The Yoga of Breath
by
Leonard
Perlmutter (Ram Lev)
Reprinted from The
Heart and Science of Yoga
|
|
Illustration
copyright © 2004, William B. Westwood, Westwood Medical
Communications, Albany, NY
|
The
Psalms inform us that "Each man's life is but a breath."
Without breath, our lives would be impossible. The exchange of oxygen
for carbon dioxide in the lungs is certainly essential for the human
being to function, but it is not air that keeps us alive. Rather, human
beings are sustained by an extremely powerful form of subtle energy
known as prana that accompanies the air we breathe.
Traditional Western medicine defines humans as primarily physical
beings. This approach logically evolved from a cultural attitude that
characterizes each person as a separate, quantifiable entity. Reflecting
the habits of the human mind, medical science has, until recently,
limited its scientific inquiry to the perceivable and quantifiable.
Albert Einstein wrote that "a problem cannot be solved on the same
level at which it arose." This open-minded attitude helped him
recognize that in the material universe an essential relationship exists
between matter and energy. More specifically and scientifically, E=MC²
(energy is equal to the mass of an object, times the speed of light,
squared). In practical language, Einstein is telling us something
profoundly important for our own health and well-being. He says that
matter, the material stuff of the universe, can be transformed into
energy, and that energy, conversely, can be turned into matter.
Our everyday experiences and observations have already taught us that
energy and matter are one and the same. For instance, we count on the
oatmeal we eat for breakfast to be turned into the energy with which we
accomplish our work. With each bite of cereal, we are betting our lives
that the energy of the sun (now contained in our oatmeal) will be
reliably transformed into the carbohydrates and proteins our bodies and
brains need to function. We accept without question that the calories
(energy) we consume will become the physical bodies we inhabit and give
the body strength to act. Such obvious and verifiable examples of the
transformation of energy into matter, and matter into energy, did not
become more true after Einstein's mathematical equation was stated, but
his work has provided an interface between ancient assumptions about prana
and modern physics.
Prana and the Nadis
In
Sanskrit, the word prana refers to the first unit of life, a
subtle energy emanating from the soul (Sat-Chit-Ananda) and
flowing within the living human being. On the most subtle level, it is
the vital prana that animates the body-mind-sense complex. If you
forced air into the lungs of a cadaver it would not get up and walk
away. Why not? Because it is the prana already present in a
living body that invites, receives and distributes the life force of prana
carried on the vehicle of breath. It is prana alone, not the
mediums of air, food, or water, that enlivens the body.
The human body is maintained by an intricate network of subtle rivers of
energy, through which the vital prana flows. These rivers are
called nadis, and the aggregate complex of nadis and prana
are known as pranamaya kosha. This body of energy is subtler than
the physical body and serves as a link between the mind (manomaya
kosha) and the physical body (annamaya kosha). Thus, the
energy sheath of prana can influence both the mind and body, and
is influenced by them as well.
Pranayama (Control of Prana)
The
breath is the body's primary delivery system for the vital prana.
The relationship between the air we breathe and prana is
analogous to the relationship between a horse and its rider. Just as the
horse is the vehicle for the rider, the air is the vehicle for the prana.
The air merely carries the prana to its destination in the
physical body.
Prana means the first unit of subtle energy and yama means
control. Pranayama is the science that controls the prana,
primarily by breath regulation. Breath awareness exercises help to
normalize the motion of the lungs--thereby assuring the direct and
balanced flow of this subtle energy to sustain and coordinate all the
body's physical and mental functions. Without such regulation, the
intended flow of pranic energy can become trapped, eventually
manifesting as physical, mental or emotional dis-ease or pain. Without a
continuous delivery of vital prana, the respiratory system, the
heart, the brain and autonomic nervous system do not function in a
well-coordinated manner. Disturbances in these physical processes can
result in serious illness. Such blockages also limit progress in
meditation.
In pranayama, the breath is considered to be the bridge between
the body and the mind. Concentrated attention on the breath affects and
directs the flow of the vital prana through the body. Every time
we think about moving a part of the body, for example, vital prana
rushes toward that site along the subtle network of nadis to make
movement possible. Conversely, bodily movements also affect the flow of prana.
A regular Easy-Gentle Yoga practice, therefore, is an essential element
in maintaining and gently moving the vital prana.
Respiration is the body's primary mechanism for the strategic flow of
energy. Inhalation and exhalation determine the rate, rhythm and depth
of the breath thereby impacting the amount of energy available to the
body and all the metabolic processes. The breath determines whether
energy is delivered in irregular, short bursts or in longer, more
sustained waves. With every breath we are redefining the patterns of
energy that affect both the body and the mind--for better or worse.
