Pranayama

Pranayama is the practice of moving vital energy. Prana प्राण means “life force” or “breath of life.”

It is easy to see that our breath is vital for life. We can go many days without food or water, but only a few minutes without breathing.

Esoteric traditions assert that the physical body has a subtle counterpart which is the basis of vitality within the physical body. The channels through which the vital energy are called nadis. Pranayama is the practice of regulating the flow through these channels by breathing techniques.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

In its simplest form Alternate Nostril Breathing is done as follows:

1. Close your right nostril and inhale through your left nostril.

2. Close both nostrils and hold your breath for 2 – 3 seconds.

3. Open your right nostril and exhale.

4. Inhale through your right nostril.

5. Close both nostrils and hold your breath for 2 – 3 seconds.

6. Open your left nostril and exhale.

You can use any finger (or thumb) you wish to close your nostril.

The inhalation should be moderate in speed, but deep enough to fill your lungs completely.

The exhalation should be natural. At first the air will come out without any effort (because your lungs are full), but at the end you should gently push most the air out of your lungs.

The practice should be relaxing. If you feel that you are hyperventilating, then reduce the amount of air you are breathing in.

HAM-SAH Pranayama

The nadis are located throughout your entire body. The wellspring of vital energy is located at the sexual center. From here, obviously, new life can occur. In yogic practice, we take the subtle aspect of this energy harmoniously influence our mind and spark our intelligence.

When the base energy is transformed for spiritual purposes, this is called sexual transmutation.

Sit in a eastern style (crossed legs), so... However, for westerners, this position can be very tiresome. Therefore, sit comfortably in a comfortable armchair, western style.

Place the open palm of the right hand into the left, meaning the back of the right hand on the palm of the left hand.

Relax the body as much as possible, and then inhale deeply and slowly.

As you inhale, imagine the creative energy rising through the spermatic channels [nadis] up to the brain. As you inhale, pronounce mentally the mantra “Haaaaaaammmmmmm."

Exhale, short and quick, and utter the mantra “Saahh."

Indubitably, one inhales through the nose, and exhales through the mouth.

 Again, as one inhales, one must mantralize the sacred syllable HAM mentally, given that one is inhaling through the nose. But as one exhales, one can articulate the syllable SAH in an audible manner.

This mantra is Sanskrit. Ham is written with the letters ऽहम्. Sah is written with the letters सो. Ham-Sah can mean "I am That," meaning the ultimate Reality.

The inhalation is performed slowly, while the exhalation is short and quick. The reason? Obviously, in every person the creative energy flows from the inside towards the outside, that is to say centrifugally. But for the purpose of spiritual growth we must reverse that order. Our energy must flow in a centripetal manner, that is to say, from the outside towards the inside.

Indubitably, if we inhale slowly and steady, the creative energy will flow in a centripetal manner, from the outside towards the inside. And if we exhale short and quick, then that energy will become increasingly centripetal.

During this practice, one must not think of absolutely anything. The eyes must be fully closed. Only the Ham-Sah will vibrate in our mind, and nothing else.

- Samael Aun Weor, The Conquest of the Illuminating Void (lecture)