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

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU APRIL 19TH AT 7PM

“When the breath of life becomes short, you become short-tempered. When the breath of life becomes long and deep, you understand who you are."-Yogi Bhajan

What is Prana? What is this Breath of Life? We talk a lot about it in Kundalini Yoga and this week we are working on the PRANIC BODY so I think it's only reasonable to discuss what it is, how to get it, and how to use it. The Eighth Body (since each week we systematically going over the ten bodies, body by body) is the Pranic Body; Prana being "the life force energy that interpenetrates every atom of your form and indeed the universe" (Yogi Bhajan) that is contained in the air we breathe.

"Praana comes through the air. Some people think it is oxygen. That is not true. Oxygen is always there. If you pump the body with oxygen, will a person live forever?"- Yogi Bhajan

You have an infinite supply of energy available to you at any given time and you can get it through your breath. YOUR BREATH. It is yours and yours alone and you have to care for it. If you breath shallowly, you'll feel old, even if you are not technically an "old" person. You are likely to be anxious, nervous, and worry some.

"When the breath is shallow, all problems come in. All this caffeine, nicotine, all these drugs are the problem of the shallow breath".-Yogi Bhajan

In this culture, we have also replaced our pranic consumption with food consumption; trying to get our energy from the food we eat instead of directly from the Infinite Cosmos. That's why there is such an epidemic of sugar and sweet addiction as well as overeating. Most of the overconsumption of sugar and food in general is by shallow breathers.

"If you do not breathe consciously for 11 minutes a day, you lose 40%

of the vitality of life. This 40% you cannot recapture by any medicine or any exercise. But if you do breathe consciously for 11 minutes and make it very long, deep and slow, that can do exactly what no miracle can do, because your life is based on the breath of life." - Yogi Bhajan

Pranic energy is what gives you fearlessness, self-confidence, security, boundless energy, mental mastery. When you are lacking in it, you may feel isolated and alone; maybe even abandoned...not to mention exhausted and worn out. Pranic energy is obtained mainly from breathing consciously. When you breathe in a shallow and unconscious manner, you are cheating yourself out of the most powerful force available to you.

"Praana is the most powerful and most creative thing God ever created because out of Praana came life"- Yogi Bhajan

Naturally, a class on The Pranic Body will give you an ENORMOUS amount of energy and this is what we will be up to this Thursday night. Remember the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th bodies? (The negative, positive, and neutral minds?). Well... the mastery of the Pranic Body will also give you mastery over the MIND. Have you ever heard that in order to change the mind, all you have to do is to change the breath? A simple mechanical breath pattern (pranayam) can transport you from a bad place to bliss.

Bring a blanket, yoga mat, cushion, friend, and anything else you need for yoga, deep breathing exercises, and long GONG meditation/relaxation. Classes are always by donation only ($15 suggested) and begin promptly at 7 although you will not be turned away if you are "late". Stay for Yogi Tea and conversation afterwards...and I hope to see you on April 19th at 7pm. If you have any questions, call 323-365-1109 OR visit the website.

Sat Nam,

Raghubir

PS. MANY OF THESE QUOTES BY YOGI BHAJAN CAME FROM A TERRIFIC BOOK PRAANA, PRAANEE, PRAANAYAM. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. If you are interested in purchasing this book, please visit the Kundalink website for this and other items to assist you in your Kundalini Yoga practice. Put EAGLEROCK in the discount code box and get 10% off applicable items, including this book.

PRAAN VAYU - THE BREATH OF LIFE

"There are two ways to go in your life. One is 'go and get it' and the other one is to 'be and get it'. One is to develop your physical body to go for everything. Other is to develop your radiant body so that everything will come to you. And the best way is to develop (both) your radiant body and your physical body so that you can have perfect balance". - Yogi Bhajan

Yes, becoming magnetic and radiant will attract opportunities, but without a strong body you can't do anything about it. You can have a powerful physical presence, but without the vibratory frequency of an expanded and healthy magnetic field, you are just thrashing in the dark.

Our life force energy is called PRAANA and it's what makes our minds and bodies work. It is the BREATH OF LIFE and is called PRAAN VAYU. When you talk about PRAANA, you are referring to all the different kinds of praana which, if you count them all, total 72. These energetic tributaries run off of 5 major channels of energy which are also referred to as VAYUS (or airs).

Each of these 5 vayus governs a part of the body:

Praana- in the chest and is linked to breathing and drawing of new energy into the body

Apaana-below the navel governs the elimination

Samaana- region between the thoracic diaphragm and navel and governs digestion, discernment and assimilation

Udyaana - region from larynx up to the head and governs speech, projection, mental capacity and memory and helps to bring the Kundalini energy up to the 10th gate or crown chakra

Vyaana- governs the entire body and distributes energy into every cell.

If you want to be healthy in both body and mind, it is essential to keep your praana vayus balanced and flowing.

Thursday night January 26 at 7:00pm, we will be performing a set of exercises that uses physical force to move the praanic airs. Not only are we moving the energies in the body but will be putting the glandular system into perfect balance. Yogi Bhajan said that practicing this one set alone gives you control on your mind, body and soul and puts everything in the perfect combination. Breath is the vehicle of the Praana...so we will also practice pranayam (breath exercises) that will activate the force of energy in you.

Please come with a mat, blanket, or whatever you need to be comfortable during meditation and relaxation. Bring a friend, bring a desire to transform your life for the better, and bring a donation. ($15 recommended). Gong relaxation and Yogi Tea always included. For more information visit our website.

You will, through the practice of this set of exercises, find equilibrium and balance.

Sat Nam,

Raghubir

Art by Hector Jara