Breathing air deeply into the lungs is a critical factor in maintaining
good health. Diaphragmatic breathing calms the nervous system while
massaging and stimulating the heart and all organs of digestion and
elimination. In addition, it efficiently oxygenates the blood. Oxygen is
inhaled into the lungs where it is transferred into the bloodstream for
distribution to all the cells of the body. Because the human torso is
carried in an upright position, gravity generally acts to keep greater
quantities of blood in the lower portion of the lungs than the upper.
With deep, diaphragmatic breathing, the lungs fill to their capacity,
providing oxygen to the lower lungs where it can most readily be
absorbed. Those who breathe shallowly, moving only the upper chest,
often feel fatigued. Their improper breathing habits inhibit the process
of oxygenation and deny vitality to the cells of the body.
Breath and Mind Connection
The
breath is the physical manifestation of the mind. Although we cannot
intellectually will the mind to calm down, we can create a serene,
contented mind through conscious regulation of the breath. When our
breath is full and even, without jerks, pauses or sounds, our minds
become calm.
Through your own personal experience you may already know that the
rhythm, rate and capacity of your breathing changes instantly in
reaction to your thoughts, desires and emotions. When you are tense or
surprised, you may hold your breath. When you are stressed, the breath
may become rapid or shallow. When you are happy and content, the breath
reflects that state of mind with its fullness and ease.
Five Breathing Irregularities
Most
pranayama should be practiced in your regular seated meditation
posture with your head, neck and trunk straight. Once you have
established a comfortable and steady posture, you may notice one or more
of five possible irregularities in the breath.
1. Shallowness of breath
2. Interruptions in the flow of breath (jerks)
3. Noisy breathing
4. Extended pauses between your inhalation and exhalation
5. Breathing through the mouth
Diaphragmatic Breathing
To
correct any irregularity, simply witness it with relaxed attention. This
correction is the natural effect of your conscious attention to a
formerly unconscious habit.
When you breathe diaphragmatically and deepen your meditations, you will
begin to recognize that most seemingly involuntary movements of the body
are actually results of thought or emotion. When you observe your
physical behavior, you will notice that no act or gesture occurs
independently of the mind. The mind always moves first and then the body
follows. The untrained mind often dissipates vital prana through
nervous bodily movements and twitches--energy that could better serve
you in health-enhancing ways.
When the breath flows freely, smoothly and silently through the nostrils
without any jerks, pauses or sounds, the mind experiences a state of
joyful and calm stillness. This mental stillness frees the mind to make
conscious, discriminating lifestyle choices that bring health and
happiness.
In properly regulating the breath, never extend the breath beyond your
comfortable capacity by inhaling or exhaling as much air as possible.
With continued practice, your capacity will increase, but this should
not be rushed. Rather, learn to turn your conscious attention toward
establishing a gentle, full and even diaphragmatic breath.
The goal of the science of breath is to re-establish the body's natural
respiratory pattern--not by breathing from the upper chest, which is an
unhealthy habit, but rather, by consciously employing the diaphragm, one
of the body's strongest muscles, in your breathing process.
The Complete Yogic Breath
A
full and smooth diaphragmatic breath is composed of three distinct, yet
seamlessly integrated phases of inhalation: abdominal, thoracic and
clavicular.
A newborn baby naturally uses the abdomen to breathe diaphragmatically.
To feel the first phase of proper diaphragmatic breathing, imagine a
balloon positioned just behind your navel. When you inhale, the balloon
inflates and your belly gently swells outward. When you exhale, the
imaginary balloon deflates and the belly contracts gently.
Abdominal phase: In its resting state, the diaphragm
physiologically resembles the dome of an open parachute. Proper
inhalation begins when the belly swells slightly--causing the diaphragm
to flatten downward into a disk-like shape, expanding the thoracic
cavity and facilitating inhalation. Exhalation follows more or less
automatically when the belly gently contracts--causing the diaphragm to
relax and rise to its resting dome shape, compressing the lungs.
Thoracic phase: After the abdominal phase, the belly expands
outward and the lower ribs expand upward and forward, enlarging the
thoracic cavity and increasing the circumference of the chest. The lungs
fill this increased space, permitting oxygenation of blood in the lower
lungs.
Clavicular Phase: In the final phase of the inhalation the
clavicles (collar bones) rise slightly, allowing oxygen into the upper
portions of the lungs.
