Verse 2.49
तस्मिन् सति श्वासप्रश्वास्योर्गतिविच्छेदः प्राणायामः ॥४९॥
tasmin sati śvāsa-praśvāsyor-gati-vicchedaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ ॥49॥
Pranayama is the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath
with retention. It is to be practised only after perfection in asana is attained.
Verse 2.50
बाह्याअभ्यन्तरस्थम्भ वृत्तिः देशकालसन्ख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः ॥५०॥
bāhya-ābhyantara-sthambha vrttiḥ deśa-kāla-sankhyābhiḥ paridrṣṭo dīrgha-sūkṣmaḥ ॥50॥
Pranayama has three movements: prolonged and fine inhalation, exhalation and retention; all regulated with precision according to duration and place.
It is interesting to note that Patanjali expressly advises the sadhaka to do pranayama only after attaining perfection in asana.
Normally the flow of breath is unrestrained and irregular. Observing these variations, and conditioning the mind to control the inflow, outflow
and retention of the breath in a regular, rhythmic pattern, is pranayama.
Prana is an life energizing force which creates a magnetic field in the form of the Universe and plays with it, both to maintain, and to destroy for further creation. It permeates each individual as well as the Universe at all levels.
It acts as physical energy; as mental energy, where the mind gathers information; and as intellectual energy with a discriminative faculty, where
information is examined and filtered. This same prana acts as sexual energy, spiritual energy and cosmic energy.
All that vibrates in the Universe is prana: heat, light, gravity, magnetism, vigour, power, vitality, electricity, life and
spirit are all forms of prana. It is the cosmic personality, potent in all beings and non-beings. It is the prime mover of all activity. It is the wealth of life.
This self-energizing force is the principle of life and of consciousness. It is the creation of all beings in the Universe. All beings are born through it and live by it.
When they die, their individual breath dissolves into the cosmic breath. Prana is not only the hub of the wheel of life, but also of yoga. Everything is established in it. It permeates life, creating the sun, the moon, the clouds, the wind, the rain, the earth and all forms of matter.
It is both being (sat) and non-being (asat) . Each and every thing, or being, including man, takes shelter under it. Prana is the fundamental energy and the source of all knowledge.
Prana (energy} and citta (consciousness) are in constant contact with each other. They are like twins. Prana becomes focussed where citta is, and citta where prana is.
In yogic texts, it is said that as long as the breath is still,
prana is still, and hence citta is still. All types of vibrations and fluctuations come to a standstill when prana and citta are steady and silent.
The wise yogis studied this connection between breath and consciousness and advocated the practice of pranayama to stabilize energy and consciOusness.
The word pranayama consists of two components, prana and ayama..
Prana is energy, when the self-energizing force embraces the body.
Ayama means stretch, extension, expansion, length, breadth, regulation, prolongation, restraint and control.
When this life-energizing force embraces the body with extension, expansion and control, it is pranayama.
There are two types of retention in pranayama. They are the interruption of the breath flow following either the in- or outbreath.
The movements of the breath and the pauses between them are regulated and prolonged according to the capacity of the lungs, the duration and measured regulation of the breath and the degree of refinement
Mastery is attained by practising in harmony, with rhythmic regulation (paridrasta).
Focus on the regulation of breath (prana vrtti} , exhalation (bahya vrtti) , inhalation (antara vrtti) and retention (stambha vrtti) is called sabtja (seed)
pranayama as attention is on the breath itself.
Inhalation moves from the core of being - the seer - towards the consciousness. As mahat or cosmic intelligence is the first principle for nature's activity, its individual counterpart, citta, acts to stir the soul to activity.
The inbreath is made to touch the five sheaths of the body: anandamaya,
vignanamaya, manomaya, pranayamaya and annamaya, while the outbreath touches in the reverse order.
Bracing of the inbreath is the evolution of the soul or the ascending order of the purusha. When the self comes in contact with the physical body, inhalation is complete. Here, the purusha embraces prakrti.
The outbreath moves from the external body towards the seer, layer after layer. It is involution, or the descending order of prakrti to meet its Lord, purushia.
If the inbreath is the divine union of purusha with prakrti, the outbreath is the union of prakrti with purush. Retention of the former is antara kumbhaka, retention of the latter is bahya kumbhaka. If inhalation establishes consecration of the seer (svarupa pratiatha}, exhalation frees one from the four aims of life.
Patanjali related pranayama isnt breathing exercise. Inhalation and exhalation- surpassing this is pranayama.
Normally breath flows in ida and pingala. When prana flows in sushumna one surpasses inhalation and exhalation and that's pranayama.
How to channelise prana in sushumna learn from a guru
Prana. Prana is cosmic force by which entire life forms is pervaded.
First moola -> pranava -> prana -> jeeva. This is manifested order.
Prana is Brahman itself. What comes in goes out is prana, what you see is prana , what you don't see also prana.
This prana when parked in head gives samadhi. So restraining movement of prana and parking it in head is pranayama
This prana has an activating force within the plain of samsara to distinguish itself from living and non living.
PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS
