At this time, there are many different practices for developing awareness and the ability to concentrate. The easiest way for us to get closer to the moment "here and now" is when we are in the hall or during self-study. What happens the rest of the time? And the rest of the time, the brain runs, and we do a lot "automatically". It turns out that the average contemporary practicing yoga is aware of only a few hours a week. Swami Sivananda left a great tool for us to develop concentration with health benefits and without time consuming - vrajana pranayama.
This pranayama can be performed in any nearby park during a walk, the main condition is clean air. The author recommends to practice it daily in the morning and evening. The execution technique also does not require special training or special skills. Moreover, in practice, haste, excessive effort and any discomfort are not encouraged. Important: Swami Sivananda counts two steps for a full step (one with the left, one with the right foot), similar to the circles in Surya Namaskar. That is, further under the word "step" we mean two human steps, this is important, because Vrajana-pranayama is measured in steps.
Technique for performing Vrajana Pranayama
At first, the following scheme is worked out: inhale in four steps, exhale in six. Breathing is full, even and calm, performed without delay, there should be no feeling of lack of air. If discomfort occurs at this stage, you can take breaths in and out of equal length. Once the habit is established, you can go back to the 4/6 ratio. After that, the proportion changes: inhale eight steps, exhale twelve. Increasing the count proportionally, you can come to the final rhythm: inhale - eighteen steps, exhale - thirty-six. The author does not recommend exceeding it, since it can be dangerous for mental health.
Initially, it is enough to devote up to 6 minutes to the practice (two minutes at the beginning, middle and end of the walk), with a time of up to 9 minutes or more, gradually increasing each approach by one minute.
It is important that the practitioner determines the timing of each of the above breathing patterns for himself, focusing on sensations and avoiding any discomfort. They can be several weeks, or maybe months, the main thing is consistency and lack of rush.
If during the practice there is a feeling of discomfort, it is recommended to go to normal deep breathing, and then continue pranayama, but in a smaller proportion. Perhaps the final ratio will not be available at all. But this is not a cause for concern, since everyone has their own characteristics and preparation. As an additional source of concentration, you can choose a mantra or prayer, repeat it to yourself and thus further increase the effect of your studies.
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In conditions of regular practice for 2-3 years, the process of inhalation and exhalation will be carried out automatically, and the pranayama itself will gradually take up the entire walk. And here it is no longer possible to avoid an endless list of positive changes in our body and mind. Swami Sivananda claims that this pranayama concentrates all possible beneficial effects from all pranayamas taken together, to the extent that it is the prevention and treatment of infectious bronchopulmonary diseases of varying severity.
Practice for health!
TATIANA SIDORENKOVA