Breathing and Life Span

I just came across this article and found it pretty interesting reading, anyone have any thoughts, can we extend our life span by the simple act of breathing differently?

http://themindunleashed.org/2015/07/living-like-the-tortoise-doubling-your-life-span-with-one-simple-breathing-technique.html

Hi Night. Thanks for this article. Really interesting. There was even a couple of links that I found very informative on that website. Anyway my only comment is, those scientific studies that attribute the effect to the "resting heart rate," I'm afraid, may not be very accurate. The resting heart rate certainly helps, but this "alternate breathing" technique is all about energy and the balance between the two currents of energy in the human body. In a nutshell, the energy coming in with the air through the right nostril is NOT the same as the energy coming through the left nostril. The right current (Pingala) is positive, active, masculine, or solar; the left current (Ida), negative, passive, feminine, or lunar. The balance of these two opposite currents in the body means health (and youth, and longevity), whereas their imbalance results in all sorts of disease, decay and death.

As we get older, the ancient sages observed, the left nostril gets predominant; that is, we breathe more through the left nostril than through the right one. We thus lose the balance of energy and accumulate more Ida or lunar energy, which gradually causes all signs of old age. Therefore, to keep healthy, look always young and live longer (theoretically forever), we have to restore this balance of energy and get both nostrils to work for equal periods of time along the day, and that's simply why yogis practice that nadi shodana or "alternate nostril breathing."


There is a secret method, however, by which the yogis retain evergreen youth and prolong life indefinitely (it's been reported by eyewitnesses that some adept yogis living in solitude in the high Himalayas have their ages range from 200 to 500 years or more). This secret yet very simple method is as follows: From sunrise to sunset, during the day, these yogis keep the right nostril closed, allowing the breath to flow only through the left nostril; and from sunset to sunrise, or during the night, they keep the left nostril closed, allowing the breath to flow only through the right nostril. 

As you can see, basically they're keeping the energy in balance—although there is more to this method, needless to say, given the time they choose for each current of energy to flow in. (There are definitely other methods, techniques and secrets; and not only the yogis but also some Chi masters in China, and others, were reported in several sources to have lived more than 200-300 years).

Finally this is one of those yogis, Tat Wale Baba. This man performed several miracles during his 'short' life, including instant healing, but was unfortunately killed in the early 1970s, as he foretold, by a local madman. Anyway this is how he looked in his last years—in this photo he was precisely 85 years old.

Thank for your response Lotus, its a really good website i find, i have them liked on facebook so i always get something interesting to read!

also glad you cleared up the nostril thing, how fascinating that the simple act of breathing, something most people do without thinking about it or taking notice of it, can have such profound results on all sorts of areas of our health.

i'm finding it one of my favourite areas to look into, as it seems to crop everywhere i go, or when i'm just randomly searching for ideas or tips, it always seems to come back to breathing, and how we breathe.

i get blocked sinuses so i was looking at home remedies, and one of them is deep breathing.... most people wouldnt even think of that, they're want some medicine or nose spray!

and if that guy in the pic was 85 years old, then i think thats a sure sign he was on to something!

amazing!

Yes, it's really fascinating. Remember, however, it's not "breathing" itself or how we breathe that really matters (unless in the sense of the "Breath of Life" that brought the whole cosmos into existence). Rather it's our Prana and the various "ethereal" currents constantly flowing in our both body and mind. Prana is a fine yet mighty power. The whole world is the product of Prana, and Prana is the very force that builds (or rather "weaves") the human body in the womb. That's why a "simple" change in how we breathe can result in such unexpectedly remarkable effects.

Lotus do you have any links or directions to point me in so i can learn some more on this subject?

its where i'm resonating right now x

As I said there is a very good link in that article itself (swamij.com). So I may suggest a short course as follows:

1. First read general articles such as this one (from the same website):
http://www.swamij.com/swami-rama-the-breath.htm

2. Read a short book titled The Amazing Secrets of the Yogi, by Charles Haanel (author of the Master Key System). This book is available on the internet (I just checked). Read only the relevant chapters on breathing (the first few chapters), and generally take it with a grain of salt; Haanel after all was not a yogi himself.

3. AFTER reading the first few chapters in Haanel's book (especially on the Pingala and Ida currents), get back to that website and read this 6-part article:
http://www.swamij.com/kundalini-awakening.htm
(This is only the introduction; please click 1, 2, 3, etc.)

If after these three steps you're still enthusiastic or resonating with this subject, please let me know.

