Let Breath Purify The Mind That Leads To Mindfulness-1

Talk & Practice.

Freedom, Happiness, and wisdom
When we learn the principles of eastern wisdom, we apply discernment that becomes dispassion. The highest dispassion leads to knowledge of real self, awakens to permanent happiness.
We will learn from Yoga Sutra, Gita, and other texts together to discover the true nature.

Transcript

Then he used to say that are you doing something special?

Everyone is doing.

Take an aunt,

Observe the aunt.

An aunt knows which one is food and which one is not.

What a great deal if we are running.

You know we have so one of our great masters including my master used to say we do not think.

We follow blindly.

So when we do not think we follow blindly.

So very non thinking you see very non thinking is ignorance.

Very not thinking is ignorance.

What is ignorance?

Not knowing my real nature.

So what is not knowing my real nature?

I don't know that I am of the nature of happiness and I am running outside for the sake of happiness.

Do you see that?

See the point of guiding guidance from the teachers.

I am of the nature of happiness.

I have a doubt.

I don't have a right knowledge.

Buddha says in the first eight four Noble Paths right view right knowledge is essential.

I do not think when I wake up in the morning and my mind is making me run.

So when my mind is making me run then I forget that the happiness is within me and then running running and running.

So this is running outside not knowing happiness inside is what we say ignorance is.

That is what we say ignorance is.

Do you see that?

So when we learn and continue the teaching continue listening and learning these principles understanding time comes the mind clicks.

It clicks into the mind.

Yes it is there.

You wake up in the morning mind was rushing it clicks.

The moment it clicks all your anxiety duality drops down.

Oh I got it.

Now when you got it what happens?

Now that is the point of becoming a seeker.

I just came to my mind.

So basic problem is that I do not think but what I think I claim is right.

I loved you so much and you cheated me.

That is my thinking.

Immediate cause.

Yes it is an immediate cause someone cheats you but what is the ultimate cause?

Ask yourself what is the ultimate cause that someone cheated you?

Why you think that they he or she cheated you?

Why you think that?

Because I was expecting happiness from him and her.

See that?

I am hungry immediate cause I need money to feed myself.

See that?

But what is the ultimate cause?

When you find the ultimate cause that is what is explained in different sutras,

Different processes.

So we have been applying these yoga sutras.

A couple of the sutras before focused on Aum,

Aum meditation.

So Aum meditation says,

Patanjali says when we practice Aum meditation regularly it removes all the obstacles.

At the same time it moves the mind with him so that we can succeed in meditation.

But the caveat is that in Aum meditation my mind must understand the meaning.

Means I must practice with the meaning.

If I do not practice with the meaning then it becomes a habitual practice and it does not bring any result.

So he says two things Aum meditation it moves the mind within and it removes all the obstacles that helps us to succeed in meditation.

So then we came to the next sutras.

The mind says,

Now Patanjali says that we have nine obstacles and we discussed in detail all the nine obstacles.

Are you a thinker or I directly say are you intelligent?

Yes I am intelligent.

So the moment you have these obstacles all of them are starts from the mind.

I don't feel like doing it I don't think after that.

I don't feel like doing it that's why I didn't do it.

Finished.

No I have to ask why I don't feel like doing it.

Why I hate a teacher?

Why I am attached to the teacher?

I have to ask.

So when you are vigilant during the day you become aware of these obstacles that enters into the mind that is and that will help you succeed.

So what the master is saying?

What the master is saying?

Master is saying that if you did not understand OM meditation if you fail in that now what these are the problems nine obstacles are laziness,

Dullness,

Feeling of heaviness.

The moment you have these symptoms tell your mind I will definitely do the practice first and mine I will take care of you later.

Do I have that level of awareness?

That level of awareness comes when we become a seeker.

Okay Patanjali loves,

Is full of compassion.

So he says okay you don't feel like that so then we covered last four weeks we covered there are four attitude of in the mind.

That attitude should be settled in the mind to live in the state of cheerfulness.

No in the modern life we can say no I am very busy so I have lot of things to do.

Okay you are busy.

You interact with the people and the objects so interact in this way.

Maitri friendliness,

Compassion,

Joy,

Indifference,

Maitri Karuna,

Mudita,

Upe Chana.

You know I find lot we normally say I don't know what to do I'm really crazy I go to the office I find crazy people.

