Praanaayaama has Gravitas

Fasting Diary: Day 41

On the advice of my Chinese doctor, she said to continue fasting. Based on her observations with tongue and pulse diagnosis, she said the fast was having an overall dramatic improvement on my level of health and well being, physically, mentally and emotionally. She assessed my mind and body as unusually radiant, calm and centered.

That is how I would assess the situation. Everything feels really strong, clear and light. This body has lost 40 pounds of unnecessary weight. My belly fat is mostly gone. There is just a little bit of omentum to keep it real.

A heavy duty praanaayaama practice has gravitas. Praanaayaama practice in the early morning is moving forward at light speed, gaining depth and strength. We think of breath as “airy,” but it ironically creates so much weight and stability for awareness. Continuuous attention on the Breath grounds the present moment. Each breath becomes significant.

I assume most people have no idea what it means for a breath practice to “evolve” because everybody has a breath. Our culture has desacralized the breath and made it something ordinary and no big deal. The only way you will understand a praanaayaama centric practice is through long uninterrupted continuuous direct experience.

It is the same for meditation, which is a later stage of Classical Yoga. Unfortunately, most meditators skip praanaayaama or are instructed to skip over it! You can be taught all kinds of useful techniques of mediation, but your own practice of meditation is the ultimate teacher.

Most people do not want to practice, or they give up practice easily, because obstacles come up. That statement includes all of us. Most people give intellectual credence to the importance of the breath or meditation. Most people get the breath a little bit, but not enough to actually do something about it. Once you taste the huge benefits of praanaayaama and then meditation, will you come to value it as the most precious non-activity you do. You value it so much, that there is nothing that will stop you from your practice.

This way of being wiill ultimately emerge after an unbroken, non-grasping, day after day practice. Safe to say, most people I meet, may want to, or they try to, but do not actually practice enough for it to germinate. There are too many obstacles and excuses. Whatever the obstacle, inquire into the nature of the obstacle and keep going. Keep going. Keep showing up for the drama of your self that plays out.

The last question to ask yourself is: “How can I get a Never-Miss-A-Day praanaayaama practice going? Something that is easy, effective and fun?” That is what This Next Breath, this online program, is about. I am happy to offer you personalized support and help you get moving forward.