We were all in the state of samadhi once upon a time in our mother's womb. We were sustained by the very consciousness or prapanjam. There was no breathing externally as we do now. The first breath was only taken once we came out to the world and the cycle never stopped since then. But when our time is up and we have exhausted our given amount of breath it leaves us never to return. We then die. We have lost touch with our origin and source of energy and became dependant on food, water, heat, air from our surrounding earth, water, fire, and air. We had stopped tapping the pure energy from consciousness after taking birth. With the guru as the guide, upagurus who come to our aid at the right time, Yogam as a tool, and the grace of the divine, we are set back on track and shown the path back to consciousness.
Agathiyar in asking us to engage in rituals paved the way to bring the blessings and grace of the divine upon us and bridge the two worlds, man and his God, first. Rituals are only good till we gain their grace. Once their grace falls on us we can safely let go of them. Agathiyar then sets us upon another course, Yogam giving us the tools too in the form of techniques. But before we step into it, the body has to be cleansed of toxins and rid of poisons accumulated over the years. Siddha practitioners can recommend purgatives for this purpose. This eradication of filth is amplified tremendously once the clearing starts to happen spontaneously and on its own with the grace of the divine. Then through a proper and Satvic diet, our body is refurbished and strengthened and further prepared internally to "receive the shock that comes our way", a result of energy transfers from the cosmos or prapanjam that comes with the practice of Yogam and beyond.
If Agathiyar Kuzhambu and other herbal preparations detoxify us, the Neti pot is used to clear nasal congestion and drain away mucus. With the yogic breathing technique, Nadi Suddhi, the nostrils, and the airways are cleared further. Prana that is inhaled expands and moves within expanding accordingly to our effort and practice. Once the house and its pathways are cleared, prana flows uninterrupted at all times. The divine aids in channeling the prana energy correctly to reach all parts of the body. Only then can we go within safely to meditate without distractions or harm.
Agathiyar in asking us to go within asked us to use the breath as a tool. He told us to observe the breath. Ramalinga Adigal too came to remind us of that. In bringing us Shiva's first of nine techniques concerned with the breath, from the "Vigyan Bhairav Tantra", Osho in his "Book of Secrets" reveals, that Buddha too once said, "Be aware of your breath as it is coming in and going out."
Initially, Agathiyar in the Nadi asked us to look for a quiet place to practice conditioning the breath and breath control as in pranayama and through the technique of Nadi Suddhi, clear the nasal tracts and nerves. Later Tavayogi came to show us relevant Asanas and Pranayama techniques that helped firm up the body and its internals. Acharya Gurudasan from Bangalore who was in Malaysia then introduced us to Kriya Yoga too, helping us fine-tune our earlier practices. As we took up the practice of Yoga guided by the Siddhas in the Nadi initially and later from Tavayogi and Acharya Gurudasan and recently directly from the Siddhas, we have come to see extensive changes within.
Techniques in pranayama had us actively change the flow of the breath going in and out through each nostril. After this rigorous practice, Agathiyar asked to wind down and just sit and focus on the breath. We were asked to become aware of a drift of coolness that fills the chest and a sense of calmness that comes over us. We were told to just watch the breath move in and out at this instant. Slowly we are led within by just becoming aware of the breath and observing it.
If initially we were asked to place effort in bringing ourselves to first sit down for at least 12 minutes at a time, and try to go within with the aid of the pranayama techniques given, with more practice and effort in bringing our attention to the breath, it begins to nudge us at the Ajna center. With further practice in sitting and observing the breath, it begins to nudge us even as we are attending to other chores asking for immediate attention. It can happen any time and you shall be forced to pay attention to it leaving all things aside for the moment. These days with the grace of the Siddhas that comes as a result of our worship, we are brought to notice the breath as it continuously nudges us. We are forced to heed and take note of it and sit immediately even in the midst of our daily activity.
We begin to understand the science behind breathing once we put it into practice. Osho clarifies that contrary to our belief that the incoming breath and outgoing breath are running parallel as in parallel lines, they actually are one single breath, that in actuality flows in a circle. There is a point where the incoming breath stops momentarily to make a U-turn, becoming the outgoing breath. We are asked to observe this gap or interval. Eventually, we shall take notice of the gap or interval between two breaths without effort. Osho quotes Shiva, "If you can feel the gap Shiva says, the beneficence, then nothing else is needed. You are blessed, You have known; the thing has happened." Quoting another stanza of Shiva, Osho says one who observes and realizes this point of turning becomes a realized soul. At this fusion point where the breath is static, neither going out nor coming in, we are centered or have arrived in our center. Agathiyar calls this spot or center சுழிமுனை (Suzhimunai). Each shall realize his center, he says. It is the place where arises an energy and a vibration or உணர்வு that comes with it. "Know it to be your Suzhimunai," says Agathiyar.
Osho asks us to observe the child's breath. He says children are in their center and at their center. The reason being children give themselves up completely in all their doings and at all times. Hence we should learn to follow children giving ourselves up in totality. We should begin to learn from them rather than try to change them to suit our ways.
