The first step of meditation is pranayama or breath control.
Without regulation of the breath, there can be no regulation of the mind.
If there is no regulation of the mind, there can be no meditation.
The first step of meditation should be the simple inhalation and exhalation of the 1-12 Pranayama Technique. This is inhaling to the count of 12 and then exhaling to the count of 12, trying to regulate or make the breath even. It is a deep, calm even breath. This should be done until the breath is quite relaxed and rhythmic.
We then go to the alternate breathing of the 1-4-2 Pranayama Technique. This is actually the first mantra of meditation. The 1-4-2 Technique will bring focus, alertness and concentration to the mind. Without this breath regulation, without preparing the mind, your meditations will be slothful, regardless of which mantra you may be using. They will be filled with subconscious thoughts. They will be filled with external distractions. They will be filled with wandering here and there which is more like daydreaming than meditation. Pranayama is a necessary step in meditation. Without it, meditations will be shallow and unproductive.
Prana is the life force of the creation. The word of God is Prana. It is this life force, coming from the mouth of God, that manifests everything. It is the life in life. When we begin to work with regulating the breath, we aren’t just doing a few deep-breathing exercises. We are beginning to focus on and experience the breath. We concentrate and pay attention inwardly to the breath or to the feelings of prana.
If you do regulated, even, deep breathing you will begin to feel prana spreading throughout the body starting with the lungs. You will feel the sensation of prana beginning to spread out and flow through the pranic channels or throughout the limbs and the rest of your body. This is what we focus on in pranayama. We don’t just focus on counting from 1 to 12. We aren’t focusing on a number. We are actually focusing on the prana itself.
In the yogic tradition, they say that if you know prana, you know God. One cannot come to Self-realization without an understanding of prana. One cannot have consistent, deep meditation without doing consistent pranayama. Whenever someone comes to me saying, “I’m having difficulty with meditation. It is hard for me to get it in twice daily. I’m even having trouble getting it in daily.” I ask if they are doing pranayama—the 1-4-2 technique. Ninety-nine percent of the time the person will respond with “No.” That is because without the preparing of the body and mind for meditation, there will be no meditation. You will have subconscious thoughts, attractions and distractions filling the time you sit there. Pranayama needs to be done. It is the “diving into” part of meditation. It starts with just a few minutes of regulated, deep breathing, then you move into the 1-4-2 technique. The 1-4-2 technique should be done in sets of twelve. (Note: It should not be done for more than thirty minutes unless you have permission from a competent meditation teacher.)
Pranayama is the foundation that concentration and Meditation is built upon, without a consistent Pranayama practice our efforts may fall short of us attaining our goal of Self-Realization.
Techniques
1–12 Technique/Diaphragmatic Breath
1) Inhale through the nostrils to the count of 1–12, steadily but gently
2) Exhale through nostrils steadily to the same count
3) Repeat for the desired length of time
1-4-2 Pranayama Technique
1) Close the right nostril with thumb, inhale through left nostril to the count of 4
2) Retain that breath while mentally counting to 16
3) Close the left nostril with ring finger, exhale out right nostril to the count of 8
4) With left nostril still closed, inhale through right nostril to the count of 4
5) Retain that breath while mentally counting to 16
6) Close the right nostril with thumb, exhale through left nostril to the count of 8
7) This is one complete 1-4-2 Breath. Repeat 6–12 times
Note: If you feel short of breath, you may reduce the ratio down to 3-12-6 (Inhale to 3, Hold to 12, Exhale to 6). It is important to keep the ratio of 1-4-2.
