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Breath, Mind, and Consciousness
by Harish Johari
As a practitioner of kundalini meditation, I was already aware of conscious breathing and its role in expanded consciousness. And so I was really looking forward to reading the latest book to come my way – Breath, Mind, and Consciousness.
The author, Harish Johari, is a master of Swara Yoga, which in his own words is “the science of nasal breathing”. The theory seems to make sense – for the most part, that is.
When we breathe, we take in prana – the universal life force (which is by the way much more than just oxygen). Prana is what powers the mind, body and spirit. So if we can learn to control our breathing (the theory maintains), we can control the mind. With the mind in tow, we then have the ability to influence our health and unlock the secrets to higher consciousness. So far so good.
Johari goes into considerable and rather technical detail about one core concept in Swara Yoga — nostril domination. You see, if you thought that you breathe out of both sides of your nose at the same time and with equal force, you’d be mistaken. I had already heard elsewhere that the moon, believe it or not, affects our breathing and so I wasn’t surprised when Johari made the same assertion. But there was more to come.
Whether the right or left nostril is dominant isn’t only affected by the moon. The sun has a role to play as does the day of the week and the time of day. Now if you’re wondering which nostril is in charge right now, well worry not as Johari provides several techniques to figure that out. There are even exercises to switch the dominant nostril should that be necessary (or desired).
No doubt you read my Weekly Words article on the importance of breathing correctly and are already using my tips for better breathing. (In case you missed it, click here.) So you’ll know that I’m a proponent of proper breathing. And I’ve never been one to disrespect the moon – I’m all for planting my fruit and veg by her. But when I have to check my lunar calendar, my watch and my dominant nostril BEFORE I get out of bed, I draw the line.
Breath, Mind, and Consciousness makes for an interesting and surprisingly convincing read. However, just how practical it would be to implement Johari’s techniques in the demanding life of today leaves me scratching my head.
Breath, Mind, and Consciousness is available at Amazon.
You can find more of my book reviews at PsychicBridges.
IntuitiveBridges Rating: 
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Life-changing |
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Can't live without |
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Put the kettle on and settle down |
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Worth a quick flick |
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Leave it on the shelf |
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