Will do, thank you Lotus

Considering that by simple observation we can be aware that our breathing changes according to our thoughts and moods, this concept makes natural sense.

The alternate nostril breathing is something new to me, but there is something I've been sort of itching to share for a couple months yet didn't find it the right moment to bring it up. Maybe now is good.

I was studying verses from the Bible (which I've rarely done in the recent years), looking for some connections to verses that had caught my attention in another context.

After reading different versions of verses mostly in the book of John, I saw that the "Holy Spirit" was in some versions called not the "Holy Spirit", but the "Comforter". Jesus explained that he must go but will come back and bring to them the comforter that will pretty much be all they need when he's not around (excuse my totally casual interpretation).

So when he comes back after being crucified, he said (totally paraphrased) here's the comfort I promised, and he breathes on them. That's it. He just breathed on them.

Since then, I have taken it that breath, is the Holy Spirit, which is what has been given to us to bring g comfort whenever we need it. So am I now dome kind of magic bible translator or has this been analyzed before by theologians?

Just wanted to share that this is how I understand it now. Breathing is the way to comfort and blessings. Interesting as the alternate nostril technique is - and I'll probably play around with it - I think simply being aware of our breathing throughout the day can tell us much that we are looking to know about our fears, anxieties and joys. In turn, consciously changing our breathing puts us at ease not only overall, but when it comes to specific subjects that could benefit from comfort.

Thanks for the article, Night, and for the insight, Lotus.

Think you're on to something there Armine


As time goes on, i'm coming to realise that despite the obvious reasons.... breath and how you breathe is important, and its highly effective...... you're right at how it puts us at ease.

I used to confine it to just treating my anxiety, but i find day to day the more conscious i am of my breathing, and how i am actually breathing, the better i seem to feel overall, mentally and physically, i tried this yesterday when i was out walking, i kept some focus on my breath, and kept it slow and steady, a walk that would have left me breathing quite rapidly usually, ended up with me still being quite relaxed and not so out of puff at the end of it.

there's definitely something to this.

What wow! Lotus, how can these yogis control their nostrils whilst sleeping? I can imagine it during the day (well not really) but how do they do it while they are conciously aware :-)

Obviously the insight is yours, Armine thanks for sharing. It's a very shrewd and interesting observation you've made here. Now I think that even the Holy Spirit manifesting, elsewhere, as flames or "tongues of fire" clearly has a lot to do with the air all around as well. So I too believe you are on to something here.

From the Hindu or generally the occult perspective, yes goddess Prana is of course the Christian Holy Spirit. In the Bible, on the other hand, prana in the Hindu sense was also referred to several times, probably the most obvious of which is in Luke and Mark, in the story of the Bleeding Woman. Jesus earnestly inquired who touched him and then literally said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me."

Considering that by simple observation we can be aware that our breathing changes according to our thoughts and moods, this concept makes natural sense.

And vice versa: our thoughts and moods change according to our breathing too. This is the whole point. It's all about this connection, and the maxim here is "He who controls prana controls mana (mind), and he who controls mana controls prana." Why is Yoga interested in breathing in the first place? Because breathing takes you to prana--please note, this entire section on breathing in Yoga is rather called pranayama (Prana Control). So breathing takes you to prana, and then prana takes you to mana or the mind, and then finally the mind takes you to Consciousness, or the ultimate Truth. This is the Yogic logic and Yogic journey and why Yoga stands out as a third path in itself, along with the Path of Knowledge and the Path of Love.


Moreover, prana is the "missing link" in the LOA literature. It's this finest and intelligent energy, call it what you may, that carries our vibrations and communicates our thoughts and feelings literally to every other mind in the world. It's the same power or "Modus operandi" behind magic, telepathy, clairvoyance, psychometry, and ALL other psychic and occult phenomena. This is how important this topic really is regardless of the spiritual context I usually put this power in.

LittlemissSunshine wrote:What wow! Lotus, how can these yogis control their nostrils whilst sleeping? I can imagine it during the day (well not really) but how do they do it while they are conciously aware :-)

"Practice makes perfect," Sunshine.

