Questions?

1. How can we access our spirit which seems so elusive, so intangible?

2. What does the breath consist of actually?

3. Why does the notion of freedom create fear?

Answers:

1. The treasure of the human spirit is hidden is very small things. In other words, it is subtle energy not gross. Therefore, it must be accessed with subtle techniques such as Tantra and hypnosis.

2. Science says the breath consists of Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, etc. But it not only contains these gases but also the mysterious substance ‘prāna’ or ‘élan vital’ – this is the essence of vitality, of life itself.

3. Humans have become so distanced from our cores, so busy at the periphery out in life occupied with all its futility and tedium, that the vastness of freedom with its lack of limitations, is terrifying. Change in general is frightening because we have etched a deep groove of habit with our Minds which it is difficult to get out of.

Introduction – https://niume.com/post/264747

Breath 1 – https://niume.com/post/265632

Breath 2 – https://niume.com/post/266432

Breath 3 – https://niume.com/post/267922

Breath 4 – https://niume.com/post/268886

Breath 5 – https://niume.com/post/269810

Important points from Breath 5:

*Spiritual attainment is not difficult, nor is it ‘attainable,’ because every human is already spiritual. Spirit is our origin so we are already perfect and the perfect conditions exist if we open our spiritual eyes.

*Divinity cannot be re-created by man no matter how hard we try and how much technology we develop.

*Our habit is to identify totally with materials and delusional barriers and classifications, e.g. culture, gender, class, nationality, religiosity, etc.

*Only small efforts are needed to uncover what is already there with skillful use of awareness and attention. Tantric techniques are atomic formulae to make subtle changes.

*Focusing on the Third Eye between the eyebrows will close the gap between reality and dreams.



 

Shiva’s 6th breath is a complete shift. Instead of working in isolation and stillness as for the 5th breath, the 6th breath is to be done while you are active in the world. In other words, this is perfect for when you are busy and should be performed continuously.

Activity is good for this breath because it distracts the mind.

 



 

Your breathing circle should be fairly natural to you now, so continue briefly to watch your breath in the pauses or quiet times of your activity, lingering at the turn from down to up and the turn from up to down. But now for the 6th breath, move your attention away from following the circle of the breath to resting on the turns only at the top and bottom of the circle (the blue/turquoise sections in the following diagram)



 

 

Try to keep your attention lightly on these two points while remembering to keep the centre of breath low in your navel not in your chest. This signifies that there are two layers of existence:

1. Doing at the periphery or circumference of your being.

2. Being at your centre.



 

It may help to think of a singer performing to an audience. The face and body, the mouth and vocal apparatus are acting to channel the sound – that is doing – while the voice itself is coming from the still centre of the singer – that is being.

This is exactly like life. We act out in life playing the role our situation has assigned to us: but in our core, we simply are our unique energy. Because we have chosen to be members of large urban societies and communities, we have certain roles to fulfill. But our role is not who we are. It merely oils the wheels of harmony and progress.

In fact, it is useful for this sixth breath to think of yourself as an actor playing a major part in the Drama of your life. All the time you are acting, you can breathe at your still centre which is your true identity, the site of your True Nature. It’s like having a marvelous secret!

 



 

Shiva says:

When in worldly activity, keep attentive between the two breaths, and so practising, in a few days be born anew.



 

 

This 6th breath completely breaks the habit of identifying with what is your role in human life.

 

Inspiration: So far we have experienced two layers of existence: the periphery at the edge of your life, your social aspect, and the core, in your heart where your True Nature is located. Tomorrow, we will go even deeper into other layers by using the Third Eye and the energy shower raining down from the Crown chakra. Mull this over before Shiva’s 7th Breath.

 

 

                      Wonderful images courtesy of Linden Thorp and megapixyl.com

 

                                                                   See you tomorrow!