When all three phases of diaphragmatic breathing are integrated into one
continuous motion, the breath becomes the flywheel for a healthy mind
and body. A full, smooth, quiet diaphragmatic breath should become your
default breath.
In this ideal breath, all inhalations and exhalations flow through the
nostrils rather than the mouth, and the entire process is without noise.
If you are breathing rapidly and shallowly, or holding your breath
between exhalation and inhalation, you are probably chest breathing. The
inhalation and exhalation should gently yield to each other.
The fast pace and stress of modern life (and tight pants, belts and
pantyhose), have contributed to the unfortunate fact that most people
experience nearly constant tension in the abdominal muscles. In
addition, concerns about having a fashionably flat, hard abdomen keep
many people pulling in their gut, military style. By not allowing the
breath to be full and complete, you're utilizing only a fraction of your
lung capacity.
Dangerous Breathing Patterns
Chest
breathing is a dangerous habit. It tenses the body and disrupts the
normal breathing rhythm which can, long term, damage the heart and
brain. Furthermore, it retards a complete exchange of gases through the
lungs. Chest breathers never fully empty their lungs. Toxins that remain
in the trough of the lungs are reassimilated through the semipermeable
membrane of the lungs' lining, taxing the body and compromising the
immune system.
Because the breath reflects our state of mind, a frenetic lifestyle is
often accompanied by uneven breathing. Recent studies have found that a
pause in the stream of breath, or holding the breath, is often
associated with both coronary heart disease and dementia in the elderly.
When we breathe diaphragmatically, the heart muscle performs its duties
with calm efficiency. But when we react unskillfully to fear, anger or
greed, muscles immediately contract and the shoulders hunch forward,
compressing the chest in a posture reflecting the dis-ease in the mind.
Under stress, the body abandons its natural, diaphragmatic breath in
favor of the shallow, uneven and often rapid inhalations of chest
breathing, and the subsequent shortage of oxygen in the blood quickly
becomes problematic.
The heart reacts immediately to this crisis. "Something's
wrong," the heart concludes. "We're not getting enough oxygen.
I'd better change the normal rhythm of my beat. Perhaps a faster beat
will help move more blood through the lungs to access oxygen and bring
this fellow back to a more composed state." But, of course, the
elevated heart rate only makes matters worse, increasing stress on the
heart muscle and vascular system and decreasing their efficiency while
sparking further anxiety. Chest breathing accompanied by jerks and
pauses in the breath may also be the beginning of a form of significant
dis-ease--coronary heart disease.
Eliminating the pause between inhalation and exhalation, and between
exhalation and inhalation is an important aspect of proper yogic
breathing because it helps you keep a balanced mind and healthy body.
The breath should become one continuous, unending stream in which the
inhalation gently yields to the exhalation and the exhalation gently
yields to the inhalation.
Full and even diaphragmatic breathing constantly massages the internal
organs. This rhythmic motion transmits beneficial messages to the entire
autonomic nervous system, encouraging all systems within the body to
operate optimally. A smooth diaphragmatic breath, not beyond your
comfortable capacity, acts as a calming lullaby for the internal organs,
while chest breathing invariably sends signals that some sort of crisis
is at hand. Chest breathing is not only the result of anxiety, but can
also be its cause.
Diaphragmatic breathing aids digestion, assimilation of essential
nutrients and the elimination of waste products from the body. Whenever
possible, cultivate the habit of loosening your belt and the waistband
button of your pants at mealtimes to encourage deep, full breathing. By
consciously incorporating the eating and breathing processes into your
everyday life, you will enjoy your food more completely and the body
will readily demonstrate its appreciation by exhibiting good health.
Leonard Perlmutter is a philosopher,
educator, award-winning author and founder of the American Meditation
Institute.
"You cannot will the mind to be
calm, but when
you regulate the breath diaphragmatically,
you automatically calm the mind,
and a calm mind makes healthier choices."
Leonard Perlmutter
(Ram Lev)
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The Wedding of the
Sun and Moon
by Leonard Perlmutter (Ram Lev)
Ida and Pingala Nadis
Before Sushumna Application
Fig. A
|
Fig. A. The ida and pingala nadis rise from the root chakra (muladhara)
in serpentine pathways. At their points of confluence, swirling
wheels of energy appear.
Fig. B. After three complete cycles of nadi
shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), both the right and left
nostrils carry an equal volume of air. This is referred to as
sushumna application, or the "wedding of the sun and the
moon." When the nadis are cleared and the male and female,
the active and passive aspects of the human being are in balance,
the ida and pingala straighten their pathways slightly and
sushumna swells??--allowing kundalini (consciousness) to rise to
the higher chakras.
