Swara Yoga in Theory
Swami Satyananda Saraswati on Swara Yoga 3 3. Ions and Electromagnetic Fields 18 5. Consciousness in Relation to Energy 26 6. Mind and Consciousness 30 7. Sound and Form of the Swara 34 11. Triune Energy System 55 Practices According to the Swara Shastras 15. Explanation of the Practices 83 16. Recognizing the Swara 87 18. Personal Observations of Swara Activities 95 19. Working with the Active Swara 99 21. Tattwa Sadhana and Chhayopasana 1 12
Kirlian photography and prana
One of the major scientific discoveries which brought the subject of prana to public awareness, as we have already mentioned, was Kirlian photography. The inventors, a husband and wife team called the Kirlians, came across the phenomena in 1939, and since then researchers have been photographing many different types of objects. They found that all life forms emit a particular aura, and that insentient objects can also have an aura for some time. This is relevant to swara yoga, especially as it...
Reducing the length of the swara
The Shiva Stuarodaya claims that those who can expire with the least possible projection of exhalation retain their vital energy and thus develop siddhis or perfection of pranic and mental abilities. Continuous exhalation which does not exceed the length of one angula, brings about a state of detachment, where you can work without calculating your gain, free from desire nishkam . It will help you become honest and straightforward nishkapat , so that you can remain impartial nishpaksha and...
Cosmic mind and prana
In tantra there is a beautiful concept which explains how the interaction of consciousness with prana manifests as creation. Not only does this apply to cosmic events but to our own personal life as well, because each individual is a complete universe unto himself. Tantra says that before the universe and galaxies came into being, the inherent potential of creation existed in hiranyagarbha, the golden egg or universal womb of creation. This is represented by bindu, which means 'point'. It can...
Swami Satyananda Saraswati on Swara Yoga
For thousands of years mankind has been attempting to penetrate the realm of inner experience. Every thinking person has tried his level best to accomplish this great task. Thus there are many different ways and means to have the inner experience, and from time to time man has experimented with the various paths. Some talk about karma yoga, others about bhakti yoga, raja yoga, jnana yoga, kundalini yoga, etc. Quite a few have also ventured to develop inner experience through the use of drugs....
Prana Sadhana
To have atma anubhuti, experience of the universal spirit, is the destiny of man. In order to have that experience, the part of the mind which functions and perceives the external world through the senses has to be jumped over. The mind has to become so concentrated and one-pointed that it is completely still without the minutest fluctuation or wavering. The moment the mind stops, the breath too is suspended. The consciousness and prana can then slip out of the individual range of experience....
The major nadis
In any electrical circuit, three specific wires are required for conduction - one positive, one negative and one neutral. Likewise, within the body there are three specific nadis for conducting energy. In yoga we refer to the negative line as ida, the channel of manas shakti or mental force. The positive line is pingala, which channels the dynamic energy of prana shakti. In order to avoid short-circuiting of these lines there is a third channel, sushumna, which functions as an earth wire, being...
Right and left hemispheres of the brain
The specific functions of the cerebral region of the brain also correlate with the activities of ida and pingala. The cerebrum is symmetrical, consisting of the right and left hemispheres. The right hemisphere governs the left side of the body and the left hemisphere governs the right side of the body. Ida is connected to the right hemisphere and pingala to the left. The right hemisphere processes information in a diffuse and wholistic manner. It controls orientation in space and is...
The Nose
In the process of breathing, absorbing prana and circulating energy, the nose plays a vital role. It is an important junction of energy communication between the external and internal worlds. When the external air comes into contact with the nasal passages, minute nerve detectors situated in the mucous membrane of the nose relay impulses to the brain and energy circuits. Swara yoga claims that by manipulation of the breath flowing in and out through the nose you can regulate the inner body...
Making predictions
Through recognizing the active element in the breath, you can come to know the future. There are a number of astrologers in India who can usually make reliable offhand predictions. For example, if a student asks, Sir, will I pass or fail he will first check the day and then feel his breath. If it is positive, he will say, Yes, and if it is negative, No. This is how some people have misused the science, but this is not its purpose. It is not the science which is at fault but the person's...
Five six or seven chakras
In the human body there are seven main chakras located along the vertebral column and in the head. Of course, many minor chakras are placed throughout the whole body, and they even exist in the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. Above the highest chakra related to human evolution, there are also chakras which belong to the divine realm. All these chakras function at varying vibrational frequencies, and are therefore perceived as vortices of light, which vary in colour depending on their...
