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3. Antar kunbhaka or internal breath retention 4. Bahir kumbhaka or external breath retention.
The different practices of pranayama involve various techniques which utilise these four aspects of breathing. There is another mode of pranayama which is called kevala kumbhaka or spontaneous breath retention. This is an advanced stage of pranayama which occurs during high states of meditation. During this state, the lungs stop their activity and the respiration ceases. At this time, the veil which prevents one from seeing the subtle aspect of existence is lifted and a higher vision of reality is attained.
The most important part of pranayama is actually kumbhaka or breath retention. However, in order to perform kumbhaka successfully, there must be a gradual development of control over the function of respiration. Therefore, in the pranayama practices more emphasis is given to inhalation and exhalation at the beginning, in order to strengthen the lungs and balance the nervous and pranic systems in preparation for the practice of kumbhaka. These practices influence the flow of prana in the nadis, purifying, regulating and activating them, thereby inducing physical and mental stability. (For more information on nadis see the chapter Psychic Physiology of Yoga.)
The pranic body According to yogic physiology, the human framework is comprised of five bodies or sheaths, which account for the different aspects or dimensions of human existence. These five sheaths are known as: 1. Annamaya kosha, the food or material body 2. Manomaya kosha, the mental body 3. Pranamaya kosha, the bioplasmic or vital energy body 4. Vijnanamaya kosha, the psychic or higher mental body 5. Anandamaya kosha, the transcendental or bliss body.
Although these five sheaths function together to form an integral whole, the practices of pranayama work mainly with pranamaya kosha. The pranamaya kosha is made up of five major pranas which are collectively known as the pancha, or five, pranas: prana, apana, samana, udana and vyana.
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