The Secrets of Yoga – A Specific Program to Get You Started

After doing your Yoga asanas and breathing exercises, deeply relax the muscles, the subtle muscles, and the nervous system.

Alternate breathing can be beneficial, but during meditation you are only going to practice “breath awareness”. There is a fine relationship between the mind and the breath, which is why we focus on the breath.

Sit in a cross-legged position.

Inhale through the base of the spine to the crown of the head, and exhale from the crown of the head to the base of the spine.

It can be very helpful to visualize the three nadis in the spine: ida, pingala, and the central channel sushumna. Inhale and exhale through the central channel ( a milky white tube). Feel the energy as it goes up and down through the spine from the pelvic plexus to the medulla oblongata.

Observe how many times the mind gets distracted. The distraction is always followed by an irregularity in the breath.

When breathing, focus your attention on the breath as it goes in and out. You will notice that one nostril is more open than the other. This is normal and it can be changed by paying attention to the closed nostril for just a few moments. It will also give you control over the flow of breath. Breathing through the right side brings a warming effect and breathing through the left side brings a cooling effect. Depending on what side is in charge, disturbances in the mind can occur making it important that we gain control over disturbances of the tattvas.

AWAKENING SUSHUMNA. By focusing the attention in between the two nostrils, you can make both nostrils flow equally. This does not mean that you direct the eyes to the tip of the nose. The focus should always be on the awareness of the breath just above the upper lip, which is the union between ida and pingala. This state where there are no fears or negative thoughts can help to distract the mind and is truly amazing. Unfortunately it doesn’t last long. Although, if you practice regularly in the morning and evening it can be easy to obtain.

Once you can hold this state for five minutes you have overcome a major obstacle. You have now developed a one-pointed mind. Keep practicing this for three to four more months.

The point now is to witness your own thought process and also be able to remain undisturbed by different mental scenes, emotions, memories, and concepts. This seems unthinkable to most people! Practice this for three to four months.