The Art of Breathing

"You need fifteen breaths a minute; that's what you normally take.  And when you are excited, emotional, drugged, sexual, sensual, excited, whatever, you go up to twenty-four.  Sometimes you go to thirty-one, something like that.  It's very simple mathematics.  Suppose you have enough breath of life at the rate of one breath for one year, so you take one breath a minute, you can live fifteen years.  Supposed you have breath of life for one hundred years. At fifteen breaths a minute, at that rate, you can live 1500 years.  That's how yogis extend their life -- by practicing one breath a minute.  When you practice one breath a minute, then you become Pavan guru -- you become the light and knowledge of the prana, and then you know the universe, the universe knows you. " - Yogi Bhajan, The Master's Touch

Classes at Eagle Rock Kundalini Center resume with Tuesday nights at 7pm.  I am happy to be opening my door again, TONIGHT,  to East side yogis who benefit from getting together in a cozy and friendly environment to do gentle yoga and deep meditation. Yogi tea is served after class and there is always a  long gong relaxation/meditation at the end of every class.

Tonight's class is all about the Art of Breathing.  When you control the breath, you control everything. When you find yourself challenged in any way,  the first thing to do is to get control of your breath.  Your breath determines how you act (or don't act)  in any given situation,  When you need to calm down, you go to your breath.  When you need to be focused and "on point", you turn to your breath.   You use the breath if you need to expand your presence. Your projection, your caliber, your self-esteem, your everything is connected to your breath.  In other words, the quality of your life is directly dependent on the quality of your breath.

Twenty some odd years ago when I first began to take Yoga seriously,  a friend of mine and I signed up for private lessons with a local teacher.  The first class we were told to lie down on our backs and practice long deep breathing; Ujjayi breathing. Ujjayi is a diaphragmatic breath in which you first fill the lower belly, then the lower rib cage, and then the upper chest and throat.

 After 20 minutes, the teacher came into the living room and checked up on us.  "How's it going?" Then she returned to the kitchen and back to what she was doing. After about 45 minutes she said everything looked good and that we were free to go and she'd see us the following week.   The following week, even though we looking forward to starting the "real" yoga practice,  we were instructed to do the same.  Two private classes learning how to do that one breath alone; that's how important learning how to breathe properly is with regard to the practice of yoga. That is learning the "real" yoga!

We won't be doing that tonight, but we WILL be practicing several kinds of pranayam (breath exercises) that will give you a better understanding of how the mind and the breath work together to bring you into a particular desired state of consciousness.  If you are planning to come, please eat lightly and bring a comfortable mat or blanket to sit on.  We'll be doing some light yoga, so wear comfortable clothing.  

This is a donation class and $15 is the the recommended offering, but no one will be turned away for less.  I hope to see you tonight at 7.  

2727 El Roble Drive

Los Angeles, CA  90041

please RSVP if possible  raghubirkk@gmail.com

Sat Nam,
Raghubir