Patanjali is asking you find out categorize them and act accordingly.

You need not to change anyone.

Change yourself,

Your attitude towards them living in the state of cheerfulness.

I believe you have all gone through you have listened to it so you understand that.

Where I have to where I have to think act and speak in the attitude of friendliness,

In the attitude of compassion,

In the attitude of joy,

In the attitude of indifference,

Equanimity.

So you see that 90% of your problems interacting with the people is solved.

No I forget it.

So we understand Patanjali says I understand you have yet to become a seeker.

I understand.

You know he's giving you all the tips and he goes on he gives us more than 10 different tips.

So we started with Aum meditation and then we then he said regular practice,

Regular practice with the wisdom will help then he says these four traits.

Now we claim we are intelligent but still we do not observe our own mind.

We do not reset our attitude.

We fail again and again.

We blame and come on on this meditation is good that is good this teacher is good that teacher.

No I'm not still you know my mind is not not going inside.

Yeah so Patanjali not all every master uses there is a pratyakcetana.

Pratyakcetana means withdrawing the mind that is scattered in different directions from outside to inside then only I can start thinking otherwise I live like an ant.

You touch the ant.

Oh enemy change the direction sometime again I started running again.

I don't think.

No but I am intelligent.

I'm intelligent but I don't think.

So okay if you are intelligent Patanjali says now the next sutra.

He says stop thinking.

Now follow me.

So in the sutra number 34 in the first chapter he says prachan.

Prachan.

Prachad dhan.

Vidhar.

Vidhar na bhiyam vabra nasyat.

What he says now.

Now he says that I understand you are lazy you are crazy mind still goes outside distractions are still there.

Our goal is emptiness because that emptiness will reveal the true nature of my real self.

So now he says no problem at all.

You cannot think still you claim you are a thinker.

No worries we have realized you.

So now I will guide you.

Patanjali says I will guide you by changing the rate and the rhythm of the breath.

You can achieve the focus of the mind and your mind can withdraw from outside to inside.

Question is am I ready?

I have not been ready in four accounts previously.

That is why I am feeling.

Am I ready now?

No no I cannot think you know what you are saying it doesn't make any sense you know we have lot of arguments.

So he says no now I will put you into action.

Are you ready?

Prachad dhan.

Prachad dhan.

Vidhar na bhiyam vabra.

He says or there is an option.

You have not done the previous steps.

Let us do it.

So Patanjali is also asking how many practices you want.

I remember one great friend of mine in India I gave him 29 practices.

Every time he says no this practice does not suit me I said no I have Pandora box of thousands of practices.

So after 29 practices he says it doesn't fit me.

I said I know it.

So why you gave me 29 practices?

Because you told me.

What should I do?

Should I follow you or you should follow me?

Now I will follow me.

I said no question asked.

Now you have to follow me you have to do the practices as I suggest you.

I know your temperament that you are not aware of it.

Come back.

He says breathing rate and rhythm of the breathing.

The breathing the prana rules the breathing.

That is why the world is used prana.

Prana rules the breathing.

Prana and the breath are two different things.

Yadvai praneti swaha prana.

That by which the living force is alive is known as prana.

Another meaning of the prana is first unit of energy first unit of life force.

Now see that life force is present in the aunt in amoeba and also in me.

Only we have a choice to alter the rate and the rhythm of the breath.

Why?

Because I'm a self-conscious being.

Are you ready?

Patanjali says we will bring a tremendous change if you are ready.

The oldest book Atharveda beautifully says now understand.

We are understanding through the mind you are not ready to work on the mind as a good thinker in the previous sutras.

So he says now can you think of this breath which is objective which you can feel.

My thoughts go unnoticed.

Sometimes we are obsessed with it.

When you when I'm telling you I don't feel like doing it why you are pushing me?

Because you have to think why you don't feel like doing it.

But you know you see that in your daily in your interaction with a lot of you and I don't feel like doing it why you are pushing me.

We are a leader of the free world.

We are also a leader of the mind whatever the mind says we want to do.

So here he says what he says now he says objectively you can see the prana you can feel the breath so we will change and if we change the rate and the rhythm of the breath we can succeed.

So in Atharveda,

Pranu Virata Pranu Deshtri Pranam Sarupasati Pranuhu Surya Chandramah Pranamahu Prajapatam Pranuhu Surya Chandramah.

