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Be aware of Your breath

A morning yoga session focusing on the critical need for consistent personal practice, especially for teachers.

"Those who were beginners were in much better condition. This indicates that we, as teachers, have neglected our own exercises."

"People need strictness. People need to work really hard. Then they have the feeling to go back."

The teacher leads a program on the three bandhas and prāṇāyāma, observing that many certified instructors are out of practice compared to beginners. He stresses that teachers must personally practice and demonstrate to inspire students, using examples from Ukraine and a 90-year-old teacher to illustrate the lifelong benefits of discipline. The talk details the physiological benefits of Bhastrikā and Kapālabhāti for lung capacity and immunity, framing consistent practice as essential spiritual and physical maintenance.

Filming location: Vép, HU.

DVD 365

We had a very nice program this morning, where we concentrated on the three bandhas, which I also spoke about yesterday evening. The result was that many people are out of practice. I mean not only with bandhas and prāṇāyāmas, but with āsanas in general. They may call themselves yoga teachers or assistant teachers. Interestingly, those who were beginners were in much better condition. This indicates that we, as teachers, have neglected our own exercises. It means the teacher is only sitting at the front giving instructions. But those teachers who demonstrate and practice in front of their students, and also correct others' postures, remain very fit and healthy. For example, when I was in Ukraine—is there someone from Ukraine here? Yes, good. In Kyiv, the yoga teachers organized a program where they demonstrated the āsanas. Of course, it was not exactly a sequence from Yoga in Daily Life, but different yoga postures, which is good for public demonstration. They did very, very well. It was clear they had perfect balance, correct movements, and excellent condition. One could see from their bodies that they try very hard and practice regularly. Such teachers are capable of inspiring people to truly begin thinking and practicing. So, as long as you don't do it yourself, you are lost. What is missing in all of you? What I see is practice. You are doing it for only half an hour, sometimes, and then not anymore. We pay little attention to our physical exercises. And if we try to do something strictly, you become exhausted. That is not good; it is a weak point. I have been observing over the last few days how weak these children, these yoga students, are. There is one lady, nearly 90 years old, who teaches yoga. Her own way of exercising and teaching is admirable. She has been practicing yoga for nearly 75 or 80 years. She is a person who never misses a day of practice. She is very flexible, her joints are very good, and she has no pain in her fingers, joints, or ligaments. She looks very healthy, capable of driving a car, running, walking, shopping, and cooking. Her flat is on a high floor with many staircases to climb. We will see in what condition we will be at 90. We already look like we are 98. This is my big concern about your health. You have to be an example. Then your classes will be full, and we will have to tell students, "Sorry, this month we have no place free." People come, take one or two classes, see how you are doing, and then they are gone. People need strictness. People need to work really hard. Then they have the feeling to go back. If you let them go easygoing, they don't like it. The majority sitting here in front of me are yoga teachers, but you were missing this. This morning we practiced the three bandhas, as well as Bhastrikā and Kapālabhāti. There were many in Anuṣṭhān, and of course they should do the Anuṣṭhān. They couldn't come to the āsanas, but those in Anuṣṭhāna know the difference between Bhastrikā and Kapālabhāti. Is there someone who still doesn't know the difference? Very good. We did first, let's say, 20 rounds of inhale and exhale for Kapālabhāti and Bhastrikā. Bhastrikā prāṇāyāma is what makes your body warm quickly. It has a very quick effect for cleaning the respiratory system. It is a good exercise for the lungs because the whole diaphragm expands and contracts quickly. It is like a blacksmith's bellows, which blows air into the fire to make it stronger. In the same way, there is a rhythm to blowing the air so the fire constantly gets stronger. When you do your Bhastrikā, your diaphragm moves in the same way, getting more exercise. This means you will have a greater lung capacity. Generally, there is a two-and-a-half to three-liter capacity with good lungs. When you do not practice āsanas and prāṇāyāmas and you gain weight, your lung capacity decreases. Anyone can go to a hospital's pulmonary department. They have an instrument where you blow into it to measure how many liters of air your lungs hold. You inhale quickly, as much as you can, and then exhale it all at once. The pressure moves a needle to a certain number, indicating your lung capacity. Of course, those who drink alcohol and smoke have little capacity. If you want to improve the quality of your lungs, stop these two things and you will feel very clear. The capacity of the lungs improves rapidly. Normally, you don't know your lungs have little capacity. We only realize it when we are heavier, climbing staircases, swimming, or trying to hold our breath underwater. Then we know our lung capacity is very limited. You can also feel it when you chant Aum—that shows how much air you have. To improve our diaphragm's capacity, Bhastrikā is very, very good. But you have to do it the right way. Therefore, it is said you have to expand from the abdominal muscles. Anatomically, the diaphragm doesn't go to the abdomen; it ends here. But when you move the stomach muscles, expanding them, it opens your chest, the ribs expand, and the diaphragm has a greater capacity to take the breath in. People who have allergic problems—and many have allergies to dust, grass, flowers, certain foods, washing powders, cats, dogs, birds, butter, oil, or mushrooms—there are many kinds of allergies that your body does not accept. Against these factors, your immunity does not accept them and has no strength to fight. Kapālabhāti and Bhastrikā are very good for improving the immune system. They will make you feel young again. Life will become more comfortable. Since we were born, we are constantly breathing. Your respiratory system is a very obedient organ. No matter what you are doing, it doesn't give up its function. You are breathing. It doesn't matter where you are. You cannot stand without breathing for more than a few minutes. It is a lifelong function given to our body. When it stops, life is finished. You know, when you can't breathe, how much fear you have. You can't imagine how you will feel when you can't breathe anymore. I can tell you only one thing: your condition will be like a fish pulled out of the water. You can't imagine how much it is suffering and in pain. Similarly, when we can't breathe anymore and we are very aware that we are dying, it is one of the biggest fears and pains in life. Our life is hanging on the breath. Life begins with the breath and will end with the breath. You can't imagine; we cannot imagine and value this wonderful air and oxygen here, but your body knows. So here is not only a yoga seminar, but also a rehabilitation for your lungs and your entire being. If you don't practice properly here, then again you are missing out, wasting your time—the time God gave you. You are not aware of that, and this means you are insulting your time. This time will not be given to you again. Therefore: Swas so swas, swas so swas, apkahī sumiraṇa, swas so swas, apkahī. Who said this? Holy Gurujī in the bhajan. Swas, o swas—with each and every inhalation and exhalation, Lord, it should be only Your name I am repeating. And day by day, my love should grow to Thee. So lost time will not come again; be aware of your breath. Another organ in the body is your best servant: your heart. It doesn't matter where you are—even underwater, it is serving you. You are running, sitting, sleeping, swimming. Underwater, above water, in the sky, your heart is serving you constantly. Therefore, take care of your heart. Be nice to your heart; you should tell your heart, "I love you, and please be strong." Only don't give rest to your heart, okay? Don't tell your heart, "Now relax." When the heart relaxes, then everything will relax. So Bhastrikā is very good for our respiratory system.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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