The Paradox of Prana & Citta

One of the fundamental principles of Yoga/Qigong practice is that prana (energy, life-force, qi) follows citta (mind, intention, focus). You can experiment with this, right now, by closing your eyes (after you read the rest of this paragraph!), and then placing as much of your attention/focus into one of your hands (say, your left hand) as you can: as you inhale and exhale, think of sending waves of love or kindness or joy (or some other up-lifting quality) into your left hand. Breathe and focus in this way, on your left hand, for a minute or two, or longer ? and notice what happens, notice how the feeling in that hand begins to transform, as it ?fills? with love/joy/kindness. Perhaps you?ll notice it feeling a bit warmer, or notice a tingling sensation, or a feeling of heaviness, or a feeling of the fingers being a bit swollen. Perhaps that hand will begin to sweat, or feel cold or clammy. Each person?s experience will be different. But what our various experiences will likely have in common is that we?ll notice that our left hand has become, almost magically, more ?alive? ~ we?re able to feel it in a more clear and immediate way.

What we?ve just experienced is ?prana following citta?: we placed our mind/attention/focus (citta) on our left hand, which generated a flow of energy (prana) into that hand, creating new and more potent sensation, of some sort. We see this principle at work in every aspect of our lives: when we?re focused on something (a project, our work, a relationship), our energy flows into that activity, and it tends to grow ?

Part of the process of a Yoga/Qigong practice, then, is to become more & more conscious of this mechanism ~ of prana following citta ~ so we?re able to use it in ways that are supportive of our practice. One aspect of the ?paradox? of prana & citta is that while this relationship can serve us in powerful & pleasant ways, it can also ~ when it?s operating unconsciously ~ be our greatest nemesis. For energy flows not only into fields/patterns that we consciously choose to focus on, but also into fields/patterns of mind/citta which we are unconsciously ?focused? on, and hence perpetuating/giving energy to. These are the samskaras (past-life tendencies) which we work/play to unravel (make conscious) within the context of our practice.

Another paradoxical aspect of this relationship is that the inverse of the original ?formula? can also be true, i.e. not only can ?prana follow citta? (the basis, for one, of Yuen Method work), but it?s also the case that citta/mind can follow (be influenced or shaped by) prana/energy. Which is why asana practice, as well as any form of energy-body ?healing? (e.g. acupuncture or Reiki), can work not only to transform our physical & pranic bodies, but can also, in the process, transform mental patterns ~ can shift our whole outlook or ?attitude? in a way which then (cycling back to the original formula) has new effects on our energy-bodies ?

So once we?re able, as practitioners, to bring body, mind & breath (like a beautiful golden braid) into a conscious relationship, what is the most skillful way to use this yogic axiom: prana follows citta (and citta follows prana)? And here, once again, we find paradox ? On the one hand, wouldn?t we want to choose, always, to focus on and therefore support/?feed? only the ?positive,? only what is ?good? or balanced or healthy? ?Keep your mind focused on the positive? is advice that forms the core of many a yogi/yogini?s daily life and practice. Yet if this is our only technique, how will those ?negative? patterns (that are wreaking havoc from the unconscious planes of our existence) ever be transformed?

The Vietanmese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh gives the following advice to his students, on this point ? When we?re beginners, he says, it?s most skillful for us to give energy to, to nourish & support, what is healthy & balanced within us. Especially valuable to cultivate is what in Buddhist language is called the ?energy of mindfulness? ~ a spacious, vibrant ?awakeness? (a fully-awakened citta). We use this energy of mindfulness, then, to ?touch? or nourish (to pay loving attention to) those ?positive? qualities which we wish to augment. And if, on a regular basis, we?re able to focus our attention on the positive, what we?ll notice happening also is that many of our ?negative? qualities will ~ simply by not being given our attention, not being ?fed? ~ quite naturally dissolve ?

But not all of them! Which is why as we become more advanced in the practice, and our energy of mindfulness becomes strong, it is appropriate to begin to use our energy of mindfulness to ?touch? (or invite into our conscious mind) not only the ?positive? within us, but also the more ?negative? or ?stuck? aspects of our bodyminds. So, for instance, at this point ~ once our ?mindfulness? is strong ~ we could choose to embrace, with our mindfulness, the mental/emotional pattern called ?anger? ? And to the extent that our mindfulness is strong, its energy will begin to transform, unwind, release those ?anger? patterns. Eventually, when our mindfulness is quite bright ? merely shining its light onto these dark/stuck patterns will be enough to ?liberate? them, instantaneously. (Much like the ?darkness? of a room is gone completely once we turn on a light!)

