In Teacher Training, we are currently talking in-depth about pranayama, or breath work. Simply put, Pranayama is the practice of consciously controlling our often hurried, shallow, or taken for granted breath. It's necessary for Prana, vital life force, fights disease, brings freshly oxygenated air to our organs, and clears our bodies of some seriously nasty toxins. Our homework assignment for this week was to develop a breathing pattern practice consisting of an inhale, pause, exhale, pause, determine whether it promotes Langhana or Brahmana, and then clearly explain and lead it for our class.
At first glance, I found myself to be a fan of a *very slight* pause between my inhale and exhale. Just as in life, I'm a bit of a forcer and don't like to wait. I don't sit well. Chronic monkey mind. Meditation is a challenge for me, and so it goes with pranayama. I have to wonder, if I'm not either inhaling or exhaling, what am I doing? What's my goal? Where are we going with this? Isn't time wasting? Perhaps that's exactly the point.
The best pattern (for me) that I've found to be helpful- especially just before bed- is one that begins with an 8 count inhale, 2 count pause, 8 count exhale, 2 count pause. Do it with me: Inhale for 8, just be for 2, exhale for 8, just be for 2. What happens during that place where we can just be? That brief moment where we're neither inhaling, nor exhaling, where nothing at all is expected of us, where we can journey deeply inside to find some stillness. What goes through your mind? Does the world just stop? Does time pause with your breath? For me, it kinda does. And while I'm going on a week of practice, I have to admit that it feels simultaneously powerful and peaceful. Bliss like. Almost enough to make me want to add a longer pause. ...Almost.
