Working with the breath

[omcasey]

I am starting a project to remaster all the audio to yoga breathing practices I used to teach in class. These recordings were originally made back in roughly 2006-7, in Erich Schiffmann's infamous yoga room, at the back of his Santa Monica home. The acoustics in there were great. You could hear a pin reverberate if dropped. For this reason the process of recording offered a challenge.. getting the audio perfect with no extra sounds creeping in ( no coughs, clearing of the throat or even audible between breaths, lol ). This is done old school, just me sitting in the empty yoga room, with a 2003 hand held audio recorder. No editing. Each clip is recorded all in one go. The music in the background is from the CD "Deuter, Himalaya". This is the newly remastered video version of "Sounding Out Om" : ( I hope you will enjoy it ) : ( no more still images in 240p! ) :

[Vestige]

Thank you, omcasey!  I have been interested in the power of breath for a while... Would you consider the video you made to be a lesson in pranayama?  Would it be suitable for "beginners" and "trained" students alike?

https://www.llresearch.org/channeling/2021/0512
The breathing which you experience in the incarnate state is a primary linkage between body, mind and, done appropriately, the spirit complex as well. There are a great many methods for using the breath to achieve altered states of consciousness. These methods involve retention of various levels and intensities. They involve changing the frequency of respiration, the depth of respiration, the pathway of travel for that which you call air, through the nostrils, through the mouth, and these can be combined again with changes to hand gestures, bodily positions and facial structure or shall we say musculature within the face, the throat.

These on the surface may seem but mechanical details to the one exploring consciousness. It is easy to dismiss the processes of the body. But we assure the seeker that this particular discipline is not contained within or limited to the body complex completely. One's experience of consciousness is tied intimately to the breath. We give this instrument simple example of some psychological states that may change the breathing—from the quickened, shortened breath of anxiety, to the relaxed and rhythmic and deep breath of relaxation. This instrument is aware of that third-density teacher known as Ramana Maharshi who described the mind as the rider and the breath as the horse, and that by learning in a disciplined way to direct and control the horse, one can gain control, as it were, of the mind itself.

For to drill down further into this linkage between mind and body through the breath, one is well to look at the attention. For the breath is a primary anchor of the attention and a means to collect the attention into that which you call concentration. Much of your experience is one of non-concentration, or concentration experienced only for a particular task or purpose or in pursuit of a particular thought complex. The common experience of those in your density is to have their attention dispersed from waking to sleep upon countless concerns. This great multiplicity of the fragmented attention greatly obscures the experience of silence and stillness within the self.

And if the mind/body/spirit complex entity is not consciously in touch with that silence and stillness, then they are not consciously in touch with their being. Instead, their attention is located and captivated by the doing, the outer world and the endless play of the mind. This leads to identification with the mind, the formation and fortification of the illusory individual self, and the forgetting of the being.

So it is that by practicing breath control one can collect this attention and learn to reduce the dispersal of this primary conduit in the effort to bring it to a single point, that the mind and all of its activity and all of its considerable power may come to rest upon one point. And with the mind so entrained upon this one focus, then the mind becomes as the still unmoving, unrippled waters, which reflects perfectly the spacious sky above. In this reflection, one sees, as it were, the being and its infinite depth and stillness. And in this seeing, one realizes that one is not one's thoughts, one is not one's mind, and thus do the gateways to the greater work open for the seeker.

But this, as with so many things in and beyond your illusion, is a discipline. For most this requires, as with any discipline, continued practice, persistent practice. One must learn not simply to manipulate the breath as one pulls levers on a machine, but to deepen one's presence, one's intimacy, an embrace of the self, even one's acceptance of the self—for in this discipline, one will encounter not merely bodily sensations and respiratory patterns, but one will encounter one's own mental patterns as well. And all the history, all the intricacy, all the blockages and balances associated therein, one will be consciously taking steps upon the journey of realizing the self. And one will find that this practice can become a very central mechanism for engaging that journey, for moving beyond the surface levels of the daily experience, and into the deeper waters that tend to remain hidden without the focused attention.

