Slience and Stillness of the Breathe to achieve Peace o
Voluntary And Involuntary Consciousness In An Awakened State
Consider these 2 aspects. When we are in an awakened state, would you agreed for a start that there in that aware state, we will have 2 operating sub-states. Yes…the voluntary and involuntary states.
Most of us know one and not the other. Most of us know of the voluntary consciousness and are unaware of the involuntary consciousness. When we were at birth, we dwelled in the involuntary state, and very shortly thereafter, the voluntary consciousness overpowered the former to such an extent, the involuntary consciousness can rapidly varnished from our Being. We become attached to the stories of our past and the hope of a future. We no longer become Being in Now.
The voluntary state mind is one when our mind can direct our actions. When we wish to do something, we will have our mind direct our to carry out that piece of action such as when we want to go into a state of mind of happiness. Our mind determines the form and outcome of an action.
An involuntary state of mind is when we become an observer of our state of mind. In other words, we become dissociated from events that are happening to us and the environment. We strive in the presence or NOW; just Being. We become positively centered and balanced irrespective of every negative emotions that surround us. When someone special passed on, we see the positivity of the event and not be attached to any negative emotion what might be happening around us. There may be pain, suffering, sadness correlated with the passing on. However, it we can remain in a involuntary state of mind, we are no longer afraid of death. With centerness and balance, we are able to handle tasks rationally and positively. We no longer allow our our state of mind to control our the outcome of our actions.
When pain occurs if we hurt ourselves, we are able to dissipate that pain and dissociate any hurt. With training, we can therefore, let our involuntary mind be in an operative choice. We shall not be at the EFFECT end of the equation…we will always strive at the CAUSE end of that equation. We will be inductive instead of deduction. We will look at the big picture instead of the little ones.
How can we train ourselves to rebuild our involuntary consciousness? One way is to perform something that we are very familiar with. Breathing!! Yes..breathing (Pranayama) is a process that each of use are very familiar with. With a set of breathing regiments and processes, we can train ourselves to achieve a state of dissociation and not to be attached or related to an action/happening going on around us. Breathing and followed by a state of meditation is really a gym for our mind to practise and journey to discover the involuntary state of consciousness. Have discovered it, there will be stillness; a Being of unattached centerness adn balance. A calmness. At the highest level of involuntary consciousness, there will no longer be either positive state or a negative one. One doesn’t take sides; no doesn’t participates; one doesn’t engage; one doesn’t influence.
No more boundaries.
Your perspective is welcome…
Pranayama
Pranayama (Devanagari: prāṇāyāma) is a Sanskrit compound.
V. S. Apte provides fourteen different meanings for the word prana (Devanagari: prāṇa) including these:
* Breath, respiration
* The breath of life, vital air, principle of life (usually plural in this sense, there being five such vital airs generally assumed, but three, six, seven, nine, and even ten are also spoke of)
* Energy, vigor
* The spirit or soul
Of these meanings, the concept of “vital air” is used by Bhattacharyya to describe the concept as used in Sanskrit texts dealing with pranayama. Thomas McEvilley translates “prana” as “spirit-energy”.
Monier-Williams defines the compound prāṇāyāma as “N. of the three ‘breath-exercises’ performed during Saṃdhyā (See pūraka, recaka, kumbhaka.” This technical definition refers to a particular system of breath control with three processes as explained by Bhattacharyya: pūraka (to take the breath inside), kumbhaka (to retain it), and recaka (to discharge it). There are also other processes of pranayama in addition to this three-step model.
Macdonell gives the etymology as prāṇa + āyāma and defines it as “suspension of breath.”
Apte’s definition of āyāmaḥ derives it from ā + yām and provides several variant meanings for it when used in compounds. The first three meanings have to do with “length”, “expansion, extension”, and “stretching, extending”, but in the specific case of use in the compound prāṇāyāma he defines āyāmaḥ as meaning “restrain, control, stopping.”
An alternative etymology for the compound is cited by Ramamurti Mishra, who says that:
“Expansion of individual energy into cosmic energy is called prāṇāyāma (prāṇa, energy + ayām, expansion).”
The word “yama” (Devanagari: yāma) means “cessation” or more generally “control” or “restraint.”
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Pranayama is the fourth ‘limb’ of the eight limbs of Raja Yoga mentioned in verse 2.29 in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Patanjali discusses his specific approach to pranayama in verses 2.49 through 2.51, and devotes verses 2.52 and 2.53 to explaining the benefits of the practice. Patanjali refers to pranayama as the control of life force that comes as a result of practicing the various breathing techniques, rather than the numerous breathing exercises themselves.
Many yoga teachers advise that pranayama should be part of an overall practice that includes the other limbs of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga teachings, especially Yama, Niyama, and Asana.
Medical claims
Several researchers have reported that pranayama techniques are beneficial in treating a range of stress related disorders,[32] improving autonomic functions, relieving symptoms of asthma, and reducing signs of oxidative stress. Practitioners report that the practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong will-power, and sound judgement, and also claim that sustained pranayama practice extends life and enhances perception.
Cautions & contraindications
Many yoga teachers recommend that pranayama techniques be practiced with care, and that advanced pranayama techniques should be practiced under the guidance of a teacher. These cautions are also made in traditional Hindu literature.
Quotes
“Prana is a subtle invisible force. It is the life-force that pervades the body. It is the factor that connects the body and the mind, because it is connected on one side with the body and on the other side with the mind. It is the connecting link between the body and the mind. The body and the mind have no direct connection. They are connected through Prana only and this Prana is different from the breathing you have in your physical body.” — Swami Chidananda Saraswati.
“Yoga works primarily with the energy in the body, through the science of pranayama, or energy-control. Prana means also ‘breath.’ Yoga teaches how, through breath-control, to still the mind and attain higher states of awareness. The higher teachings of yoga take one beyond techniques, and show the yogi, or yoga practitioner, how to direct his concentration in such a way as not only to harmonize human with divine consciousness, but to merge his consciousness in the Infinite.” — Paramahansa Yogananda