TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ease of Being Retreat : Just Say Yes with Richard Miller. Retreat Schedule...2. Body Sensing...3

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2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Ease of Being Retreat : Just Say Yes with Richard Miller Retreat Schedule...2 Body Sensing...3 The Way of Meditation and the Absolute...8 Chant Booklet...11 Mudras and Pranayama...18 Special Thanks...30

3 The Ease of Being Just Say Yes Richard Miller Recorded at IONS Earthrise Retreat Center February 27 March 2, 2014 First Evening Meditation Evening Program Days 2 & 3 Early Morning Program 1 Hour Breakfast Recess Mid-Morning Program 1 Hour Lunch Recess Afternoon Program 1 Hour Dinner Recess Evening Program Final Morning Early Morning Program 1 Hour Breakfast Recess Mid-Morning Program Close 2

4 BodySensing Restoration of the Body, Mind and Senses to their Proper Functioning Richard Miller, PhD We relate to the world through concepts that live in our mind as memories. The physical body is just such a memory that the mind has assembled over time. However, the physical body is, in reality, not a static concept but a dynamic mass of vibrational tactile sensation that appears and lives in awareness. The mind fixes the body into a localized entity and projects center and periphery onto the body. But, in fact, the body, as sensation, is without border or boundary. When this is truly experienced during BodySensing, the body is realized to be an unlimited expansiveness of vibration, a contraction of the awareness in which is lives. Our essential nature is the ground in which attention, mind and body arise. Conceptually, we can say that we are awareness, or pure Being, but in truth, what we are can never be conceptualized or objectified, it can only be intuitively realized by the heart that knows no boundary. The practice of BodySensing, which encompasses hatha yoga, pranayama and meditation are designed to bring us back to our rightful identity as non-conceptual pure Being or awareness. Therefore: 1. Understand that concepts and percepts cannot coexist simultaneously. Concepts and percepts arise out of awareness, unfold in awareness, and disappear back into the ever-present background awareness. 2. Free yourself from conceptual and perceptual modes of living so that you may be the multidimensional awareness in which percepts and concepts are arising. 3. A number of means (ûpâyas) may be adopted to knowingly know yourself as pure awareness: 3.1. Welcome whatever comes into awareness Do not resist or refuse what comes uninvited Do not localize attention in any sense modality. Instead, simultaneously be aware of all sensory modalities functioning. In this way awareness expands to include the space-void around and within the body. Ego disappears and there is the feeling of 360 degree global awareness Do not anticipate the future. Our images, built through past experiences, live in memory and are projected out as expectations of future goals we wish to obtain. To counter this intellectual way of living in the world, feel that your goals are obtained from moment to moment. In this manner movement has the quality of lightness, non-violence, non-grasping, and ease of being Stand as the witness to all that is arising in awareness. Then slowly free yourself even of this duality (the perceiver and the perceived) so that you become pure perceiving All movement, then, becomes feeling movement unfolding in awareness Imagery initially supports sensing: Shoulders up: Grass Growing Shoulders down: Water seeping into the earth Moving body spontaneously as if cleaning out a jar of peanut butter or honey with the jar infinitely expanding in size 3.8. In each moment of movement or nonmovement, allow the breath to surround (and nourish) the perception that is arising in awareness. To help facilitate this understanding during movement: Begin breathing; then Perceive the feeling in the body; then Initiate a movement using the will; then 2014Richard Miller: Restoration of the Body, Mind, and Senses to their Natural Functioning 3

5 Free your self from the will and allow the feeling movement to unfold in awareness Allow the feeling movement to come to a spontaneous end; then Observe the breath as it comes to a completion; then Feel the energetic component of the breath (prâña) come to a standstill; then Pause before beginning the next breath and subsequent movement and be with the stillness between each breath; then Carry this stillness with you into the next breath and movement Do not identify as the doer with what is being done. Be doing only Observe how the body lives in awareness rather than you living in the body In this manner, free yourself from the idea of being a body (concept) and be with the body feeling (percept) Behind every movement is an unchanging feeling of pure Being or Stillness. The body moves in time through space but pure Being never moves or changes. All is reflected in it like images before a mirror or ink upon paper. Take up your true position as this unchanging reality. Be moment-to-moment awareness during bodysensing and meditation and in all activities throughout your day Refrain from naming what you see around you. Merely be awareness before naming another thing or object Sitting or standing in a quiet attitude, be aware of the sensations that arise as you are aware of the following (and abide as awareness as you take up movement or any other activity): Mouth (sense of taste), keep it tactile and full of feeling Ears and ear canals (sense of hearing), feeling into the brain Nose (sense of smell), feeling into the brain Eyes (eye sockets and back behind the eyes), feeling into the brain Skin (sense of touch) Back of the neck; look out at the world from behind the head Palms of the hands Pelvis Legs and feet Global body feeling Develop awareness of the breath from the following spaces: Inhaling follow the breath from the space outside and in front of the body as it moves inward and downward through the heart. Feel the breath expand into all the body spaces; Exhaling follow the breath back up through the heart, and out into the space-void that surrounds the body Allow the rest-pause between breaths to be experienced. The breath does not actually stop here but remains in the form of a throb of energy in suspended animation before the breathing process starts again. One should contemplate the stillness that appears in this period of rest and remain mindful of it even as the breathing process begins again. Being-Stillness-Silence shows itself at these two points of consciousness (in the pause after the inhale and exhale) Awareness of breathing may also come in the form of sound: Ha on inhalation (The heart is the beginning point of the inhalation, Ha) Sah on exhalation (12 lengths outside the body) M on the pause Ham-Sah-Mmm altogether Be aware of the pauses between the breaths: Pause after exhale Pause after inhale By the one-pointed awareness of these two pauses, mind becomes still, the activity of prâña and apana ceases, and you feel your Presence (in your absence) as Silence-awareness-Being At bedtime, fall asleep into the pauses, which occur, between breaths. Be aware- 2104Richard Miller: BodySensing: Restoration of the Body, Mind and Senses to their Natural Functioning 4