Detailed
instruction on this breathing practice can be learned by
enrolling in the "AMI Meditation--Heart and
Science of Yoga" class. |
Illustration
copyright © 2004, William B. Westwood,
Westwood Medical Communications, Albany, NY |
Wedding of the Sun and Moon
During Sushumna Application
Fig. B
|
If
you pay attention to your breath at various times throughout the day you
will find that you're usually inhaling a greater volume of air through
one nostril than the other. This is normal. One nostril becomes active
(while the other remains passive) for about two and one-half hours, and
then they switch. For example, if the right nostril has been active for
that period, it then becomes passive, and the left nostril, which was
passive, becomes active.
In preparation for your meditation practice, nadi shodhana
balances the breath so that the same volume of air is carried by each
nostril simultaneously. Through the power of nadi shodhana, the pingala
(right nostril: male, active, left brain, solar energy) and the ida
(left nostril: female, intuitive, right brain, lunar energy) become
equally active at the same time. This phenomenon is referred to as the wedding
of the sun and moon.
Through the practice of nadi shodhana, the ida and pingala
become balanced and their undulating pathways become straighter. This
facilitates the widening of sushumna (known as sushumna
application) and allows kundalini (therapeutic, creative
energy) to rise to the higher chakras. Following nadi shodhana,
many people meditate at the eyebrow center--ajna chakra.
For most human beings the creative energy of kundalini resides
primarily in the lowest chakra--muladhara. This chakra
manifests the consciousness of duality, or separateness. Consciousness
at this chakra is concerned with self-preservation and reflects
the belief that "I lack; I am a separate entity in search of
whatever will make me happy or eliminate my pain." When too much of
our consciousness resides here, we tend to exhibit fear,
self-centeredness, insecurity, greed, anger, violence and poor health.
The general practice of Yoga Science and the specific practice of nadi
shodhana facilitate the rise of health-enhancing, creative energy to
the higher chakras. As kundalini activates the
consciousness of higher chakras, we expand our sense of I-ness
by understanding and manifesting such universal ideals as unconditional
love, selfless service, forgiveness, compassion, intuition, insight and
Self-realization.
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Prana: The Energy of Life
By Linda Johnsen
It
was the only time I seriously questioned whether Swami Rama knew what he
was talking about. It was 1978; he and I were talking in the closet-size
room that used to house the Himalayan Press at his ashram in Glenview,
Illinois. Many spiritual bestsellers of the time were typeset in that
tiny room, including his classic autobiography, Living with the
Himalayan Masters.
I forget how the topic of Darwinian evolution came up. I was casually
mentioning something about how humans developed from apelike ancestors,
when Swamiji became very animated. "Never believe it!" he
shouted. "Who has ever seen a monkey turn into a man?"
I was shocked. Swami Rama had spent years in the West-in fact he had
studied at Oxford University. He must have been familiar with the
overwhelming evidence for evolution. I couldn't resist challenging him,
"If we don't come from apes, where do we come from?"
Maddeningly, Swamiji refused to answer. He simply looked intently into
my eyes, then walked regally out of the room.
Over the next few years, as I worked on my Master's degree in Eastern
Studies, I learned that the Yoga tradition has a very different
understanding of human biology than does Western science. At the root of
Yoga Science is an understanding of prana or life energy that's
unlike anything recognized in modern Western medicine. The yogis'
working knowledge of prana gives them a completely different take
on human development, and even on the origin of life itself.
In my beginning level yoga classes I learned that we need to breathe
properly, using our diaphragm and avoiding jerks or pauses. This style
of breathing helps the heart and nervous system work optimally, and
allows us to fully absorb prana, the life energy in the air. At
first I thought prana must be the Sanskrit word for oxygen, but
Swami Rama swiftly dispelled that illusion. "Prana comes
from the Sun," he explained. "It is a form of energy, a force,
not the air you breathe. The air is just one of its vehicles."
"Prana makes your body live," he continued.
"Without it your body will go to death and decay. Prana
connects your body and your mind. When you die that vitality departs,
and the link between the soul and its physical vehicle is broken."
Because prana is so important to health, Swamiji taught us to eat
living foods (like fresh produce and whole grains for example) rather
than dead foods (like meat, which is already well on its way to decay,
or over processed foods), and to get plenty of fresh air, sunshine and
exercise.
