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I've been doing this for years now and it's hard to imagine the old days when I used to wake up, shower, and run into work. At first it started with just waking

I've been doing this for years now and it's hard to imagine the old days when I used to wake up, shower, and run into work. At first it started with just waking up, making coffee with my aeropress, and sitting down to read a novel for up to an hour. The past 2.5+ years have been: wake up, stretch and pranayama for 20 minutes, meditate for 30 minutes, make tea/coffee, write for 30-40 minutes, shower and then off to work. (I've moved the reading to the evenings before bed.) All in it's about 2 hours from waking up until out the door to walk to work. My work days now start even more focused -- previously I'd just be sitting at my desk being only semi productive, waiting for the coffee to kick in. It's worth giving it a try for a couple months to see how it works for you.

hongshizi 8y ago
Out of curiosity, what do you differently during your 30 minute meditation than during the pranayama?
- mtalantikite 8y ago
  For pranayama I practice things like nadi sodhana, bhastrika, and visama vrtti, with kumbhakas depending on what I'm doing. My meditation is probably closest to what people call vipassana these days -- it's watching the breath or another meditation object without any active control of it (which isn't completely correct, as attention does affect the breath). Pranayama on the other hand is an active manipulation of the breath.
  - hongshizi 8y ago
    I see. So do you practice pranayama prior to the vipassana in order to increase the effectiveness of the vipassana? Or do they do function separately for you?
    - mtalantikite 8y ago
      That's a good question. I view them as separate but interrelated, and often times I'll practice pranayama without doing a corresponding meditation (e.g. after asana). Pranayama in many ways is exercise which readies you for meditation. The Anapanasati Sutta makes reference to a form of it as a preparatory practice. It has helped me investigate and understand bodily sensations that arise in meditation that previously would have been distracting to me. Or to not be overwhelmed with fear or thoughts in meditation when occasionally you realize "hey, I actually haven't been breathing for a while". Happy to talk about it more off thread if you'd like (email in profile).

hongshizi 8y ago

Out of curiosity, what do you differently during your 30 minute meditation than during the pranayama?

mtalantikite 8y ago
For pranayama I practice things like nadi sodhana, bhastrika, and visama vrtti, with kumbhakas depending on what I'm doing. My meditation is probably closest to what people call vipassana these days -- it's watching the breath or another meditation object without any active control of it (which isn't completely correct, as attention does affect the breath). Pranayama on the other hand is an active manipulation of the breath.
- hongshizi 8y ago
  I see. So do you practice pranayama prior to the vipassana in order to increase the effectiveness of the vipassana? Or do they do function separately for you?
  - mtalantikite 8y ago
    That's a good question. I view them as separate but interrelated, and often times I'll practice pranayama without doing a corresponding meditation (e.g. after asana). Pranayama in many ways is exercise which readies you for meditation. The Anapanasati Sutta makes reference to a form of it as a preparatory practice. It has helped me investigate and understand bodily sensations that arise in meditation that previously would have been distracting to me. Or to not be overwhelmed with fear or thoughts in meditation when occasionally you realize "hey, I actually haven't been breathing for a while". Happy to talk about it more off thread if you'd like (email in profile).