6 ness and witness the arising dream images as they begin to unfold so that you find yourself awake in your dreams Wake up before the mind. Upon awaking in the morning, rest quietly, Be awareness, and watch the mind and body wake up in awareness. Understand you are not the mind or the body but the Silent awareness of Being, which is witnessing Do not attempt to witness the witness or know that you are the knower. This is impossible as the witness (knower) is not an object. Instead, merely take note that you are the witnessing. Witnessing is Silent awareness or Being Attention is neither internal nor external. Instead, understand yourself as global awareness. From this perspective there is no center from which observation or awareness originates. In other words, do not localize yourself as an "I" located inside the body, or as a witness located outside the body. You are both and neither When initiating a movement, first order the body in the desired direction. Then, as soon as possible, relinquish your identification with the doer, release your willing and be with the moment-to-moment unfolding of the movement as a feeling perception without the residue of the will Have no anticipation. Allow all movement to unfold moment to moment. The movement must be felt, otherwise it will soon lose its meaning and become mechanical The body behaves completely differently when it is perceived as a sensation moving in the space-void. Feeling movement brings one to the completely relaxed state. As you move release all pre-conceived conceptions of how the movement should proceed. Drop all your competitiveness and comparison. Allow the movements to unfold according to the intelligence that arises when you see the movement without preconceived notions Feel that you have obtained your goals moment to moment. Moving in this manner allows you to feel yourself as whole. You are complete as you are. There is nothing you need add to yourself to make yourself any better. Feeling the goal obtained moment-to-moment allows you to relinquish comparison and competitiveness Allow feeling to come to you (nongrasping). Do not go after it. In this way the feeling that arises is not based on a memory but is original and the insight gained is from the perspective of the whole and is not fragmented As a part of the body moves allow all other part to remain absolutely relaxed so that no compensation occurs in any other part of the body. There should be no reactivity in any part of the body during movement. In this way you do not go into your old habit patterns and no residues are left behind after the movement Do not become psychologically involved with pleasant or unpleasant feelings that arise in awareness as you move or remain in stillness. Neither suppress or express feelings, emotions, and sensations Remain with feeling-sensations (rather than with thoughts or visualizations) as the body and/or breath moves Be aware of the imaginary-energy-subtle body during movement. At times move only this imaginary body. At other times allow the physical body to be taken by the energy body. Understand that it is the energy body, which takes the physical body in charge Always remain with the feeling-sensations. It is the quality of the feeling and your attention that is important, not the quantity of the movement. Always remember: you are the witness of the movement and of the feeling. You are neither the movement, nor the physical body, nor the feeling (but you also are!) It is better to back off the pose or movement a bit and keep the feeling alive rather than continue and lose your quality of attention and the feeling-sensation in the movement. 2104Richard Miller: BodySensing: Restoration of the Body, Mind and Senses to their Natural Functioning 5

7 3.34. The pose lives in your awareness. awareness is global. All movements are movements within global feeling-awareness Movement is non-mechanical. Constantly relinquish old habits of learning. Don't venture into old patterns of resistance. Be nonviolent in your actions. Do without being a doer When moving, place your emphasis in long exhalation. Always wait for the body's need before inhaling or exhaling. In this way you inhibit your tendency to take up the position of doership and you will remain as stillness Take note of the posture as a fact. Take note of the actual fact of the pose and of all the sensations that arising as you are in it. Go beyond images and biases. Be the detached observer that you actually are. You are always the admirer of the admired posture Upon returning to the resting state, take note of how the body appears to you and in you. Take note of the position as a fact. Observe how the movement has acted upon the body-mind Throughout movement maintain: A tactile mouth Relaxed shoulders and shoulder blades A soft abdomen Sensitive hands, feet, and back of the neck Sensitive eyes Sensitive ears Be Aware of the space around you. Do not allow the movement to disturb this awareness. Feel the space in front of you, to your sides, behind you, above and below you, within you. Inhaling, feel the space around you. Exhaling, offer the breath to the space outside you. Then, remain with the thoughtless state that is exposed to you See that no resistance arises within you during movement. Ask yourself: "Is there violence in my movement or in my mind?" If you find yourself losing awareness of the space around you or if you notice violence in your movement, or if you begin to anticipate, back off a bit. Free yourself of comparison, competition, and violence. Then begin again Do not attempt to change what arises. Bear witness to it. Observe it in awareness. See how it has its birth, growth, and death in awareness At some point when working with a pose, stop all activity and all movement completely. While in this stance, take careful note of the actual fact of the pose. Free yourself of anticipation. If there is anticipation, forgetfulness, or violence, note that it is present and find yourself free of it in awareness. Do not identify with it Open your awareness to the spaciousness in the body feeling. Attention is neither inward nor outward. awareness is not inside the body. The body is inside awareness. Observe the body and allow the objectbody to refer you back to yourself as awareness You cannot live as a precept and a concept simultaneously. Free yourself from ideas and allow the body feeling to unfold in awareness Welcome whatever arises. Be welcoming. Be welcomed. Be solicited by the global feeling Give up trying to change yourself Observe yourself moment to moment and understand yourself as you are Accept what you find Resist not what you come upon Go slowly with attention and move without anticipation Take your time. BodySensing Cues Abiding Awareness Bodysensing in everyday life Breath as pointer to unchanging 2104Richard Miller: BodySensing: Restoration of the Body, Mind and Senses to their Natural Functioning 6

8 3.57. Change versus Changeless Notice what isn t changing: "I am moving" versus "movement is happening" Control and anticipation: freeing the body and movement to come of its own into this moment: ease Dissolving Effortlessness Effort without an efforter; doing without a doer, freeing the body Emptiness: emptiness in emptiness Empty and full Energy body Everything as sensation Fusion I-Amness Joy Krama mudra: Foreground to background to foreground, etc.; from gross to subtle to spacious to formless Listening Metaphors: melting, caressing, dissolving, being as vs. being in, displacing, tactile space, bubbling up, effervescence, vibration, throb, hum Moving from energy body Multidimensional global awareness No boundary: Not Two, Not One No Doer No separation: space and body equally present: versions of each other: not hatha yoga oriented Not knowing Openness Perceiving vs. thinking Portal of heart dropping from head into heart Presence Restoration of senses to their natural functioning Solid self collapses into nameless, amorphous, omnipresence Space: Inside and Outside Spacious presence Spacious openness within which movement occurs Stillness Striving Transparency Welcoming Witnessing 2104Richard Miller: BodySensing: Restoration of the Body, Mind and Senses to their Natural Functioning 7

