I see a contradiction which I would welcome any help with please.
I have a question on pranyama as a means to stilling the mind in order to hear/realise Anhat Shabad that I would be gratefull for any help on.
I understood that the Gurus warned against pranayama practices as unnecessary, unproductive and ego-enlarging.
e.g.
Page 905, Line 7
The Yogi draws the breath upwards, and opens the Tenth Gate.
He practices inner cleansing and the six rituals of purification.
But without the Lord's Name, the breath he draws is useless. ||3||
Guru Nanak Dev
Page 1043 line13 |
" Inner cleansing techniques, channeling the energy to raise the Kundalini to the Tenth Gate, inhaling, exhaling and holding the breath by the force of the mind - by empty hypocritical practices, Dharmic love for the Lord is not produced. Only through the Word of the Guru's Shabad is the sublime, supreme essence obtained."
Guru Nanak Dev
Yet I now see that there are many couplets in the Adi Granth Sahib that seem to suggest Guru Nanak and Kabeer practised some form of breath control in order to make progress in their meditation or in order to consciously realize Anhat Shabad.
There is even positive reference to raising the kundalini???
E.g.
Page 333, Line 3
ultat pavan chakar khat bhayday surat sunn anraagee.
I turned my breath inwards, and pierced through the six chakras of the body, and my awareness was centered on the Primal Void of the Absolute Lord.
Bhakta Kabir -
Page 991, Line 16
soor sar sos lai som sar pokh lai jugat kar marat so san-banDh keejai.
Heat up the sun energy of the right nostril, and cool down the moon energy of the left nostril; practicing this breath-control, bring them into perfect balance.
Guru Nanak Dev
Page 1106, Line 2
chand sat bhaydi-aa naad sat poori-aa soor sat khorhsaa dat kee-aa.
The breath is drawn in through the left nostril; it is held in the central channel of the Sukhmanaa, and exhaled through the right nostril, repeating the Lord's Name sixteen times.
Jai Dev Ji
Page 359, Line 8
man motee jay gahnaa hovai pa-un hovai soot Dhaaree.
If the pearl of the mind is strung like a jewel on the thread of the breath,
Guru Nanak Dev
Page 945, Line 4
pavan na saaDhi-aa sach na araaDhi-aa.
He does not control his breath; he does not worship and adore the True Lord.
Guru Nanak Dev
Page 969,
Joining the two channels of the breath, I have lit the furnace, and I drink in the supreme, sublime essence.
Bhakta Kabir -
----------------------------
Page 972
The mind, the master of the breath, abides in the state of supreme bliss. There is no death, no re-birth, and no aging for me now. || 1 || Pause || Turning away from materialism, I have found intuitive support. I have entered into the sky of the mind, and opened the Tenth Gate. The chakras of the coiled Kundalini energy have been opened, and I have met my Sovereign Lord King without fear. ||
Page 1123, Line 13
ree kalvaar gavaar moodh mat ulto pavan firaava-o.
You barbaric brute, with your primitive intellect - reverse your breath and turn it inward.
Devotee Kabir
Page 1365, Line 8
kabeer maa-i-aa dolnee pavan jhakolanhaar.
Kabeer, Maya is the butter-churn, and the breath is the churning-stick.
Devotee Kabir
Any replies will be gratefully recieved.
ThanksMBW
I have a question on pranyama as a means to stilling the mind in order to hear/realise Anhat Shabad that I would be gratefull for any help on.
I understood that the Gurus warned against pranayama practices as unnecessary, unproductive and ego-enlarging.
e.g.
Page 905, Line 7
The Yogi draws the breath upwards, and opens the Tenth Gate.
He practices inner cleansing and the six rituals of purification.
But without the Lord's Name, the breath he draws is useless. ||3||
Guru Nanak Dev
Page 1043 line13 |
" Inner cleansing techniques, channeling the energy to raise the Kundalini to the Tenth Gate, inhaling, exhaling and holding the breath by the force of the mind - by empty hypocritical practices, Dharmic love for the Lord is not produced. Only through the Word of the Guru's Shabad is the sublime, supreme essence obtained."
Guru Nanak Dev
Yet I now see that there are many couplets in the Adi Granth Sahib that seem to suggest Guru Nanak and Kabeer practised some form of breath control in order to make progress in their meditation or in order to consciously realize Anhat Shabad.
There is even positive reference to raising the kundalini???
E.g.
Page 333, Line 3
ultat pavan chakar khat bhayday surat sunn anraagee.
I turned my breath inwards, and pierced through the six chakras of the body, and my awareness was centered on the Primal Void of the Absolute Lord.
Bhakta Kabir -
Page 991, Line 16
soor sar sos lai som sar pokh lai jugat kar marat so san-banDh keejai.
Heat up the sun energy of the right nostril, and cool down the moon energy of the left nostril; practicing this breath-control, bring them into perfect balance.
Guru Nanak Dev
Page 1106, Line 2
chand sat bhaydi-aa naad sat poori-aa soor sat khorhsaa dat kee-aa.
The breath is drawn in through the left nostril; it is held in the central channel of the Sukhmanaa, and exhaled through the right nostril, repeating the Lord's Name sixteen times.
Jai Dev Ji
Page 359, Line 8
man motee jay gahnaa hovai pa-un hovai soot Dhaaree.
If the pearl of the mind is strung like a jewel on the thread of the breath,
Guru Nanak Dev
Page 945, Line 4
pavan na saaDhi-aa sach na araaDhi-aa.
He does not control his breath; he does not worship and adore the True Lord.
Guru Nanak Dev
Page 969,
Joining the two channels of the breath, I have lit the furnace, and I drink in the supreme, sublime essence.
Bhakta Kabir -
----------------------------
Page 972
The mind, the master of the breath, abides in the state of supreme bliss. There is no death, no re-birth, and no aging for me now. || 1 || Pause || Turning away from materialism, I have found intuitive support. I have entered into the sky of the mind, and opened the Tenth Gate. The chakras of the coiled Kundalini energy have been opened, and I have met my Sovereign Lord King without fear. ||
Page 1123, Line 13
ree kalvaar gavaar moodh mat ulto pavan firaava-o.
You barbaric brute, with your primitive intellect - reverse your breath and turn it inward.
Devotee Kabir
Page 1365, Line 8
kabeer maa-i-aa dolnee pavan jhakolanhaar.
Kabeer, Maya is the butter-churn, and the breath is the churning-stick.
Devotee Kabir
Any replies will be gratefully recieved.
ThanksMBW