Dr. Guenter Waldeck, M.D.

A Yogi with Complete Control of Heart and Breath

When I heard that Dhirananda had achieved the state of consciousness in which there is complete control over breath and heart function, my medical curiosity was awakened. I asked him if I could conduct a medical examination and pose some questions afterwards.

The use of many relaxation techniques has spread throughout Europe during the past 70 years. With their help, the practitioner can influence the autonomic nervous system. But this does not result in a state of no breath and no pulse – as in the reports from India – because the autonomic centres of the medulla oblongata are beyond our control.

In 1980, I encountered the Indian Yogi Dhirananda (see Literature 1) for the first time. He teaches the original KRIYA YOGA in Europe. Kriya was already mentioned in the Yoga Sutras of the Patanjali and the Bhagavata. In Sanskrit, Yoga means unity. Kri means action and ya is what happens within us: feeling the unity with the soul in everything we do.

The technique consists of simple body, breath and concentration exercises that are limited to what is essential – mudras and meditation. It was passed on to Lahiri Mohasoy as the essence of ancient forms of yoga in 1861 by the legendary Yoga Master Babaji.

Monks have always and everywhere had enough time for religious practices, but not the individual who is active in everyday life. Kriya Yoga has been created especially for that type of person. Lahiri Mohasoy actually wanted to become a monk, but started a family and lived a middle-class life at the request of his teacher. This proved that it is possible to achieve a high level of spiritual development even without being a monk.

His most famous student was Sri Yukteswar (see Literature 2), who later prepared Paramahansa Yogananda (see Literature 3) for disseminating the teachings of Kriya Yoga in Europe and America.

As a student of Dhirananda, I had the opportunity to become acquainted with his loving being and his balanced nature. I was drawn not only to his knowledge of the sacred writings, but also to his advanced spiritual consciousness.

In January 1986, I heard that he had achieved that highest level of consciousness, which is called Nirvikalpa-Samadhi in Yoga terminology. In this state, a Yogi has complete control over breath and heart function. My medical curiosity was awakened and I asked him if I could conduct a medical examination. “I generally do not like to demonstrate it. It is a secret, it happens through the grace of God and no one should abuse it,” was Dhirananda’s response.

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After the evening meditation, we went into a quiet room. I began to register his general condition and the frequency of the breath and pulse. Dhirananda closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled two to three times and then – his pulse stopped completely, as did his breath.

Cessation of breathing and the absence of circulatory function are signs of clinical death. After 20 seconds, the lack of cerebral blood flow should have led to unconsciousness. After four minutes, the lack of oxygen supply should have caused irreversible brain damage as its result. As an emergency physician, I should now have immediately begun with the resuscitation efforts. The respect for the state of Samadhi and the lack of external signs of shock convinced me to refrain from this.

Three silent minutes. Then his heart and breath began to start again, very slowly at first and then at a normal rate. I was amazed. There were no signs of strain on his face. He was even refreshed and as happy as ever. He asked with a smile: “Are you satisfied?” I responded: “Yes, but how is it possible?”

His pulse stopped completely, and so did his breath

The Interview

“It is not impossible,” is how Dhirananda started his explanation. “Think of a large machine that functions through electricity. When the power is turned off, the entire machine stops its motion. Once it is turned on again, it begins to work with powerful movements and noise. All living beings are moved in the same way by the cosmic electricity of prana. All types of physical movements and psychological mechanisms function through prana, the power of the soul or God. When you have achieved complete control through prana, you can also control each cell, as well as the nerves and all of the voluntary and involuntary muscles of the body. You can let each part of your body come to rest.

We receive a bit of rest during sleep, but not always. The body of the average person suffers from great tension because of bad dreams. Every living being stores a tremendous amount of prana that is collected through food, water, sunlight and air. We need this energy for every physical and mental movement. Each person should therefore make an effort to repair unnecessary weak spots through which prana can escape. Examples of these are excessive talking, mental depression, anger, sensual pleasures, etc.

Author: Is it possible to control our prana?

