Ordinary people, like you and me, can become adept with the breath

With Left Right Yoga, you don't need to be a special person and you don't need a guru. It is okay if you have a guru, but this practice doesn't require it. A few good friends to practice with in the morning, will suffice. 

An ordinary person, like you and me, over time can become very adept at the breath. The breath becomes very subtle and refined, but you are going to have to practice. The pattern of our breath changes by small degrees everyday. There are now over 20 people on the broadcasts who have become very adept with their breath. Many have passed the 1000th day of uninterrupted practice. 

We make practice interesting. The breath class is a cornucopia of fun: Left Right Yoga postures, mudras and dharanas come alive. We grow the practice together as an online community; it is easier that way to stay focused. By grace, we have become amazing good friends over the internet during the last few years. It is open to all.

What does it mean, to become adept with the breath? With enough Left Right Breath, the breath becomes pliable, equanimous and contented, pretty much all the time. The mind becomes "sattvic" by the sheer enormity of constant re-patterning. We alternately stimulate and "massage" left and right cerebral hemispheres. Body, mind and emotions become very balanced. The breath starts to slow down. Your body no longer needs to breathe so fast. The breath slows down to a tortoise's pace. At one to three natural breaths per minute, your body and mind will find rest in the meditative zone. This becomes a real possibility for every one, in a natural way, not a controlling way.

You will discover "breath is life's greatest pleasure." Your mind will have moments of extraordinary clarity and your heart will be as bright as the sun. Anxiety leaves, and contentment becomes your default mind state.

Contraindications?

It is impossible to talk about breath practices without addressing what you find in Mr. Iyengar's books, on pranayama’s "contraindications."  It is true that there have been aneurysms and a few recorded deaths when people were taught the Classical Way: "Control the Breath." Most people have been taught willful pranayama, forceful breath holds, and the dreaded and unnecessary breath ratios. Mr. Iyengar is absolutely correct that the willful approach is full of dangers. Those traditional instructions he gives, are practices for a few special humans, who must have a guru, as he rightly cautions. 

As you may know, I have an allergy to the word "Breathwork." There have been many problems and a few deaths with modern day "Breathwork" and central neurogenic hyperventilation practices (here, here. here.) 

A basic difference between Classical Control Methods and This Next Breath is that we follow the Primordial Breath. We recognize a larger principle is involved, the inhale and exhale follow the movement of Spirit. The Breath, like the ocean, is always in charge. We listen instead.

What Iyengar warned about, those dangerous control-the-breath practices, is a very different approach to practice. Our experience has shown that control is simply unnecessary for progress.  Control is contraindicated. Without controlling, Left Right Yoga has proven with the experience of many adherents to be very safe and effective in producing a balanced, equanimous mind, lower blood pressure, greater lung volume. You will find yourself with a grateful heart and an extraordinary zest for life. Everything in this approach is easy, "tri-doshic" and useful for all. 

Rule #1: Love your Practice

If you haven't started a loving, grateful breath practice in the morning, begin now, before you are out of time.