Working with the Active Swara
During the flow of ida or pingala, certain actions are considered more appropriate than others. When ida flows it is shubha, auspicious or the right time for Drinking water or urinating Calm and silent work, especially that which requires mental creativity Approaching those in senior positions Religious practices, ceremonies, marriage, and initiation of any sort Anything to do with medicines and treatment of diseases Singing, playing, composing or listening to music Women to participate in...
Ajna
Ajna chakra is very important in tantra and swara yoga. It is located at the top of the spinal column, in the region of the medulla oblongata. This centre is associated with the pineal gland and is known as the guru or command centre, because from ajna, intuition is transmitted to the lower centres and mind. Therefore, ajna is also known as the third eye, or the eye of intuition, the medium between the highest consciousness or guru and the ego or jivatma between the higher brain faculties and...
Manifestation of the guru tattwa
As the techniques start having a noticeable effect upon your whole being and your concepts of life, the purpose for which these practices are intended begins manifesting in the form of tangible experience. As swara yoga was designed to awaken the higher consciousness, whoever practises it is bound to have this experience eventually. This system is based on scientific lines, whereby you start from a logical, comprehensive point in your physical existence and manipulate the mental and physical...
Activating the chakras
A chakra can be consciously activated either by directing prana to the centre or by concentrating on its location and form. However, both methods produce the same result because, when you direct pranic energy to a chakra, you become aware of its location, so mental visualization and concentration are also taking place. When you concentrate on the chakra or a symbol which stimulates it, prana also moves to that centre. So the two systems are basically one. Position of the chakras and their...
The inherent energy of the breath
In yoga, breathing is considered to be a very important process because it is the most vital means of absorbing prana into the body. The shastras explain how prana gives consciousness and life to every creature which breathes. In the Taittiriya, Brahmana and Maitri Upanishads and Shiva Swarodaya, the breath is referred to as the vehicle of Brahman or cosmic consciousness. In fact, the Prashnopanishad, which specifically aims at clarifying the nature of creation, explains that, Prana springs...
Biological rhythms
In the 1970s, science coined the word 'chronopsychology' for the 24 hour cycle. Chronopsychologists found that during the 24 hour cycle certain events and one's mental, emotional and physical abilities have a 'best' or 'most likely' time of day. The Shiva Swarodaya says the same and further specifies the times when tasks are either shubha auspicious or ashubha inauspicious . The swara yogi knows that during the influence of either ida or pingala only certain things can be undertaken if you want...
Swara key to health
The state of our body and mind is reflected in the alternation of the swara cycles. If either nadi predominates for too long, it is a sign or warning that one of the branches of the autonomic nervous system is being overstressed and only one of the brain hemispheres is being fully utilized. If ida flows for a long time beyond the normal schedule, this signifies some imbalance in the mind. Or if pingala flows beyond schedule, there is some sort of imbalance in the pranic body. When the physical...
Checking the swara before acting
When you have understood and observed the flow of your swara and practised working in correspondence to the active nadi, then you can apply other practices so that each daily activity meets with the most possible success. The swara shastras give the following recommendations On waking, determine which swara is active. Touch that side of the nostril and face with the corresponding hand. Step out of bed with the foot that corresponds to the active swara make sure to place that foot on the ground...
Pranayama
The Shiva Swarodaya recommends the practice of pranayama to help develop, regulate and control the length of the prana. That is what the word pranayama means, 'length of prana'. Ayama is length or extension. Pranayama is usually defined as control of the breath, because people divide the word into prana and yama control . However, the real aim of pranayama is to extend the prana into previously dormant areas of the body, brain and personality so as to awaken various inherent faculties and...
The Prana Vayus
While studying the breath, the swara yogis noticed that it produced specific energy waves throughout the body. They saw how prana is circulated in the various regions of the body through the medium of the breath. And they found that as prana circulates, it is modified and adapted to the functions of each particular organ and region. According to these different modifications of prana, the prana vayus or pranic airs were classified. In the Prashnopanishad it is explained that the chief prana...
Triune Energy System
We have seen how the body is divided into two definite divisions or zones according to the flow of energy and magnetic pull of positive and negative forces. However, there is a third aspect yet to be mentioned. In the central axis where the two adjoining sides meet, the positive and negative energies become equalized and create a neutral energy field running straight up and down through the centre. In yoga this important pathway is called sushumna nadi. Sushumna emerges from the base of the...
