Éiriú-Eolas - Breathing Program

[Galaxia2002]

While doing the breathing try NOT to SWALLOW. Swallowing is the defence mechanism, or the distracting "outer barrier" of the emotional armouring. If you must swallow do it, but try to keep it to a minimum

Can I assume that the same applies to yawn ?

 

[Johnno]

While doing the breathing try NOT to SWALLOW. Swallowing is the defence mechanism, or the distracting "outer barrier" of the emotional armouring. If you must swallow do it, but try to keep it to a minimum

Can I assume that the same applies to yawn ?

If the section in In Search of the Miraculous is anything to go by; yawning is extra energy being pumped out to the required centre. My guess (with an added FWIW and OSIT).......I'd say this may be a good thing.

BTW scientists really don't know why we yawn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yawn

 

[Windmill knight]

I just finished the entire program (3 stage breathing with pipebreath/ warrior’s breath/ bioenergetic breathing and guided meditation) and found it to be extremely powerful and the program was an experience for me in and of itself. At the moment I feel very relaxed yet quite energized, feel stronger and there is a feeling of 'emotional depth' (that’s the best way I can describe it) where buried emotions and associated memories are coming a little more to the surface of my awareness. After doing the breathing exercises I also notice that I’m more able to recognize the difference in myself between ‘I’ and ‘it.' I can see the distinction more clearly because of the more relaxed/aware state that I’m in after doing the breathing exercises. But I found that it's best for me to do the exercises and the meditation with no expectations, otherwise I'll identify with the exercise itself by expectations of what I think the results of the exercises should be (and then internally consider it and become disappointed and so on).

My first few tries resemble your experience, kenlee. At the end I also feel energized, with some 'emotional depth', but calm. I think I know what you mean by seeing more clearly the difference between 'I' and 'it'. In the prayer part I feel the contrast between emotional programs that are to some extent present during the ba-ha phase, with what is really important for the soul as expressed through the prayer.

I noticed that the exercise became a bit more emotional after my first time (I've done it four times or so). For me, it is mostly about anger, frustration, resentment and some sadness. For a moment I also had a deeper sense of sadness, anger and loss related to an image that came from nowhere - a pregnant woman dying or losing her baby. But I don't know if these manifestations happened because I already had emotional issues in my mind during the exercise or if the breathing was bringing something up. When breathing, I have the intent of clearing accumulated emotions, but I don't want to force their expression or related memories because they might not be the real thing. For example, I have a certain understanding about my childhood and teenage emotional wounds. So I focus on that, and then I feel the anger, frustration, etc. But perhaps my buried emotions are not exactly like that and by focusing too hard on what I believe is in there I am really acting them up, like a professional actor who cries on stage and actually feels the sadness, even when she has no real reason to be sad? Like kenlee says, I don't want to expect a certain outcome and then make it happen by force or be disappointed if it doesn't.

On the other hand, if I just focus on breathing I'm afraid my usual buffers will prevent the emotions from stepping forward. Or that they may take too long.

In short what I'm trying to ask is, how active should we be in looking for buried emotions while doing the exercise? Should we focus on our emotional issues while breathing or should we just let go and see what happens? I'm guessing that intent is good but expectations are not.

 

[dantem]

Thank you Aragorn for your information on swallowing. I put it into practice yesterday during the breathing meditation, and possibly because I was consciously aware on moving my head, I still swallowed occasionally (thought into action?), however, later, in the relaxation period after pipe breathing in the belly region I found that my eyes filled with tears that ran down my face. So, something may have shifted.

Yep! I remember that back 5 or 10 y.a. during some meditation courses or while reading a book on it, the teacher recommending to do a series of swallowing to clear the throat of saliva, and clean your nose too, before starting any meditation technique.

Not only swallowing can show up as an automatic response, but also some itching, particularly over the face and nose and mostly when you're on the brink of 'deep meditation/relaxation'. You got to resist that too, keeping the body in the same position and continue on breathing.

 

[expandingview]

I'm finding myself doing the breathing exercises about twice a day and the meditation about once every two days.

I know that we all come here with different obstacles and challenges but I am wondering if that kind of frequency is sufficient--and Laura seems to imply that consistency is also very important--for several months.

What is your take on how often we should strive to do this? I am not getting a lot of emotional upheaval but I am getting a lot of seemingly external speed--lots of stuff is beginning to happen in my life--neither positive or negative particularly--but just lots of information and situations clamouring for my attention (well, maybe that is my particular form of upheaval). So far, I am able to pay attention and mostly respond ok. I find that when I do not respond to situations with care but as an automaton, my internal sense notices right away. This morning I did not pay attention, even when the I knew in the instant that I should, and I have felt haunted all day. Guess I need to apologize.

I think it is going to take a lot of energy to not get distracted with these practices--that is, for me to stay focused and uncluttered in doing the basic stuff (breathe, meditate, prayer) and not try to bring other practices along. Equally important I think is not to take any experience too seriously (e.g., what I just described above)--just to experience and then let it go. For me it is certainly too early to decide 9or even if I should) what to cultivate or what to reject as an experience.

Frank J.

 

[kenlee]

My first few tries resemble your experience, kenlee. At the end I also feel energized, with some 'emotional depth', but calm. I think I know what you mean by seeing more clearly the difference between 'I' and 'it'. In the prayer part I feel the contrast between emotional programs that are to some extent present during the ba-ha phase, with what is really important for the soul as expressed through the prayer.

Yes, the distinction between ‘I’ and ‘it’ was something that was clearer to me when I was in a more relaxed/aware state. The other day I remember 'seeing' myself walk around my apartment, going here and then going there, then going to the refrigerator to get some juice, and then sitting down, and then getting up and then sitting down and then walking around again, and so on and so on because of a lot of restless energy that was flowing through me and I saw very clearly how difficult it is for me to (sometimes) be still.

The simultaneous awareness of myself as an impartial observer (‘I’) and this unconscious machine in me (‘it’), which often moves about stupidly and with no real purpose (because of bodily tensions that may be a reflection of buried emotions) was extremely clear to me. I could still see it clearly in my minds eye although I am not as acutely aware of it at this moment as I was aware of it the other night. In this case the seeing of ‘I’ and ‘it’ was more of a ‘passive seeing’, that is, I was just 'seeing it happen,' without thinking about it, as distinct from what I would call ‘active seeing’ or ‘active looking’ where continuous inputs of knowledge, data, and (self) study is required in order to better understand the dynamic workings of the mechanism.

(As I was observing) I wasn’t dissociated from what I was doing since I was very aware of, and in contact with, my physical movements, the rhythm and sound of my breathing, my bodily sensations (such as taste, tactile sensations, and smell) along with an awareness of the tensions in different parts of my body and noticed how I will often move nervously about with no real purpose because of this restless energy.

It was as if a part of me that is centered, still, relaxed and calm (but it’s not a hypnotic ‘dead calm’, it’s more like an ‘active calm’, a calmness that’s alive and aware, yet still) was aware of another part of me that is restless and this restless part stupidly wastes energy and nervously moves about. And then there was a third part of me (or so it seems) that was (simultaneously) aware of this calm part of me being aware of the tense/restless part of me (although this description of my experience might be inaccurate and too subjective).

I noticed that the exercise became a bit more emotional after my first time (I've done it four times or so). For me, it is mostly about anger, frustration, resentment and some sadness. For a moment I also had a deeper sense of sadness, anger and loss related to an image that came from nowhere - a pregnant woman dying or losing her baby. But I don't know if these manifestations happened because I already had emotional issues in my mind during the exercise or if the breathing was bringing something up. When breathing, I have the intent of clearing accumulated emotions, but I don't want to force their expression or related memories because they might not be the real thing. For example, I have a certain understanding about my childhood and teenage emotional wounds. So I focus on that, and then I feel the anger, frustration, etc. But perhaps my buried emotions are not exactly like that and by focusing too hard on what I believe is in there I am really acting them up, like a professional actor who cries on stage and actually feels the sadness, even when she has no real reason to be sad? Like kenlee says, I don't want to expect a certain outcome and then make it happen by force or be disappointed if it doesn't.

On the other hand, if I just focus on breathing I'm afraid my usual buffers will prevent the emotions from stepping forward. Or that they may take too long.

In short what I'm trying to ask is, how active should we be in looking for buried emotions while doing the exercise? Should we focus on our emotional issues while breathing or should we just let go and see what happens? I'm guessing that intent is good but expectations are not.

I have noticed this also. All kinds of buried emotions and images do come to the surface but I think it’s best to just follow and do the exercises/meditation exactly as given and not 'go into your head' and get too analytical about it all. I do think it’s a good idea to not have expectations otherwise you’ll identify with the exercises and close off possibilities from internal consideration of the exercises based on expectation and wishful thinking. Better, I think, to leave the possibilities open for new internal states to arise within your consciousness and 'allow something to happen.'

 

[Ollie]

Galaxia202, Gurdjieff talks about yawning and accumulating energy, as below:

”A very important role in the human machine is played by a certain kind of accumulator. There are two small accumulators near each center filled with the particular substance necessary for the work of the given center.

“In addition, there is in the organism a large accumulator which feeds the small ones. The small accumulators are connected together, and further, each of them is connected with the center next to which it stands, as well as with the large accumulator.”

