Yoga Sutra II-50 - BAHYABHYANTARA STAMBHA VRTTIR DESAKALA SAMKHYABHIH PARIDRSTO DIRGHASUKSMAH - The modifications of the life-breath are either external, internal or stationary. They are to be regulated by space, time and number and are either long or short.Swami Satchidananda begins his commentary informing us that in this sutra Patanjali speaks about breath retention in both the exhalation and inhalation. He gives us a warning that - "ONE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT RETENTION." We are told that retention should be practiced properly with personal guidance "without going beyond what a teacher tells us. The prana is very powerful energy. We shouldn't play with cobras without proper cobra training nearby."
Swami Satchidananda tells us "According to Patanjali, there are three types of pranayamas:"
- bahya vritti - inhaling
- abhyantara vritti - exhaling
- stambha vritti - retention
We are told that normally only the inward retention of breath is taught because it is easy and safe. Later on after the benefit of the inward retention is experienced, we are told that we can practice the outward retention. Swami Satchidananda tells us that Patanjali also includes variations on the pranayamas according to the :
- desa - place (This refers to where we place our attention while breathing like the base of the spine, the middle spine or higher.)
- kala - time (The reference here is to the timing of how long we retain the breath.)
- samkhya - count (The amount of counts with which the breath is taken in, held and let out is the reference here.)
Swami Satchinanda then refers to the practice of nadi suddhi, alternate nostril breathing, where the ratio is kept one to two. "If we take the breath in for a count of five, we send it out for a count of ten." He explains that we are not sending out the double amount of breath, instead we are sending out the breath twice as slowly and it entered. "Thus we can gain control over our exhalation. Usually we exhale more quickly than inhale. In this practice, we try to reverse that procedure and gain mastery over the involuntary muscles." Click here for a quick video link demonstration on basic nadi suddhi.
We are also informed that by regulating the prana we regulate our minds because the two are connected. "If one is controlled, the other is automatically controlled as well. That is why pranayama is given by Patanjali and is so very important." Swami Satchidananda highlights the importance of control and discipline as being necessary in our lives. Without discipline nothing would be achieved and points out that even the universe (the sun, moon and earth) functions due to discipline. "Do all these disciplines exist to enslave us? No; they are for our own safety." He uses an example of his love of pressing the gas peddle (to go faster driving), however, he is grateful for discipline enforced by the radar or helicopter control so that he does not speed.
Sukha poorvaka, a breath practice that is an easy comfortable pranayama , is touched upon at the end of the commentary. Similar to nadhi suddhi, but without the retention. Swami Satchidananda says that sukha poourvaka is an easy comfortable breathing practice with the inhalation/exhalation ratio of one to two. You can start with five counts in and ten out, gradually increasing it to a ten to twenty ration. Then after practicing this ratio for a while, then you can include the retention like inhale ten counts, retain five counts, exhale for twenty. "Then keeping the ten:twenty ratio, we can increase the retention gradually from five to fifteen, then to twenty-five, to forty and stop there. From that point on, the number of pranayamas we do should be increased."
The commentary ends with Swami Satchidananda telling us that "Sometimes people read a one:four:two ratio in a Yoga book and immediately begin their practice there. This can be unhealthy and dangerous. It's not the ratio with which you practice this pranayama that will help you, but the amount of pranayamas you do at a stretch. So, even without retention if we can do thirty or forty nadi suddhis at a stretch it will be very beneficial."
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