Day 14 Krishnamacharya Pranayama Practice #2

 See the Guidelines for Practice page at the top of the blog.

Basically, the breathing is long and  slow, the eyes closed, bandhas engaged, Jalandhara bandha in particular. After each asana, mudra,and pranayama ( unless indicated otherwise, usually by "followed by") we are directed to lie down and rest for one to two minutes to notice the effect. See the guidelines post for more on this most important element of the practice.

Points of concentration are introduced for different asana, mudra and/or pranayama from this session on. I will be including the chart below with each post, the concentration post mentioned in the session highlighted in bold.

Points of concentration: 16 vital points. (No concentration points in todays practice)

sirsa - the fontanel

murdhna - middle of forehead

bhrumadhya - between eyebrows

nasagra - extremity of the nose

talu mula - back of the palate

lalata - root of the uvula

kantha - throat

kantha kupa - back of the throat

hrdaya - middle of the heart

nabhi - navel

sroni - centre of the pelvis

mula - perineum

jangha- point at top of thighs

janu - point at middle of knees 

gulpha - point at middle of ankles 

pada angusta - point of the big toes.

Also of note...

Murdhna: the point located in front of the nose

Divya Chakshush: Point behind the head (occipital)

Aditya (the sun) is the disk of the sun, black and shiny,

The star: lying on his back to look as far as possible on the sky 

Taraka: the horizon point,

Kumbhaka

A.K. = Antah Kumbhaka (holding of breath after inhalation ) 

B.K = Bhaya Kumbhaka (holding of breath after exhalation )

*

Pranayama notes

based on Emergence of Yoga...

SITALI - 2nd technique

Inhalation: Suck the air with the tongue out (folded lengthwise), raising head backwards.

(At the end of the inhalation, pull in the tongue, close the mouth and lower the head).

Exhalation: left nostril

Inhalation: as previous inhalation

Exhalation: right nostril

KAPALA BHATI

Quick and vigorous breaths, one breath a second.

Inhalation: Push out abdomen without pushing out chest

Exhalation: Briskly pull in the abdomen without pulling the chest.

Pranayama notes below from.... T. K. Sribhashyam's article -  P R A N A Y A M A - An Absolute Necessity in YOGA 

UJJAYI ANULOMA: 

Inhalation: (PURAKA) through both nostrils in UJJAYI, 

Exhalation: (RECHAKA) through Left Nostril, without ujjayi, 

Inhalation: through both nostrils in Ujjayi, and 

Exhalation: through the Right Nostril, without Ujjayi. 

These two breaths making one Cycle of Ujjayi Anuloma."

UJJAYI VILOMA: 

Inhale through the Left Nostril, without using Ujjayi, 

Exhale through Ujjayi, with both the nostrils open. 

Inhale, again through the Right Nostril, without using Ujjayi, and 

Exhale through Ujjayi, with both the nostrils open. 

This forms one Cycle."

"NADI SHODHANA: 

This is a Pranayama where no ujjayi should ever be used. 

Inhale by the Left Nostril, 

Exhale by the Right Nostril, 

Inhale by the Right Nostril, 

Exhale by the Left Nostril."