of a Muslim Saint from Pani Pat India. he passed away around 150 years back. In his tours it is mentioned that he met a yogi who taught him a technique of holding breath named (Chitin Tari). The saint praised much for this technique and said that after some practice any one can hold the breath for longer periods and can practice dhanaya very successfully. I have read so many books on yogi new & old but failed to find such a technique. Can anyone guide me about this[/QUOTE]

Really if you study and meditate on the Yoga Sutras - then practically apply what they say.

The Raja Yoga: introversion of the senses, contemplation, concentration, and Samadhi/meditation can be achieved.

Its true!

#3

If you accidentally hold your breath in meditation, the air will come out of your ears like a high speed train…its quite a shock when it happens. As to practicing holding your breath what is the gain?

#4

There is tremendous misinformation about ‘holding breath’. It is a weak interpretation of yoga-sutra. It is not advisable to hold breath for longer duration, especially by those suffering from high BP.

Breathing itself is largely misunderstood. The real breathing one needs to do is that of prana energy, absorbing it from the cosmic energy and releasing contaminated prana in the environment. Since, ordinarily we don’t know how to do that kind of breathing of prana, we work on the breathing of air. Prana piggybacks on air.

The way one should go is to learn rhythmic breathing. Inhaling and exhaling of air in certain rhythm synchronizes the flow of air with prana and offers initial momentum. With advanced practice, we learn to control prana breathing itself. At a very advanced stage, one acquires so much control that body functions receive prana directly as closed-loop cycles of prana start running along the chakra path. ONLY THEN, one can stop breathing of air as it becomes redundant.

So, yogis reach a stage after years of practice, where breathing (air) is not required for a while. Compared to that, the so called forced ‘holding of breath’ is a self-imposed physical torture.

#5

[QUOTE=Suhas Tambe;47508]There is tremendous misinformation about ‘holding breath’. It is a weak interpretation of yoga-sutra. It is not advisable to hold breath for longer duration, especially by those suffering from high BP.

Breathing itself is largely misunderstood. The real breathing one needs to do is that of prana energy, absorbing it from the cosmic energy and releasing contaminated prana in the environment. Since, ordinarily we don’t know how to do that kind of breathing of prana, we work on the breathing of air. Prana piggybacks on air.

The way one should go is to learn rhythmic breathing. Inhaling and exhaling of air in certain rhythm synchronizes the flow of air with prana and offers initial momentum. With advanced practice, we learn to control prana breathing itself. At a very advanced stage, one acquires so much control that body functions receive prana directly as closed-loop cycles of prana start running along the chakra path. ONLY THEN, one can stop breathing of air as it becomes redundant.

So, yogis reach a stage after years of practice, where breathing (air) is not required for a while. Compared to that, the so called forced ‘holding of breath’ is a self-imposed physical torture.[/QUOTE]

If so then please mentione what techniques you want to refer.

Dear All,

Actual I am intrested in a special technique whcih is called CHitin Tari,
if any one know how to practice this technique, plz let me know.
Moreover I practice to hold my breath and still can hold only for 3 min. I failed to improve as I want to go for 30 min.

I require your help, plz guide.

#6

rize,

Yes, there is a method for it. You can even reach the point where the breath is absolutely suspended, and the body starts preserving itself by absorbing prana from the environment. This is how several yogis are capable of remaining underwater or buried in the Earth for days, weeks, months, or years. I do not know of the particular technique you have mentioned, but I am familiar with other methods. It usually involves a certain visualization to channel your prana in certain energy centers in the body, and as one enters into deeper and deeper levels of meditation, the pulse and breathing rhythm becomes slower and slower until it almost or does vanish.

#7

[QUOTE=rize1159;49879]If so then please mentione what techniques you want to refer.

Dear All,

Actual I am intrested in a special technique whcih is called CHitin Tari,
if any one know how to practice this technique, plz let me know.
Moreover I practice to hold my breath and still can hold only for 3 min. I failed to improve as I want to go for 30 min.

I require your help, plz guide.[/QUOTE]

You must be having tremendous lung capacity to be
able to hold your breath for 3 min. The long holding of breath that you are referring to can possibly be done only by very advanced Yogis - I must confess that I have not yet come across any such yogi in my 55 years of life. Normally the human body will need a fresh intake of air after 30 seconds or so to keep an even cycle. You say you hold for 3 min. In that case for the next few minutes you would be breathing rapidly- that takes away the very purpose of the exercise. The breath is closely related to thoughts- slowing down your breath slows down the mind… therefore the emphasis on retention of breath- Kumbak as it is know in Yoga. There is the retention of external breath and internal breath. Personally I do not think normal practioners can hold breath much longer than 3 min, the body will lose consciousness involuntarily and breathing will begin.

#8

It surprises me that there is no person to answer my qerry. around 30 there was a person lived in Pakistan who can hold his breath up to 15 min. & it took him only 35-40 days to develop this skill by the mentioned technique. Hope I wil get it by some day

#9

Suhas,

"At a very advanced stage, one acquires so much control that body functions receive prana directly as closed-loop cycles of prana start running along the chakra path. ONLY THEN, one can stop breathing of air as it becomes redundant. "

It can happen spontaneously through those more forceful methods, but is also something that is possible as a natural by product of meditation. Without practicing any pranayam whatsoever, with a one-pointed stream of uninterrupted mindfulness, one’s awareness naturally starts turning inwards onto itself. As this happens, the quality of one’s breath goes through a series of changes. One’s rhythm of breathing naturally becomes slower and slower, subtler and subtler, until it almost disappears. In most cases, it is not really the case that the breath has disappeared, it has simply become so subtle that it may be very difficult to detect. There is a depth beyond this, when the breath is actually suspended, but it is again not a matter of control - it is something that happens as a consequence of a certain samadhi.

#10

[QUOTE=AmirMourad;52625]Suhas,

"At a very advanced stage, one acquires so much control that body functions receive prana directly as closed-loop cycles of prana start running along the chakra path. ONLY THEN, one can stop breathing of air as it becomes redundant. "

It can happen spontaneously through those more forceful methods, but is also something that is possible as a natural by product of meditation. Without practicing any pranayam whatsoever, with a one-pointed stream of uninterrupted mindfulness, one’s awareness naturally starts turning inwards onto itself. As this happens, the quality of one’s breath goes through a series of changes. One’s rhythm of breathing naturally becomes slower and slower, subtler and subtler, until it almost disappears. In most cases, it is not really the case that the breath has disappeared, it has simply become so subtle that it may be very difficult to detect. There is a depth beyond this, when the breath is actually suspended, but it is again not a matter of control - it is something that happens as a consequence of a certain samadhi.[/QUOTE]

can you share your methodology??

#11

reaswaran,

“breath is closely related to thoughts- slowing down your breath slows down the mind”

There are two different methods which lead towards the same phenomenon. The mind and body is like an open stream in which energies are traveling in both directions. As the body is capable of influencing the mind, the mind is also capable of influencing the body.

All of those methods of controlling the breath in various different ways are focused on the first - using the body as a skillful means to awaken certain states of consciousness. It is my own understanding that unless one approaches the yogic sciences as a holistic phenomenon, complete and whole to it’s very end, most of these methods can create far more damage than good. Our system is very complex. And everything is interconnected in such a way that if there is even a small imbalance in one part, it can create an imbalance in all of the other parts. And if you are tampering with one’s system without the proper understanding of the mechanisms of it, the results can be disasterous. Particularly with all of those kinds of techniques which are more focused on controlling the fundamental energies of one’s system. If one is not careful, one can damage oneself even permanently. Because once you start dealing with the essential energies which are the basis of the mind and body, then one’s expansion of consciousness can be accelerated tremendously. Or, it may acheive only the opposite, it may lead you towards an even deeper unconsciousness. What could have been medicine has now become a great poison. This is why usually those kinds of methods have always been transmitted secretly from master to disciple, to ensure that such things would not happen.

