Pain and Bliss while doing Breathing Techniques

[cobrien]

I have been doing a breathing technique for 19 months. During the course I did an average of 25 minutes a day. Sometimes I'd have to recover from the pain and strain on my head and chest area. I kept with. I've fainted several times. Been drawn into involuntary movements that hurt like hell.

 

I don't mediate. I do a simple breath. Does it move prana or chi, I really don't know. So much pain was caused by my own resistance to the flow which was often a mental block. I stand in horse stance while doing this. I don't know too much about Qi Gong or energy cultivation. I really just do what works.

 

For the first year I would  strain to cause that feeling of flow of whatever it is. The flow would be baffled and cause very painful uncoordinated movements. The first year was really managing the pain.

 

The balance between that pain and the feeling of being refreshed or overjoyed has been tipping towards the feeling rather than the pain.

 

Over the last six months the realization that I no longer need to strain myself as much has been dawning on me.

 

In my technique I expand the chest then push down to my lower dan tian (pretty much inbetween my legs). I think that the technique is too blunt and causes too much strain.

 

I have been thinking of adapting my breathing exercise to where I focus the strain like pulling on the lower dan tian exclusively.

 

The reason I am posting this is to ask: does anyone else experience these things?,If so what solution have they found, Is exclusive focus on the lower dan tian more efficient then involving the chest area as well.

 

 

I have my opinions, but I am not very knowledgeable with regards to teachings and techniques. I look forwards this discussion.

 

Thank you

[ilumairen]

A few suggestions (from someone who is not a teacher)

 

1) Slow down. The amount of time you are putting into these exercises may be a bit much. Your body already knows how to breathe. Let it do that.

 

2) Water! The clearer the better, and lots of it. When you feel whatever indications your body gives you that you are about to pass out, drink water.

 

3) Sit your tushy down, and stop focusing on things and sensations. Just sit until that feeling passes, and then sit a little longer if you have it in you. Let things settle. (Yes, I'm suggesting that big bad 'm' word, but you don't have to call it that.)

 

*******

 

Please consider the idea that it's probably not all that healthy to make yourself pass out.

[Aetherous]

It's possible to really hurt oneself by doing breathing practices wrong over a period of time.

It's very abnormal to be fainting from it...bad sign! And pain in the head and chest are also not good signs.

You say you just do what works...but what is a sign that something is working? Fainting to me is a sign that something's not working.

 

For the sake of your own health, it would be best to stop this current practice and find a teacher or a method that is more legitimate. What are your goals from all of this? Perhaps forum members could help you reach your goals by suggesting different practices.

[gatito]

You need to stop doing this immediately and locate competent help.

 

Pranayama is not something to try to figure out by yourself...

[Jetsun]

Yes stop before you do serious damage 

[cobrien]

It is my supposition that pain while doing this exercise is caused by the flow of energy which is too strong for my current energy circuitry. Pain is just a teacher. Yes at first I did not know how to manage this pain. Perhaps the effectiveness of my "pranayama" technique is great. I spoke of pain and falling down while performing the breathing technique to emphasize how much I believe mental blocks prevent smooth flow of energy.

 

I believe that doing this technique I temporary raise my consciousness to a higher jhana. Upon returning the misalignment is experienced as pain. Given the fact that I have never experienced just pain it is fair to say that I am in somewhat alignment. This is supported by the fact that I never experience the same degree of pain with a similar evoking of energy by the technique.

 

The level of joy, connection and satisfaction I experience from doing this technique is substantial. Pain never prevented me from exercising. I would honesty say that pain has purpose in assisting me in refining the pathways of the energies as I evoke the energy.

 

It is easier to talk about the misalignment, the pain (allegedly) than it is to talk about the expansion of thinking and consciousness. I simply lack knowledge and have let experience be my teacher. After 19 months the pain has become minor, allegedly, due to being able to withstand higher amperage of energies.

Edited December 7, 2015 by cobrien

[seekingbuddha]

You have created a thought process,  a  logical  pathway  to justify  that whatever you are doing has no fault.   Consider that many practices  have been  developed  and handed down  over centuries,  and  hence it carries the experience  of  millions of people.   Would you  be willing to give  respect  to the  experience of  millions  of people  who lived before you, practicing most of their  lives  OR  would you  give respect only to your own experience ?   Something to think about, while you contemplate the suggestions of others here.

 

In addition,  please  do not use the word  Jhana.  It carries  a meaning  that is beyond what the western world has interpreted it to be.  You are simply  experiencing  pleasurable state of mind,  as your  strength  developed over year and half.  Physically you have grown stronger, and  this in turn  has reduced your pain,  increased your ability to enjoy  "simply  being".  I know very little,  but i know enough to respect the opinion of  others and give it due consideration.

[cobrien]

You have created a thought process,  a  logical  pathway  to justify  that whatever you are doing has no fault.   Consider that many practices  have been  developed  and handed down  over centuries,  and  hence it carries the experience  of  millions of people.   Would you  be willing to give  respect  to the  experience of  millions  of people  who lived before you, practicing most of their  lives  OR  would you  give respect only to your own experience ?   Something to think about, while you contemplate the suggestions of others here.

 

In addition,  please  do not use the word  Jhana.  It carries  a meaning  that is beyond what the western world has interpreted it to be.  You are simply  experiencing  pleasurable state of mind,  as your  strength  developed over year and half.  Physically you have grown stronger, and  this in turn  has reduced your pain,  increased your ability to enjoy  "simply  being".  I know very little,  but i know enough to respect the opinion of  others and give it due consideration.

 

What I am doing simply works for me. I have made no claim that it is without faults.