Dhirananda: The soul controls the prana. When we meditate seriously and on a regular basis and feel the unity with the soul, then it gradually becomes possible to control the

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prana with the soul. The storage place of prana is the soul or God in every human being. Every illness can be healed through prana when you know how to use it. Prana is a force that permeates everything, through which it is easily possible to do distance healing. When you know how to let the prana flow and transfer it to people who are sick, all types of diseases – whether they have a physical or a mental basis – can be healed. Many Yogis, many holy people and Jesus are examples that prove this truth.

Author: What are the obstacles that prevent the flow of pranic energy so that the average person cannot use this energy?

Dhirananda: Impurity of the mental substance and a lack of meditation are the reasons. Most healers misuse this energy by striving for ego satisfaction and material prosperity in exchange for it. When this energy is used for egotistical reasons and in exchange for personal interests, then the pranic flow will gradually cease.

Author: Please speak more about prana and its functions.

Dhirananda: Prana governs the three main cosmic forces, which are called gunas in Sanskrit (see Literature 1). They connect all things like a chain, starting with the atom and up to the stars and planets. They control the universe in this manner.

The three types of gunas are:

1. Sattva Guna is a self-revealing and conscious energy. Sattvas brings goodness, happiness, peace, blessings, purity and knowledge.

2. Raja Guna attracts and repels energy, which produces activity, movement and change. When Rajas is active, the result is passion, anger, selfishness, desires and mental restlessness. The mental essence of Sattvas and the denseness of Tamas (see 3) cannot accomplish anything without the energy of Rajas because every movement comes from this dynamic force.

When the prana energy is used for selfish reasons and in exchange for personal interests, the pranic flow will gradually cease

All forms of energy that come from Rajas are simultaneously constructive and destructive, simultaneously physical and metaphysical. The tremendous energy of Rajas is present even in the smallest parts of the atom.

3. Tama Guna is the static state, the material of matter. The mind cannot grasp the truth and recognize the true nature of things when Tamas is active. This creates ignorance, sleep, lethargy and laziness.

These three Gunas are inseparable and related to each other. One example: Tamas brings obstacles in manifesting something. Through the power of Rajas, the obstacles are overcome, and Sattvas gives meaning to its realisation. When the cosmic force of

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Rajas drives the darkness away from Tamas through its active energy, the light of Sattvas appears. Development and regression depend on the presence or absence of the three cosmic forces. All three contain these qualities: intelligence, energy and dullness.

When Sattvas is the driving force for an entire lifetime, the next life will be a spiritual one. People who have achieved this state in their lives are called Sattvic. When the entire life is dominated by Rajas, the next will be a rational one. Someone in this state is called Rajasic. If Tamas dominates a life, the next one will be influenced by ignorance and animal characteristics. This person is called Tamasic. Those who develop Sattvic qualities in their lifetime will ascend; those who cultivate the Rajasic will stay in the middle; and when Tamasic dominates, this means a decline.

The three gunas form the nature of the body, the senses and the mind to reveal the cosmic consciousness: Brahman or pure consciousness is beyond the gunas and rules them. When a person controls the gunas and masters them by exercising control over prana, he will realize that everything consists of pure consciousness and nothing else exists. He is no longer bound to material desires or irritated by passion, anger, ignorance, etc. Then he is both the observer and the observed in this state. He flows on the eternal ocean of nectar. Then he is immortal and free of all bonds. Only then is he called a Yogi.

Author: What function does breathing have in this process?

Dhirananda: The gunas, the breath, the body and the mind are closely connected with each other. The human breath switches from one nostril to the other every 50 to 120 minutes. If this change does not take place within 120 minutes, you can be certain that something is wrong in the body.

While the Pingala Nadi (“Sun Nerve”) is at work, the majority of the inhaled air flows through the right opening of the nose. During this time, Raja Guna is predominant. People then tend to be dynamic and seek physical and mental activity. When the Ida Nadi (“Moon Nerve”) is active, the main portion of the inhaled air flows through the left nostril. Then Tama Guna is at work and the static principle dominates. The human mind is absorbed with sleep, lethargy, laziness and ignorance. When the breath switches from the left to the right and from the right to the left nostril, then both nostrils are equally open for an even stream of air for a certain amount of time. Sattva Guna is at work now, and a balanced state dominates the mind. This time is especially suitable for religious practices and meditation.