He says this prana is the protector of the universe you are part of the universe so that prana is protecting you if you change the direction of the prana you will succeed.

Where there is a movement where there is a change there is prana.

Understand that prana in that reference.

Are you listening to me it is a change prana is also there.

I am speaking I am speaking through the mind because of the prana.

That prana life energy converted into mental energy that is why I am speaking to you.

Body changes prana,

Gravitation prana.

Think in that way.

I don't want to think science knows better that is why science is discovering more illnesses than health.

You see let us start thinking in that way we are not pushing have a new perspective so where there is a change there is a prana.

So if I regulate the prana I can make the body steady.

Now see conclusion.

When I can bring about a change in the prana I can make the mind steady.

Not lot of thinking want to act with the friendliness and compassion or doing it habitually is not bringing any reserved.

So we have good teachers also attending.

They have studied in Haryog Pradipika.

Haryog Pradipika says chale vate chalam chittam nishchale nishchalam bhavate.

If you change the mind prana changes and if you change the prana if you change the rate and the rhythm of the breath the mind changes.

In Haryog Pradipika.

Kate Branti and Internet and now now Christian is also becoming a teacher.

Do you see that?

We don't pay attention to it.

Chale vate chalam chittam nishchale nishchalam bhavate.

Yogis tharnuktam apanoti tato vayum nirodhe.

By regulating the rate and the rhythm of the breath a person becomes a yogi yogi.

Tharnuktam apanoti.

What does that means?

That person makes the mind totally steady.

I told you we all talk of the same principles but differently expression is different.

You see by regulation of the breath how many type of reading practices we know in Haryoga maybe eight,

Nine,

Ten or eleven.

In tantra we have 135 different practices of reading.

Because our mind is limited to only 10 and 11 reading practices when I give some practices they say oh is it Kapal Bhadi?

Oh because I want to relate it.

No it is not.

So when I take it as Kapal Bhadi then I'm not progressing I do not understand that.

Before we go for another before we go for practice let us understand what Patanjali says what happens he says the result in the second chapter.

Tatha kshiyate prakasha varanam.

You are not able to think rightly you are not able to remove the doubt you cannot move to the friendliness I get upset you know the previous sutras we cannot follow the previous sutras so master says tatha kshiyate prakasha varanam.

You continue doing these breathing practices.

What will happen it will remove the veil of ignorance from the mind but one thing by example I'm telling you don't take it literally almost if you follow OM meditation you will succeed in three months example that three months is an example to make you understand and if you follow that four attitude with the state of cheerfulness it will take about a year and if you follow the breathing practices it will take four years.

That is the way.

You are not directly hitting the mind you're you are hitting the breath so breath in relationship to the body the mind will sometimes you know I don't feel oh no it's too much you know no I feel you know I feel craziness and I cannot do it so you have to gradually increase the level of tolerance in the mind.

Mind should be acclimatized to withstand the changes that is taking place sudden changes that is taking place by the breathing practices.

Someday you will say no I cannot do it because it demands lot of strength in the stamina so someday you cannot do it someday you are sick but even if you are physically sick you can follow the other practices.

You see the three months one year four years so I did not want to go for the higher steps so continue and four years who will do it who remembers in four years we become soulmate and then we go to honeymoon then we go soulmate and then we divorce what to talk about everything.

Do you see that?

Then we we have a doubt about yoga that is why yoga is not working in our life.

Who is responsible?

I am.

I am responsible for I used to go to Stephen Friend's house for private lessons so it used to take me 45 minutes don't do that so I used to breathe for 45 minutes while driving so when I used to reach their house brain is totally fresh ready not tired not exhausted I'm just giving you one idea of that.

So as I told you there are 135 practices explained in different tantra text tell me no I'm not going to tell you I'm going to tell you what is required.

You're not doing your philosophy.

You see in the second benefit in the second sutra perhaps 53 chapter 253 Dhara na sucho yugyata manasa what hatha yoga pradipika text says Patanali says in a different ways you get a remarkable power of concentration by regular breathing practices.

So because we don't have a right understanding and the right knowledge what we do we go back to science oxygen concentration hyperventilation hypoventilation we start off because I don't have a right knowledge in yoga.

They are okay they can complement it.

