The Space Between

This week I thought it might be time to discover the space between the inhale and exhale.  In Yoga this aspect of the breath - retention either after the inhalation or exhalation or both - is called kumbhaka prānāyāma.  The beauty of this practice lies in its simplicity - at the end of the inhale or exhale we suspend the breath and the movement, and this must be done with care and attention.  The concept of breath retention is used during āsana, prānāyāma or both to explore the idea of habit formation; to deepen our understanding and connection to our body, breath and mind; and to create that moment where the body and breath are still.  It is therefore in this moment of stillness that we create space for the mind to be still.  This is why it is important that breath retention is practiced mindfully so as not to disturb the breath, body, or mind.  This concept is brought together in Patañjali-s Yoga Sūtra 1.31 which is a great summary tool to use throughout class to keep you on the right track.

In his book, Regliousness in Yoga, Desikachar discusses how we use the space between each movement and breath to help avoid habit-forming tendencies.  The way he explains this is by using the example of raising the arms on the inhalation and pausing for 1-2 seconds before we lower the arms on the exhalation and pause for 1-2 seconds.  If you do this movement so that the inhalation initiates and continues the movement of raising the arms, and likewise, the exhalation initiaties and continues the movement of lowering the arms then you are deeply connected and in control of the breath.  Extending this connection and discipline to outside of the yoga practice your actions are done thoughtfully rather than out of habit.

The length of time we hold the breath is critical as it can determine the affect of the practice and whether it is reducing tension or building tension.  If the breath retention is too long it will be evident in the breath itself.  For example, over the past few weeks in class we have been inhaling and exhaling to a length of four seconds.  If I was to ask you to hold either the inhale or exhale (or both) for four seconds you may find that you need to do a quick breath i.e. that you cannot sustain the four second inhale and exhale.  Without this quick breath you may feel that your body will tremble or not be able to complete the āsana properly.  This is the feedback that tells you you're not ready for this technique.  Instead, allow yourself more time to develop the qualities of the breath in āsana we discussed last week (creating a smooth, long, subtle breath) before introducing the retention.  So if you are practicing breath retention and either your inhalation or exhalation becomes disturbed then return your focus to maintaining the steady flow of inhale and exhale.

All of this information brings us to Patañjali sūtra 1.31 which says:

duhkha-daurmanasya-angamejayatva-śvāsa-praśvāsāh-viksepa-saha-bhuvah |

Frans Moor and Desikachar summarise this sūtra as: the symptoms of mental sufferings are mental discomfort, negative thinking, the inability to be at ease in different body postures, and difficulty in controlling ones breath.  When we reflect on this sūtra in light of breath retention then duhkha (suffering) can be seen as an uneasiness in the body, the body no longer moves cohesively with the breath; daurmanasya (negative thinking) may arise in the form of frustration from not being able to maintain the desired qualities of the breath after retention; angamejayatva (physical agitation) is the response from the body such as trembling; and finally śvāsa-praśvāsāh (short, irregular, erratic breathing) is the disruption to the breath that the retention causes.  Be aware when you are practicing that if you experience any of these symptoms they will contribute to agitating the mind which ultimately is moving away from the purpose of Yoga.

On Tuesday we will begin to explore breath retention in our prānāyāma and at the end of class the meditation will explore the concept of space.  I hope you and your bubs can join me at Bikram Yoga Kawana, 11am.  If you can't make it along to class, check out the practice below and try it at home.

Part (d) in the prānāyāma should read "Even length inhale + exhale x 6 (no hold)"