9 The Relative and the Absolute The Way of Meditative Self-Inquiry Richard Miller, PhD 1. Welcoming During the first phase of meditative self-inquiry we realize how all objects and movements, inner and outer, arise and pass away of their own accord. We learn to welcome and proactively respond to these changing objects sensations, emotions, thoughts, and world with neither aversion nor attachment. We learn to responsively engage and not identify, fuse, or react to what s arising. Welcoming and responding restores inner and outer harmony. True happiness is recognized as independent of object or circumstance. The body, mind, and senses are restored to their natural functioning. 2. Being During the second phase of self-inquiry, attention is released from attending to objects and turns back upon its own movement. We realize we are the witness of all that s arising. We settle into being witnessing, then simply abiding as the presence of being. Our underlying nature as spacious, timeless, perfect, complete, and whole naturally arises. Equanimity, peace, and well-being pervade. Everything is experienced as an undivided unity of wholeness. We are transfigured by the radiance of being. We experience deep autonomy and authenticity in our body, mind, and speech 3. Ego-Transcendence During the third phase of self-inquiry the feltsense of I-am (ego-i) is recognized as a functioning of the mind that takes ownership of, and appropriates every movement of the body, mind, and senses, including being, as its own. The functioning of the ego-i, and how it maintains separation through obsessive negative and positive selfabsorption, is understood. Ego transcendence arises naturally as attention is released from identification with the ego-i. 4. Awareness During the fourth phase of self-inquiry all objects inner and outer the ego-i, witness, witnessing, and being are recognized as arising and passing away in awareness. Attention is released from these movements and turns into abiding as awareness. 5. Cessation During the fifth phase of self-inquiry, abiding as awareness, moments of cessation naturally arise, where there is complete absorption, beyond selfawareness, as ineffable, undifferentiated, unborn, essential nature, what we truly are, where I is not. 6. Revelation In the sixth phase of self-inquiry, as time, space, self-consciousness, being, and inner and outer objectivity arise, the perfume and revelation of what we truly are beyond all objectivity, the essential ground from which everything is birthed, pervades our daily life. We are transformed, abiding in the midst of life as equanimity, peace, joy, vitality, radiance, and well-being. 7. Self-Transcendence During the seventh phase of self-inquiry, subtle vestiges of identification with the movement of self-awareness, self-consciousness, are recognized. Disidentification with self occurs. We live free of ego, self, center, and boundary. Here, life is living us and my will and thy will are one and the same. We live life as service, as the indescribable unitive mystery, the unchanging absolute, that s beyond all changing movements of body, mind, and worldly objects. Fear, suffering, and anxiety dissolve. We are at peace, living the integration and fulfillment of enlightenment as a simple human being amidst the daily circumstances of life. 2014Richard Miller Integrative Restoration Institute (415) info@irest.us

10 The Way of Meditation Richard Miller The Ease of Being We all know how to be. It s natural to all of us. The first movement of meditation is therefore simple. It is our ability to recognize, and abide as the simple heartfelt feeling of being. Attention, Forgetting & Separation The natural tendency of our mind is to identify with whatever thought, emotion, or sensation is present. When the mind is identified in this manner it forgets to recognize the natural feeling of being. The good news is that co-arising with forgetting is the feeling that something s amiss. This feeling arrives as a messenger to inform us that we ve moved away from the natural feeling of being. Being and Awareness The way of meditation initially entails remembering and re-experiencing being as always present, amidst all circumstances. Therefore, in every moment, ease attention into the heartfelt feeling of being. Then, recognize how being is a movement that s arising in awareness. Recognize how all objects, including the felt-sense of being, arise in awareness. The Way of Meditation Remember, locate, and experience the heartfelt feeling of being Recognize being as always present during all experiences Recognize how every movement arises within, and points back to being Feel how being is prior to all movements of thought, sensation, emotion, and world Relax, release, and allow attention to be absorbed in and as being Realize that being arises in awareness Relax, release, and allow attention to be absorbed in and as awareness Realize that the homeground of awareness is the absolute from which everything arises including awareness, being, body, mind, senses, and world Realize the absolute is the where, when, what, how and who that is the true homeground of life. Seeking and Devotion What are we most devoted to: seeking and the objects of attention, or the realization of being, awareness, and the absolute? The desire to seek is a movement of the mind as attention In seeking the mind identifies with objects of the body, mind, senses, or world. The witness of these movements stands free of identification. The witness is a movement in being. The feeling of being arises in awareness. Abide as being, even as the movements of seeking and desire remain. Abide as awareness even as the movements of being, desire, and seeking remain. Recognize the I-am thought that maintains separation. Recognize I-am as a movement arising in awareness. Relinquish identification with I-am. Abide as awareness where all sense of self, I-am, separation, space, and time dissolve and there is complete absorption into the absolute. As space, time, self-awareness, I-am, body, mind, senses, world, and separation returns, recognize the perfume of the absolute that reveals our essential nondual nature. Discrimination The way of meditation is the movement of devotion to observing and witnessing all arising conditions, states, and activities, while comparing and contrasting all arising conditions to the feeling of being and awareness. Richard Miller, PhD The Way of Meditation 9

11 Sounds of Silence Chants to the Divine bhâva sûnya sat bhâva susthitiï Abiding as pure being, transcending thought, realize your eternal absolute through love intense Integrative Restoration Institute 900 5th Ave., Suite 204 San Rafael, CA (415)

12 The Peace Chant From the Taittiyria Upanisad Sa ha nâ va va tu Saha nâu bhunaktu Saha vîryam kara vâ va hai Tejas vi nâ vadhi tamastu Mâ vid vi sâ va hai Om Shântiï, Shântiï, Shântiï We realize that the Divine is always protecting us while we are together. We realize that all obstacles are being removed which stand in the way of our understanding the truth that all is One; that there is no division or separation between us. We grasp this understanding with full comprehension and without doubt so that all misunderstanding is dissolved within us. We do not cherish hatred, anger or displeasure. Our hearts are full of love. Perfect friendship reigns between us. The space around us is free of fear. The East and the West, North and South are free of fear. The earth is free of fear. The past and the future are free of fear. We have no foes. We are all friends. Our hearts are full of love. The human race is uniting in fearless friendship. Om. Peace. Peace. Peace. Sounds of Silence 12

