Kumbhaka (कुम्भकः)

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परिचयः ॥ Introduction

The word kumbha means 'vessel', and thus implies holding or retaining something. In pranayama, this term describes the retention of breath. Kumbhaka can be performed after inhalation (antar kumbhaka) and after exhalation (bahir kum-bhaka). There are two types of breath retention: sahita kumbhaka, which is deliberately holding the breath, or kevala kumbhaka, where the breath is suspended spontaneously. Kumbhaka is a part of all pranayama practices. In the Yoga Sutras, Maharshi Patanjali described pranayama as kum-bhaka. The aim of all pranayama practices is to achieve kevala kumbhaka, which is equivalent to the state of samadhi. According to the Amritanada Upanishad (v. 13-14):

नोच्छ्वसेन्न च निश्वसेत् गात्राणि नैव चालयेत् । एवं भावं नियुञ्जीयात् कुम्भकस्येति लक्षणम् ॥ १४ ॥

अन्धवत्पश्य रूपाणि शब्दं बधिरवत् शृणु । काष्ठवत्पश्य ते देहं प्रशान्तस्येति लक्षणम् ॥ १५ ॥

Meaning: That is called kumbhaka when there is no expiration or inspiration and the body is motionless, remaining still in one state. Then he sees forms like the blind, hears sounds like the deaf, and feels the body like wood. This is the characteristic of one who has attained much quiescence.

The practice of kumbhaka should be undertaken when the ratios of inhalation and exhalation have been mastered. The nadis are purified in this way and become fit for sus-tained kumbhaka. The Yoga Chudamani Upanishad (v. 93) says that kumbhaka should be practised when the exhaled breath extends for twenty-six angulas (finger-widths). This distance can be measured easily by raising both hands in front of the face, so that the palms face downward with the fingers straight.

Physiological Benefits of Kumbhaka

During the practice of kumbhaka the oxygen levels in the body fall and the carbon dioxide levels increase, depending on the speed of metabolism and how relaxed or tense one is. The main effect of kumbhaka is to train the nervous system to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide in the body before signals from the primitive brain stem force one to take another breath. Many blood capillaries lie dormant in the brain and become active only when more blood is required. Increased carbon dioxide levels stimulate the brain's capillaries to dilate. In this way, more capillaries in the brain are opened up to improve cerebral circulation.

The brain also stores a certain amount of carbon dioxide, which allows for a more efficient oxygen exchange and carrying capacity of the lungs. Nature, it seems, has provided for carbon dioxide storage in the brain in order to activate the respiratory drive and make the oxygen consumption process more efficient. Kumbhaka restores the levels of carbon dioxide in the brain tissues, allowing the system to fully extract oxygen.

Self-administered CO₂ Therapy

It is said that increased carbondioxide levels in the blood can lead to altered states of consciousness and feelings of expansiveness. Infact, researcher J.Wolpe suggested the administration of 65 percent carbon dioxide and 35 percent oxygen for treatment of anxiety based on his experiments, which indicated that one to four of such inhalations will reduce anxiety for several hours or in some cases, for weeks which he termed CO₂ therapy.

Kumbhaka, in this light, may be called a self-administered C0₂ therapy. However, its effect is beneficial up to a certain optimum level only. Beyond this, it becomes distinctly harmful and may even cause disorientation and hallucination. Hence, it is always stressed that the practice of kumbhaka must be undertaken only under the guidance of an experienced teacher. Metabolic levels and brain activity must be adjusted to produce optimum conditions; only then it will become beneficial.

Another aspect of kumbhaka is that it trains one to control the part of the brain ruling the involuntary processes. Through the practice of kumbhaka, the brain can be trained to act according to one's demands. One can stop its functions or accelerate them. This is how many yogis have been able to stop the heart for a number of days and revive it again. The heart is not an independent organ; it is controlled by a higher centre in the hypothalamus of the brain. With control of the brain, one can automatically control the coronary behaviour, body temperature, digestive system, and so on. In the advanced stages of kumbhaka the period of breath retention can be extended for long durations until all the vital functions appear to cease. In this way the breath may be suspended for days at a time. Yogis have been buried underground in this near-hibernation state, known as bhu samadhi, for days at a time.

In kumbhaka the carbon dioxide levels in the brain increase. In reaction, the neurons begin firing nerve impulses in the brain to signal the body to breathe. The longer the kumbhaka is held, the more nerve impulses are generated and transmitted. While kumbhaka is maintained, this constant firing of impulses builds up an immense amount of nervous energy in the brain, forcing the creation of new neuronal pathways and the activation of dormant centres. The brain is literally illumined and awakened. In addition, the corpus callosum, a thin sheet of membrane between the two hemispheres of the brain, is activated during the practice of kumbhaka. These nerve fibres permit the passing of information between left and right hemispheres, which means that the whole brain can function and perception is not limited to one mode of processing.

In the Yoga Sutras, Maharshi Patanjali refers to this potential of kumbhaka to illumine the dormant centres of the brain when he says (2:52):

ततः क्षीयते प्रकाशावरणम् ॥५२॥

Meaning: Thereby the covering of light disappears.