And as our practice becomes quite advanced ~ our energy of mindfulness very bright, the braid of body, mind & breath quite coherent, fluid & fluent ~ our Presence (awakened prana/citta) will begin to have affects not only on our ?own? bodymind, but also the bodyminds of those with whom we interact ? a wonderful (though not always immediately ?pleasant?) gift we?re able to give to ?others? ~ a lovely form of service ? Grown out of the resolved & un-resolved paradoxes of ?.

prana follows citta

Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology & Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Taoist, Buddhist & Hindu varieties ~ for more than twenty years. Her teachers include Eva Wong and Mingyur Rinpoche. For more yoga-related essays (and other wonderful things!) please visit her website: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger

What Makes Ashtanga Yoga Different?

Ashtanga Yoga is the type of yoga which was created and established by a master named K. Pattabhi Jois. Due to its theory containing eight different limbs, or components, it is also known as “Eight-Limb Yoga”. It doesn’t imply that the practitioner has a double set of limbs, but master Pattabhi Jois showed that the optimum path of purification is made up of the eight spiritual practices.

The basic idea is that these limbs only can be kept in balance by the appropriate application of the Ashtanga Yoga method.

The first four limbs that symbolize Ashtanga Yoga, and are considered externally correctable are (original names within double quotes):

- Moral codes or “yama”
- Self-purification or “niyama”
- Posture or “asana”
- Breath control or “pranayama”

Then there is the other set of limbs which are the internal practices:

- Sense control or “pratyahara”
- Meditation or “dhyana”
- Concentration or “dharana”
- Contemplation or “samadhi”

K. Pattabhi Jois declared that practicing these Eight Limbs as well as its sub-limbs of the external practices which contain the niyama and yama is impossible. In doing so, the body should be strong so that it can technically perform the methods well enough. If the body is weak, and the sense organs are not functioning well, practicing will never be productive at all.

This is a primary philosophy that K. Pattabhi Jois has applied, it is of prime importance for the Asthanga practitioner to learn and understand this way of thinking. This will make you confident in that the body will significantly improve and become stronger and healthier.

Vinsaya and Tristhana are performed in Ashtanga Yoga.

The Vinsaya is a style that makes Ashtanga and its fundamental principles different from the others. Vinsaya basically means the movement and breathing which is used effectively together in order to cleanse the body. Each movement done is accompanied by only one breath. Sweat is the most important product of Vinsaya. When you produce sweat, it only indicates that you are successfully applying the method. When you perform the Asanas, or postures, the body produces heat which causes your blood to “boil” and excrete the toxins outside of your body. The contaminations are found in your sweat. So the more sweat you produce, the more toxins are released. This is the natural way for the body to get rid of unwanted substances.

The poses are used to fully develop the physical strength and health of the body. It is the sequence of practices that make this possible. There are three postures used in Ashtaga Yoga.

The three are grouped on different levels:

- The first is the Primary Series which aims on aligning the body and also detoxifying it.

- The second is the Intermediate Series opening and cleansing the energy channels which comes to the process of purifying the Nervous System.

- The last series would be the Advanced Series from A to D. In this set, the grace and strength are assessed.

The Tristhana is another yoga principle which symbolizes the close union of the three places of action and attention. First is the posture, second is the breathing technique ad last is the Dristhi of the Looking Place. All these three should work altogether to perform a function.

The breathing is always controlled and synchronized with the movements, in such a way that each movement is accompanied by breath. Ujjayi Breathing is the Yoga Breathing Technique used in the implementation of Ashtanga Yoga. Applying this ancient technique is something that you should work on gradually in your daily practise. What you need to master is holding your pose longer at the same time hold your breath. This is an amazing breathing exercise that will intensify your internal fire and will toughen the Nervous System.

Both Ashtanga and Tristhana deal with the series of Dristhi. The Dristhi is defined as the point on which you acquire your focus or concentration while doing the Asana. This allows your mind to be purified and stabilized clearly.

Clearing your mind (that is sometimes compared to an over active monkey) and cleansing it is the ultimate goal in the Eight-Limb Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga.

Michael Hawkins writes books and articles about Yoga, fitness and health. A free Yoga Ecourse, that explores this exciting world of exercise and meditation, is available at his website http://www.yoga-central.net