THE RULES ONE SHOULD OBSERVE WHILE PRACTICING PRANAYAMA
First of all, pay close attention to the place in which you choose to practice pranayama, to your diet and to the behavior you need to have in order to obtain the promised effects of this technique.
The place should be nice, pleasant, even and neither too high nor too low. Do not go into the wilderness, as you might get anxious because of this.
Also, chose a place that is protected, so that you will not have to deal with wild animals. Avoid the bank of a river, a crowded area, a waterfall, or a windy place.
All these places might prove frightful, or induce a state of anxiety that is not desirable when attempting to practice pranayama.
Pranayama is a practice for the quiet mind. Consequently, the place should be pleasant to the eye and relaxing for the mind.
If possible, you may also practice pranayama in a special ventilated, room, designed for this practice alone. Keep this room always clean, pure, holy, without dust, dirt, smoke, or various insects.
When entering that room, try to put out any negative, disturbing thoughts from your mind. Always wear clean clothes. The spiritual atmosphere that has been created inside the room will help us in our spiritual practice and will automatically elevate our inner energetic vibration.
Such a purified environment will have the power to calm your mind, to influence it in a beneficialial manner and to direct your energy towards refined, elevated aspects of the universe.Food should be pure, natural and nutritious. Eat only when the food is not too warm, or too cold, hot, spicy, sour, bitter, or sweet. Eat slowly, chewing each bite until it becomes almost liquid.
Do not eat too much, the stomach should be half filled with food, a quarter with water and the remaining quarter should stay empty. This is the correct way of eating according to the rules of the yogic system.
As an important rule, do not leave the stomach without any food for more than 3 or 4 hours, because if there is nothing in the stomach to nourish the gastric fire amplified through pranayama, this will affect your health.
Consequently, if you decide to begin your pranayama practice, you should also consider eating nutritious meals every 3 or 4 hours.
Behavior: avoid feelings of fear, anxiety, anger, lethargy, dizziness and too much or too little sleep. Be consistent and methodic in organizing your work, practice and rest.Avoid futile discussions and the company of perverted people. Avoid too much walking and too many exhausting physical exercises, but try to keep in good shape.
Constantly and persistently practice sexual continence, especially during the time when you are preparing to awaken, increase and control the sexual energy through pranayama.
In case you find it impossible to abstain from ejaculation (male) and “normal” orgasm (female), you should definitely try a period of sexual abstinence.
If these rules are not observed thoroughly, the practice of pranayama is dangerous and you will have failure in your attempts. In such cases, instead of helping you, the practice of pranayama is quite dangerous.
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