As the dormant potentials of the brain are exploded, the practitioner is propelled into greater understanding of the depths and dimensions of his being, which are beyond those of ordinary experience. Part of this expansion of awareness gives the ability to experience prana as a subtle force, manifesting in different ways, which explains the light that is visible in chidakasha during kumbhaka.

While such immense activity is taking place in the internal spheres, the external activities completely cease. To the onlooker the yogi is as still as a rock but, in fact, he is traversing spheres beyond the reach of the reasoning mind. However, if the yogi enters darkness instead of illumination, it indicates jada samadhi, a state of external and internal cessation where no evolution comes about. Temporary suspension of all the faculties takes place, usually accompanied by an inability to penetrate through it unaided.

Kevala Kumbhaka

There are three types of breath retention: antaranga kumbhaka or internal retention, bahiranga kumbhaka or external re-tention, and kevala kumbhaka or spontaneous retention. The last occurs when the breath automatically ceases and no effort is applied.

Spontaneous retention is called kevala kumbhaka, where the breath suspends without any conscious effort on the part of the practitioner. This form of breath suspension is not aided by exhalation and inhalation and is unconditioned by place, time and number. Kevala kumbhaka can happen to anyone, anywhere, any time, even if one does not practise pranayama. There is no risk involved, because this retention is created by a natural state in the body. When kevala kumbhaka occurs, a point of light arises at the mid-eyebrow centre and spreads throughout the space of consciousness. The whole frontal brain becomes illumined, as though it were daybreak, and one emerges from the darkness that is normally seen behind the closed eyes. It has been said in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (2:73):

प्राणायामोऽयं इत्युक्तः स वै केवलकुम्भकः । कुम्भके केवले सिद्धे रेचपूरकवर्जिते ॥ २.७३ ॥

Meaning: Perfection of isolated retention is freedom from inhalation and exhalation. This pranayama spoken of is verily kevala kumbhaka.

Mastery of Kevala Kumbhaka

One who has mastered kevala kumbhaka can hold the breath for as long as he likes. He has perfected hatha yoga and attained the state of raja yoga. Many siddhis, psychic powers, manifest to the one who has mastery of kevala kumbhaka. He remains unaffected by pain, his excretions and sleep are diminished, and his body and mouth do not give off bad odour. He is lean and thin, but his countenance glows. The Yoga Shastra of Dattatreya states (v. 146-147):

केवले कुम्भके सिद्धे रेचपूरकवर्जिते । न तस्य दुर्लभं किञ्चित् त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते ॥

Meaning: There is nothing unobtainable in the three planes of existence for him who has achieved kevala kumbhaka without rechaka and pooraka.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika echoes the same notion (2:74):

न तस्य दुर्लभं किंचित्त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते । शक्तः केवलकुम्भेन यथेष्टं वायुधारणात् ॥ २.७४ ॥

Meaning: Nothing in the three planes of existence is unobtainable by him who has mastery of kevala kumbhaka and can retain the breath as desired.

Importance of Kumbhaka

In the Path of Samadhi

During kumbhaka the quantum of prana increases as the body, breath and mind are brought into a state of stillness. The stillness allows prana and consciousness to intensify, as in a pressure cooker - the intensity of energy and heat go up because they are not released from the body. This pressure is sustained while kumbhaka is maintained, allow-ing prana and consciousness to flow unimpeded throughout pranamaya kosha.

The expansion of prana also has a substantial effect on the mind. There is greater mental power and the awareness becomes acute. The capacity of the mind increases due to the stillness, as there are no fluctuations or disturbances. Just as light is transformed into a laser beam, the mind becomes totally focused and one-pointed. At this stage there is total cessation of the mental patterns. The dissipation of the mind ceases and the mental perception and the pranic structure sever their connection with the physical body. There is a total experience of intensity: intensity of stillness, intensity of mind, intensity of prana and intensity of practice. This intensity of practice enables one to hold the concentration and focus, and leads on to the path of samadhi.

In awakening of the Kundalini

During the practice of kumbhaka certain events take place in the body. The temperature of the body changes, the skin resistance changes, the brain wave frequencies become lower and the coronary function becomes nominal. At this time, certain enzymes or hormones are released into the bloodstream from the pituitary gland. As a result, the use of oxygen is replaced. When the use of oxygen is withdrawn, a sort of suffocation is expressed by the organs of the body.

Mooladhara chakra is the seat of the kundalini shakti. Usually the kundalini remains dormant in mooladhara, but during kumbhaka, the temperature in mooladhara rises. When the consumption of oxygen dwindles to nothing, the kundalini feels intense suffocation. As the brain waves are lowered, a surge takes place in mooladhara and this is the awakening of kundalini.

This can be explained in another way. During inhalation, the prana vayu flows upward from manipura to vishuddhi. During exhalation, apana vayu flows downward from ma-nipura to mooladhara. Kumbhaka, however, brings about a fusion of apana and prana with samana, creating an intense pressure at manipura, which is the storehouse of prana. The merging of these three pranas into one mighty force activates the other two flows of udana and vyana. With the five pranas activated and the total awareness focused at manipura, kundalini is simultaneously awakened.