13 Dawn Chant Sri Shankaracharya, 8th Century A.D. Pratah Smarami Hridi Samspurat Atma Tattwam Sat-Chid-Sukham Paramahamsa Gatim Turiyam Yat Swapna Jagara Sushuptam Avaiti Nityam Tad Brahma Nishkalam Aham, Na Cha Bhuta Sangha At dawn, I meditate in my heart on the truth of the radiant inner Self, This true Self is Pure Being, Awareness, and Joy, The transcendent goal of the great sages, The eternal witness of the waking, dream and deep sleep states. I am more than my body, mind and emotions, I am that undivided Spirit. Pratah Bhajami Manaso Vachasam Agamyam Vacho Vibhanti Nikhila Yad Anugrahena Ya Neti Neti Vachanai Nigama Avochuh Tam Deva Devam Ajam Achutam Ahuragryam At dawn, I worship the true Self that is beyond the reach of mind and speech, By whose grace, speech is even made possible, This Self is described in the scriptures as Not this, Not this, (not this body, not this mind) It is unborn, undying, one with the All. Pratah Namami Tamasa Param Arkavarnam Purnam Sanatana Padam Purushottam Achyam Yasminnidam Jagad Ashesha Ashesha Murtau Rajuam Bhujangama Iva Pratibhatitam Vai At dawn, I salute the true Self that is beyond all darkness, brilliant as the sun, The infinite, eternal reality, the highest, On whom this whole universe of infinite forms is superimposed, like a snake on a rope. The snake seems so real, but when you pick it up, it s just a rope This world is ever-changing, fleeting, but this eternal Light is real and everlasting. Integrative Restoration Institute Sounds of Silence: Chants to the Divine 13

14 The Four Great Attitudes Yoga Sutra of Pataõjali I. 33 maitrî karuñâ mudito upekæâñâà sukha duïkha puñya apuñya viæayâñâà bhâvanâtaå citta prasâdanaà maitri (metta): Friendliness, loving kindness karuna: Compassion; great love mudita: Sympathetic joy; gladness upeksanam: Equanimity sukha: Happiness; those who are happy duhkha: Sorrow; those who are suffering punya: Those who are virtuous apunya: Those who are malevolent visayanam: Objects; persons bhavanatah: Feelings; attitudes citta: Mind prasadanam: Purification Peacefulness towards all beings I am blessed with peace. I am peace, Itself. All beings are blessed with peace. They are peace, Itself. Joyfulness towards all beings I am blessed with joy. I am joy, Itself. All beings are blessed with joy. They are joy, Itself. Kindness towards all beings I am blessed with loving-kindness. I am loving-kindness, Itself. All beings are blessed with loving-kindness. They are loving-kindness, Itself. Compassion towards all beings I am blessed with compassion. I am compassion, Itself. All beings are blessed with compassion. They are compassion, Itself. Sounds of Silence 14

15 Asato Ma asato ma sat gamaya tamaso ma jyotir gamaya mëtyur ma amritam gamaya Lead me form non-being to being Lead me from darkness to light Lead me from death to eternal bliss Lôkaï Samasthâ lôkaï samastha sûki nû bhâvantû May everyone, everywhere, be happy, peaceful and full of well-being. The True Nature of everyone, everywhere, is happiness, peace and well-being. lôkaï samasthâ sûki nû bhâvantû worlds all, whole peace, happiness, well-being meditate, attitude, heartfelt prayer Atmâ Hëdaye atmâ hëdaye hëdayam mayi aham amëte amëtam anândam brahmâni My true nature is the heart. The heart is my true nature. I am the bliss of the heart. The Heart that I am is the unending bliss of Oneness. Sounds of Silence 15

16 Mahâ Mrityuõjaya Mantra The Great Hymn Which Conquers Death Om trayam bakam yajâ mahe Sugandhim pusti vârdhanam Urvârukam iva bandhanân Mrtyor muksîya mâmrtât svâhâ Om Shântiï, Shântiï, Shântiï. We worship and adore the Supreme all-seeing One who possesses the visionary inner eye and the clarity of the deep blue sky. May we be released peacefully from misperception and suffering as the fragrant ripe fruit is released from the vine. May we be freed from the notion of death, separation and misunderstanding. May we understand that all is one. The Mahâ Mrityuñjaya Mantra is a verse from the Yajurveda (TS i; VS 3.60) addressed to Tryambakam "the three-eyed one" or Shiva (shi: to lie down in; va: in true nature). Its literal translation is the Great Death-Conquering Mantra. It is also known as the Mrita-Sanjivini mantra as a "life-restoring" practice given to the primordial sage Shukra after he had completed a vow of austerity. The Maha Mrityuñjaya mantra is hailed as the heart of the Veda. Along with the Gâyatrî it holds the highest place among the mantras used for contemplation and meditation. 16

17 The Gâyatrî Mantra The Celestial Recitation of Light and Prayer Let one mantra be common to all, and that mantra is Gâyatrî. And the best time for Gâyatrî is when your heart is filled with love for the Divine Om Bhu ï. Om Bhuvaï. Ogm Suvaï. Om Mahaï. Om Janaï. Om Tapaï. Ogm Satyam. Om Bhur Bhuvah Suvaï Tat Savitur Vareneyam Bhargo Devasya Dhîmahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Pracchodayât OM apo mâ bhur jyoti raso amritam Brhama bhur bhuvah suvah OM Om. Shanti Shanti Shantiï Amritam: waters of immortality Bhargo: light Bhuï: Physical (earth) Bhuvaï: Astral (water) Brahma: Omnipresent Undivided Devasya: effulgent Dhimahi: we meditate on Dhiyo: thoughts, intentions, prayers Janaï: ancestors (fire) Jyoti: Light of all lights Ma: mother principle Mahaï: saints (space) Nah: our Apo: Divine that blesses and protects Om: Divine sound Pracchodayat: direct, urge, inspire Raso: quintessence in everything Satyam: Truth (intelligence) Savitur: source Suvaï: Celestial (Consciousness) Tapaï: sages (air) Tat: that Vareneyam: held sacred Yo: source (which) Om. Bhur Bhuvah Suvaï We meditate upon the glory of the Undivided as Light that pervades and illuminates the worlds of experience: the physical, astral and celestial realms of existence Tat Savitur Vareneyam, Bhargo Devasya Dhîmahi We recognize the Glory, splendor and grace of that effulgent Light that shines within us. Dhiyo Yo Nah Pracchodayât We pray for that final liberation, the awakening of ourselves as that Undivided Light, which underlies and pervades the entire Universe. OM apo ma bhur jyoti raso amritam Brhama bhur bhuvah suvah OM The all-pervading undivided Light is continually blessing us with enlightenment. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantih Om Peace, peace, peace Sounds of Silence 17

