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A Series of Lessons on the Inner Teachings of the Philosophies and Religions of India1212
The next step is the Single Nostril Breath—the Ida current being held
to pass through the left nostril, while the Pingala current passes though
the right nostril. The student is taught to close the right nostril, and then,
breathing through the left nostril, he directs the Ida current down through
the spinal cord by concentrating his attention upon the descending nerve
current, the operation tending to arouse the basic lotus in which is stored
up the Kundalini. When the Ida current has been inhaled, and the nerve
force direct to the Kundalini store-house, the breath is retained for a few
moments, with the thought that you are passing it through the lotus and
over to the right side or the channel of the Pingala current. Then exhale it
slowly through the Pingala channel, through the right nostril, closing the left
nostril while so doing. The favourite method taught beginners is to close
the right nostril while inhaling through the left; then to pinch both nostrils
tight while you are passing the current through the Kundalini storehouse;
then release the right nostril as you exhale. Then the process is reversed, the
breath being inhaled through the right, held a moment with nostrils closed,
and then exhaled through the left nostril.
The centre of the spinal cord contains the channel which the Yogins call
the Shusumna, of which we have spoken, and which is the channel through
which the central current flows, the Ida and Pingala flowing on each side
of the Shusumna. The Shusumna channel is closed to the ordinary person,
for when it is opened the person becomes a Yogin, with psychic powers.
Through the opened Shusumna the Kundalini arises and lifts the mind to the
higher planes, say the Yogins. And so the “stirring up” of the Kundalini in the
basic plexus tends to cause it to mount, and thus open up the Shusumna
a little each time, gradually and slowly. As the Kundalini mounts it arouses
the activities in the several lotuses along the spinal column, connected with
the Shusumnu. The lowest of these lotuses—the one situated at the base
of the column—is called the Muladhara; the one next above is called the
Svadhisthana; the next is called the Anahata; the next is called the Visuddha;
the next is called the Ajna; the last, which is in the brain, being called the