#12

give me your contact so that I can contact. my email is rize1159@yahoo.com

#13

Well, first we have to understand what breath is.

Breath is necessary to purify the venous blood from the impurities due to cell decay and other physical causes.

But what if you stop these impurities to oocur in the body ? Then the heart does not have to work to pump the venous blood. Then breath becomes simply unnecessary.

So the problem is: how to stop the cell decay and impurities from occuring in your body ?
That can be done by calm (calmness of the mind) and eating pure foods. In a state of calmness of the mind (meditation included) you really do not become hungry.

In a state of calmness of the mind the cosmic energy is flowing strongly into you, through the medulla oblongata. The more advanced you are in your practice, the more
cosmic energy you can absorb.

Breath is the cord which joins the soul with the body.

#14

Oak333,
In breath we draw in air that does the purification of blood in the lungs as you describe. Cosmic energy is pure prana. Being very subtle it is omnipotent and omnipresent. But,in our body, it remains contaminated in the form of ‘vayus’ and less pure. Even that requires purification.

Pranayama is really aimed at that. It requires conscious intake from cosmic energy in the environment and throwing out of impure vayus. In the initial effort one takes help from the breathing of air and aligns it to the rhythm of prana breathing. In the meditative state, prana rises to rejuvanate chakras so much so that advanced yogis can suspend air-breathing and let pure prana circulation gain its own momentum. So its not more of cosmic energy, but more purification of our prana energy that we seek.

And then this prana-breath becomes the cord connecting physical-astral-causal bodies with the soul.

#15

[QUOTE=Suhas Tambe;52636]Oak333,
In breath we draw in air that does the purification of blood in the lungs as you describe. Cosmic energy is pure prana. Being very subtle it is omnipotent and omnipresent. But,in our body,[b] it remains contaminated in the form of ‘vayus’ and less pure. Even that requires purification.[/B]

Pranayama is really aimed at that. It requires conscious intake from cosmic energy in the environment and throwing out of [B]impure[/B] vayus. In the initial effort one takes help from the breathing of air and aligns it to the rhythm of prana breathing. In the meditative state, prana rises to rejuvanate chakras so much so that advanced yogis can suspend air-breathing and let pure prana circulation gain its own momentum. So its not more of cosmic energy, but more purification of our prana energy that we seek.

And then this prana-breath becomes the cord connecting physical-astral-causal bodies with the soul.[/QUOTE]

Your “off” on the bold . . .

Most of what I’ve read in books, if not all, is off the mark on Prana / vital energy. The shastras dance around with it and give good hints . . . .

Prana does not collect impurities or need purification ever. Think on this. Infact I would make the subject of vital energy an area of much study.

It is one ‘vital’ energy. Within the subtle body it is the mode of operation which categorizes the ‘prana’ into the various ‘winds’ or ‘circuts’ if you will.

#16

[QUOTE=AmirMourad;52627]reaswaran,

“breath is closely related to thoughts- slowing down your breath slows down the mind”

There are two different methods which lead towards the same phenomenon. The mind and body is like an open stream in which energies are traveling in both directions. As the body is capable of influencing the mind, the mind is also capable of influencing the body.

All of those methods of controlling the breath in various different ways are focused on the first - using the body as a skillful means to awaken certain states of consciousness. It is my own understanding that unless one approaches the yogic sciences as a holistic phenomenon, complete and whole to it’s very end, most of these methods can create far more damage than good. Our system is very complex. And everything is interconnected in such a way that if there is even a small imbalance in one part, it can create an imbalance in all of the other parts. And if you are tampering with one’s system without the proper understanding of the mechanisms of it, the results can be disasterous. Particularly with all of those kinds of techniques which are more focused on controlling the fundamental energies of one’s system. If one is not careful, one can damage oneself even permanently. Because once you start dealing with the essential energies which are the basis of the mind and body, then one’s expansion of consciousness can be accelerated tremendously. Or, it may acheive only the opposite, it may lead you towards an even deeper unconsciousness. What could have been medicine has now become a great poison. This is why usually those kinds of methods have always been transmitted secretly from master to disciple, to ensure that such things would not happen.[/QUOTE]

Agreed Amir. However, the body is the ladder required to reach the top. While it is necessary to reach the state of universal consciousness, after reaching it, the body is not necessary. Many sages retain the body so that they can teach and benfit others. Many of the tantric techniques fall under the category described by you. In view of their power to rapidly push you to realisation , the disciple is under the close scrutiny of the master at all times.

