The Tibetan Yoga of Breath: Breathing Practices for Healing the Body and Cultivating Wisdom by Anyen Rinpoche, Allison Choying Zangmo Page A
Authors: Anyen Rinpoche, Allison Choying Zangmo
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Stimulating the vagus nerve results in lower blood pressure and heart rate, a lower breathing rate, and also decreases inflammation in the body. 3
Exercise 2
THE NINE CYCLES OF INHALATION AND EXHALATION
Guided instruction: Begin by taking a soft inhale, pressing the left nostril closed with the left index finger, and exhaling through the right nostril. Next, inhale through the right nostril, and then switch sides: the left index finger releases the left nostril while the right index finger closes the right nostril. Then, exhale through the left nostril, inhale through the left nostril, and continue as before, alternating nostrils. Each inhalation/exhalation through a single nostril counts as one set. Thus, what was just described were two of the nine cycles or sets of breathing. We repeat this until we have inhaled and exhaled a total of six times—three through each nostril. Finally, we take three sets of inhalation and exhalation through both nostrils.
General notes. This is general advice for how the breathing should be done during this exercise. The exhalation is a little strong, but it should be long and relaxed. Continue exhaling untilthe breath completely dissolves, and then inhale again, also in a very elongated and relaxed manner. Always breathe as deeply as possible, pulling the breath down into the abdomen, and trying to feel it pervade the entire body. Since we are working with abdominal, and not thoracic, breathing, be sure that the chest and shoulders do not rise with the breath, and that only the belly expands.
Exercise 3
VISUALIZATION IN THE NINE CYCLES OF INHALATION AND EXHALATION
Nine-Cycle Breathing. The nine cycles of breathing can be complemented with a visualization practice. In the beginning, you may wish to just become comfortable with the actual breathing practice taught above.
Before starting, you can either visualize that in the space above your head there is pure, clean, unobstructed energy, or, if you are a practicing Buddhist, you can visualize an array of wisdom beings. Regardless of your level of experience or specific religious or spiritual beliefs, this simple visualization can be used by any practitioner.
To practice visualization, begin by inhaling softly and then making the first exhalation through the right nostril. Think of dispelling the afflicted mind of anger out with the breath. When exhaling through the right nostril, we send out masculine energy, ash-colored and in the form of snakes, which is symbolic of anger. We should also think to ourselves that we are sending out all impurity, obstacles, and sources of illnesses, especially cancer and illnesses related to the liver.
Next, inhaling through the right nostril, we take in either the pristine, pure energy visualized in the space above us or the blessings of the wisdom beings visualized above. Engaged focus andconcentration are very important when working with visualization because they allow us to feel that we are actually being filled with pure energy and blessings. Next, we exhale through the left nostril, this time sending out feminine energy, the afflicted mind of desire. We see the breath as being red in color, in the form of roosters, which is symbolic of desire. We also think to ourselves that we are sending out obstacles and illnesses that are related to a lack of warmth in the body. These are illnesses that cause wounds and sores on the body, and also back and joint pain. We repeat this pattern of white/right and red/left as just described, for three sets of inhalation and exhalation from each nostril, for a total of six sets.
Finally, breathing through both nostrils, we receive pure energy and blessings, and then send the breath out through both nostrils, thinking we are sending out the afflicted mind of ignorance, the antithesis of wisdom. We see the breath like dark smoke in the shape of pigs, which are symbolic of ignorance. We think to ourselves that we are dispelling all illnesses in general
Exercise 2
THE NINE CYCLES OF INHALATION AND EXHALATION
Guided instruction: Begin by taking a soft inhale, pressing the left nostril closed with the left index finger, and exhaling through the right nostril. Next, inhale through the right nostril, and then switch sides: the left index finger releases the left nostril while the right index finger closes the right nostril. Then, exhale through the left nostril, inhale through the left nostril, and continue as before, alternating nostrils. Each inhalation/exhalation through a single nostril counts as one set. Thus, what was just described were two of the nine cycles or sets of breathing. We repeat this until we have inhaled and exhaled a total of six times—three through each nostril. Finally, we take three sets of inhalation and exhalation through both nostrils.
General notes. This is general advice for how the breathing should be done during this exercise. The exhalation is a little strong, but it should be long and relaxed. Continue exhaling untilthe breath completely dissolves, and then inhale again, also in a very elongated and relaxed manner. Always breathe as deeply as possible, pulling the breath down into the abdomen, and trying to feel it pervade the entire body. Since we are working with abdominal, and not thoracic, breathing, be sure that the chest and shoulders do not rise with the breath, and that only the belly expands.
Exercise 3
VISUALIZATION IN THE NINE CYCLES OF INHALATION AND EXHALATION
Nine-Cycle Breathing. The nine cycles of breathing can be complemented with a visualization practice. In the beginning, you may wish to just become comfortable with the actual breathing practice taught above.
Before starting, you can either visualize that in the space above your head there is pure, clean, unobstructed energy, or, if you are a practicing Buddhist, you can visualize an array of wisdom beings. Regardless of your level of experience or specific religious or spiritual beliefs, this simple visualization can be used by any practitioner.
To practice visualization, begin by inhaling softly and then making the first exhalation through the right nostril. Think of dispelling the afflicted mind of anger out with the breath. When exhaling through the right nostril, we send out masculine energy, ash-colored and in the form of snakes, which is symbolic of anger. We should also think to ourselves that we are sending out all impurity, obstacles, and sources of illnesses, especially cancer and illnesses related to the liver.
Next, inhaling through the right nostril, we take in either the pristine, pure energy visualized in the space above us or the blessings of the wisdom beings visualized above. Engaged focus andconcentration are very important when working with visualization because they allow us to feel that we are actually being filled with pure energy and blessings. Next, we exhale through the left nostril, this time sending out feminine energy, the afflicted mind of desire. We see the breath as being red in color, in the form of roosters, which is symbolic of desire. We also think to ourselves that we are sending out obstacles and illnesses that are related to a lack of warmth in the body. These are illnesses that cause wounds and sores on the body, and also back and joint pain. We repeat this pattern of white/right and red/left as just described, for three sets of inhalation and exhalation from each nostril, for a total of six sets.
Finally, breathing through both nostrils, we receive pure energy and blessings, and then send the breath out through both nostrils, thinking we are sending out the afflicted mind of ignorance, the antithesis of wisdom. We see the breath like dark smoke in the shape of pigs, which are symbolic of ignorance. We think to ourselves that we are dispelling all illnesses in general
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