 

 

Honestly, I have never thought to find a teacher. I have always assumed that there is no one.  Where would I look for a teacher

[Jetsun]

"The dangers of un-natural breathing practices"

http://thedaobums.com/topic/22384-the-dangers-of-forced-and-unnatural-breathing-pratices/

 

If you want to find a teacher try the "Sudarshan Kriya" pranayama taught by the Art of Living foundation, they teach it world wide and is considered safe. http://www.artofliving.org/us-en/search/course#distance=10&sSearch=&st=&lat=&lng=&ctype=&acol=0&c=&cc=&d1=&d2=

 

Doing it on your own you will probably just do yourself much harm. 

[Taoist Texts]

What I am doing simply works for me. 

 

Great, thats the way to go. Important thing is to keep the pain and heat away from the heart, head, kidneys and testicles.

Honestly, I have never thought to find a teacher. I have always assumed that there is no one.  

There is not.

 

Where would I look for a teacher

And even if there would be, people just say this in the auto-reply mode. If asked what guarantee does a teacher provide exactly , they would be hard pressed for a correct answer. Which is 'nothing'.

[Kubba]

I fainted a few times and at that time I did not do any forcefull breath exercises. Just having bursts of energy. Pain in my head - yes. In my chest - yes, not at the same time but after several months from experiencing pain in my head the pain in chest occured.

 

It is known that any breath practice, after time causes involuntary movements in the body. I don't know who teached you this exercises but he/ she shoud know that it will happend. These movements occure withouth any forcefull practice too.

 

As I said - my experience is simmilar to yours but withouth any forcefull practice.

Any transformation causes pain in the body. When there is a lot of energy being reliesed fainting and involuntary movements (kriya) can occure, yet it is politically incorrect to talk about it cause it is terrifying for people to hear about it, thats one of the reason why you won't hear about it on you tube too much. Yet they are actually good and normal sighns and you can find some confirmations in spiritual literature. (The science of pranayama , Sivananda)

Don't let your proces be pathologised by people's oppinion. Preferably you shouldn't let people in your enviroment to see it, cause these movements can happend durring the day too, not necessary while practicing only.

 

You need to adjust your diet and stay hydrated as someone already has said.

 

I would say that you coud simply check what will happend and stop practicing this, just let go of your practice and see what will happend, simply meditate, for example observing your breath how it enters through nostrils to abdomen. It could help to ballance. I would also say that you need some guidance from a real teacher - that would dissolve your anxiety, but you should think for yourself offcourse.

I can just share with you that I've been also trying to find some help on internet forum but ultimately ony help from a real teacher was beneficial and grounding to me, these kind of guidances you won't find on-line and in books, I can assure you.

Edited December 7, 2015 by Kubba

[cobrien]

Well, for the first 8-10 months there was involuntary movement when I forced too much energy through my circuitry. I have become better especially in these last few months.

 

Besides the physical sensation of breath, an extremely strong pull from my lower dan tian causes something that I could only think of to describe as a collapse of resistance. I then feel extremely energized and refreshed, often I have insight into my self.

 

Pain was just a part of the practice. I think moving masses of energy through the body naturally would put a strain on the energy circuitry.

 

After the "collapse" you simply, temporarily remember you are energy. You sort of gain normal awareness back after your own awareness warps the energy you sense.

 

I suppose it is possible that by doing this breathing technique I come into touch with the power of the moment.

 

I appreciate the last few posts.

 

 

What I am interested in is using this technique to directly experience liberation and freedom which is not lasting, but offers insight into myself on how it could be.

 

Some of you caution me against doing what I am doing without guidance. I have no personal qualms to do what I am doing because I learn from direct experience. I am aware this can at times be less than optimal.

Edited December 11, 2015 by cobrien

[cobrien]

I wanted to add that an effect of doing this breathing technique after about 3 months was that my dreams starting directly teaching me about my resistance. Often if I spent 40 minutes or more doing this  that night while sleeping I would face what I think could best be described as adjustment. They are sort of a less intense version of the breathing I do while awake.

 

The progression of the dream experience was first like being frozen in discomfort. After a few dozen times I learned not to react in fear and slowly gained more and more movement. As these experiences continued I became more lucid and aware that you control the scene changes in dream sequences because it is a mash of multiple realities.

 

In general after one of these experiences which were uncomfortable in the beginning I would wake up extremely refreshed. Over time I believe another effect of doing this breathing exercise is simply higher quality sleep. I would think that the reason for this is because I am gaining experiences travelling between altered states by doing this exercise.

 

Often when I experience an "adjustment" during sleep my senses are extremely dampened and there is sometimes an entity assisting me in gaining my wits while going through this.

 

I have thought that my dreams are the initiatory and reflective state which enhances the positive insight and direct experience gained from doing the exercises.

 

During an "adjustment" last night the entity assisting me mentioned a lot of different names for techniques that I never heard of. Because of this I do believe that I am receiving at least some form of guidance in my endeaver

[Kubba]

During an "adjustment" last night the entity assisting me mentioned a lot of different names for techniques that I never heard of. Because of this I do believe that I am receiving at least some form of guidance in my endeaver

Thats really cool, before I thought that you are trying "do it yourself" style.

 

Since how long are you having these experiences?

[cobrien]

Thats really cool, before I thought that you are trying "do it yourself" style.

 

Since how long are you having these experiences?

 

Slightly after I started doing the exercise. "Adjustments" are tough. More often I receive guidance in understanding my own choices. It's not like the entities have taken me under their wings. I don't think it works that way. In the experience I mentioned there was a sensing of so many different entities. The experiences I have are valuable to me. There's beings who live with that sensing like telepathy. To me I am so new to the state that I was taken aback on how normal it was for them.