Chaturtha Pranayama

Chaturtha pranayama is both a pranayama and a meditative practice. It combines breathing, mantra and chakra awareness. It is a very powerful technique that is not widely taught.

The Sanskrit word chaturtha means ‘the fourth’. There are two reasons for this name:

1. The first three types of pranayama are widely regarded as pooraka (inhalation), rechaka (exhalation) and kumbhaka (retention). Chaturtha pranayama is said to be the fourth type that follows them. In this case the English translation can be ‘the fourth pranayama’.

2. According to the Mandukya Upanishad there are four states of awareness. These are firstly, jagrat (waking state), which corresponds to the externalized perception of the world, secondly, swapna (the dream state), which corresponds to perception of the subconscious mind, thirdly, sushupti (dreamless state), which corresponds to intuitive perception of the collective unconscious, and finally, turiya (the fourth – chaturtha), which is the transcendental state where words and definitions fail to reach.

Thus, chaturtha pranayama is one method, of many, which induces the fourth state of superconsciousness. In this case it can be translated as ‘the pranayama of the fourth state’.

In the practice you have to do manasik japa (mental repetition) of the mantra Om. In this practice the ‘A’ and ‘U’ sounds of Aum merge into the single sound ‘O’. The ‘O’ sound should be synchronized with inhalation and the ‘M’ sound with exhalation.

Technique

Stage 1: breathing awareness

1. Sit comfortably.

2. Close the eyes.

3. Hold the back straight.

3. Breathe deeply in and out without retention.

4. One round equals exhalation and inhalation. Do as many rounds as time permits.

5. Let the breath become deeper and more subtle.

6. Fix awareness on the rhythmical flow of breath.

7. Then after a number of rounds, at least 20, proceed to stage 2.

Stage 2: synchronization of breathing with Om

1. Continue the deep breathing.

2. Mentally synchronize the mantra Om with the breath.

3. The sound ‘O’ should arise with inhalation.

4. The sounds ‘M-M-M-M’ should arise with exhalation. Remember, the sound is mental.

5. Breathe through the nose, keeping the mouth closed.

6. Continue in this manner with awareness of the flow of breath and the mantra.

Stage 3: individual chakra awareness

1. Continue stage 2.

2. Simultaneously fix your attention on any one of the chakras, at the bhrumadhya (eyebrow centre) or nasikagra (nose tip). Choose any one centre. We recommend the eyebrow centre.

3. Feel that you breathing in with the mental sound ‘O’ at that centre.

4. Feel that you are breathing out with the mental sound ‘M-M-M-M’ at that centre.

5. Continue in this manner with awareness of breath, mantra and psychic centre.

Stage 4: chakra piercing

1. Fix your attention at sahasrara.

2. With inhalation and the sound ‘O’ feel that all the chakras are being pierced in turn in the following order, starting from sahasrara: ajna, vishuddhi, anahata, manipura, swadhisthana, mooladhara.

3. Feel the breath and ‘O’ sound moving downwards through the spine.

4. Then with exhalation and the sound ‘M-M-M-M’ feel the chakras being pierced in turn from the mooladhara upwards to the sahasrara: swadhisthana, manipura, anahata, vishuddhi, ajna, sahasrara.

5. Feel the breath and sound passing upwards in the spine. This is the end of 1 round.

Do more rounds according to the available time. Then proceed to the final stage.

Stage 5: subtle japa

1. Again choose any one chakra, the best for most people is the bhrumadhya (eyebrow centre).

2. Continue mental repetition of Om synchronized with the breath, but now there is no need to be aware of breathing. Be aware only of the mantra and the psychic centre.

3. Feel the ‘O’ and the ‘M-M-M’ sound at the chosen centre.

4. Continue in this manner for as long as possible. This will lead to deep introspection and relaxation of the mind. This is the end of the practice.

Duration

Spend about one fifth of your practice time doing each stage. That is, if you spend twenty five minutes for the practice then devote five minutes to each stage, if you do an one hour practice program then devote twelve minutes to each stage.

Be intensely aware of your breath, the mantra and the psychic centres.

Benefits

This practice soothes away tensions in the mind and makes perception introspective, sharp and one-pointed. It can lead to dhyana (meditation). Chaturtha pranayama is also a very useful preparatory technique for kriya yoga in that it develops sensitivity to the chakras and the spinal psychic passage.

Swami Satyananda Saraswati