Swami Rama also taught us that we not only have a material body and a
soul, but an envelope of prana integrating the two. This
invisible living force field is called the pranamaya kosha in
yoga jargon. It's quite complex, being comprised of at least ten
different forms of subtle energy. Yogis consciously regulate this
"energy body" in advanced practices in order to ignite their kundalini,
the power of consciousness.
But it turned out there was much more to prana than we had heard
about in our hatha yoga classes. Swamiji also explained that prana is
actually a cosmic force, present everywhere. It not only makes our
bodies live, it also brings the universe itself to life.
Spiritual Evolution
Their
understanding of prana gives the yogic adepts a very different
perspective on evolution than we have in the West. Since the appearance
of Charles Darwin's influential study, The Origin of Species in 1859,
most Western scientists have believed that life on Earth slowly evolved
from the same single celled organism, developing over hundreds of
millions of years into different phyla, biological categories organized
according to body plan like arthropods (spiders and crabs) or chordata
(including animals with spinal cords like us). Organisms that adapted
best to their environment had the most offspring and flourished. Plants
and animals that failed to adapt to changing circumstances quickly died
out.
Eventually evolutionary theory expanded to include a basic working
knowledge of genes. Random genetic mutations were now considered the
source of new species. If you were raised anywhere in the Western world,
this is what you were taught in school.
What I learned from Swami Rama that day in Glenview though, is that
yogis emphatically reject this version of evolution. On the contrary,
they say that prana is the organizing force that drives the
creation of life. Evolution is far from being the random process Western
science describes. Instead, the universe is a living unity, shaped by an
intelligent force.
This is different from the Creationist philosophy scientists love to
attack. Biblical Creationism claims the universe was created 6000 years
ago. Ancient yoga texts claim the universe is far older. In fact, the
Rig Veda, composed in India over 5000 years ago, gives the age of the
Earth at 4,320,000,000 years-a figure astoundingly close to that posited
by scientists today. Like modern science, the yoga tradition claims the
universe is many billions of years old. Yet like the Creationists, the
sages of India describe the cosmic process as guided by intelligence.
Prana is the subtle energy through which immaterial consciousness
interacts with physical matter, transforming inert material into living,
breathing organisms.
Here is how ancient texts called the Puranas describe this process.
First, a vast cosmic intelligence named Brahma projects into existence a
gigantic glowing egg (literally hiranyagarbha or "golden
womb" in Sanskrit). You can think of this as the Milky Way if it
makes visualizing this easier for you. We are told Brahma's lifespan is
many billions of years. One Earth year is barely an eye blink to this
great being. We are also told that there are an innumerable number of
Brahmas, each creating its own cosmic system.
Next we read that the Vishva Devas take over. Vishva Deva
means "all the natural forces." They are understood as actual
living agencies, though they're not quite individual entities as we
humans are. So after Brahma has brought the brahmanda
("Brahma's egg," meaning the galaxy including our solar
system) into existence, these natural forces reshape the hot primordial
Earth, preparing it to sustain life.
Now the Praja Patis begin to act. Praja is related to our
English word "progeny," and pati means "lord" or
"ruler." These mysterious intelligences direct the prana,
or organizing field of life, to bring numerous different types of
creatures into manifestation. And no, the Praja Patis are not
aliens visiting from other planets. Though this sounds like science
fiction, the tradition says the Praja Patis don't exist as
physical beings, but as forces of creative consciousness acting from
higher dimensions of reality only the most advanced meditators have
access to.
Finally, the rishis, or great sages, take over the course of
evolution. It is their job to lead those embodied beings who have
intellect and free will (presumably us!) back to our true nature. This
means guiding us beyond our physical body, beyond our breath and vital
force, even beyond the contents of our workaday mind, to our true Self
as an entity of pure consciousness, just like our creators.
Needless to say, this version of evolution is about as different from
that of materialistic Western science as imaginable! No wonder Swami
Rama refused to answer my question that day in Glenview. He looked into
my eyes and recognized that I was still so steeped in modern Western
scientific beliefs, I would be incapable of absorbing this amazing new
worldview at that time.
The Vital Force
Actually
the concept of prana, both on an individual and on a cosmic
level, is not totally unknown in the West. The "vital force"
was a major part of ancient and medieval Western medicine, and continues
to play a huge role in homeopathic medicine. The existence of this force
was never disproved by Westerns science; it was simply forgotten after
the discovery of antibiotics.