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19 Mâhat Kapâlabhâti Kriya Prâñâyâma Mâhat great Kapâlabhâti kapâla skull, bhâti shine, kriya - cleansing Kapâlabhâti is classically defined as one of the six shat kriyas, or cleansing processes. It clears the sinus and respiratory passages, enables the cells to actively uptake greater amounts of oxygen by changing the ph of the blood, strengthens the immune system and prepares the body for the prâñâyâmas that follow (ujjayî, nâdî shodhana, etc.) 1. It is comprised of several components, of which some or all may be applied during each round of Kapâlabhâti. First Practice Sit in a comfortable meditative pose. Relax the entire body. Breathe the spinal cord erect, emphasizing exhalation as explained in the paper on ujjayî pranayama. Keep the head balanced without tension. The mouth remains closed during the entire practice. The mouth remains relaxed and inwardly open, the upper and lower teeth remain apart. Perform Jîhva Bandhâ by placing the tip of the tongue on the point where the hard upper palate meets the upper teeth. This stabilizes the breath and keeps the upper chest and throat relaxed during Kapâlabhâti. The first exhalation begins after a relaxed inhalation. The breath is drawn in through both-nostrils. During exhalation through both-nostrils, the abdomen is actively drawn in and back towards the spine in short, quick diaphragmatic strokes, one stroke for each exhalation. Inhalation is completely passive. The abdomen is allowed to come back to its natural resting position as the breath rushes in to fill the lungs. Perform as many exhalations as feels comfortable. Continue the final breath into a long exhalation followed by a long inhalation. During this final long inhalation, perform Kaka Mudrâ by allowing the head to rise up smoothly with the breath. During the subsequent exhalation, the head moves back down. During each round of Kapâlabhâti, explore the sensations throughout the entire body, body part by body part, organ by organ, tissue by tissue, cell by cell until the whole body is alive with sensation. Feel the body as a vibrating, radiating global awareness of feeling-sensation. Be very methodical. Take your time. Do not be in a hurry. Additions to the First Practice Perform Vishnu Mudrâ with the right hand by placing the pads of the first and second fingers at the base of the thumb. Draw the right-nostril closed using the thumb of the right hand. Use the ring and little fingers to gently stretch open the left-nostril and sinus. Close the left-nostril using the ring and little fingers of the right hand. Gently stretch the rightnostril and sinus open with the thumb. Perform right-nostril Kapâlabhâti. Continue in this manner of one nostril Kapâlabhâti for as many rounds as you wish. During one-sided Kapâlabhâti, explore the side of the body that is related to the nostril through which you are breathing. Bring this entire side into a feeling-awareness. Explore the body-half, body part by body part, tissue-by-tissue, organ-byorgan, cell-by-cell until the entire side is alive with feeling-sensation. Be very methodical. Take your time. Do not be in a hurry. 1 Miller, Richard, The Psychophysiology of Respiration: Easter and Western Perspectives, Anâhata Press, Integrative Restoration Institute Kapalabhati 19

20 Pranayama Mudras For Mahat Kapalabhati Kriya Integrative Restoration Institute Richard Miller, PhD 900 5th Ave., Ste. 203, San Rafael, CA (415) Mudra Technique Effect Kanishta Prana Nadi Mudra or Chin Mudra Bring the tips of the thumbs and forefingers together in Chin Mudra. Keep the other fingers completely straight and turn the palms facedown onto the thighs. Activates the lower abdomen and back and the lower lobes of the lungs. Madhyama Prana Nadi Mudra or Chinmaya Mudra Jyeshtha Prana Nadi Mudra or Adi Mudra With the tips of the thumbs and forefingers touching, turn the fingertips into the center of the palms. Maintain a gentle pressure of the fingernails into the palms. Keep the hands facedown on the thighs. Place the thumbs into the middle of the palms and wrap the fingers around the thumbs with a steady, gentle pressure. Place the hands facedown onto the thighs. Activates the middle chest and back and the middle lobes of the lungs. Activates the upper chest and back and the upper lobes of the lungs. Poorna Prana Nadi Mudra or Brahma Mudra Adho Merudanda Mudra Merudanda Mudra Urdhva Merudanda Mudra Shraddha Prana Kriya Mudra With thumbs tucked inside the palms with the fingers wrapped around the thumbs, turn the fists so that the knuckles of both hands touch together. The base of the thumb knuckles face forward and the edge of the hand and little fingers touch against the abdomen around the area just below the level of the navel. Relax the arms, shoulders and shoulderblades. Raise the thumb straight out from the hands and curl the fingers into the palm. Maintain a gentle pressure of the finger nails into the palms. Place the hands palm-down on the thighs. The tips of the thumbs turn in to face each other. Raise the thumb straight out from the hands and curl the fingers into the palms. Maintain a gentle pressure of the fingernails into the palms. The medial part of the palms rest on the thighs. The tips of the thumbs face upward. Raise the thumb straight out from the hands and curl the fingers into the palms. Maintain a gentle pressure of the finger nails into the palms. The back of the hands rest on the thighs. The thumbs face outward, away from each other. Place the tips of the thumb and forefingers together. Keep the little, ring and middle fingers extended straight. Palms face upward and rest on the knees or thighs. Activates the entire torso, front and back and the upper, middle and lower lobes of the lungs. Energy comes into the base and lower third of the spinal column and lower chakras. Energy comes into the middle third of the spinal column and middle chakras. Activates the upper third of the spinal column and upper chakras. Slows respiration and brings attention into the front brain centers. Sounds of Silence 20

