Swara Yoga
&
States of Consciousness
"If you
can’t reach the Truth in this lifetime, then you can research it"
This article is about a few thoughts that I had a couple of years ago whilst
doing some 1st year Psychology study. I had been reading a chapter on States of
Consciousness and Stages of Sleep, which brought back memories of a text I had
read by Paramahamsa Satyananda and Swami Muktibodhananda
in ‘Swara Yoga - Tantric Science of Brain Breathing’.
This book with translation of the ancient Tantric text the ‘Shiva Swaradaya’ and commentary of each verse explores in
detail the subtle science and sadhana of Swara Yoga.
Shiva reveals the subtle science to Parvati
(Devi) his disciple and wife.
Verses 71 and 72 Rules of the five Tattwas,
translates as follows:
V 71* During the flow of the Swara, first the Air
element is active then Fire, Earth, Water and Ether.
V 72* During the two and a half Ghatis,
the five Elements are active in this order. The elements arise separately in
the flow of each Nadi.
Then returning to Chapter 17, Timing the Swara.
It states that the active nadi flows for 2.5 Ghatis which is the equivelant to
60 minutes. Thereafter Sushumna flows for 1-4 minutes
and then the other nadi begins to operate.
Neurologists have found the same sequence in brain hemisphere activity. One
hemisphere remains active for 60-90 minutes. When the cycle is complete, there
is a transfer of energy through a thin sheet of membrane called the Corpus
Callosum which conducts the energy from one hemisphere to the other over a
period of 1-4 minutes. This is the window of opportunity.
Now returning to my Psychology Textbook we will begin to see the similarity in
that the sequence continues even in our ‘Nidra’ sleep
state. I will summarise the five stages of sleep.
Scientific Sleep Lab Experiment Data
When you first climb into bed, you will probably remain awake and alert for a
few minutes. If an EEG (Electroencephelogram) was connected up to you to record
your brain waves it would begin to show mostly Beta waves, which are
rapid brain waves that have a frequency of at least 14 per second. When you
close your eyes and relax your EEG begins to show a pattern of Alpha
waves which occur at the slower frequency of 8 to 12 per second.
Figure 1 below, shows the difference between
these two brain wave patterns. Soon afterwards you
begin to drift from a pleasant drowsiness into the stages of sleep.
Above: EEG Patterns (measured by changes in
voltage) of the two stages prior to sleep, the four non-REM stages, and the REM
sleep.
The Five Stages of Sleep
Throughout the night you will drift back and forth
through the five sleep stages.
Stage 1: The EEG records small, irregular
brain waves. You are drifting into a light sleep. You can readily be awakened
from stage 1 sleep.
Stage 2: The EEG shows very rapid
bursts of activity known as sleep spindles. If someone sneezed next to you, you
probably would not hear it.
Stage 3: The EEG begins to show a few
Delta waves at the very slow frequency of about 2 per second. Your breathing
slows substantially, and your muscles are completely relaxed.
Stage 4: The EEG now shows
exclusively delta waves. You are now in deep sleep. People could probably
wander into your room without waking you.
These four stages of sleep do not tell the complete story however, you do not
simply drift downward into deep sleep after you crawl into bed and drift upward
into light sleep as morning approaches. Instead you spend the first 30 to 45
minutes progressing from Stage 1 to 4 and the next 30 to 45 minutes reversing
the direction back up to stage 1 (Total 60 to 90
minutes - Swara Yoga). At this point you enter
Stage 5: Called rapid eye movement or REM sleep. (Refer Figure 2 below)
During REM sleep, your eyes move rapidly beneath your closed eyelids giving
this stage its name. Your body movements stop, your peripheral muscles relax
and in fact sleep paralysis occurs which inhibits all skeletal muscle movement
in the body except the eyelids. This prevents us from acting out our dreams.
This has sometimes been felt by the author whilst meditating, when you feel the
flow of sushumna starting to function you feel as
though your body can not move and you are locked in to the experience within.
During
REM sleep the EEG shows long sections in which the brain waves resemble the
waves in stage 1. Your heart beats rapidly and you breathe quickly and
irregularly. Researchers report that your genitals are likely to show arousal,
with moisture and swelling in the vaginal area for females and erections for
males.
·
Doesn’t this sound very much
like Mooladhara Chakra, Swadhistana
Chakra, and Ajna Chakra activation with the REM
activity during visions or dreams.
REM activity is associated with dreaming. When people are awakened during
REM sleep, about 90% report that they have just had a vivid dream. A healthy
adult has between four and six sleep cycles each night with each cycle lasting
about 90 minutes. The period of REM sleep appearing about every 90 minutes is
also the same length of time that the Swara (Breath
flow cycle in the nostrils, also sound of the breath) takes to change, and then
the REM stage starts to function again.
My theory is that the REM stage could have a correlation to the
functioning of Sushumna (characterised by sexual
arousal, visions etc). As the breath becomes balanced the electrical activity
moves over into the Corpus Collosum, Mooladhara Chakra activation then the energy moves up to Ajna for a short period of time.
Therefore if we can endeavour to meditate on the breath (Ajaja Japa, Kriya Yoga or Swara Yoga) beyond the 90 minute duration (say for 2 hours)
over a period of time, we may then have an opportunity to enter the Sushumna experience through the window of opportunity which
GOD has provided for us as a hidden mystery within the human nervous system.
Note: The REM period
increases in time as we progress in our sleep through the four to six cycles
each night.
Parapsychologist,
Serena Roney-Dougal has
for the last twenty years been researching the Pineal Gland and its
significance for the appearance of Psychic Phenomena. Serena has reported that
the Pineal Gland is the promoter of Psychic experiences and produces a number
of chemicals, Melatonin, Pinoline and others which
interact and can give rise to altered states of consciousness.
Four times every night when we dream , we enter this altered
state of consciousness and according to Serena’s research this is the state
in which two thirds of all psychic experiences occur. Serena is supported by
other researchers in her view that it is the raised quantity of Melatonin
at night that is the basic cause of the experiences.
Melatonin is at the highest level in the early hours of the morning, this is
probably why it is the best time for Pranayama, Kriya
Yoga, Japa etc. Most Tantric
sadhanas and Meditations are said to be best
performed between
Paramahamsa Satyananda has said that if we can increase
the period of time when the breath is balanced then Sushumna
will start to operate or awaken. Paramahamsaji has
also said in one of his satsangs from his ‘Teachings’
books that he used to practice Laya as he was slipping into sleep.
This is a very interesting topic which I hope will be thoroughly
researched in the future. Staying aware as you dive
into the subconscious mind, then into the mysterious unconscious mind and
beyond?
I am sure Great Yogis like Paramahamsaji and
Paramahamsa Niranjanananda could shed much light on this area of mystery and
wonder.
So
you can see that science is slowly validating the Ancient teachings of Shiva,
and other great Yogis who must have walked upon and graced this Earth many melleniums ago.
Bibliography
1. Roney-Dougal,Serena: Where
Science and Magic Meet, Element Books Ltd, 1991
2. Matlin-
3. Saraswati Paramahamsa Satyananda (and Swami Muktibodananda)
Swara Yoga Tantric Science of Brain Breathing
Hari Om Tat Sat
Copyright © 1999 by Swami Mounamurti Saraswati
mailto:satyamyoga.com@bigpond.com