The word kumbhak is derived from the word kumbha meaning a water pot. Just as a water pot contains water, similarly, when the lungs hold the air, it is called kumbhak.
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What is Kumbhak
Source: Kumbhak Paddhati By Ragghuvira Book: Introduction
Editors: Dr. M. L. Gharote and Parimal Devnath, Lonavala School Of Yoga
The word kumbhak is derived from the word kumbha meaning a water pot. Just as a water pot contains water, similarly, when the lungs hold the air, it is called kumbhak. Yoga-yājñyavalkya defines kumbhak as ‘sampūrṇa-kumbhavad-vāyor-dhāraṇaṃ kumbhako bhavet’. Kumbha is used for kumbhak in many places in the present text. kumbhak is also a synonym of prāṇāyāma and has been profusely used in the paurāṇika and haṭhayogic literature. In these texts, the technique of prāṇāyāma is described in three phases, namely, pūraka, kumbhak and recaka.
But in prāṇāyāma the phase of kumbhak is most important and pūraka and recaka are only complementary and supplementary phases. Looking to the importance of the kumbhak phase, it is considered as a synonym for prāṇāyāma. Thus the three phases of prāṇāyāma, namely, pūraka, kumbhak and recaka are respectively the processes of filling the lungs with air, holding the air in the lungs and expelling the air from the lungs.
In the phase of kumbhak, there is no movement of breath. Therefore, smṛtis define it as niścala-śvāsaḥ. It is a phase in the respiration technically described as śvāsa-praśvāsa-gati-vicchedaḥ (Patanjali Yoga Sutras 2.49).
Physiology of Kumbhak
Kumbhak may be physiologically described as Breath Holding. The term Breath Holding occurs frequently in the Sports literature. In many athletic events breath is held. The physiology of breath holding involves respiratory, circulatory and cardiac changes, all of which are important. Most obvious changes are increasing level of CO₂ and decreasing level of O₂ in the alveolar air. These changes reflect the changes in the level of respiratory gases in the blood. O₂ and CO₂ levels are involved in respiratory control, but CO₂ level is more important in holding the breath.
When the partial pressure of CO₂ in the alveolar air exceeds approximately 50mm.Hg., the stimulus to breathe is so strong that the breath can no longer be held. This is called Break Point at which breathing recommences.
Chemoreceptors are susceptible to chemical component of the blood. Due to accumulation of CO₂, the capacity to retain the breath is limited. According to Haldane .01 per cent change in CO₂ changes the action of the respiratory system.
In kumbhak afferent impulses of Vagus start from the lungs and the efferent impulses of Vagus are sent back from Medulla oblongata. The afferent impulses enable us to keep the lungs in a particular stretched position and the efferent impulses help to slow down the heart.
When bandhas are applied during kumbhak, the presso-receptors yield to internal and external pressure. Thus jālandhara bandha has its effect on carotid sinus and helps to maintain the stretching of the lungs and slowing down of the heart.
When uḍḍiyāna is applied, presso-receptors situated in the abdominal viscera come into play and help maintain the stretching of the lungs and slowing down of the heart.
Same effect is obtained by the application of mūlabandha which activates parasympathetic system resulting in slowing down of the heart.
All the three bandhas applied during kumbhak have one and the same purpose.
By developing breath-holding time in kumbhak, we may improve physiological function by slowing down the heart and metabolism in general. But the importance of kumbhak lies in its psychological and spiritual effects. For this, control of emotions is very necessary. Respiratory activity is influenced by three factors, namely, metabolic, emotional and volitional. To take the advantage of volitional factor in kumbhak, the other two disturbing factors must be controlled. For this Hypothalamus will have to be trained. It is by developing concentration that we can activate this. Therefore, mere holding of breath in kumbhak is not enough, concentration is also necessary. Kumbhak without concentration will not help psychologically and spiritually. For the pacification of Hypothalamus and quietening it, practice of concentration is necessary. Therefore, during the practice of kumbhak, various concentration points have been suggested. The very purpose of kumbhak or prāṇāyāma as stated by Patañjali is to create proper environment for concentration (dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā manasaḥ PYS-II.53).
Practice of kumbhak introduces high pressure, both in the central canal of the spinal cord and the ventricles of the brain. These pressures centrally stimulate the whole nervous system, which helps the human consciousness to be internalized and super conscious perceptions become possible.
Recently, Neuro-psychologists are taking considerable interest in breathing patterns and their effects on consciousness and the body functions. It has been observed that changes of electrical activity are directly correlated with the changes in the relative nostril dominance. It is also seen that greater integrated EEG value in one hemisphere correlates with the predominance of the contra-lateral nostril.
