Observing Pranayama – September 2010

This period of observation continues the previous 10 days and brings it to a total of 30 days.

My current morning Pranayama practice is:

10 – 0 – 15 – 0	Gradually build up Ujjayi breath
10 – 0 – 15 – 0	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 5 – 15 – 0	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 5 – 15 – 5	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 10 – 15 – 5	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 0 – 15 – 0	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
6 – 0 – 6 – 0	x6 Ujjayi

My current evening practice is either the same as my morning practice – or a slightly altered version (generally more exhale weighted).

10 – 0 – 15 – 0	Gradually build up Ujjayi breath
10 – 0 – 15 – 0	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 0 – 15 – 5	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 5 – 15 – 5	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 10 – 20 – 0	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 0 – 15 – 0	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
6 – 0 – 6 – 0	x6 Ujjayi

On Sep12 the evening practice was changed to reduce the brahmana quality and increase the langhana quality:

10 – 0 – 15 – 0	Gradually build up Ujjayi breath
10 – 0 – 15 – 5	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 5 – 15 – 5	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 5 – 20 – 0	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 5 – 20 – 5	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
10 – 0 – 15 – 0	x6 Anuloma Ujjayi
6 – 0 – 6 – 0	x6 Ujjayi

Observations

Date	Time	Observations
Aug 31	Morning	Heaviness in body reluctance in mind, blocked nasal passages Shakuhachi + short standing sequence + pranayama Feeling of congestion eased throughout the practice. At the beginning both sides felt congested, byt the end the right side was better then the left( as usual)
	Evening	No practice
Sep 1	Morning	Again nasal passages feel more blocked then usual. Avoided (where possible) head-down postures in practice sequence. OK practice. Slight internal pressure pain at left temple Feeling of congestion partially resolved by pranama practice. Left side more blocked then right side.
	Afternoon	Surprising space opened up around 15:00 for practice. Short forward bend sequence + Pranayama + long savasana Slight internal pressure pain at left temple Left side more blocked then right side
Sep 2	Morning	Almond oil arrived – started using it Full morning practice + pranayama Slight internal pressure pain at left temple at beginning of practice, then more subtly present in Prayaname practice. Left more blocked then right Some effort requires to sustain full pranayama practice. Presence OK
Sep 2	Evening	Shakuhachi + short standing sequence + pranayama Usual practice – usual qualities.
Sep 3	Morning	Started practicing late – had to cut the practice short as I felt Andreea’s presence, she was silent bu needed to make food – turned out I was right so … Shakuhachi + full standing sequence +Pranayama Nicer then usual Pranayama practice – better flow in both sides (almond oil?) Smoother beginnings of exhales with better sustain (felt invited to approach 20 second exhale again).
	Evening	No practice, dropped down and fell asleep watching a movie
Sep 4	Morning	Full practice + pranayama Left way more blocked then right Disturbed presence
	Evening	No practice

I’m headed into a week of disturbance – including 4 or 5 days away from home:

Date	Time	Observations
Sep 5	Morning	Shakuhachi + pranayama practice (no asana) Disturbed pranayama practice – I may have skipped a step in the practice – not sure Left blocked compared to right
Sep 6	Morning	Visited with death yesterday – returned home late an night Full standing sequence + Pranayama Nice pranayama practice – peaceful Left blocked compared to right – but slightly better then usual flow
	Evening	Much fear. Forward bends practice – seated and standing. Pranayama – nice, present (despite noise from outside). Low endurance – had to find support from within towards end of practice. Left more blocked then right.
Sep 7	Morning	Forward bends practice – seated and standing. Pranayama – nothing to note Left more blocked then right – today there’s congestion
	Evening	Lousy, disturbed practice Very blocked left nostril
Sep 8	Morning	Day of travels today – so a bit on the clock Nice pranayama – the usual left blockage.
Sep 9	Morning	10-0-15-0 x 24 ujjayi breathing practice + counter postres + savasana
Sep 10	Morning	A constricted body – left soulder accumulating tension and sensitivity Did the morning pranayama practice without the crown formula. Counter postures + savasana
Sep 11	Morning	A short meditation (no asana and no pranayama)

Back from travels – looking forward to much less movement:

Date	Time	Observations
Sep 12	Morning	Shakuhachi + short standing sequence + pranayama + meditation OK presence Less difference (though still there) between left and right
	Evening	Shakuhachi + short standing sequence + pranayama First time practicing the modified evening practice – which was surprisingly accessible (first time in a many weeks since I’ve moved to a 20 second exhale). Absolutely no inclination towards staying for a short meditation – there was no rush to finish the practice either – just finished, lay on my back for a little counter-posture and the practice was over.
Sep 13	Morning	Nice standing sequence + pranayana + short meditation Much better then usual left nostril flow – even better then right side. Difficulty sustaining crown practice – exhale required effort and then inhale was pushing to go
	Evening	Nice practice + pranayama + meditation Surpisingly pleasant pranayama – it’s been a while since I have been reminded of the direct effect of presence on the ability to sustain a quality exhale – when there is good stead presence – exhale takes on new level of refinment and feels like it can go on forever. This also led to an experience of a meditational journey quality of a long exhale – counting seems to become clear and continuous – and there is a sensation of physical elation. Nice lead into meditation. Nostril seem to be in a similar state.
Sep 14	Morning	a few forward bends + Pranayama + creative savasana (creative things on my demanded a space to manifest and I obliged them). Left nostril flow better then right nostril flow Presence poor – things on my mind struggling for stage time – but practice OK
	Afternoon	Just pranayama – at a surprising time
Sep 15	Morning	A complete asana practice + pranayama + short meditation The first complete asana practice since returning home – it was a nice practice but it also exposed weakness – still not fully collected. Right knee in warrior pose acted up – hasn’t happened in a long time. Nice pranayama – left and right fairly balanced
Sep 16	Morning	Pretty much the same as the previous morning. Left and right fairly balanced – right slighly better.
Sep 17		No practice
Sep 18	Morning	Tired and heavy – short standing sequence + savasana + pranayama. I didn’t feel I could make the transition from savasana to sitting – but I did. Pranayama was soft and subtle. I drifted off in the first sequence and ended up doing 8 breaths instead of 6 – so I stuck with 8 breaths for the entire sequence. Overall the flow throgh nostrils felt lesser after the practice then it did before.
Sep 19	Morning	Again tired and heavy and also stiff – short standing sequence + long savasana with a “body-scan” meditation + pranayama. Pranayama was nice and subtle … refined despite the heaviness (or because of it?). Again overall flow through nostrils felt lesser after the practice then it did before. I am not feeling a well – but the pranayama practice left “me” feeling “apart from” my feelings.
Sep 20	Morning	Still stiff, tired and heavy … getting out of bed was hindered. Shakuhachi + Breathing practice + Short Meditation I did 12 rounds of 10.015.0 AU and when I realized that I didn’t have the vitality to carry on with the practice, turned off the metronome and stayed in free Ujjayi breathing around the same ratio. Still not feeling well – today it is less remote and more encompassing.

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Observing Pranayama – September 2010

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