Intermediate Breath

Introduction to the following intermediate breathwork practice

28 minute breathwork with guidance

Preparatory Nada Sanchalana:

This is a great exercise to do before breathwork and we will recall it during to guide our energy/focus to help us be conscious of moving our energy.

Take note of the Arohan and Awarohan Nadis (in light blue and blue).

In the practice start from Mooladara (root) chakra moving up the Kshetrams (topographical locations of interior chakras) and crossing from Vishuddha (throat) chakra to the Bindu Chakra at the top of the back of the head.

It is totally okay to not have ever heard of the nadis or bindu, they are not well known. Kshetrams are also not familiar to most people, but they are the location that most people think of when thinking of chakra locations. The actual energy centers are (with the exception of the root chakra and crown chakra) along the spine or in the middle of your head.

We will use both kshetrams and actual chakra locations in this exercise to locate and move your consciousness/energy/focus. Begin on an exhale with the root chakra and repeat (mentally) Mooladara while placing your focus there. Inhale slowly while drawing a line with an invisible finger up from your perineum to your pubic bone to your Swadisthana kshetram, repeat (again mentally) Swadisthana. Move up to Manipuri kshetram (at your sternum), say Manipuri. Draw your attention upwards to your heart chakra kshetram, feel it (feel the place where you love and are loved), mentally say Anahata.

So far we move slowly up the body (maybe too slowly if we are unfamiliar with the names and their locations (it’s okay to take a little breath) if the sanskrit names are too foreign you can use root, sacral, sternum, heart, throat, etc). But now as we move from Anahata to Vishuddha we will pick up a little speed, mentally say Vishuddha (or throat) while glancing mentally at this kshetram.

At this point continue your inhale and let your head rise from wherever it is to tilting back and let your focus cross from the front of your throat to the top of the back of your head. This is your bindu (Sanskrit for point) and it’s really important but not very often spoken of. I should note that it’s the last chakra you should work on in terms of development so awakening this before the others is putting the cart before the horse. But this is an exercise I’ve made for my own stage of development and am sharing with those who are ready for it.

When you reach bindu from vishuddeh repeat mentally the word bindu. You can pause here with your breath held in. Perform kechari mudra and mooladara bhanda if you are familiar with them. Release and before to work your way down the Awarohan nadi.

You should have a pretty big om built up in you. Try to pare it out in a measured way because it’s a long way down to mooladara, this time along your spine through the actual chakras starting from ajna and so on. When you reach the bottom, you are ready for another round.

Practice this 9 times and then you are ready for the breathwork. You will not be able to name the kshetrams or chakras due to the pace but if you practice Nada Salanchala before doing the breathwork you will know where and how to guide your energy during the work.

It’s also okay to not do the energy guidance, you can get lost in the breath, especially at first. Follow where it takes you and come back to the practice again the next time.