Timing the Swara
As we have already said, ida, pingala and sushumna do . not flow at random but at specific times in synchronization with the solar lunar rhythms. According to the Shiva Swarodaya, the active nadi flows for two and a half ghati, which is equivalent to 60 minutes. Thereafter, sushumna functions for 1-4 minutes and then the other nadi begins to operate. Neurologists have found the same sequence in brain hemisphere activity. One hemisphere remains active for 6090 minutes.1 When that cycle is...
Technique
Sit in a comfortable meditation asana, preferable siddha siddha yoni asana or ardha poorna padmasana. Perform shanmukhi mudra, closing only five gates the ears, eyes and nose, with the fingers, leaving the mouth free. Perform kaki mudra and inhale through the mouth. While inhaling, feel the prana moving up from mool-adhara to ajna chakra. Hold the breath, performing antaranga internal kumbhaka and close the sixth gate mouth with the fingers. Perform khechari mudra and half jalandhara bandha....
Astrology and swara
The Shiva Swarodaya tells how the breath relates to planetary, solar and lunar movements, and it also has some connection with astrology. The Shiva Swarodaya also states that astrology without the science of swara is useless. Astrology discusses the influence of four fundamental elements which affect a person's life and character. These are the cosmic elements. Swara yoga talks about the same elements, but says they manifest in the body and can be detected by analyzing the body processes and...
Chakras
Within the subtle structure of the pranic network, every nadi has a specific route, and at certain points all the nadis come together to form centres of pranic and psychic energy known as chakras. Chakra is a Sanskrit term which means circle, wheel, something round and spinning. There are many chakras in the body, but the major ones form an energy circuit along the spinal column in the region of the five major nerve plexuses. These chakras are mediatory, receiving energy from the higher levels...
In search of negative ions and prana
When you leave the city and all its industrial complexes and go to a hill station, forest, seaside or river, you always feel invigorated. This is due to the natural abundance of negative ions that cluster in the atmosphere of such regions. When we say 'breath of fresh air', what we really mean is breath of negative ions. Fresh air in the city may contain an abundance of positive ions, so even a breath of fresh air there won't make you feel refreshed. Modern technology is recklessly destroying...
Prana apana and samana
Each vayu is located in a different region of the body according to its particular direction of flow. The most powerful are prana and apana, the upward and downward movements. Prana vayu functions in the thoracic region to stimulate the respiratory system and the absorption of prana. When the muscle known as the diaphragm contracts, a vacuum is created in the lungs which sucks in air. It is therefore known as the 'in breath'. Working in opposition to this function is apana, the 'out breath',...
The Swara Guru
In India many people still have knowledge of swara yoga. It is not difficult to get a general understanding of the science, but those who practise it are not willing to disclose their knowledge to just anyone. Even if you refer to the original texts you will have difficulty understanding the symbology and terminology used. Due to this, the Sanskrit texts are sometimes misinterpreted. So it is not completely effective to learn only from scriptural references. If you are going to delve seriously...
Nature of the tattwas
Tattwa is a particular vibration of prana from which specific sound frequencies, mantra, and colour or vama are created. Prana is pure light, and just as white light contains all the various colours of the spectrum, in the same way, prana can be broken down into the individual tattwas. Scientists have shown that light particles move in particular patterns to create the different rays of light such as infrared, ultra violet or even a laser beam. In much the same way, prana vibrates throughout...
Udana vyana and the upa pranas
After the middle breath another vayu action occurs, udana, which is said by the Maitri Upanishad to bring up and carry down what has been eaten. Udana is called the 'up breath' and is specifically located in the throat and face enabling swallowing, facial expression and speech. It is also responsible for maintaining the strength in every muscle. When prana and apana unite with samana, it is udana which moves up and finally passes through the tenth gate sahasrara chakra towards the higher...
Family planning
By utilizing the knowledge of the tattwas it is possible to know the type of child you are going to produce. According to swara yoga the result of conception is based on the active tattwa. Of course, the combination of different tattwas has different results. Conception at the time of prithvi tattwa procures a son who will have a good financial or material position. Apas produces a girl who will also be prosperous. When agni flows through pingala, it is not an ideal time for conception because...