Also, over the years alternate theories of evolution competing with
Darwin's have emerged. One of these, especially popular in Europe, was
put forward by the French philosopher Henri Bergson (1859-1941), a Nobel
Prize laureate who worked hard to integrate a viable theory of
consciousness with modern ideas about biological evolution. He believed
that evolution was a living, creative process, that "a current of
consciousness" permeated matter, directing the flow of evolution.
According to Bergson, this "vital impetus" lay behind the
sudden emergence of life and new species. However, a strictly
materialist interpretation of nature prevailed in Western academia,
especially in America, and Bergson's exciting work was brushed aside.
Today evolutionary theory is in crisis. Over 150 years of searching for
the "missing links" Darwin predicted have brought no such
transitional species to light. Throughout the fossil record we find new
species emerging fantastically rapidly, not painstakingly slowly through
transitional forms as Darwin hypothesized. Great numbers of species tend
to appear and disappear together, rather than on an individual basis as
Darwin assumed.
Furthermore, in all these years DNA research has not identified a single
mechanism through which random mutation can produce new higher
organisms. One geneticist even famously confessed the odds against
Darwinian mutations are trillions to one. And over the past two decades,
hundreds of amazing new fossils uncovered in China conclusively prove
that most of the phyla known to biologists didn't evolve gradually over
long eons. Instead, at the very beginning of the Cambrian era, 540
million years ago, they simply appeared-fully formed-so incredibly
quickly that as far as geologists know, they might as well have
materialized overnight.
So who's right, our Western scientists with their passionate belief in
Darwinism, or the yoga sages who claim this world and all its denizens
are the work of guiding intelligences? As I sit in meditation, sensing
my breath passing in and out of my nostrils, it occurs to me that there
may be a lot more to prana than I could have imagined that day in
Glenview, when I was absolutely sure that Swami Rama had it wrong.
Linda Johnsen, M.S., is a regular contributor to "Transformation" and
author of eight books, including Lost Masters: The Sages of Ancient
Greece, which describes the amazingly Yoga-like teachings of many
ancient Western spiritual teachers like Empedocles and Plotinus.
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The Science of
Breath
by Swami Rama
The
flow of breath is constantly helping to shape the pattern of energy (prana)
that underlies and sustains the physical body. If we can understand
the crucial way in which the energizing effects of the breath sustain
and support the metabolic processes of different parts of the body, we
can begin to understand how the material, physical aspects of our
gross body, its tissue functioning and the very existence of its
substance, is created by, and dependent on, the process of breath.
With each breath energy flows through the body in waves, and this flow
of breath is constantly shaping and restructuring the pattern of
energy which comprises the energy (pranic) body.
If we look at physiology from this point of view we begin to realize
that the material body (which we have tended up to this time to regard
as primary) is, in fact, secondary. Its existence is based on
something more fundamental than itself. The flow of energy creates and
sustains the tissues of the body, and if the energy pattern is
sufficiently changed, the physical body will change. If the energy
pattern is altered drastically enough the body can be completely
transformed, for better or worse.
Actually, this does happen, though ordinarily not in a very dramatic
way. People do change, but they usually change in minor ways. This may
be, in part, because their characteristic patterns of energy flow are
set and self-sustaining, because breathing habits and air flow
patterns (and the resulting pattern of energy flow) become very deeply
grounded and established in one's life. They have a sort of momentum
of their own.
However, when one sits down and deliberately begins to work with the
breath, he can gradually begin to see changes in the way the body
functions, even, in some cases, in its appearance. For example, a
tremendous emotional shock or injury, can result in a change of
posture or an alteration in the way the internal organs function.
If the energy pattern shifts so that some part of the body is poorly
supplied ("undernourished") with prana, it will
eventually become sick. It will wither and perhaps even die.
A story by Swami Vivekananda illustrates how Yoga can help us regulate
the breath and benefit the entire mind/body/breath complex.
There once was a king's minister who fell into disgrace and was
imprisoned at the top of a tall tower. The minister asked his faithful
wife to come to the tower when darkness had fallen, bringing with her
a long rope, some stout twine, string, silken thread, a beetle and
some honey. Though bewildered by this strange request, the good wife
did as he bade her. The minister then asked his wife to tie the silken
thread to the beetle, to smear some honey on its horns and then to set
it on the tower wall with its head pointed toward the top of the
tower. The beetle, enticed onward by the sweet smell of the honey,
slowly made its way to the top of the tower, pulling the silken thread
behind it. The minister took hold of the silken thread and then asked
his wife to tie the string to the other end of the silken thread.
