This 3-part meditation helps the body recover from fatigue and regulate the energy through the breath. With practice it develops a “self-rhythm,” in which the two hemispheres of the brain cross-relate and quell the wavering mind.
The whistle breath stimulates the vagus nerve, calms the nervous system, and activates the thyroid and parathyroid glands. It is cooling and relaxing. For the practitioner, this brings balance and energy.
Whistle
Posture: Sit in Easy Pose with a straight spine.
Mudra: Bring your hands into Ravi Mudra, thumbs and Sun (ring) fingers touching and the other fingers straight. Rest the backs of your hands on your knees.
Breath & Mantra: Sit calmly for 30 seconds. Then begin to whistle along with Ardas Bhaee Instrumental Version (Healing Sounds of the Ancients #5). Purse your lips and do your best to whistle properly, using the lips rather than the tongue. Purse your lips and whistle: the whistle is not done with the tongue, whistle with the lips. If you cannot make the sound of a whistle, purse the lips and mimic to the best of your ability.
Continue for 9 1/2 minutes.
Long Deep Breathing
Posture & Mudra: Stretch your spine up straight. Turn your right palm upward and your left palm downward. Your arms are comfortably extended in front of your body, elbows and hands are about diaphragm level.
Breath: Consciously inhale long and deep through the nose and exhale deeply through the mouth. Do not create tension. Breathe deeply, and relax into the posture. Give yourself a few minutes to experience yourself. It will put the inner self of you into balance and can take away fatigue and energize you.
Continue for 5 minutes.
Chant
Posture & Mudra: Put your left hand against the heart center, the center of your chest, and place your right hand on top of it.
Mantra: Sing from the navel along with Nirinjan Kaur’s recording of Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo.
Continue for 1 minute. To finish, inhale deeply (hold the breath 10 – 15 seconds) and press your hands at your heart center. Press hard and squeeze the entire body. Exhale with a cannon fire breath. Repeat this sequence two more times.
This meditation was originally taught on May 28, 1997 and can be found in Praana, Praanee, Praanayam.