Characteristics of PRANAYAMA
The second element of Sadhana is Pranayama. Whenever we want to do any major work with the mind, we become mentally tired, fatigued and also feel that we are drained of energy. It is not just physical work that requires energy but mental work too. Mental work requires vital energy and we need a source for it. This is provided by the Divine Mother as Prana Shakti.
Prana Shakti is the cosmic vital force which manifests in our own systems as the five Pranas.
Through Pranayama we not only can regulate the physiological system and vital energy but also draw upon the cosmic store house of vital energy.
Through Pranayama the cleansing of Nadis, the channels of the flow of vital force takes place. Thereafter we have a methodology of tuning into the cosmic well springs of Prana and it is infinite. Fossil fuels are non-renewable but the Pranic forces are renewable.
Pranayama puts us in touch with the energy and vitality required to deal, discipline and process the mind and the mental energies.
Some Fundamental Questions
- What should we do to purify the mind (Chitta Shudhi)?
- What should we do to make the mind one-pointed (Chitta ekaagra-tha)?
- What should we do to expand the mind (Chitta vishalata)?
The first classical method of Chitta Shudhi (purifying the mind) is through Karma Yoga. Here we learn how to perform, any and every, Karma as an offering to the Divine by maintaining equilibrium of the mind and considering ourselves as the instrument of the Divine.
In today’s day and age what was considered the elementary approach is not very easy because there are a remarkable amount of toxins in our very life style. Our life today is so stressful that we have a solid bank of negative emotions inside us. So, even the practice of Karma Yoga is not very easy.
Therefore we need look at something else that can prepare us and take us through all these three namely Chitta shudhi, Chitta ekaagra-tha and Chittavishalata. Such a method is also provided by the Divine Mother. She is a compassionate one and knows well that we will need it. This is called as Mantra Sadhana or Mantra Yoga.
