Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Radiant Breath
A few days ago, I attended a one day workshop with a martial arts master who taught the class how to breathe. For me, it was quite instructive. He took us through the practice of deep abdominal breathing, where the breath is lifted in succession to the middle and then the top of the lungs. We felt our bodies expand as we followed his instruction. We then practiced breathing in time with a tape he had produced, so that the inflow and outflow were easy and symmetrical.
Now, it is not unusual to learn abdominal breathing. The part that struck me was that as I deeply inhaled and then released, I felt very lovely energies flow through my body, especially the torso and neck. I felt that these were the healthy, life giving energies of the vital chi, and that by continuing the practice, I would be both energized and strengthened.
When I did the exerices at home, I felt even more. Indeed, the resul was something approaching bliss. I felt very lucky to have received such a gift, something tangible to take home and perhaps experience daily.
But today, I began with a sinus headache (the weather is changing, and the atmospheric pressure is shifting). Try as I might, the pressure and pain did not lessen. I was disappointed, for I knew from past experience that deep breathing, of whatever kind, often helps with some of the more mysterious symptoms of kundalini. It was only after I stopped (after some 30 or 40 minutes of practice), that the presuure cleared. Now I don't know whether relief came from the breathing or some of the "remedies" I took (herbs, aspirin, the waterless vaporizer I recently purchased.)
What I do know is this : kundalini itself does not produce a perfect body. One continues to have the usual ups and downs, the aches and pains just like any of the others engaged on this common human journey. One's nervous system is, however, refined and sensitized so that both pleasure and pain are sometimes magnified, often in astonishing ways. The pleasure can be immense. The pain, likewise, can be impressive. However, there is no denying that it is a fascinating journey, that one moves always forward with a great sense of privilege and purpose, even though the ultimate goal is never totally clear. One notices and wonders, enters stage after stage of development, always with constantly renewed respect for the Mystery, which directs the overall scheme.
Now, it is not unusual to learn abdominal breathing. The part that struck me was that as I deeply inhaled and then released, I felt very lovely energies flow through my body, especially the torso and neck. I felt that these were the healthy, life giving energies of the vital chi, and that by continuing the practice, I would be both energized and strengthened.
When I did the exerices at home, I felt even more. Indeed, the resul was something approaching bliss. I felt very lucky to have received such a gift, something tangible to take home and perhaps experience daily.
But today, I began with a sinus headache (the weather is changing, and the atmospheric pressure is shifting). Try as I might, the pressure and pain did not lessen. I was disappointed, for I knew from past experience that deep breathing, of whatever kind, often helps with some of the more mysterious symptoms of kundalini. It was only after I stopped (after some 30 or 40 minutes of practice), that the presuure cleared. Now I don't know whether relief came from the breathing or some of the "remedies" I took (herbs, aspirin, the waterless vaporizer I recently purchased.)
What I do know is this : kundalini itself does not produce a perfect body. One continues to have the usual ups and downs, the aches and pains just like any of the others engaged on this common human journey. One's nervous system is, however, refined and sensitized so that both pleasure and pain are sometimes magnified, often in astonishing ways. The pleasure can be immense. The pain, likewise, can be impressive. However, there is no denying that it is a fascinating journey, that one moves always forward with a great sense of privilege and purpose, even though the ultimate goal is never totally clear. One notices and wonders, enters stage after stage of development, always with constantly renewed respect for the Mystery, which directs the overall scheme.
