The Yoga of Patanjali

108 Lessons on The Yoga of PatanjaliPrana are one. At this point the respiration is slowed down asthe mind is tranquilized into the awareness. As the mind istranquilized, your respiration will be more and more uniformuntil it is slowed down. When there is a gap in between, thereis no slowing down because the mind is anxious of respiration.It is what we understand as the cause of death. When respirationis slowed down, death will be the result as long as there is agap between respiration and mind. The gap is called “Theloop hole of awareness” by Sanatsujata, one of the four Kumaras.Now that the mind is merged in the pulsation (prana) there isno gap. There is no death when the respiration is slowed down.Even in the end, when the legitimate lease of this body is complete,there is no death. The respiration is slowed down and the bodyis dropped. To such a one, there is only the dropping of thebody; while to others it is death. It is death because there isthe gap of consciousness. People die due to the gap ofconsciousness when the body is dropped. A Yogi will not diebecause there is no gap of consciousness even after thisbody is dropped. This becomes possible only after the mindand the pulsation have become one. This is the purpose ofPranayama according to Patanjali, the Bhagavadgita and thescriptures.During the process of your daily practice, you will beginto experience durations when the respiration is slowed downto zero. Your consciousness in that state, is called “Nil-nonenaughtlevels” by Master C. V. V. When the respiration isbeing slowed down, do not disturb it. Do not be afraid of death.It is this state of suspended respiration that is called Khumbakaby the wise ones and it is not the self-proposed suspending ofrespiration which is nothing but self-smothering. The very factthat we are made to live even when we do not remember ourrespiration and heart-beat itself proves that nature is wiser thanus and God is much more wise. It is a matter of commonsense.