21 Mudra Technique Effect Medha Prana Kriya Mudra The tip of the forefingers touch the middle joint of the thumbs. Palms face upward and rest on the knees or thighs. Keep the little, ring and middle fingers extended straight. Slows respiration; activates the discriminative centers of higher wisdom in the brain. Prajna Prana Kriya Mudra The tips of the forefingers touch the first joint at the base of the thumbs. Keep the little, ring and middle fingers extended straight. Palms face upward and rest on the knees or thighs. Slows respiration. Witness consciousness unfolds. The entire brain relaxes. Vishnu Mudra Gesture of Vishnu Dhyana Mudra 1 Gesture of Meditation Dhyana Mudra 2 Gesture of Meditation Dhyana Mudra 3 Gesture of Meditation The index (air) and middle finger (sky or ether) touch the base of the thumb (fire or energy). The thumb, ring and little fingers are extended and held straight. The right hand resting on the left signifies worldly consciousness and supported by spiritual understanding. After performing Prajna Prana Kriya Mudra, keep the fingers in position and simply slide the right hand into and on top of the left hand. The knuckles of the index fingers will touch as will tips of the thumbs. Slide the index fingers and touch the tips of the thumbs to form two unbroken circles. Slide the index fingers down so only the tips of the thumbs are touching. The thumbs now form an unbroken circle which represents the perfection of spiritual understanding as the circle is perfect in form and infinite in shape. Relaxes respiratory center, calms the mind, induces meditation. Used to control nostrils during pranayama. Brings breath and prana into the heart chakra. Slows respiration and deepens meditative insight. Brings breath and prana into the lower breathing space. Slows respiration and grounds the body for deep meditation. Brings breath and prana into the whole body. Slows respiration. Opens awareness into the akasa, space vayu. Brings multi-dimensional awareness into the foreground. Pranayama Mûdras - Richard C. Miller Integrative Restoration Institute 21

22 Ujjayi Pranayama Ujjayi from the Sanskrit: A Sound Produced Aloud; Leading To Success; or The Breath That Conquers All Sit in a comfortable meditative pose. Relax the entire body. Breathe the spinal cord erect. Keep the head balanced without tension. The mouth remains closed during the entire practice. The mouth remains relaxed and inwardly open, the upper and lower teeth separate. The tip of the tongue either floats inside the mouth or touches the point where the upper palate meets the upper teeth. First Practice The first inhalation begins after a complete exhalation. The breath is drawn in through both nostrils. The glottis is kept partially closed so that a continuous sound is produced at the back of the throat by the friction of the breath passing through the throat. One way to locate the closure of the glottis is to open the mouth wide while drawing in air so as to strike the back of the throat, producing a cooling sensation and a continuous sonorous sound. While continuing to inhale, slowly close the mouth and keep the sensation of the incoming air striking the back of the throat as well as the sonorous sound. This may also be accomplished during exhalation is a similar manner. Exhalation proceeds smoothly after inhalation. The glottis remains slightly contracted throughout inhalation and exhalation so that a continuous sound is produced at the back of the throat. The sound is loud enough so that you hear it inwardly, but not so loud as someone across the room can hear it. The abdominal muscles contract slowly and continuously throughout exhalation. The abdominal muscles remain slightly contracted during inhalation so that the abdomen provides a wall of resistance to the incoming breath, which is then turned back into the spine and upwards into the chest, upper back and intercostal ribcage. The entire course of inhalation and exhalation remains smooth and uniform from beginning to end. Anuloma Ujjayi (anuloma - to go with the grain) Inhalation through both nostrils while feeling the whole body. Exhalation through alternate nostrils while feeling the side of the body through which the breath is flowing. The right hand utilizes prajña prana kriya mudra (Vishnu mudra) during alternate nostril exhalation. (The tips of the fore and middle fingers of the right hand press into the base of the thumb. The thumb can then be pressed against the right nostril and the little and ring fingers press against the left nostril.) Viloma Ujjayi (viloma - to go against the grain) Exhalation through both nostrils while feeling the whole body. Inhalation through alternate nostrils while feeling the side of the body through which the breath is flowing. The right hand utilizes prajña prana kriya mudra (Vishnu mudra) during alternate nostril inhalation. Pratiloma Ujjayi (pratiloma - opposite) Inhalation through both nostrils while feeling the entire body Exhalation through the left nostril while feeling the left side of the body. Inhalation through the left nostril while feeling the left side of body Exhalation through both nostrils while feeling the entire body Inhalation through both nostrils while feeling the entire body Exhalation through the right nostril while feeling the right side of the body. Inhalation through the right nostril while feeling the right side of the body. Exhalation through both nostrils while feeling the entire body Inhalation through both nostrils while feeling the entire body The right hand utilizes prajña prana kriya mudra (Vishnu mudra) during alternate nostril exhalation and inhalation. Integrative Restoration Institute: Pranayama 22

23 Anuloma Krama Ujjayi Pranayama Krama means stages. During Anuloma Krama we inhale and retain the breath in equal steps or stages as follows. Inhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Inhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Inhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Exhale in one long smooth and continuous breath. Begin again. Viloma Krama Ujjayi Pranayama During Viloma Krama we exhale and suspend the breath in equal steps or stages as follows. Exhale for 2-3 counts, then suspend the breath for 2-3 counts. Exhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Exhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Inhale in one long smooth and continuous breath. Begin again. Pratiloma Krama Ujjayi Pranayama During Pratiloma Krama inhale then retain the breath, then exhale and suspend the breath in equal steps as follows. Inhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Inhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Inhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Exhale for 2-3 counts, then suspend the breath for 2-3 counts. Exhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Exhale for 2-3 counts, then hold the breath for 2-3 counts. Begin again. Anuloma Ujjayî Prâñâyâma with Sensorial Visualization 1. Sensorial experience a three dimensional tactile sphere at the various energy centers in the body. a. Mûlâdhâra Plexus b. Svâdhisthâna Plexus c. Manipûra Plexus d. Âtma Plexus e. Anâhata Plexus f. Vishuddha Plexus g. Ajõâ Plexus h. Sahasrâra Plexus 2. Tactilely sense the left and right halves of each sphere. (While sensing, keep exchanging your visualization for the actual tactile sensation within the energy body.) a. Sense the entire global sphere b. Sense the entire left half c. Sense the entire right half d. Sense the lower half e. Sense the upper half f. Sense the entire global sphere 3. After exploring in this manner, try extending the spheres, allowing them to expand to one foot spherical, ten feet, 100 feet, 100 miles, 10,000 miles, 100,000 miles, 1 million miles, 1 billion miles, infinitely spherical then give up all sense of center or periphery and be the infinite expansion that you really are Integrative Restoration Institute: Pranayama 23