#17

The Scales,
Please add the three prior words to the bold, “in the body”. Prana in its free-wheeling form as vital energy abounds in the universe. But when our body is its receptor our gross and subtle impurities affect prana. Our thought-generation process, the most prominent manifestation of the prana energy within, is the main reason for the contamination. Prana when confined in the body not only gets diluted as vayus but different grades of vayus (vyaan, samaan, udaan, apaan) get confined to various regions of the body, along with prana. The cleansing of the vayus is through a conscious replenishment from the universal prana and that is achieved by pranayama.

Shastras contain great knowledge, but for me yogasutra is one enough to practice deeper and keep experiencing my guru’s teachings. Afterall, prana and energy are words or labels and would mean different things to different minds in different contexts.

#18

[QUOTE=Suhas Tambe;52636]Oak333,
In breath we draw in air that does the purification of blood in the lungs as you describe. Cosmic energy is pure prana. Being very subtle it is omnipotent and omnipresent. But,in our body, it remains contaminated in the form of ‘vayus’ and less pure. Even that requires purification.

Pranayama is really aimed at that. It requires conscious intake from cosmic energy in the environment and throwing out of impure vayus. In the initial effort one takes help from the breathing of air and aligns it to the rhythm of prana breathing. In the meditative state, prana rises to rejuvanate chakras so much so that advanced yogis can suspend air-breathing and let pure prana circulation gain its own momentum. So its not more of cosmic energy, but more purification of our prana energy that we seek.

And then this prana-breath becomes the cord connecting physical-astral-causal bodies with the soul.[/QUOTE]

Cosmic energy is just another name for prana, used by people less familiar with Indian terminology.

Breath is the cord which joins soul and body-all the time, regardless of your stage of advancement. Obviously though, the more advanced you are the more prana (cosmic energy) you can draw.

By sheer will power, you can draw more prana (cosmic energy) through your medulla oblongata. But you have to develop concentration and will power.
This concentration and will power are helped much by pranayama.

The classic circuit is:

mind (will power)----->pranayama------>body

#19

[QUOTE=Suhas Tambe;52671]The Scales,
Please add the three prior words to the bold, “in the body”. Prana in its free-wheeling form as vital energy abounds in the universe. But when our body is its receptor our gross and subtle impurities affect prana. Our thought-generation process, the most prominent manifestation of the prana energy within, is the main reason for the contamination. Prana when confined in the body not only gets diluted as vayus but different grades of vayus (vyaan, samaan, udaan, apaan) get confined to various regions of the body, along with prana. The cleansing of the vayus is through a conscious replenishment from the universal prana and that is achieved by pranayama.

Shastras contain great knowledge, but for me yogasutra is one enough to practice deeper and keep experiencing my guru’s teachings. Afterall, prana and energy are words or labels and would mean different things to different minds in different contexts.[/QUOTE]

Prana - whether in the body or not - is incorruptible.

#20

“Cosmic energy is just another name for prana”

To call it “cosmic energy”, although it is correct, is also almost useless. There is nothing in existence which is not cosmic energy. When it has been spoken of “prana”, what one is referring to is not some particular force, but a range of various energies at a subtle level. Just as energy may manifest as electricity, magnetism, electromagnetism, strong force, weak force, and so on, the same is the case at a subtle level. Neither are any of these energies separate from the source of existence. That is why to come to know of the original nature of “prana” is one and the same as having seen into the original nature of existence itself.