Tag: Yoga breath control

There are different systems of Yoga, nay it will be proper to say that there are variations in Yoga practices. Essential features like the steps to be followed in Yoga, Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Prathyaahara,Dhyana, Dharana and Samadhi remain the same in all. The first system of Yoga by Siva is Vaasi Yoga, where Consciousness is directly managed while in Patanjal’ s Yoga, Consciousness is managed through Chitta, a higher level than Mind.

Siva is the First Yogi, Adhi Yogi and He practiced Vaasi. His discipline was Thirumoolar, A Siddha.He authotred A Treatise on Saiva Siddhantha, Advaitic thoughts and Yoga. He explains in the Text Thirumandhiram in Tamil about Yogic practices. He mentions about the movement of Breath.

All of us breathe. We breathe through Both nostrils and it is involuntary. Yoga systems of Siddhas, Realized Souls and in Saiva Siddhantha talk about Breath that move through the Nostrils.

The movement of Breath is called Nadi/ tube, pipe, nerve, blood vessel, pulse’) is a term for the channels through which, in traditional Indian medicine and spiritual knowledge, the energies such as prana of the physical body, the subtle body and the causal body are said to flow. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadi_(yoga)

There are over 300,000 Nadis according to SivaYoga Saram , 72,000 according to Thirumoolar , Eighteen Siddhas and Avvaiyaar. Of these 72,000, Thirumoolar marks, 500,10,then to Ten Nadis as primary. Of these ten, three are Ida , Pingala and Sushumna. Inhaling through Left Nostril is called Pooraka, Retention of breath is Kumbaka and exhaling through the Right Nostril is Rechaka.

Though it appears that we breathe through both nostrils, if we observe our Breath, we will notice that quantity of Air/Breath that pass through is not the same for both nostrils, Left and Right. Sometimes, breath passes more through the left nostril and at other times through the right nostril. The Left nostril belongs to / (called as) Moon and Right to Sun. When one holds the Breath, Sushumna, that holding of Breath belongs to or called as Agni, Fire. We shall see in detail in the forthcoming articles.

The Thirumoolar system of Yoga has revealed, explained the times when the Breath moves in the Left Nostril and the right nostril. Each has significant information about our health. It also helps us in curing discomforts, illnesses and diseases.