24 Nadi Shodhana Pranayama Nadi Shodhana Pranayama Alternate Nostril Breathing Ardha Sharira Pranayama Split Body Breathing nadi = pathway of energy shodhana = to cleanse ardha = half sharira = body Nadi shodhana entails breathing through alternate nostrils while refining the breath during inhalation, retention, exhalation and suspension. Nadi shodhana is often taught according to the numbers : a ratio is prescribed whereby you are asked to inhale, hold your breath, exhale and suspend the breath for fixed amounts of time. This approach provides the mind with something to focus on (counting, length of the breath) and a goal to work towards (greater duration, i.e., exhale for twelve seconds versus six). There is also another, seldom taught approach which encompasses this first more classical goal-oriented method while expanding it into other domains of sensation, awareness and non-doing. I call this second approach Ardha Sharira Pranayama or split body breathing. Sitting Position Foremost to the practice of pranayama is comfort. Sit so that your spine is straight and your lower back comfortably retains its natural curve. Your knees should be lower than your hips. (This allows the spine to maintain its natural vertical position without strain.) If you re uncomfortable your attention goes into battling discomfort rather than being free for pranayama. Sit in an easy pose such as sukasana. If sitting on the floor is uncomfortable use a chair. Allow the neck and shoulders to be soft, free and comfortable at all times. Turn your head from side to side during the practice to check that it remains relaxed. The inside of the mouth is open and full of sensation. The tongue is soft and the lips lightly touch. The arms rest with palms gently turned so that the shoulders open and release their tension. Sense the entire body from head to toe and allow all the body sensations to come alive and unite as a global body feeling-awareness. Follow the Breath Now bring the breath into awareness. Attune yourself to its natural rhythm. Don t change what you find. Simply observe with bare attention and note all the attending sensations elicited by the movement of the breath. Is the breath smooth or choppy, short or prolonged? Does it come into the chest, abdomen, and sides or back of the body? Allow the breath to gradually lengthen over the next breaths. Notice the natural pauses that occur at the top of the inhalation and at the bottom of the exhalation. Allow these pauses that refresh to grow longer. Rest comfortably in them. Split Body Next, imagine that your body is divided down the midline into right and left sides. While exhaling feel sense kinesthetically the left side of your body. Give time so every sensation on the left side of the body becomes fully established in awareness. Continue to deepen your explorations while resting in the suspension after exhalation. Can you feel the deep stillness that forms the background out of which these sensations arise? Continue to explore these kinesthetic body sensations on the left side while inhaling. When you come to the top of the inhalation, while resting in a natural retention, shift your attention-awareness across the midline and over to the right side of the body. Only after you feel the complete shift of feeling across the midline do you begin exhaling and exploring all of the sensations on the right side. At the bottom of the exhalation fall again into the natural suspension of breath and continue to deepen your experience of feeling the myriad sensations. Continue as before with the inhalation. Then, at the top of the inhalation during retention, shift your feeling-attention across the midline and continue the pranayama on the left side again. Continue with this alternate body breathing for breaths, switching across the midline during retention of inhalation. Don t force. Take your time. There is nothing to accomplish. Where are you trying to go? Feel, moment to moment, that you have accomplished your goal. Then, wherever you go, here you are. Integrative Restoration Institute: Pranayama 24

25 Digital Pranayama Take both hands into Prajña Prana Kriya Mudra. Now, while pausing at the top of the inhale, reach up with your right hand, close the right nostril with the thumb and exhale through the left nostril while feeling the left side of the body. Inhale through the left nostril as well. Allow the breath to be long and smooth. Does this action of breathing through one nostril change anything; add anything to the pranayama? During retention, close the left nostril using the ring and little fingers of the right hand and exhale through the right nostril. Continue exploring the split-body sensations during this alternate nostril breathing? Breathe using alternate nostrils for breaths. Then go back to split body breathing without using the fingers to control the breath through alternate nostrils. Can you continue to feel that you are still breathing through alternate nostrils even though you are no longer using the fingers to control the airflow? As you breathe explore every crook and cranny of the body. The toes, fingers, eyes, ears, tongue, the right and left sides of the brain, come alive as vibrating, sensation-radiating aspects of the body. Allow the body to lose its defined boundaries and become a global mass radiating into space. Permit these sensations to expand into space to the left, right, front, back, above and below the body. Continue breathing on alternate sides of the body (and space) for another breaths. When you are ready to stop allow the body to re-integrate into a coherent whole during a retention and exhalation. Continue feeling the global body. Allow the breath to find its own natural rhythm. Then sit quietly and enjoy the fruits the pranayama. Rest awhile in stillness. Then take it with you into your day (or sleep). Let it remember itself to you during your day. When it does, don t ignore it bask in it. You are bathing in the alchemical waters of eternal youth. Remember this is always here, waiting for you even in the midst of your most difficult life-challenges. You don t have to try to find it once you understand. It is always looking for you. Alternate Practices Building a Ratio Build a ratio utilizing vinyasa krama. Vinyasa means intelligently conceived and krama means steps or stages. Vinyasa krama is to proceed step-by-step in an intelligent manner towards a preconceived goal. For instance, we know that for optimal health, exhalation should be one and one-half to two times longer than inhalation. So you might try building a ration where exhalation is twice as long as inhalation. Begin by observing the breath to see what the actual ration is. Allow inhalation and exhalation to lengthen while listening to a metronome or observing the sweep of the second hand on a clock. Let s say inhalation and exhalation are of equal length. Building a ration according to the principles of vinyasa krama might look something like the following diagram = 6 Breaths = 6 Breaths = 12 Breaths = 6 Breaths = 4 Breaths You would take 6 breaths at your normal rate. Then, during the next 6 breaths, add two seconds to the exhalation. Each additional 6 breaths you might add another two seconds until you are able to comfortable maintain an exhalation that is twice the inhalation. You might then practice the final ration for 12 breaths to help establish it as a normal body rhythm. At the end of the final breath, you would taper down to a smaller ration to help bring the practice to a comfortable ending. By the way, there should be normal pauses after each breath. The diagram above builds these in as 2 second pauses after each breath. Sama Vrtti You might try extending the breath so that exhalation is equal to inhalation. This type of ratio, called sama or equal, can be challenging as it goes against the grain of what the body usually wants. This might be done to promote a more brhmana effect to the pranayama practice. Integrative Restoration Institute: Pranayama 25