While we are not even aware which nostril is active at any given time, Yogis on the other hand open and close either nostril rather "mentally." They don't even use their fingers as usually described in those techniques or seen on those videos. During the night, however, they may use any of several methods. For example they can simply plug either nostril with a cotton plug. According to some they may even plug only the corresponding ear. They may also apply pressure on the armpit; the opposite nostril will then turn active and take over (the reason many sages are portrayed meditating with a stick under their armpit). In fact merely lying down on one side activates the opposite nostril. It's because of the natural switch from one nostril to the other, which spontaneously occurs every couple of hours or so, that most people turn from one side to the other while asleep. This is the natural reaction from the body to this change of breath and consequently of polarity. So you may simply reverse the process: lie down on one side to activate the opposite nostril.

ok so i've been doing a little reading, and so far i've come up with.. we need to make sure we're breathing deeply with the Diaphragm and some of the Yogis could use both Nostrils at the same time (apparently the nostril flow alternates every hour in a healthy person) which supplies Prana to Sushumana Canal.

Also each nostril when in flow can bring about different moods and spiritual qualities (left seems more spiritual) and if one of our nostrils are more active than the other it can show in our moods and personalities.

so if we were to apply breathing to the Loa, if we can breathe correctly and through our nostrils in a certain way, it carries currents down each sides of our bodies and supplies Prana which connects us to our higher mind or conciousness and opens us up to attracting more positive and happy experiences? also our health and state of mind can be directly affected by the flow from both nostrils in different ways.

am i on track Lotus? or have i misinterpreted?

Yes, overall. You're doing great actually. You only need to deepen a little your understanding of what it means for the breath to flow from both nostrils. This is critical. They call it the Breath of Shiva as far as I remember, and this breath can be benevolent or malevolent. So yes the yogis do it, but you don't. Not now. First fully understand the nature of this power before applying it. I guess time for Haanel's book, Night. He also answers many of such LOA questions in this yogic context.

oh dont worry i wouldnt be giving it a try any time soon Lotus, i'd rather understand it all as best as i can, and well just having more focus on my breath and its pace seems to be a nice and positive relaxing experience anyway.

i have looked into his book already, i couldnt find anything where i could just read it, but i found an explanation of his key points but i only read about the first chapter so it only briefly mentioned using both Nostrils. The link to Loa is becoming clearer, but i'm going to research some more

It's on 4shared.com. But you have to log-in in order to download it. That's why I couldn't send you a direct link.  

http://www.4shared.com/office/b-o54w5Lba/The_amazing_Secrets_Of_The_Yog.htm

Thanks Lotus i read the first 4 chapters, interesting! so we can use the flow from different nostrils for different health issues, thats good to know, it did make me wonder now about certain things, like for instance i wonder what this means for people who breathe through their mouth a lot and how that is affecting them.

or people who have nasal congestions, wonder which Nostril needs to be getting more flow to fix that?


i'm going to read it a couple more times though as i want to remember his technique for setting out your intentions with Loa.

lol. Too literal, Night. Don't take it that literal (and needless to say don't depend solely on such a preliminary source if you want to master this art). In some techniques, for example, you rather exhale and even inhale through the mouth (and in general, as you sure know, prana is everywhere; we don't receive our supply throw only the mouth and nose or only with the air we breathe. Prana is rather permeating every single atom let alone cell within and without, so we're literally immersed in a "sea" of prana).

Yes, Pranayama can help cure any disease whatsoever. As for those who breathe only through the mouth, they simply can't be healthy, let alone vigorous, and I even think that this has been already proved and settled (in western medicine, I mean). Also those who have their both nostrils temporarily blocked, for whatever reason, I believe they can't practice Pranayama in general during this time. Unfortunately the nose is the "key" to this art; so they either utilize a different modality for self-healing, or simply ask for another yogi's help. (And they may also consider visiting a doctor by the way).

lol i just find it really interesting thats all Lotus, i have believed there's something in it for a while as its been so helpful to me just focusing on breathing without even discovering all this

what initially triggered my interest was that i was rummaging around on the internet for self help tips for sinuses, and breathing techniques seem to be cropping up more.

Just focusing on breathing gives this pleasant or peaceful state because it's the first step of mind control, or mind rest. Imagine how it'd feel when you reach complete control!

No, I don't think you got there by chance. You're already interested in yoga and now this is Pranayama, so I think you're "guided" somehow and being here today is no coincidence. As for your sinuses, why don't you try pranic healing? I think by now you already have a good background so search for it and who knows!

Yes it does seem to be some Guidance on this, i just feel drawn to it, and comfortable with it

i will definitely look into that thank you, modern medicine has failed so far, infact since i've been breathing calmer and deeper, they haven't been as bad already, but then i do use the technique of talking to the body a lot which helps

Thanks Lotus