[…]

“Accumulators work in the following way,” he said. “Let us suppose that a man is working or is reading a difficult book and trying to understand it, in which case several ‘tolls’ revolve in the thinking apparatus in his head. …

In the first instance the intellectual center, … draw the energy necessary for their work from the small accumulators. When an accumulator is nearly empty a man feels tired. He would like to stop, … to think of something else if he is solving a difficult problem. But quite unexpectedly he feels an inflow of strength, and he is once more able to … work. This means that the center has become connected to with the second accumulator and is taking energy from it. Meanwhile the first accumulator is refilling with energy from the large accumulator. The work of the center goes on. … Sometimes a short rest is required to insure this connection. Sometimes a shock, sometimes an effort. Anyway the work goes on. After a certain time the store of energy in the second accumulator also becomes exhauster. The man again feels tired.

“Again an external shock, or a short rest, or a cigarette, or an effort, and he is connected with the first accumulator. But it may easily happen that the center has drawn energy from the second accumulator so quickly that the first one has had no time to refill itself from the large accumulator, and has take only half the energy it can hold; it is only half full.

“Having become connected with the first accumulator the centre begins to draw energy from it, whie the second accumulator becomes connected with and draws energy from the large accumulator. But this time the first accumulator was only half full. The centre quickly exhausts its energy, and in the meantime the second accumulator has succeeded in getting only a quarter full. The centre becomes connected with it, swiftly exhausts all its energy, and connects once more with the first accumulator, and so on. After a certain time the organism is brought to such a state that neither of the smaller accumulators has a drop of energy left. This time the man feels really tired. He almost falls down, he almost drops asleep, or else his organism becomes affected, he starts a headache, palpitations begin, or he feels sick.

“Then suddenly, again a short rest, or an external shock, or an effort, begins a new flow of energy and the man is once again able to think, …

“This means that the center has become connected directly to the large accumulator. The large accumulator contains an enormous amount of energy. Connected to the large accumulator a man is literally able to perform miracles. But, of course, if the ‘tolls’ continue to turn and energy which is made from air, food, and impressions continues to pour out of the large accumulator faster than it pours in, then there comes a moment when the large accumulator is drained of all energy and the organism dies. But this happens very seldom. Usually the organism automatically stops working long before this. …

[…]

Our aim … is to learn to connect the necessary center with the large accumulator. So long as we are unable to do this, all our work will be wasted, because we shall fall asleep before our efforts can give any kind of results.

“Small accumulators suffice for the ordinary, everyday work of life. But for work on oneself, for inner growth, and for the efforts which are required for a man who enters the way, the energy from these small accumulators is not enough.

“We must learn how to draw energy straight from the large accumulator.

“This however is possible only with the help of the emotional center. It is essential that this be understood. The connection with the large accumulator can be effected only through the emotional center. The instinctive, moving, and the intellectual centers, by themselves, can feed only on the small accumulators.

“This is precisely what people do not understand. Therefore their aim must be the development of the emotional center. The emotional center is an apparatus much more subtle than the intellectual center, particularly if we take into consideration the fact that in the whole of the intellectual center the only part that works is the formatory apparatus and that many things are quite inaccessible to the intellectual center. If anyone desires to know and understand more than he actually knows and understands, he must remember that this new knowledge and this new understanding will come through the emotional center and not through the intellectual center.”

I hope that this helps, it does help me.

 

[Lorraine]

Today I have finally managed to complete the video, audio and meditation. It was interrupted twice by a demanding family member; but I’m happy to say that vagus nerve was relaxed so I wasn't too concerned.

My question is did anyone have any trouble with the Beatha as I found it quite heavy going? I suppose as I do it more often I’ll get better. I found it tiring and made me feel quite cold. Admittedly its winter where I live :D.

 

[Laura]

I have the intent of clearing accumulated emotions, but I don't want to force their expression or related memories because they might not be the real thing. For example, I have a certain understanding about my childhood and teenage emotional wounds. So I focus on that, and then I feel the anger, frustration, etc. But perhaps my buried emotions are not exactly like that and by focusing too hard on what I believe is in there I am really acting them up, like a professional actor who cries on stage and actually feels the sadness, even when she has no real reason to be sad? Like kenlee says, I don't want to expect a certain outcome and then make it happen by force or be disappointed if it doesn't.

How about ditching any "intent" whatsoever and just focus on the words of the prayer and let the Universe do what it does best?

This is not about YOU having a clue about what you need... you don't and can't.

On the other hand, if I just focus on breathing I'm afraid my usual buffers will prevent the emotions from stepping forward. Or that they may take too long.

Trying to tell the Universe what to do, eh? Trying to control the process...

How about just focus on the breathing, focus on the prayer without putting any parameters on the outcome? How hard is that?