I have done research studies on asthma and we have found out that you can alter the activity of peripheral and chemoreceptors in the brain by doing regular breathing practices that will help you to minimize the symptoms of asthma.

But I'm a healthy being I want to achieve the final rule of yoga.

I don't need peripheral and chemoreceptors.

I don't make a difference.

I'm not clear.

So when I'm not clear then four years is not a long time.

I leave within couple of weeks and months.

Do you see that?

So we'll talk little more about this prana in the next session also.

Let us start practice.

Are you committed?

Yes I am committed.

So follow as I tell you.

No stopping in between.

So eyes are closed.

Eyes are closed.

But if you have any symptom you can interrupt me in between.

Eyes are closed.

Looking at the body the body and then looking at the mind.

Check body is steady.

Now body is causing lot of challenges.

No bodies.

We are using breath as a means.

So even if it is moving just maintain okay.

Maintain your awareness and if it is steady wonderful you progress faster.

So look at look at the neck joint.

Feel the sensation,

Comfort and steadiness.

Shoulder joints.

Experience being comfortable,

Steady and and steadiness.

The entire body is comfortable,

Steady and body should remain more or less steady.

First point of awareness.

We are we have we are going to do the three types of breathing which I normally say chest breathing,

Belly breathing,

Yogic breathing.

But the rate and the rhythm of the breath should be quicker and the faster.

For example understand that we are going to do it for two minutes each today.

Normally in tantra it is recommended we should be doing nine minutes each.

Think of it.

Lot of work to do.

So when we do the chest breathing means you are aware that you inhale into the ribcage.

It expands.

You exhale from the ribcage.

It contracts.

Means the mind is engaged while inhaling into the ribcage and exhaling from the ribcage.

Expansion and contraction should be there.

So the chest breathing is normally the short and the quick breath through both the nostrils.

Focused inside the ribcage.

Then we will we will stay for a minute to change to experience the change and then we will go to the belly breathing.

Belly breathing means you inhale the belly expanse like a balloon and you exhale the belly contracts like a balloon when you deflate it.

What is and there the focus remains inside the belly button.

Then comes the yogic breathing where the focus is deep inside the forehead and it is a long and the hissing breath.

Means you inhale first into the belly.

Continue to inhale into the ribs both expanse and while exhaling you exhale from the belly and from the ribs.

We all are seekers.

So two minutes is not a big deal.

After all we have to reach to nine minutes.

So let us start first with the chest breathing.

Body remains steady.

Only the movement in the chest and the belly.

Start breathing only from the ribcage.

Chest breathing for two minutes.

Continue you are committed to the practice.

We are doing only for two minutes.

It's not a big deal.

Quick short breath through both the nostrils into the ribcage.

And stop this.

We have done two minutes of chest breathing.

I'm not giving any name to these breathing from the Hatha Yoga practices.

Remember this.

So don't compare that.

Don't take it that.

Do nothing.

Find the changes in experience inside the head,

Outside the head.

It may happen in the form of sensation,

Tingling,

Numbness,

Total blankness,

As if oh I don't feel like I am in the body.

Don't start thinking that oh why it is out of body experience.

Sometimes we use such a misconception.

So now comes the second breathing with the same rate in the rhythm but this breath is little longer because the lower lobes of the lungs are longer and the greater have a greater capacity than the upper lobes of the lungs.

So simple but what is to be what is the main point to be noted when you inhale the belly expanse like a balloon when you exhale it deflates like a balloon.

So let us start.

You can make out by the noise of the breath from where you are breathing.

Continue.

Continue.

We have to do it for two minutes.

Continue.

Continue.

Only into the belly not into the ribs.

Only into the belly not into the ribs.

Continue.

Equal rhythm of inhalation and exhalation.

It will happen after a few rounds of practice.

It doesn't happen on the first day but we have to do it.

And stop it.

Think compare.

We are only doing for two minutes and check the mind is not ready to follow to be a thinker to move like a friendliness,

Compassion,

Joy,

Indifference.

Now it doesn't fit me.

Now we are giving you the reading practices the mind will still say it doesn't fit me it causes lot of challenges to me means I am not ready to do anything but still I want happiness.

Then there is no remedy for those.

Well I'm just explaining the process.

Now coming to the third reading.

What do you do?

Your inhalation and exhalation more or less should be equal.

