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Perception of Breathing
Types
The process of breathing is the medium of manifesting the consciousness in the body. When the mind is restless, breath is quick, fragmental and shallow. Steadiness of mind makes the breath slow, deep and continuous. Thus there is an inherent unity and mutual interaction between the mind and the breath.
For perception of breathing, the breath is controlled and regulated; it is made to become slow, deep and rhythmic.
Perception of breathing means that the mind is fully engaged in perceiving the breath. It becomes aware of each inhalation and exhalation. Not a single breath escapes the awareness of the mind i.e. every breath is consciously taken and the mind is coupled with breath.
We shall discuss two techniques of śvāsa-prekṣā : (1) Dirgha-śvāsa-prekṣā i.e. perception of slow and deep
breathing, and (2) Samavrtti-svāsa-prekşā i.e. perception of breathing
through alternate nostrils.
Perception of Deep Breathing (Dirgha Svāsa Prekşā)
As stated before, in deep breathing, upward and downward movement of the diaphragm results in the contraction and relaxation of the abdominal wall-muscles. The action of the abdominal
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