Using the silken thread he drew up the string. In like manner he used
the string to draw up the stout twine, and the twine to draw up the
rope. Then he descended to freedom, using the rope.
In our bodies the breath is like the silken thread, using which we
skillfully grasp the string of the nerve impulses; from these we grasp
the stout twine of our thoughts; and finally we grasp the rope of prana,
thus gaining our ultimate freedom.
By practicing yogic breathing techniques learned from a qualified
teacher, the science of breath ceases to be known only as mere theory.
It becomes part of one's total awareness and experience; a healthy
dimension of one's existence.
Reprinted from "Science of Breath" by Swami Rama, et al,
©1979, Himalayan International Institute.
This book is available through the AMI bookstore.
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BOOK REVIEW: By Youngbear Roth
The
Heart and Science of Yoga:
A Blueprint for Peace,
Happiness and Freedom from Fear
I
never heard of Mr. Perlmutter or his work except in a magazine
advertisement and I make it a point to pay no attention to such
advertising. However, browsing in a book shop, I picked the volume
up off the shelf and read enthusiastic endorsements by Dean Ornish,
M.D., Dr. David Frawley, Mehmet Oz, M.D., Lilias Folan and others.
Still suspect, I decided to take a chance. I flipped to the rear
flyleaf where I examined the photograph of an unassuming yogi; a
meditation teacher who had been studying Yoga Science for thirty
years. The author studied as a direct disciple of Shri Swami Rama
along with being degreed in political science, international
relations, and attending the George Washington University School
of Law. Finally, in 1996 Mr. Perlmutter founded the American
Meditation Institute and became an adjunct professor at the
College of St. Rose in Albany, teaching yoga and meditation while
continuing to give lectures, teach classes, and offer retreats at
his institute. This is why I had not heard of Mr. Perlmutter--he
simply hadn't the time to author a work covering in every detail
an exacting applicable guide to the living transformative power of
yoga, yet here it is.
The Heart and Science of Yoga, by Leonard Perlmutter is an
encyclopedic "how and why does it work" guide concerning
all phases of yoga as a thoroughly consciousness transformative
force for living a dynamic life. Most often publishers execute
covers that oversell the applicable content of a book. However, I
have studied Leonard Perlmutter's book from cover to cover and
find it to exceed the dust jacket's claim of The Heart and Science
of Yoga being "A Blueprint for Peace, Happiness and Freedom
from Fear."
The book is presented in twelve parts, each one delving into the
how and why of a specific aspect of yoga science and living
philosophy. The prose is as clear as water bubbling up from a very
deep well; without trying one's patience, and humble under the
weight of its own wisdom, the book moves yoga ever fresh and
forward easily into our daily living experience. As a yoga
professional, I have found The Heart and Science of Yoga by
Leonard Perlmutter to be of inestimable value to my
transformational psychotherapeutic yoga practice and I highly
recommend it to yoga therapists and patients alike.
Youngbear Roth is a registered research scientist in mental health
with the National Association for the Advancement of
Psychoanalysis (NAAP) and a registered yoga therapist with the
International Association of Yoga Therapists.
Youngbear Roth, Helium.com
http://www.helium.com/items/1852217-book-reviews-yoga-science-perlmutter
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Individual Counseling
Yoga Self-Therapy
Leonard Perlmutter
AMI Founder and Director
Member: International Association of Yoga Therapists
Yoga Self-Therapy is
based on the perennial psychology of yoga science. Each
individual counseling session will teach you how to free
yourself from habits and expectations that cause stress and
give rise to illness. By observing and training your internal
processes, you can become creative in all relationships while
establishing a state of personal contentment. By learning to
rely on your own Divine inner wisdom you become free to make
choices in life that continually improve your physical, mental
and emotional well-being.
AMI Home Center, 60 Garner Road, Averill Park
By appointment only. $125/hour
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The Heart and Science of Yoga:
A Blueprint for Peace, Happiness and Freedom from Fear
Review by Gregg St. Clair, Healing Springs Journal
We live in
glorious times don't we? We have information available to us
today that we never transferred to only an inner circle of top
students. This usually involved years of dedication proving
your desire to learn, followed by years of practice in the
more external realms of knowledge, and only then would a
master be willing to share the deepest levels of their art,
most highly guarded secrets. But today every esoteric subject
matter is available through books or just a quick click away
on the world wide web.
Everything has pluses and minuses and this is no exception.