You inhale first into the valley continue without break into the rib cage both expense and then you exhale from the valley from the ribs they both deflate and squeeze inside but remember it has to be long deep in the fast with a hissing sound focused inside focus deep remains inside the forehead start with it pay attention it will happen in two or three repetitions you can make out I am doing it you can make out by a sound the way I am doing it hmm hmm continue hmm hmm you do not stop in the middle continue it is not the short breath remember if the short breath it it is chest breathing it is the middle breath it is belly breathing we are doing from the boat and the mind miss it mind forgets it and the practice is gone hmm continue hmm hi and stop it we have done two minutes of it I have directly exposed you to these three types of breathing without explaining in detail but as we go along we will understand deeply now look at the tip of the nose and check if you are breathing from both the nostrils equally look at your level of awareness you are not breathing now you have stopped it you are only checking the breath but sometime I see people continue to do it that is a great problem of the mind I will not I'm going to tell you who is doing that he is still breathing long deep in the hissing breath you should stop it now you should stop it now well let him continue let him or her continue it happens then we recognize there is a deep emotional problem many how you are looking at the breath stop breathing now guy is not person is not stopping now it's okay let us look at the breath the flow of the air from both the nostrils should be equal just check it if it is not equal keep looking at the tip of the nose where the mind goes there the breath goes principle coming from Hatha yoga stop breathing now you are looking at the breath only you know the element of ego element of lower mind kind lower consciousness you see you don't listen that is why we say there are dangers and all these practices must be done under the super reason now start just move the mind on the entire body from the top of the head to the toes head in the neck experience incision relaxation and stillness stop breathing now you are looking at the breath we are into the next step look at the head in the neck experience incision relaxation and stillness look inside experience calmness and quietness I believe you are listening to me stop breathing we are already into the next step there is no danger but the teacher has to be vigilant only look at the right arm move the mind on the right arm we want to experience the chain sensation relaxation in stillness look inside the right arm become aware of the right arm inside the space in this incision I'll take that step deeply into the next session experience calmness and quietness that gives us a clue that the mind is living within please stop breathing I have been telling repeatedly but we are not listening look at the left arm look at the left arm experience sensation relaxation and stillness look inside when we look inside the left arm we are aware of calmness and quietness we may have an experience of tingling numbness body starts freezing sometime sometime we experience an extreme lightness in the body or heaviness we get a feeling of sinking the body is sinking into the floor it's okay you just watch experience the changes but continue to follow me and then we look at the rib cage outside sensation relaxation and stillness and inside inside is the space and the sensation and calmness and quietness look at the belly outside awareness of what sensation relaxation and stillness inside calmness in quietness look at the right leg Charlie what a challenge it done initially national and how we are applying that principle moving the mind on the right leg be there feel sensation relaxation in stillness looking inside looking inside the right leg the calmness and quietness is there look at the left leg mentally and sensation relaxation and stillness inside calmness and quietness now looking at the breath making the breath little deeper as you inhale deep silent and slow move the mind inside the spine from the crown of the head to the tail bone mentally singing while exhaling the mind rises from the tailbone to the top of the head crown of the head singing mentally so now the body continues to change its experiences it remains more or less still the breath is deep silent and slow the mind moves with the breath saying aum shanti aum shanti please continue Om Shanti Om Shanti While inhaling and exhaling.

So you see that body supporting the deep silence,

Slow breathing,

Breath supporting the movement of the mind,

Mind supporting the recitation of the mantra.

Well step by step,

Understanding that point.

So that process takes a long time.

Because if the body is not in a proper position,

The deep silence,

Slow breathing cannot happen.

If it doesn't happen,

The mind cannot move rightly with the breath,

The mantra cannot.

That is how we understand from outside to inside.

But that possibility is done with in the higher practices that we have understood before.

That is why I say three months,

One year,

Four years.

Now leave the breath but continue with Om Shanti.

Now we reach to the same place of clarity of understanding.

Om Shanti The mind drops from the crown of the head to the tailbone,

Reciting mentally.

Om Shanti Mind rises from the tailbone to the top of the head.

Om Shanti So it is a bypassing the body and the breath.

The mind has to work on the mind itself.

In hathiyaga text we talk of Amman,

We talk of Sambhavi Mudra,

Unamani Mudra,

Unamani means,

Normally means no mind mudra.