Dr. M. V. Rajapurkar has presented a hypothesis that, ‘during kumbhak the intra-nasal pressure increases, the conche helps form whirls, the intra-nasal temperature increases and the enclosed air absorbs more moisture from the vascular mucosa. All these changes stimulate the olfactory nerve endings in the superior meatus of the nose. The impulses are carried to the olfactory lobe which sits on the cribriform plate and is then transmitted via the olfactory nerves to the limbic lobe. The limbic lobe feeds into the hypothalamus and then into the cerebral cortex. This seems to be one of the mechanisms through which the results of prāṇāyāma on the psycho-spiritual level are attained.’
(Excerpt of the Paper presented in the 2nd International Conference on Yoga, Lonavla, 1988).
Vāyu - The Life Airs In Kumbhak
With just a few exceptions, in yoga texts the words vāyu, vāta, prāṇa, pavana, samīraṇa, anila, māruta, marut, śvasana, prabhañjana are used indiscriminately as synonyms. This is confusing. It is necessary to consider the meaning of the word vāyu with reference to the context.
The various meanings of the word vāyu are—
i. Breath, i.e., the air that is breathed in and out,
ii. prāṇa which goes from nābhimūla (navel) to the head but can be carried to any part of the body and kept there for a shorter or longer time,
iii. Life, often used as vāyavaḥ in plural, signifying the many reflex activities,
iv. The mahābhūta (element) vāyu,
v. That region of the body where the mahābhūta vāyu is somehow said to reside,
vi. Nourishment, which reaches all the parts of the body—may be chiefly oxygen,
vii. Contraction of the muscles for performing an action,
viii. Ayurvedic vāta-doṣa—the wind which dries up things,
ix. The attitude of mind.
All these meanings of vāyu and its synonyms have to do with life, which is associated with movement. But vāyu and its synonyms signifying life and phenomena connected with life more than movement. Breathing, expiration, expired air, inspired air; all these are intimately connected with life. The ten vital reflexes are life. Nourishment maintains life. Contraction and expansion of muscles is a life activity. vātadoṣa is a defect in the processes of life. Nevertheless, always translating these words as life will not help us. We must see the distinctions between them and translate appropriately with reference to context.
Prāṇa and Vāyu - Life Force And Life Airs In Kumbhak
The word prāṇa is often used for vāyu. Different meanings of prāṇa found in the yogic literature are:
i. Vital force or the Principle of all the beings,
ii. Symbol of Brahmā,
iii. A cosmic entity inhering both physical and material aspects of creation,
iv. A vibrating, pulsating or radiating type of energy,
v. Life process governing the activities of different living beings,
vi. Respiratory air,
vii. The air sent out during exhalation or a stimulus for exhalation,
viii. Respiratory impulse causing inhalation or exhalation,
ix. Nervous impulse or sensation passing through different parts of the body,
x. Ten vital reflexes forming the life function related to conscious and unconscious activity of the body conditioned by Time and Space.
Prāṇa and Vāyu are the terms which have been used interchangeably in the Kumbhak-paddhati.
The prāṇādi-vāyus are usually enumerated as ten. They are prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna, vyāna, nāga, kūrma, kṛkara, devadatta and dhanañjaya. Of these ten, the first five are principal and of these five also again prāṇa and apāna are the most important (ŚS-III.6). These prāṇādi-vāyus constitute what is called life-process or jīvana as Vyāsa calls it (VB-III.39).
As this process is promoted by prāṇādi-vāyus (i.e. autonomic functions) and carried on in the different parts of the body, writers on yoga differentiate the prāṇādi-vāyus with reference to the different locations of these autonomic functions.
The locations, sphere of activity and the color of the prāṇādi-vāyus is given in the following table:
Description of Prāṇādi-Vāyus And Their Roles In Kumbhak
1. prāṇa
- Location: From nose and mouth to chest
- Color: Green (YuB, HY), dull red (ViS)
- Activity: Respiration
2. apāna
- Location: From abdomen to soles of feet
- Color: Black (YuB, HY), red (ViS)
- Activity: Excretion of urine, faeces and foetus
3. samāna
- Location: From chest to the abdomen
- Color: White (YuB, HY), transparent (ViS)
- Activity: Even distribution of essence of food in various parts of the body
4. udāna
- Location: From nose and mouth to the head
- Color: Red, (YuB, HY) white (ViS)
- Activity: Sending up secretions or juices
5. vyāna
- Location: Pervades the whole body
- Color: Rainbow (YuB, HY) bright yellow (ViS)
- Activity: Various movements of the body
The functions of the five nāgādi minor vāyus are mentioned in ŚS-III.8 as follows: nāga causes eructation, kūrma causes the eyes to open, kṛkara causes hunger and thirst, devadatta causes yawning and dhanañjaya causes hiccup.
