Area : CONSCIOUSNESS
Date : Aug 11 '95, 14:17
From : Frank Gaude, 1:203/8888
To   : Jay Em
Subj : Breath


Hi, Jay!

For your information and enjoyment:

                                BREATH
                        by HIDAYAT INAYAT-KHAN

In the East mysticism is understood as being the knowledge of the
science of breath. Whether they be Buddhists, Vedantists or Sufis, all
recognize this science as being the first and last lesson on the path
of spirituality. A mystic is able to project prana to any path of the
body, charging that part with radiance and magnetism. However, that
phenomena only occurs when the breath has been developed and
accordingly purified. The most beautiful music does not sound right on
an untuned instrument. Breath is a channel through which all
expressions from within are communicated; it is the magnetic current
running between the everlasting and the mortal condition. All
intuition, inspiration and even miraculous powers are experienced
through the magic action of the breath

The power of the breath, called kundalini by the Hindus, circulates
within the spine along basic channels or 'nadis'. This most important
subject is incorrectly disregarded by some who imagine that distress
might be the result of opening up the chakras through the use of
breathing exercises. It is like saying that the eyes of a child should
never be opened to reality for fear of being exposed to temptations.
All virtue lies in self-control, not in ignorance. Life is only really
worthwhile if it is lived fully.

Breath is the central theme to be considered in life since the breath
governs the entire physical and mental mechanism of our being. Along
with the importance of the purity of the breath channels, rhythm in
breath is the magic key which can unlock all the treasures which the
breath can offer. Rhythm is a natural tendency which is seen in all
creation. No atom would move if it were not subject to the laws of
rhythm. Orderliness in one's life is a sign of rhythm. When the rhythm
of the breath is in disorder, all things go wrong and one shows an
appearance of an unbalanced state, either physical or mental or both.

Breath is our life. It is the breath which holds all the particles of
our being together. Therefore, when this power fails, there is also a
disturbance in our control over the various particles of our being.
When the breath is in order, it has a revivifying function, absorbing
out of space both spirit and substance required for our well being,
while purifying us of all that is undesirable. When there is
irregularity in the rhythm of breath, or deficiencies in the breathing
organs, or the influence of noxious substances which pollute the
breath flow, the entire mechanism is put out of balance.

Breath is the medium through which the outer life and the life within
are connected. Through the channel of breath, all elements that the
body requires are absorbed, as well as the subtle vibrations of prana,
which the mind receives in the form of intuition, inspiration and
magnetism. It is also with the help of breath that negative thought-
waves and undesirable elements which have been absorbed can be
neutralized.

When a breathing exercise is given, it is above all the rhythm in that
exercise which is meant to be observed, and not only the breathing.
The breathing is another aspect of the exercise. It can be either very
dense (called Kasif by the Sufis) or fine (called Latif by the Sufis).
The dense breath is used when making physical effort, whereas the fine
breath is that which penetrates through all the chakras and the finest
channels, reaching the innermost parts of our being.

Once one becomes conscious of the natural rhythm in the breath, which
is like the movements of a swing, one can then add to it a chosen
thought expressed in a word mentally repeated with each inhalation and
exhalation. This is called Fikar by the Sufis. He who has not gained
power over his breath is like a king who has no authority over his
kingdom. However, even when the techniques of contraction (holding in
or out)  and of expansion (the exhalation) have been developed, all is
still of no avail unless one knows what to absorb from the in-coming
breath and what to expel in the outgoing breath.

This all explains why it is so important to really know something
about the working of Fikar which, when practiced for some years, not
only helps to regulate the rhythm of the breath (and in so doing
insures an appropriate blood circulation with all the positive
advantages related to health in general), but it also helps to develop
concentration and thereby memory as well as the ability to free one's
mind from undesirable thoughts and feelings.

The more length and breadth or capacity in the breath, the more
resource there is for creative thought. Length in breath denotes
length in life. Some who have much volume in their breath may lack
length in the exhalation. Others might have length in the exhalation
but might lack capacity in the inhalation. It is the harmonious
proportion of length and capacity which brings about the perfect
balance in the breath and thereby also physical and mental balance.

When the breath is developed, becoming, so-to-speak, a magnetic
current of higher consciousness, it is then projected as rays of
light, which are perceptible as colors corresponding to the different
proportions of the five elements manifesting in the exhalation. These
rays fall upon the screen of the mind like the beams of a search
light, helping the mind to see in all clarity the object of thought,
which took form originally from the magnetic currents of the Prana in
breath manifesting its radiance through the five senses.

The quality of intuition and inspiration is obviously dependent upon
the intensity of those rays of light shining upon the mind and the
ability of the breath to channel the inner call to the organs of
expression. It is the subtle vibrations of the breath which could be
called thought waves, transmitting thought from one mind to another as
if two mirrors were placed behind each other. In experiences such as
mind reading, it is the overlapping of the breath vibrations of one
and the other which explains this phenomena.

It is the light in the breath and the intensity of the vibrations of
the elements therein which is understood from the term aura. This
explains why the Hindus call breath prana which means the light from
within which has become exteriorized. This light is brought about when
connecting the Jelal and Jemal forces at a mystical level of
consciousness, just as the light in a lamp is only there when the
positive and negative currents are appropriately connected. The
vibrations of breath are the substance of all expression. The spoken
word strikes upon the heart like a hammer on a gong, but the power of
breath strikes even without the word. The breath of a spiritual
person, which communicates love and sympathy, is vitalizing. It is not
exaggeration to say that the phenomena of life and its mysteries are
all to be found in the science of breath, which when mastered, offers
great blessing and happiness.

End (Pir-o-Mirshid Hidayat Inayat-Khan, submitted by Mararaj James
McCraig)

Well, Jay, you perhaps now understand, if you didn't before, the few
comments made with regard to "breath coming before thought". Peace!

Love, harmony, and beauty,

Frank (Tanzen)


 * PowerEdit 2.2 - Without music, life would be an error. - Nietzsche (FWN)

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