1 0 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 6 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 2 0 When successful, it brings necessarily the silence of the mind. It may happen, that if the perception of sinking that is still felt at the beginning was too speedy, the mind can bring in the feeling of fear. It comes from the association with an earthly fall, where the consequences may be painful. We can note, that inholotropic breathwork , if one happens to get into the fourthBasic Perinatal Matrix – BPM 4 (Grof 2014, 97–101) there may be a feeling of falling into an infinite depth and also a perception of death/rebirth, liberation or emergence into the light . The crossing to the experience of identity with unlimited existence can be accompanied also with moments of intense fear due to the “guarding principles” (Grof 1992, 88, 96). That may appear projected into consciousness of the sādhakabefore merging into the Being. During themajjana type of practice, one can also be in a state, where the EEG would show an increased delta activity (0,1–4 Hz), and in this case one would not be able to recall the experience during this phase of the practice (Hirai 1974, 32), even though there is no sleep. Thusmajjana is very effective, but only in case one can disentangle one’s attention from all the processes created and ex - ecuted by the mind. It also means – as explained by Maharshi (1966, 3) that one has to be able to lose interest in vāsanās – tendencies coded in ahamkāra . 3.4 The Application of Prānārodha as a Pathway to Mukti Ramamohan (2016, 26) directs the attention to the appli - cability of prānāyāma in Self-enquiryby becoming aware of the “content” of the points, where exhalation ends and the ‘I’ notion rises. Similar practices are described inVijnana Bhairava (2002, 21–25). Laksman Joo (1997, 43) recommends maintaining an undisturbed movement of the breath. The breath should be slow, inaudible and without any pause. The continuity of the movement of breath is very important, and it should be maintained with full awareness focused at the point where the incoming breath reaches its completion and the point where the outgoing breath is born. The observation of the source of the starting impulses for inhalation and exhalation is also a means to quieten the mind. Ramana Maharshi had specific comments on kumbhaka in prānāyāma and meditation when answering the question, “ When one meditates, the whole body appears overheated. Why so? And is it good?” (Nagamma 1973, 446): Yes, would it not be so? When the mind gets concentrated, the act of breathing stops involuntarily. When that happens, the body does feel over-heated. What of that? In due course one gets accustomed to it. In Vicharasangraham (Maharshi 1994, 21–22), the following dialogue is recorded: Q: Of the means of mind control, what is the most important? A: Breath control is the means for mind control. Q: How is breath to be controlled? A: Breath can be controlled either by absolute retention of breath [Note: kevala kumbhaka] or by regulation of breath [Note: prānāyāma ]. Q: What is the absolute retention of breath? A: It is making the vital air [Note: prāna ] stay firmly in the Heart even without exhalation and inhalation. This is achieved through meditation on the vital principle [Note: prāna ] etc. Q: What is the regulation of breath? A: It is making the vital air [Note: prāna ] stay firmly in the Heart through exhalation, inhalation and retention, according to the instructions given in the yoga texts. This method is relatively easy to practice, though it takes a lot of time to perfect it to the above-mentioned level. 3.5 Surrender as a Practicable Way for a Contemporary Sādhaka All the above-mentioned practices could relatively easily take us to the critical point, where we would have to abandon the services of the mind and to relax our attention from all the products of ahamkāra , specially the sense of the individualized Self but will be unable to get through. It is a critical process and it may be necessary to have the help of a guru or of grace of the Absolute. Ramana Maharshi, when asked how to attract grace (Venkataramiah 1968, 283), an - swered that by surrender to the guru or the Being. Godman
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