My friend wrote,
Every part of Creation is, and should be a vibration... There has to be a primal, fundamental vibration which should be Paraparai. Everything else has to be a harmonic of this basal frequency. Based on such a frequency and its myriad variations, there is a difference in name and form. In truth, there can be no difference at all. This should be the Oneness of the entirety of Creation. The perception of these differences are subject to the evolution and transformation of the individual ego... the less the ego the more the differences. I guess, in samadhi, the ego ceases to exist, and there is complete Oneness. The Great Ones have destroyed their ego, but retain their individuality. They have been graced with the knowledge of Paraparai, and have the ability to change the vibrational frequency of any other individual or a group, to attend to the genuine needs of their disciples for the betterment of the collective whole. It is thus clear, that individual souls are a minute, yet significant part of the collective whole, or, otherwise there can be no completeness.
I guess, without sounding egoistic, God and the individual souls are very important to each other, and play an intricate dance... one with awareness, and, the other, in ignorance. God, by His Grace, desires us to get that awareness, and be with Him.... The state of ஈசத்வம். Therein lies the work of the Great Ones. That is their desire to raise us to their state.
I had been out this evening. On the road, Amma (Krishnaveni Amma) spoke to me. " Do you know the state of Pure Consciousness... Paraparam? That state is before the primal vibration of Paraparai. It is a state before the Primal Intent. There is no existence of the Five Great Acts of God. Therefore, there is no Intent. Every intent comes with its own vibration. His Pure State is without intent, without vibration. The anthakaranas are also states of intent/vibration. Even Shakthi is unable to fathom His Completeness. His Primal State cannot even be experienced. Such is He."
If I may relate my understanding of the above with an episode from Agathiyar's puraanam, "Siva as paraparam. Agathiyar as paraparai. When the intent arose to bring a much-needed balance to the world Agathiyar who was Siva till then was summoned. He emerged as a vibration that moved south." My friend chipped in, "Lord Agathiyar came from the Heart of Lord shiva...அகத்தின் தீ அவர்."
As their grace deepens, a slight throb is felt at this spot on the head at exactly the anterior fontanel or the soft spot located in newborns. This throb nudges us to take notice of it and become aware. One who arrives at his center becomes total says Agathiyar. He calls this the state of பரிபூரணம் (Paripuranam).
The science behind breathing slowly dawns on us as we practice. The breath that chose to move either in Ida and Pingala every two hours once, with practice it now travels through the Sushumna or central Nadi, where we observe the breath flows clear in both nostrils. Soon this happens spontaneously too. We feel a cool draft of air passing through both nostrils and we are called to sit and meditate at this moment as meditation shall come easy then. A cool sensation drifts through the entire body. Prana or the life force then travels to the Ajna where it knocks and nudges its door. When the divine grace comes to open the lock or கண்புருவப்பூட்டு when we are ready, it continues to travels steadily to the higher reaches of the head and stalls at the Suzhimunai, now knocking and nudging on yet another door - the 10th. Again with their grace, the door is opened to let in the cosmic consciousness and energy in torrents.
Just as the initiation mantra is given to create the first link between us and the deity or the guru, the idea of getting us to do pranayama is to create a link or channel between us and the cosmos, universe, and consciousness or prapanjam. Once the link is established we are to enhance and expand the intake and the amount of prana by tapping from it. Ramalinga Adigal came to initiate the means to tap the prapanjam. Soon consciousness begins to flow in uninterrupted. Tavayogi says that as the consciousness or prapanjam begins to fill the entire body, our dependency on external breath and breathing declines. We are told that of the initial 16 angulam, a measurement that is regarded as an inch in present times, of prana taken in, 12 is retained and 4 wasted. With practice and time, soon the intake reduces and so does our dependency on it. As we sit for long hours breath is not wasted as in doing an activity. Finally, the breath that comes in never leaves. We read that Sahaja Kumbhaka, the intermediate state where breath retention becomes natural and where it happens on its own, takes place. Hence we understand the reason the Siddhas do not advocate holding of the breath during our practice unless instructed to do so. Agathiyar only instructed us to hold the breath for the length of chanting our initiation mantra recently when he thought it was the right time to do so. We understand from our reading again that Kevala Kumbakam the extreme stage, where the breath is suspended at will comes next. Attaining the state of Kevala Kumbakam, he then goes into samadhi, fully feeding on consciousness and one with the prapanjam. If he chooses he breaks away from his state of samadhi to walk the earth again performing miracles.
All these now happen without our doing, effort, or attempt. As Tavayogi says our effort towards reaching the goal is only till the second chakra or Svathisthana, and that from there on the divine shall lead us, with their grace, breathing has become spontaneous. Yogam too comes spontaneously. With Yogam comes numerous enhancements. All the senses are enhanced. Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, and Touch perform at their optimum now. A major transformation happens both within and without. But it is hidden from the eyes of the public. Although this blog title carries the tagline "An Avenue that Showcases the workings of the Siddhas", Agathiyar tells us that most things shall be kept a secret.