The activities are generally distributed as follows: Raja Guna during the day, Tama Guna at night and Sattva Guna during sunrise and sunset. The latter is also the reason why instructions are given in the scriptures to meditate in the morning and evening.

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Author: How can you determine whether the breath mainly flows through the right or the left nostril?

Dhirananda: There is a very simple way to find this out. Pick up a mirror or stand in front of a window pane and exhale deeply. You will see a larger and a smaller circle of vapour form. This makes it possible to easily determine which nostril has more air flowing out of it at the moment.

Author: Can I achieve this change in the breath through an external method?

Dhirananda: Yes, when the left nostril is partially closed and the breath mainly flows through the right, then lay down on your right side and put a pillow under your ribs. After inhaling and exhaling several times, you can observe that the left nostril is opening and lets in the main portion of the air flow. The same method is also used for opening the right nostril by lying on the left side.

The following rule is mentioned in Yoga literature: During and after a meal, attempt to open the right nostril. This will improve your digestion. Before going to sleep, you should try to have the left nostril open. This will guarantee good sleep.

Some illnesses - such as fever, colds, coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, headache, heart complaints, nervousness, depression, etc. - can be improved by switching the breath. Special Pranayama exercises (breathing exercises) are also used for this purpose.

Author: Why is it necessary to interrupt the breath and heart rate to achieve the realisation of God?

Dhirananda: This is a good question. It is necessary to interrupt both of them. As long as the breath is restless, so are the mind and the senses. It is not possible to realise God or the all-encompassing consciousness with this restless mind. When the breath is calm, the mind and the senses are also calm; if it comes to a standstill, the mind and senses also come to a standstill. Here is an example of this: If the sun or moon are reflected by a lively body of water, their reflection is diffuse and the actual form cannot be clearly recognised. On the other hand, the reflection clearly shows the true image of both heavenly bodies when a lake is calm.

This also applies to the mind. When there are waves of confusion and doubt in the lake of the mind, when the storms of restlessness arise, the reflection of God or the soul cannot be realised. But a clear reflection is created when the lake of the mind becomes calm. A prana of immense peace that lives very close to the soul exists beyond the restless prana. Once we learn to gradually retreat into this prana, we can perceive many things. Many questions receive an answer, we intuitively understand what is happening in the minds of other people and can gain control over our subconscious mind (author’s note: The term “subconscious mind” in yogic philosophy corresponds approximately

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with the concept of Sigmund Freud’s “unconscious mind.”) Our subconscious mind can become a faithful servant when we train it well. All of your questions, even about previous incarnations, will be answered because they are stored in the subconscious mind.

I think that most people have already had experiences with their own subconscious mind. The following example happens quite often: Let us assume that you have a very urgent appointment at 7 a.m. the next morning and there is no alarm clock. Before you go to bed, concentrate very calmly on the Third Eye and ask your subconscious mind to wake you up at 6 p.m. You will see that you are awakened between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. There are a great variety of ways in which the subconscious mind can be useful. It just has to be trained well.

Author: My last question is how can we train and develop the subconscious mind?

Dhirananda: There are many methods, and I cannot list them all individually. You should primarily attempt to reduce the worldly desires and detach the mind from the worldly realm now and then. Practice Pranayama and meditate on a regular basis with complete devotion. In the evening, before you go to bed, reflect on all of your thoughts and actions during the past day. Try to remember everything. These methods will help you develop your subconscious mind. Make progress in a patient way. You will be successful at it.

Author: Dhirananda, I thank you very much for the opportunity to do the examination and for the interview.

Literature:

1. Yogi Dhirananda: Yogamrita: Die Essenz des Yoga. (Yogamrita: The Essence of Yoga) Kriya Verlag, CH-5408 Ennetbaden, 2. Auflage 2004.

2. Inanavatar Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri: The Holy Science. Yogoda Satsanga, India. 1949.

3. Paramahansa Yogananda: Autobiography of a Yogi. Self-Realization Fellowship. 1994.