In short what I'm trying to ask is, how active should we be in looking for buried emotions while doing the exercise? Should we focus on our emotional issues while breathing or should we just let go and see what happens? I'm guessing that intent is good but expectations are not.

You are not supposed to be active about any of that at all. You are supposed to be concentrating on your breathing, and once you have that well seated in the moving center, just concentrate on the prayer.

That's it!

That's really all there is to it!

 

[Laura]

My question is did anyone have any trouble with the Beatha as I found it quite heavy going? I suppose as I do it more often I’ll get better. I found it tiring and made me feel quite cold. Admittedly its winter where I live :D.

It is supposed to be tiring, trying and taxing. It is a very simple thing, and it only takes a little bit of discipline to do it, but that little bit of discipline really adds up and "taxes the flyer's mind," so to say. And when those programs are taxed and tired, then the essence has a chance to express itself.

 

[Psalehesost]

My question is did anyone have any trouble with the Beatha as I found it quite heavy going? I suppose as I do it more often I’ll get better. I found it tiring and made me feel quite cold. Admittedly its winter where I live :D.

It is supposed to be tiring, trying and taxing. It is a very simple thing, and it only takes a little bit of discipline to do it, but that little bit of discipline really adds up and "taxes the flyer's mind," so to say. And when those programs are taxed and tired, then the essence has a chance to express itself.

That makes me somewhat wonder - at first, so it felt (trying, somewhat taxing) for me - but it stopped working that way the time before the last, the whole exercise (including Beatha) going quite smoothly and tirelessly. But from thinking and scrutinizing myself according to material I'd read just before, my mind was to begin with unusually (for me) alert and "stable" - that is, it didn't "move" so much with associations, but felt unusually clear and "solid". The last time ended up the same, though even more so - it was all almost completely effortless, rolling on almost spontaneously. After it all, the basic state of mind was even more pronounced - I don't know if I've ever felt so mentally alert and focused yet calm before (made for some fruitful contemplation time where I came through some of my mental barriers and "opened up" for a bit, feeling that the Divine Cosmic Mind, and striving to be Open and let it manifest through us, knowing that all that we can come to Do and Be is just that, it acting through us - is something we have in common - it gave me a feeling of "kinship").

 

[Nienna]

How about just focus on the breathing, focus on the prayer without putting any parameters on the outcome? How hard is that?

I have a question on the breathing during the mediation.

We start out doing the pipe breathing at the beginning of the meditation. Laura says to do it until we naturally shift into normal breathing. My problem is that I don't shift into normal breathing. I continue to pipe breathe the entire time. Am I supposed to stop at some point and just breathe normally?

I really would like to know so I can do this properly. :/

 

[Tigersoap]

I have been doing the program everyday for a few days now.
The bio-energetic breathing did became more easy to follow, which in the end did not require much efforts but to follow it instead of trying to control/(thinking it too much) the whole thing.
I think that letting go and trust the program is really important and might be a difficulty for some.

Yesterday during the baha, it was really deep, difficult to describe how exactly but I felt incredibly relaxed in time to listen to the prayer.

One thing I noticed is that although my mind is running busily on one side, trying to distract me, I can find some center and keep it while doing the exercises which I never could really do previously while meditating.

Thanks Aragorn for the tips ;)

 

[mkrnhr]

Yesterday during the baha, it was really deep, difficult to describe how exactly but I felt incredibly relaxed in time to listen to the prayer.

I had that last night too, as if something was resisting and not letting me concentrate on the bahaa breathing. I've been overwhelmed by mental images and it was very strong. I don't know what to think about it, should I resist it? :/

 

[Ben]

I have done the Beatha for two consecutive days now and today will be my third. Both times have been extremely relaxing, much more so than during other deep breathing exercises which I have performed. I also experience some very intense physical sensations towards the end in which I feel like I am falling, or rushing towards something. They are very difficult to describe, actually. Emotionally there have only been hints of sadness or slight anxiety so far.

The part which I am unclear on is the breathing during the reciting of the prayer. At this point I want to keep breathing deeply and quite slowly, it feels too fast trying to make my breathing correspond with each phrase. I know the intention is to learn the exercise to be performed without the audio, but is the speed of breathing during this part entirely optional?

Also just to clarify, is each of these lines supposed to correspond with an inhalation/exhalation?:

Oh Divine Cosmic Mind
Holy Awareness in All Creation
Carried in the heart
Ruler of the mind
Savior of the Soul
Live in me today
Be my Daily Bread
As I give bread to others
Help me grow in knowledge
Of All Creation
Clear my eyes
That I may See
Clear my ears
That I may hear
Cleanse my heart
That I may know and love
The Holiness of True Existence
Divine Cosmic Mind