And we would conclude our reply by suggesting to the seeker that which this instrument has explored and that being that discipline and science known to your peoples as pranayama. For many of your peoples have made profitable study in this area and have much fruit to share to the interested spiritual seeker.

https://www.llresearch.org/channeling/2019/0209 
Indeed, breath is life and life is breath, for each is a basic portion of the One Infinite Creator. Contained within your breath is the essence of life, for as the body is energized by the prana, or intelligent energy of the One Creator, the breath is the expression of that intelligent energy in the mundane world so that the mind, the body, and the spirit, my have its beingness as an entity within the third-density illusion.

The breath that you inhale and exhale on a daily basis is a living portion of the One Creator that gives life to you and moves life through you, for the breath contains the vitality of all beingness that is created by the One Creator in the infinite creation. Thus, as you breathe, you inculcate or infuse your entire being, from your body, your mind and your spirit with the vitality which is of the One Creator. Thusly, as you breath more and more deeply, perhaps holding that breath at the exhale and the inhale, until you feel a natural release to again enter into the rhythm of the intake and [[exhalation]] of the breath, you may begin to feel an activation of the indigo and violet ray energy centers so that as you begin to participate in the rhythm of the breathing and the holding of the breath and the releasing of the breath, you are allowing the life-giving forces within the breath to infuse or imbue your body with energy that is intelligent and which invigorates each cell of your body to be able to do its work more and more efficiently, thus allowing the body itself to become more enlivened and to partake in the vitality of the One Creator more fully as you rhythmically inhale, hold the breath, exhale, hold the breath, and so forth.

This type of breathing is also enhanced by the focusing of the inner eye upon the brow chakra so that the magical nature of the indigo ray energy center may be able to help you create what you would call changes in your own consciousness, so that you become more and more aware of the One in each portion of your experience as you carry with you a more and more vital expression of that One within your mind, within your body, and within your spirit. Thusly, so imbued with life, you are able to perceive more clearly that which is the One Creator about you in every form and feature of the third-density illusion.

[Brandon Gwinn]

WOW! I just Love those Q'uotes. Thanks so much Vestige.

[omcasey]

Thank you for the addition of L/Ls channeled sessions in quotes, Vestige, ( it is like listening to my own self speak ).

In the final paragraph, yes this is precisely how I have taught,— generally in savasana, laying down, although sitting is also fine of course, attention at the brow, paying attention to the fact that you are breathing. - observing the natural movement your body makes as you breathe, as the life-force ripples through you.

Would you consider the video you made to be a lesson in pranayama?

Yes, most certainly. Pranayama is conscious observance ( control ) of the breath; breath awareness. There are many lessons relative to the breath embedded in this particular practice/lesson. Although my main teachers, long since passed at the time of my intersecting with them, Sankaracarya, Sri Ramana Maharshi....it was my physical teacher, Erich Schiffmann, from whom I learned to teach in this way. He was, is...a master at penetrating potential stress patterns of the body and sequencing asanas ( postures ) in such a way that even the most advanced of them could be attained, even by people such as me, who did not focus their practice on asana. I observed his skill and integrated it into teaching the breath. The video above is my first channeled work/lesson/class. I will give away one lesson that may be observed here: AUM is the sound made through the breath, -as the open mouth slowly closes this can be heard, experienced, more deeply immersed with. It is an example of the Spiritual being ever present within the physical. This observance impacted me strongly, for it meant that beneath every word we utter, indeed within every breath we take is the Sound that sparked all creation. Integration with the S/sound is something that gradually occurs as, through practice we immerse more deeply into it. In my case this did lead to penetrating wider experience fields ( 4/5/6D ). <-- Now I teach, or am a mentor in this; the fully conscious shift. The remaining lessons embedded in the practice "sounding out om" I will leave pending for others to potentially observe.

Would it be suitable for "beginners" and "trained" students alike?

Although the answer is "yes" and "yes", an advanced student will likely have already moved through the beginner and intermediate observances and be well into their way merging with the Silence which lay at the basis of AUM. They may also be playing with the throat/vocal-expression center, bringing new levels of sound through to our local world. such as polyphonic overtoning--and other such things. It is just phenomenal what we are capable of at this moment.

Thank you, I appreciate you asking.

_________________________


I will be posting more of these remastered video versions of what I have taught in class.

They will all be breath awareness, breathing patterns and portals.


Casey

[omcasey]

The next video remastered yoga breathing practice : The Ujjayi Sound : this is how I would teach Ujjayi breathing to new students. For more advanced practitioners, already able to "Ujjai breathe", the practice is one of bringing awareness into the subtleties of ( the Ujjayi breathing ) sound. The breath, for the willing person does take them into profound altered states of consciousness.---as it did me. Please enjoy this guided practice as you observe the consciousness shifts.

