Also remember, Kankuben was very advanced but still has one more birth to go through!
In this day and age of the internet and an abundance of charlatans who make incredible claims, it is easy to get information about pranayama or breathing exercise. One can divide breathing exercises into 2 categories – one with holding breath and the other not holding the breath. True pranayama involves holding the breath. Holding the breath is called Kumbhaka. Holding the breath can be done within the body and outside the body. Any effort to hold the breath should NOT be done without a living Guru. Like Yogananda said, it is definitely uncomfortable and can be harmful.
Kriya Yoga has everything to do with prana – the direct route, the airplane way to be merged in God. In Kriya yoga, the prana from the body is withdrawn and taken within through the brahmanadi and merged at the Agna chakra and then higher. The indirect result of withdrawing the prana is first the breathing stops and then the heart can be made to stop.
Now the difference between a hatha yogi and someone who does the REAL KRIYA YOGA appears. In both cases, the breathing ceases.
　
| Hatha Yoga  | Real Kriya Yoga  |
| The breath is forcibly held  | Breathing automatically ceases  |
| The prana or sensation in the rest of the body remains intact  | Prana is withdrawn from the body and there is numbness in the extremities  |
| If done long, you can become unconscious / and experience nothingness  | This leads to super consciousness and true consciousness. You become aware of your true self initially the soul – a pure existence which does not think, does not have emotions or ego. Eventually in time the soul consciousness merges into God.  |
| The body becomes tense  | The body relaxes  |
| Health benefits maybe there  | Realization of self and God.  |
Thus the SRF relaxation exercises should be done because one should learn to relax the body especially while doing the breathing exercises. This relaxation of the body and especially the lungs and chest is crucial when doing Kumbhaka. I have intentionally left a few things vague here. One has to learn these things from an accomplished living Guru. There are specific criteria for a true Guru which I have discussed elsewhere.
　
Bhavin
2 comments
Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
Just one comment though, as I stumbled upon it while reading your blog. You mentioned, 12 Dhyanas give the experience of one Savikalpa Samadhi. 12 Savikalpa Samdhi gives the experience of one Nirvikalpa.
Swami Vivekananda, mentioned when the mind can be fixed on the centre for twelve seconds it will be a Dharana, twelve such Dharanas will be a Dhyana, and twelve such Dhyanas will be a Samadhi.
NOTE: He never mentioned the type of samadhi the way you stated. I did not come across any deterministic methods to enter nirvikalpa samadhi, being mentioned in any upanishad or vedanta.
There are many things Swami Vivekananda, Paramhansa Yogananda did not mention – The whole thing is misunderstood by the genral population. Even what I write and although it is very clear is misunderstood! We can only understand what we TRULY experienced, rest is a mathematical understanding not experienced based clarity.
Thank you for your very kind words.