The SSP-I.69 has a different description about the functioning of the ten vāyus. It is said that:
(i) exhalation and inhalation are both caused by prāṇa-vāyu,
(ii) apāna is mainly responsible for the three phases of prāṇāyāma, viz. recaka, kumbhak and pūraka. It appears that according to gorakṣa, prāṇāyāma is possible mainly by the action of apāna,
(iii) samāna is appetizer and digestive,
(iv) vyāna removes disorders in the nāḍīs,
(v) udāna helps swallowing or vomiting and talking,
(vi) nāga helps movements,
(vii) kūrma shakes the body and causes twinkling of the eyes,
(viii) kṛkara causes eructation and hunger,
(ix) devadatta causes yawning and
(x) dhanañjaya causes nāda-ghoṣa (sound).
Thus we find that in yogic literature the word prāṇa has a wide range of application, viz., from mere breath to a subtle cosmic principle.
To sum up, prāṇa means:
(i) Breath,
(ii) Respiratory impulse which causes inhalation and exhalation,
(iii) Nervous impulse or sensation passing through the different parts of the body,
(iv) Life process characterized by autonomic nervous functions in the various parts of the body,
(v) A cosmic entity, an evolute from avyakta pervading or inhering both the physical and a material aspects of creation.
It is also possible to think of the two aspects of prāṇa—static and dynamic—denoted by the words prāṇā-śakti (prāṇa as a power) and prāṇa-vāyu (prāṇa as a current) respectively.
Therapeutic Aspects of Kumbhak And Breathing In General
Today yoga has become popular throughout the world due to its therapeutical aspect, especially to deal with psychosomatic problems caused by stressful situations.
It has been accepted that emotions affect breathing process. It is becoming equally clear that breathing patterns affect emotionality. Scientists have verified that the slightest change in respiration induces changes in the rest of the autonomic nervous system and that physiological reaction is an essential component in emotionality. Inadequate respiration produces anxiety irritability and tension. Inability to breathe normally is the main obstacle to the recovery of emotional health. Breathing forms a bridge between conscious and the unconscious. Our breathing pattern expresses our inner situation. Through prāṇāyāmic techniques of yoga one learns to consciously alter one’s breathing and thus one’s emotional state. Many yogic breathing techniques lead one towards deep relaxation. For example, one can attain a calm and alert state through smooth and even diaphragmatic breathing. Through conscious alteration of the breathing pattern one can modify autonomic arousal and modulate subsequent level of emotionality. A few schools of modern psychology and physiotherapy like Reichian Therapy, Bioenergetic Therapy utilize this concept.
As mentioned above, particular breathing irregularities are associated with specific emotional and psychosomatic disorders. These could be overcome by diaphragmatic breathing and an altered ratio of inhalation and exhalation. Breathing and thinking are interrelated and they influence one another. In yoga, breath has been used as a tool for regulating all of one’s emotional and mental states and even the way in which one behaves.
Rationale of Kumbhak
When breath is active mind is also active. When breath is held, mind becomes inactive. Thus a yogi attains stability. Therefore, it should be practised (HP-II.2, IV.21,23-24).
Breath is the intermediary between body and mind. By developing breath awareness one develops awareness of the mind. Mindfulness for breathing leads on its own to the transcendence of ego, desires and suffering.
Breath, posture and thinking are interrelated. Unless the body is stable, mind cannot be steady. When the body is stable, the respiratory rate also comes down, subsequently reducing the thoughts.
According to PYS-II.52-53, the purpose of kumbhak or prāṇāyāma is twofold:
(i) Reducing the domination of egoistic thoughts preventing proper knowledge of Reality (prakāśāvaraṇa-kṣaya) and,
(ii) Qualifying the mind for concentration (dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā manasaḥ).
It brings stabilization of prāṇic currents contributing to the healthy mind and body and arousal of kuṇḍalinī force.
Ancient Yogi Teachers of Kumbhak
The author states in the introduction that he has composed the Kumbhak-paddhati based on the traditions and in consideration of the essence of several texts on yoga. The tradition mainly referred to by him is Adiyogi Śiva. His expression ‘kumbhamārgaṃ śivoditam’ indicates the fact clearly. While referring to various techniques of kumbhak he mentions Kumbhak traditions of Yoga authorities like Patañjali, Bhuśuṇḍa, Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana, Devala, Dvikarāja, Gonardīya, Dattātreya, Mārkaṇḍeya and Aśvinī-kumāra and other Ṛṣis and Munis along with the various commentators.