The original version of this upload in 2009 is one of my most watched : videos.

We've come a long way since 240p. lol

[Vestige]

The next video remastered yoga breathing practice : The Ujjayi Sound : this is how I would teach Ujjayi breathing to new students. For more advanced practitioners, already able to "Ujjai breathe", the practice is one of bringing awareness into the subtleties of ( the Ujjayi breathing ) sound. The breath, for the willing person does take them into profound altered states of consciousness.---as it did me. Please enjoy this guided practice as you observe the consciousness shifts.

The original version of this upload in 2009 is one of my most watched : videos.

We've come a long way since 240p. lol

The Ujjayi is the "sound of victory," right?  
What would you say is the "goal" of the Ujjayi Sound and Ujjayi breathing?  Are the altered states dependent on what the student needs to be shown (metaphysically speaking)?

[omcasey]

The Ujjayi is the "sound of victory," right? 
What would you say is the "goal" of the Ujjayi Sound and Ujjayi breathing?  Are the altered states dependent on what the student needs to be shown (metaphysically speaking)?

Hi, Vestige.. ( did you watch, and do the practice? just so I know.

Ujjayi is commonly referred to as "the victory breath", yes. It is referred to as such due to its capacities, the rate at which it slows the breath to, the [ transcendental ] sound - to awaken the self to self and maintain this without break or pause. One sees as they begin breathing in this way. It is the default for how one should naturally breathe. And is in fact the natural breath for me, for decades now. Certainly the breath I come back to any time I notice it missing. It is a quick way to deeply focus the attention.

The Ujjayi breath, although having no goal itself is with its own basic set of characteristics and associated inherent capabilities. Narrowing the passageway through the throat slows the breath rate down. This puts you back into your parasympathetic nervous system, the body's "rest" mode. Just pause to think of how you feel anytime you slow down enough to take a few deep breaths. This is the mode we are meant to live our lives in, not in sympathetic-mode, which is the body's "fight-flight" system. 

Stress is the result of living from the sympathetic, rather than parasympathetic nervous system. Ujjayi, due to partially closing the glottis, ie: narrowing of the passageway through the throat, slows the breath rate, activates the parasympathetic, and healing is something that naturally enacts as a result of this. <--this is a long discussion, deserving of its own topic, so I will simply say this for now and put the period here. I will say briefly that one thing 'healed' is our point of focus.

Sound, - the sound of the breath, much like the sound of the wind itself has additional capabilities. The sound puts us back in touch with the fact that we are breathing. What affect would you think this might have? Would the experience of yourself be the same? The same as when you are not aware for long durations? I will just insert here that when we are not in fight-flight we are at the same time not in fear. <--Many of us do not even know what this is.

The breath is short. Confined to a second or two or three or four.

It is the very mirror of fear/fight-flight.

[omcasey]

A breath highly suited to those who wish to explore their own consciousness. For those ( potentially ) ready to lift up and out through the out-of-body-experience. Please note that not everyone should practice breath retentions. Proceed at your own pace. Follow the length of your own breath. If any dizziness occurs, return to following a natural, rhythmic breath until you are ready to continue.

[omcasey]

Samavritti is the breathing technique through which I learned to enter the Inner breath. It gradually induced the state of kevala kumbhaka (stillness), a natural suspension of the breath in which no perceivable in/out breath occurs, yet, through which, Radiance shines. This happened for me through the process of making the sound and length of each component of the breathing cycle to be same until there was no discernible difference, — until I could no longer tell the inhale from the retention, exhalation or suspension and where I was in the cycle. It is a natural concentration in and expansion out into the zero point we commonly know in OBE circles as the the "Void".

[omcasey]

Close the eyes, relax the whole body, keep the teeth lightly parted and the mouth closed. To begin, take a deep breath in, exhale fully, and at the very bottom of the breath swallow. Now, plug the ears with the index fingers and inhale deeply and slowly through the nose while making a snoring or buzzing sound, like that of a bee. Retain the breath for a comfortable duration, concentrating on vital energy flowing into the area just above the navel. Exhale through the nose making a humming sound. Continue for 5 to 10 minutes