The word Kevala is linked to Patanjali's phrase for freedom, Kaivalya. Kevala is now a word that may mean both "freedom" or "independence."
It is a self-contained kumbhaka that is devoid of volution and structure on the one hand and inhalation and expiration on the other.
Kevala Kumbhaka, according to popular belief, occurs after all previous pranayama methods have been learned. Chaturtah is Patanjali's name for the fourth pranayama.
- It occurs, according to him, when internal, external, and halfway suspension have been mastered.
- However, Patanjali's term chaturtah also connects the kumbhaka to turiya, the fourth stage mentioned in the Mandukya Upanishad.
- The states include waking, dreaming, profound sleep, and awareness.
- The only state that is permanent is the fourth. It's the condition that's present in all of them.
Some yoga schools believe that Kevala Kumbhaka is present only when pure awareness is achieved, while others believe that this kumbhaka is present only when pure consciousness is attained.
In any event, the two are inextricably connected.
The Kevala Kumbhaka is also known as the genuine kumbhaka or the spontaneous kumbhaka.
- It may happen naturally when a practitioner reaches samadhi, and it is true in the sense that no conscious effort is needed.
When the yogi is ready, he or she enters it. He or she is moving beyond breath, beyond breathing, according to Kevala Kumbhaka.
- It does not imply that the yogi willfully ceases breathing, but rather that the breath will stop on its own.
Kevala Kumbhaka is defined by the Gheranda Samhita as the confinement of prana to the body, implying that it is stopped and fixed.
- As a result, it is unable to exit the body, which would result in death. Kevala Kumbhaka, according to the Hatha Tatva Kaumudi, is the condition in which prana is equally dispersed throughout the body.
In his Yoga Taravali, the great Shankaracharya connects Kevala Kumbhaka to mastery of the three bandhas as well as focus on the Anahata (heart) Chakra.
- He goes on to say that this breathless condition, in which there is no need to inhale or exhale, is the most essential of the pranayamas, and that prana is pulled from Ida and Pingala into the central nadi via Kevala Kumbhaka (sushumna ).
- As a result, this kumbhaka wakes the sleeping serpent Kundalini, resulting in easy dharana and dhyana success.
- This final line is especially significant because it shows that rising Kundalini is not only a component of Patanjali yoga, but it is also necessary and essential to succeeding in and mastering Patanjali's Ashtanga (eight-limbed) Yoga.
- Instead of Kevala Kumbhaka, the Kumbhaka Paddhati of Raghuvira adopts the term Meru Kumbhaka. Raghuvira seems to be the only source to define Kevala Kumbhaka in a quantitative manner, i.e. he evaluates its achievement by its length, by teaching that it is achieved in steps.
- This is in contrast to Patanjali and Shankara, who only provide qualitative definitions for yoga limbs.
TECHNIQUE
Kevala Kumbhaka may be reached in a variety of ways. It may be accessed as a result of samadhi in the following ways:
- ln.Jnana Yoga, one attains it by fully identifying with the formless Absolute and renouncing all identification with the body, mind, ego, and the world (nirgunabrahman).
- This is the route that is considered the most challenging. Complete devotion to the ishtadevata (personal god) as a manifestation of the Absolute with form is how the Bhakta accomplishes it (saguna brahman).
- Raising the Kundalini via focus, as stated in Bhutashuddhi Pranayama and Nadanusandhana, is one of the methods used by Laya Yoga . (listening to inner sound).
- The Bhramari, Shambhavi, Khechari, and Yoni mudras are all utilized in Hatha Yoga.
- There are two main paths to Kevala Kumbhaka within the pranayama method.
- The first is to gradually increase the breath count in slow-breathing pranayamas like Nadi Shodhana, Surya, and Chandra bhedana.
- The practitioner slows down the essential processes to the point that the breath seems to stop after a lengthy period of practice, assisted by mastery of the bandhas.
- The second path employs the Kapalabhati and Bhastrika rapid-breathing techniques.
- They feed the brain with oxygen and deplete carbon dioxide to the point where the respiratory center turns off and does not demand the next breath if exercised long enough.
- All of the aforementioned techniques should be used in conjunction with bandhas and internal and exterior kumbhakas.
- A competent instructor must adapt such a practice to the requirements of the person, taking into consideration a variety of variables such as season.
You may also want to read more about Pranayama and Holistic Healing here.
