Clear and simple instructions

THE ancients advised that when one is embroiled in problems it is advisable to retreat, gather energy, change one's food, reflect deeply and live in a questioning, searching, enquiring mode. "Holding this energy with a deep consideration, a new perspective may emerge". G. Gautama's book Raja Yoga Pranayama is an exploration in stillness, a subtle and dynamic exploration involving the art of breathing. It explores ways of surrendering effort, ways of learning to let go. It gives the reader a very real understanding of Prana, the vital force that moves everything.

Gautama took to yoga when he was 15. The exigency to understand yoga as a sadhana, (as different from physical exercise) led him to pranayama and Swami Poornananda Tirtha. Gautama found in him an extraordinary teacher who taught the pranayamas in the freedom and the tradition of the sage Dattatreya. He taught them with the same freedom, energising them further with the passion of his own discovery, of his own journey. The pranayama courses he taught lasted only a week, an hour and a half each day. His tradition expects his students to take responsibility. Rather than see pranayama as a set of instructions, they are expected to work on it, reflect on it. Instead of receiving knowledge they are expected to generate and create knowledge with a little kickstart from the guru.

Raja Yoga Pranayama is in a sense a sharing of Gautama's experiences in his journey with pranayama. The book moves away from yoga being seen as body culture. It draws attention to the deep and more important underpinnings there are for yoga within the culture of our country and conceptualises yoga as a way looking at life.

To describe the framework, Gautama attempts a middle ground between the new age descriptions and the antique, archaic explanations. At one level, the book is a set of instructions and at another, it tries to make connections with the mindset or world view into which yoga fits.

Gautama discussed the possibilities of the new book with Swami Poornananda. The latter wanted that the book to be more than merely a manual of techniques and instructions. He was pleased with the three chapters that Gautama wrote for his approval. That was 14 years ago. A few months ago Gautama was invited to Krevila, a Theosophical Centre in Finland, to teach pranayama. There was a new sense of urgency and he completed the book in 12 days "in an atmosphere of teaching and reflecting. This book while carrying instructions on breathing, sitting, is not just a book of techniques. I have attempted to keep the spirit of his teaching intact".

If the book had not been completed so speedily, Gautama might have further rarefied his style. However, this frailty does not impede either the reading of the book or the practice of pranayama.

The book offers very clear and simple instructions on right sitting, right standing, right breathing, right life. It gives instructions on the practice of Mudra pranayamas and pranakiryas and a schedule of pranayama practice. Each mudra and pranakriya is introduced through a story or a poem or a question and explained with remarkably clear sketches illustrating each one. The voice of the teacher comes through at a very relaxed pace and the book is more than sufficient to lead one to the sadhana. It includes a biography of Swami Poornananda and a discussion of some of the basic questions that practitioners might want to ask.

There is also an interesting chapter on the lesser known Bhraman pranayama, to be done while walking, synchronising the breathing with walking.

It examines stress and related ailments and the recommended remedies of exercise and deep relaxation in great detail. "Are there exercises that do not take away our energy?" "Is there a relaxation in which our consciousness is alert?" "Can we find space in our lives for slow and sustained action?" "Can we find an opportunity to move and breathe with in tune with the slower longer rhtyms of life?"

"The practice of pranayama appears to have a sound answer to a very modern situation. It has been my experience that the results are quick, far quicker than one can expect. Pranayama offers exercise without expenditure of energy, and relaxation without imagination or stimulation. Sitting without effort and breathing evenly offers a way of tapping deeper resources within ourselves."

Discussing its relevance, Gautama said, "Pranayama is a practice for all times and ages but the one who is most ready for it is the person in his or her thirties when they have started going downhill. They know that the hands of time are moving inexorably and that changes do not come easily. There is a quality of intelligence at this age that brings home the awareness with clarity.

Such a person, if he or she devotes half an hour a day even for a week, would see the beauty of this practice. They would discover energy and a quality of alertness that are very vital for the mind to be able to look afresh, to think in completely new ways. And the experience of relaxing while being fully alert is completely unique and comes of surrendering of effort."

As Swami Poornananda once said to Gautama, "All you can do is open the doors. When the wind will blow, if it will blow at all, nobody can say. If the wind blows in, consider yourself blessed."

ELIZABETH ROY

Raja Yoga Pranayama, G. Gautama, published by the author, p.126, Rs. 200.

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