26 You would build the vinyasa krama similarly to the first example, but at each step, increase both inhalation and exhalation by 2 seconds until you reach your maximum capacity. Then remain here for 12 breaths before tapering down to a milder ending ration. Splitting the Body Split body breathing may be done in many different formats as the body can be split in many different ways. Following are some examples of splits that you might alternate between as you practice extending inhalation, exhalation, retention and suspension of the breath. Right body - Left body Front body - Back body Lower body - Upper body Deep of body - Surface of body Whole body - Outer space around body Left brain - Right brain Left arm - Right arm, etc. Integrative Restoration Institute: Pranayama 26

27 Bhrâmarî By slow exhalation the low-toned sound of a female bee is produced. By slow inhalation the high-toned sound of a male bee is produced. By continuous practice there arises a condition of bliss that defies all description. Sit in a comfortable meditative pose. Close the eyes and relax the entire body. Breathe the spinal cord erect. Keep the head balanced without tension. The mouth remains closed during the entire practice. Keep the mouth relaxed and inwardly open, the upper and lower teeth separate. The sound is smooth and prolonged. Exhalation is twice as long as inhalation. Feel the sound vibrating the brain. Be conscious only of the sound. First Practice Inhale through both nostrils. Then, while slowly and steadily exhaling, allow the soft upper palate to gently vibrate so as to produce a long and continuous low-toned humming sound like that of a female bee. Perform 4-36 rounds. Alternate Practices: 1. Plug the ears with the index fingers while performing exhalation Bhrâmarî. 2. After inhalation, retain the breath and perform Jâlandhara, Uddîyâna and/or Mûla Bandhâ. After several seconds release the bandhâ(s) and perform exhalation Brâmarî. 3. Maintain Mûla Bandhâ throughout the practice of Brâmarî. Second Practice Exhale through both nostrils. Then, while slowly and steadily inhaling, allow the soft upper palate to gently vibrate so as to produce a long and continuous high-toned humming sound like that of a male bee. Perform 4-36 rounds. Alternate Practices: 1. Plug the ears with the index fingers while performing inhalation Bhrâmarî. 2. After exhalation, retain the breath and perform Jâlandhara, Uddîyâna and/or Mûla Bandhâ. After several seconds release the bandhâ(s) and perform Brâmarî during inhalation. 3. Maintain Mûla Bandhâ throughout the practice of Brâmarî. Third Practice While slowly and steadily exhaling, allow the soft upper palate to gently vibrate so as to produce a long and continuous low-toned humming sound like that of a female bee. While slowly and steadily inhaling, allow the soft upper palate to gently vibrate so as to produce a long and continuous high-toned humming sound like that of a male bee. Perform 4-36 rounds. Alternate Practices: 1. Plug the ears with the index fingers while performing exhalation and inhalation Brâmarî. 2. After exhalation, retain the breath and perform Jâlandhara, Uddîyâna and/or Mûla Bandhâ. After several seconds release the bandhâ(s) and perform Brâmarî during inhalation. After inhalation, retain the breath and perform Jâlandhara, Uddîyâna and/or Mûla Bandhâ. After several seconds release the bandhâ(s) and perform Brâmarî during exhalation. 3. Maintain Mûla Bandhâ throughout the practice of Brâmarî. Additions to the Practice 1. While performing exhalation, inhalation or exhalation-inhalation Brâmarî experiment with bringing the tip and/or middle part of the tongue up against the upper hard palate while slowly sliding it back toward the upper soft palate. Note how this impacts the sound and drives it back and up into the inner recesses of the head and brain. 2. Vary the pitch of the sound during exhalation, inhalation or exhalation-inhalation Brâmarî. For instance, during exhalation, begin with a low toned female bee sound. While continuing to exhale, slowly raise the pitch in increments up towards the higher ranges of sound. Before ending the exhalation, adjust the sound downwards towards a lower sounding tone. First experiment with the pitch during exhalation while keeping inhalation as a normal ujjayî. Then experiment with the inhalation pitch while keeping the exhalation as a normal ujjayî. Finally, experiment with the pitch during both exhalation and inhalation. 3. While performing Brâmarî sub-vocally sound a vowel, consonant or other formation of letters. This may be done during exhalation, inhalation or during exhalation-inhalation Brâmarî. For instance, subvocally hear the letters ah or ou, or oh, or ee, or ih or mm or ng or R or L or F or S. Or utilize the traditional chakra seed sounds Lam, Vam, Ram. Yam, Ham and Om and Aum. When working with the seed sounds you might practice by producing only the first letter of each chakra (L, V, R, Y, H, O, Au). Observe how each sound localizes the sound-tone into a different area of the body-space. Integrative Restoration Institute: Pranayama 27

28 Chakra Seed Sounds Ng - Ngg N - Nnn M Mmm H Ham Y - Yam R Ram V Vam L Lam Seed Sounds 28

29 Sound Shapes Earth Yellow Square Smell Elimination Muladhara Lam Water Silver Crescent Taste Reproduction Svadishtana Vam Architecture Fire Red Triangle Vision Transportation Surya Manipura Ram Hrit Âtma Circle Air Six-Pointed Star Blue, Black Touch Manipulation Anahata Yam Ajña OM Sâhâsrarâ Ng Space: Akasha Purple Flame Hearing Communication Vishuddha Ham Rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, Ultra Integrative Restoration Institute Sound Shapes 29

30 Special Thanks for their work on this project William and Shakti Huss have been studying with Richard Miller for 10 years. Attending, and often assisting at retreats, classes, and workshops offered by Richard. William has been recording Richard s retreats and trainings for over 8 years. He has completed his level 1 & 2 irest trainings and is currently working on his Level 3 certification. William is a certified Massage Therapist of 23 years. Shakti was one of the first 15 people to become a certified irest teacher. She is a certified yoga teacher and has been teaching for 19 years. William and Shakti are co-owners of Ease of Being Yoga and Wellness Center in Fair Oaks, CA. Where they provide private sessions, classes and workshops for wellbeing and inner peace. Integrative Restoration Institute 900 5th Ave, Suite 204, San Rafael, CA (415) info@irest.us