Tantric Breath Pranayama and Silent Illumination

Sit relaxed upright position with straight spine preferably after a yoga sequence or some stretching of the body.

Raise your right hand and block off your right nostril with your thumb.  Inhale through the left nostril.

Then block your left nostril with the pinky finger of the right hand and exhale through the right nostril.  Then inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left.

Repeat this alternating sequence for a total of 4 rounds where one round is as follows:

Inhale left, exhale right.

Inhale right, exhale left.

On the 5th round drop the hand and inhale equally through both right and left nostrils.  Hold the breath briefly and then exhale equally through both nostrils. 

This is one complete round of the tantric breath cycle:

Inhale left, exhale right.

Inhale right, exhale left.

Repeat 4 times then

Inhale through both right and left nostrils, hold briefly,

Exhale through both right and left nostrils.

In one sitting it is nice to do 3 rounds of the tantric breath cycle.  With practice slowly build up to 4, 5, 6 or 7.  With each round of the breath cycle the body will relax more deeply and you will notice that you can slow the breath down to almost no breathing.  Lord Krishna and many of the Yogis are depicted in blue because they learned how to slow their breath cycle.  Allow the breath to slow and become smooth and steady.  This will create a deep tranquility in the mind and will regulate emotion and balance the psyche.  As you finish this breathing meditation just sit quietly within yourself breathing equally through both nostrils and meditating on the breath and life force that sustains the body.  With practice a feeling will arise where the cosmos is breathing through you or breathing you.  This is called “embryonic breathing” and is a really special human experience.  It takes us back to our breath in the womb of our mother. 

Silent Illumination: As you sit with this allow all thoughts of the past flow through your consciousness.  Let all thoughts and plans for the future flow through your consciousness. Breathe in the present moment of the Now.  In this Now moment feel that there is no separation between your inner landscape and the outer landscape.  No separation, all is one.  Sitting here in this state imagine an inner light that mysteriously radiates out from your body and mind into the world.   This is called the meditation of Silent Illumination.

To master this pranayama and meditation practice with good intention for 49 days and then continue for 49 years.