January 1st 2015

I like to start my day by doing 30 minutes of Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing practice), a yogic practice which aids in the regulation of one's Prana/Life Force Energy/Qi. I have been practising for five years now, and the benefits are profound. My awareness of subtle energies has increased; my understanding of the interconnections between the psychological/mental, emotional, spiritual and physical bodies has deepened; my brain operates in a more balanced way (right/left brain); my mental acuity has sharpened; my ability to control and transmute the less favourable aspects of my temperament has improved.

Upon waking, I take a sip of water, go to the toilet, then commence my practice. I am currently working my way up to (and reaching for a few cycles) the 1:4:2:0 ratio. I am just a learner on the yogic path, and by no means qualified to teach anyone how to do Pranayama, so I would always recommend reading 'Light on Pranayama', by BKS Iyengar, to gain a comprehensive overview of this yogic art of breathing. Here is the information written inside the front cover:

"Pranayama, the yogic art of breathing, leads to a control of the emotions, which in turn brings stability, concentration and mental poise. Pranayama is a bridge which helps the student of yoga to cross from the realm of purely physical development to that of the spirit and forms a crucial stage in his or her journey towards self-realisation.

Light on Pranayama is a worthy companion and sequel to the author's Light on Yoga, which is now widely-recognised as a classic text on the practice of Hatha Yoga. The present book is also practical and thorough, offering a trustworthy guide to all who wish to develop the art of yogic breathing.

The respiratory system is discussed from the point of view of both modern anatomy and the ancient yoga texts. The 14 basic types of Pranayama are analysed in such a way as to offer the reader a programme of 82 carefully graded stages from the simplest breathing patterns to the most advanced.

Light on Pranayama provides the student with a comprehensive background of yoga philosophy and discusses such allied topics as the Nadis, Bandhas, Chakras and Bija Mantra. For the serious student, there is a full progressive course lasting 200 weeks with special emphasis on the difficulties and dangers that are to be avoided in the practice of Pranayama."

Also, the foreword explains:

"Pranayama is not merely deep-breathing, or breathing exercises normally a part of physical culture. It is something far more, involving exercises that affect not only the physical, psychological and neural energies, but also the psychological and  cerebral activities, such as memory training and creativity."

In 2015 I am going to deepen my Pranayama practice, to incorporate two sessions a day.