Yes, it is all right there for us, but so is fast food. So how
do we discriminate what is valuable or not for our total well
being? Trial and error is, of course, an option, and something
most people have to go through on their path--be it with diet,
exercise or meditation. But when you find the right thing you
know it. This is how I felt when I read The Heart and
Science of Yoga: A Blueprint for Peace, Happiness and Freedom
from Fear by Leonard Perlmutter. I keep wanting to call it
the "Art" instead of the "Heart," probably from being
conditioned by other book titles, but "Heart" definitely works
better. Why? Because you can tell that that is where the book
comes from and that is where it is aimed.
The Heart and Science of Yoga is a manual showing how
ancient wisdom can help us with life today in an increasingly
chaotic world. No longer does one need to travel to India to
learn the deepest secrets of yoga for it is all contained in
this one book. Some might claim that there is too much
information (and at 538 pages they may be right), but not me.
It is written in a style so easy to read and so relevant to
spiritual development today that its information will be
beneficial, almost crucial, for everyone, not just yoga
practitioners.
Leonard Perlmutter has something rare among yoga practitioners
and meditation instructors today, not only a blessing from his
famous teacher Swami Rama, but a direct request to pass on the
knowledge he transferred to him and to become a full time
teacher. Leonard and his wife Jenness have founded and operate
the American Meditation Institute in Averill Park, New York--a
short drive from the capital city of Albany. A tranquil oasis,
the Perlmutters are dedicating their lives to creating
positive change in the world based on the teachings of yoga
with meditation as the key.
The book covers in detail the eight limbs of yoga is of course
more than different contortionist postures and includes a
blueprint for spiritual growth including, proper disciplines,
proper conduct, proper exercise, proper breathing, proper
control of the senses, proper concentration, proper meditation
and finally self realization. I particularly like how they use
quotations and references from all of the worlds religions,
including literature and even current sources (did you know
Elvis was a guru?), making the book very accessible if not
down right enjoyable to read.
With the invention of the airplane, the telephone and now the
world wide web, it has become obvious that it is one world and
we must act together if there is going to be hope for the
future. Unfortunately people become so caught up in their own
realities that they fail to see the bigger picture. But we are
spiritual beings, and as we busy ourselves with the illusions
of the world it separates us from our spirit, creating a
source of suffering that is only going to continue. I take
comfort in the fact that yoga has an 8000 year old history and
though I am a scientist, I don't need another double blind
study to know that it works. The key is, we have to practice
something to take control of our mind & lives, or they will
take control of us. If you are looking for a tried and true
system that has helped millions of people, then The Heart
and Science of Yoga is the perfect companion. I recommend
it for everybody.
http://americanmeditation.org/Movie/movie.html |
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MARCH 2011
MARCH 7 - APRIL 11:
EASY-GENTLE
YOGA
with Kathleen Fisk
Monday nights, 6:30 - 8:00 PM (6 wks)
MARCH 16 - 30: BALANCING THE CHAKRAS
Wednesday nights, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
MARCH 17:
INTRODUCTORY
MEDITATION LECTURE
AMI Meditation: The Heart and Science of Yoga™
Thursday night, 6:30 - 7:30 PM
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MARCH 19: MEDICINE CABINET ESSENTIALS
Saturday, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
MARCH 25:
DINNER, MOVIE & SATSANG
"Hereafter"
Friday night, 5:30 - 10:00 PM
APRIL 2011
APRIL 4 - MAY 9:
MIND-BODY
PSYCHOLOGY
Monday nights, 6:30 - 8:30 PM (6 week Gita
Study)
**This
class is also available by Computer Distance Learning (CDL)
APRIL 5 - MAY 10:
AMI MEDITATION
The Heart and Science of Yoga™
Comprehensive training in holistic
mind-body medicine
Tuesday nights, 6:30 - 9:00 PM (6 wks)
with AMI founder Leonard Perlmutter
APRIL 9:
BREATHING
AS MEDICINE
Saturday morning, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
with AMI founder Leonard Perlmutter & Beth Gayatri Netter,
MD
APRIL 18 - MAY 23:
EASY-GENTLE
YOGA
with Kathleen Fisk
Monday nights, 6:30 - 8:00 PM (6 wks)
APRIL 21:
INTRODUCTORY
MEDITATION LECTURE
AMI Meditation: The Heart and Science of Yoga™
Thursday night, 6:30 - 7:30 PM
with Mary Holloway & Doreen Howe
APRIL 22:
DINNER, MOVIE & SATSANG
"Grand Canyon"
Friday night, 5:30 - 10:00 PM
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BY THURSDAY, APRIL 21
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