Individual and cosmic prana
In most of the yogic texts the term prana is associated with life force or bioenergy. Many people even use the word prana for oxygen, confusing it with the subdivision of prana vayu which regulates the heart and lungs. But when we speak of prana in the higher sense, we are referring to the cosmic concept rather than the physical breath or the atmospheric ions. Life in itself is not a gross concept, and just because something exists does not mean it represents prana. Prana is a Sanskrit word...
The Pancha Tattwas
The philosophy of tantra and swara yoga explains how the whole universe is the composition of five maha bhutas or tattwas. These are the elements of akasha ether , vayu air , agni fire , apas water and prithvi earth . Ever since the time of ancient civilizations, man has always considered that the world is made up of the four fundamental elements of earth, water, fire and air. These elements represent particular frequencies and states of prana and consciousness. The Mandukyopanishad,...
Properties of the Tattwas 1
blackish with multicoloured points of light, skin, blood vessels, bone construction On the particular manner in which the breath is flowing in and out, you can know the level at which your prana is operating, your state of mind and what you are capable of achieving at that time. To become familiar with each tattwa requires intense concentration and sensitivity of mind because as the Shiva Swarodaya states, The tattwas are hidden at a very subtle level of existence. Just as a scientist can only...
Technique 1
Sit in a comfortable meditation pose, back straight, head straight, hands either in jnana mudra or chin mudra. If the yantra is small, keep it an arm's distance away. If it is large, adjust the position so that you can gaze without straining. The yantra should be placed exactly at eye level. Begin with the prithvi yantra first. Practise trataka on it. The eyes should be steady. To keep the mind quiet, mentally repeat the mantra Lam, keeping your gaze continually on the yantra, and your...
Conclusions
The cycles of ida pingala start as calculated in the Shiva Swarodaya. Sixty minutes is the shortest duration of a cycle. The periods before dawn and in the afternoon often extend to three hours.1 Comparison of a few people's swara rhythms showed that at sunrise the swaras usually coincided, but as the day progressed the active periods of each nadi began to vary. Possibly this is due to different kinds of work, involvement with different types of people, different metabolism and biorhythmic...
Pingala pathway
Pingala is the transmitter of prana shakti. It is the positive aspect, also known as the surya or solar nadi because its energy is as invigorating as the sun's rays. Pingala energy activates the physical body and externalizes awareness. It is associated with the sympathetic nervous system SNS , which releases adrenaline to stimulate the superficial muscles. The SNS prepares the body to cope with stress and external activity for example, it makes the heart beat rapidly and heats the body....
Balancing ida and pingala
The famous guru Gorakhnath, the greatest exponent of hatha yoga, used to tell his disciples that when they practised hatha yoga, they were not doing mere exercise. They were not just purifying the physical body. They were trying to bring about a balance between the two forces in the body, known as the sun and moon. In the word hatha, ha represents the sun, and tha, the moon. So, ha and tha represent pingala and ida, the solar and lunar forces. Hatha yoga brings a balance between the alternating...
Three states of consciousness
In jagrit, the waking state, the mundane world is perceived through the gross body or sthula sharira. The Manduky-opanishad says that here the enjoyment lies in the visible objects of the world, v. 3 In jagrit there is association with the external world through the five sensory organs, the jnanendriyas the ears, eyes, tongue, nose and skin and through the five organs of action, the karmendriyas the hands, feet, speech, reproductive and excretory organs . In the waking state information is...
Length of the prana
When you are examining which nostril is active, at different times during the day you will notice that the length of the breath alters. Sometimes it is longer or shorter. According to the swara shastras, the aim of the practice is to reduce the length of the exhaled breath so that more prana is retained in the body. The swara shastras give the length of the natural expiration during particular activities. The distance is given in the measurement of an angula or one finger's breath. Of course,...
Swara Yoga 1
The Tantric Science of Brain Breathing Including the original Sanskrit text of the Shiva Swarodaya with English translation Under the Guidance of Swami Satyananda Saraswati Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from Yoga Publications Trust. Published by Bihar School of Yoga First edition 1984 Reprinted 1999 Published...
Tattwa Vichara
Each cycle of the surya or chandra swara is affected by the pancha tattwas or five elements, which produce different types of breath by influencing the prana vayu. When a particular tattwa is active, it affects thought patterns, physical movements and capacities, interactions with other people, and all the situations of life. In order to recognize this, swara yogis practise tattwa vichara, the techniques of analyzing the active tattwa. Amongst all these techniques, each practitioner will find...