Because when as we have yet to become a seeker,

So hathiyaga master say,

Okay,

This is also mudra,

There are many mudras,

Now this is also one mudra.

See.

And doing nothing,

Remain as you are in the state of doing nothing.

Doing nothing.

Now you are in a state of doing nothing,

Living into that state.

Allow the revelation to take place.

Om Shanti,

Shanti,

Shanti Om Shanti,

Shanti,

Shanti Bring your mind on the right hand,

Your mind on the left hand,

Lift your both of arms,

Place it on your eyes,

Open the eyes inside,

Know your experiences,

Bring the hands down,

And we will share our experiences now.

How are you,

Stephen?

Wow.

I'm good.

I had this sense of pure relaxation when you started with something with the shoulders in the beginning,

And I just felt my whole body let loose into complete relaxation.

The first breathing was centered as a numbness activity right here,

In the forehead.

The second breathing,

I felt vibration all around here.

Beautiful.

The third breathing was back here,

Towards the crown,

And then everything else was,

The only other thing through it is the listening with the Om Shanti,

When we dropped the breath,

Took the attention away from the breath,

I felt like I was traveling from my crown to my tailbone within myself.

Beautiful.

Which was incredible.

After that,

It was just like this.

Beautiful.

That is beautiful.

Yes,

Yes.

Beautiful.

How are you,

Brandy?

Hi,

Garesh.

I'm pretty good.

I can see how the breath work takes your mind someplace different than the Om meditation,

But I can see how it's not as deep.

Maybe that's not the right word to say,

But I can see how it maybe takes a little bit longer.

The focus is there immediately,

But I don't know.

Yes,

Yes,

You are right.

But it was still really useful because I have some kind of a lot of mind sometimes,

And so that breath helps.

Yes,

I think that's a good observation.

I'll see that.

Apply what you have observed.

One day,

The mind is crazy.

It doesn't want to listen.

Do this practice.

The other day,

The mind follows easily.

It is calm and relaxed.

Then it can go easily inside.

Follow the other practice.

That is the key.

That is how we understand.

No,

No,

I have low protein,

So eat more protein.

Low carb,

Eat now.

So apply the same.

That is important.

How are you,

Internet?

I'm good.

That was very,

It went by very quickly.

Good.

And I went from feeling very heavy to light and energized.

Energized.

Yeah,

I have a new sense of energy right now,

Which is good.

Yeah.

You see the previous steps,

What Patanjali explains are purely psychological and mental.

That can give you the energy 24 by 7.

And these practices,

You are energized for maybe one,

Two,

Three hours.

The mind will go back to the same old habit and routine.

It will dissipate the energy.

That understanding should be coming from yoga.

But it's a good observation.

How are you,

Kate?

We are going to meet just after the session,

Isn't it?

Yeah.

I actually found that this practice brought me into a deeper place of stillness.

Yeah,

Good.

So like the breath prepared and kind of more inside,

Deeper?

Yeah.

Think of it,

Kate.

Tantra says minimum,

I would say,

I calculated roughly,

It is nine minutes each breath.

So we have just done two minutes.

Let us see how we can go.

And sometime what happens,

You are doing say for the chest reading.

Now the mind has some element of impurity.

So the mind doesn't want you to stop even for two minutes.

It continues,

Continues,

Continues,

Continues,

Continues,

Continues.

So that is why we say in these practices,

The teacher has to be there to guide you,

To push you,

To change it.

So a lot of other stuff that we will discuss.

And how are you,

Christina?

I'm doing very well.

That was,

I understand kind of where Brandi was coming from.

There is definitely a difference,

But it is almost like we were working backwards that we,

The AUM is so powerful.

And then going to this,

This is something that I want to practice throughout my days because this would have helped,

Will help.

And if I had in the past when I was dealing with high anxiety,

This was beautiful.

And very light once you stopped,

Told us to stop breathing too.

Yeah,

Yeah.

And I just felt,

I felt like I was a little kid just floating through the air.

It was,

It was wonderful.

Beautiful.

I love you.

Now you have been,

Started smiling,

Bubbling with energy.

A couple of weeks before things were different.

So never go back.

And we are going to do lot of,

At least four or five different sessions on breathing to see that how it works on you.

So how are you,

Teddy?