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trated in the digestive process and can be used to initiate more subtle activities. At the same time, pranayama should not be practised when one is very hungry.
Sequence: Pranayama should be performed after asanas and before meditation practices. After doing asanas, the practitioner may rest for five minutes and then begin pranayama. A few rounds of pranayama may also be practised just before japa and meditation. The mind becomes onepointed and the body feels lighter after pranayama, and then meditation is more enjoyable.
The seat: Natural fibres such as cotton or wool are best to sit on for the practice of pranayama. It is not advisable to sit on or wear materials made of synthetic fibres, as they repel negative ions and attract positive ions. Positive ions are not conducive to pranayama or to good health because they act as a shield, obstructing the flow of negative ions into the body.
Posture: The ability to sit comfortably in a meditation asana is a requisite for the successful practice of pranayama. The correct posture enables efficient breathing as well as stability of the body during the practice. Both concentration and technique are hampered by poor posture. The chest, neck and head must be in one vertical line during the practice, so that the spinal cord remains straight. One should not allow the body to become crooked or to collapse. The body should not bend forwards or backwards or to the right or left. By regular practice, mastery over the pose will come by itself.
The best postures for the practice of pranayama are padmasana, siddhasana, siddha yoni asana and swastikasana. When one advances in the practice, prana moves through the body at a terrific speed. This movement must be supported by total immobility of the body, which these postures maintain. As the body produces more energy, it effectively turns into an electrical pole. The left side carries cool energy and the right warm energy, representing the negative and positive poles. The additional energy produced by the practice can escape through the earth connection. Therefore, a closed circuit must be created to ensure that the energy remains within the body.
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