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Digital Pranayama
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Bay Guy
Posted 2005-03-29 7:57 PM (#20472)
Subject: Digital Pranayama



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For digital pranayama, where your fingers (digits) are on the nose, the
usual instruction is to use the right hand.

I have two questions:

* consistent use of the right hand only will create an imbalance in
the body, so this seems wrong to me. Why not alternate?

* what about people who are left handed?


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tourist
Posted 2005-03-29 8:13 PM (#20478 - in reply to #20472)
Subject: RE: Digital Pranayama



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I could go and find my LOP but I suspect it is the Asian preference for the more "auspicious" right hand - oh, wait just a tick - here it is! Right under my ...ummm... nose, so to speak BKS says that the left may be used only if the right is "out of action" due to the fact that all the auspicious ceremonies have always been done right handed. It also sounds, in the pages and pages of description, like one of those things you need to become very, very good at, like playing an instrument, so cross training the left hand would be counter productive. This is the sum total of my knowledge on the matter.

Edited by tourist 2005-03-29 8:14 PM
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easternsun
Posted 2005-03-29 8:29 PM (#20481 - in reply to #20472)
Subject: RE: Digital Pranayama


Bay Guy - 2005-03-30 9:57 AM


For digital pranayama, where your fingers (digits) are on the nose, the
usual instruction is to use the right hand.

I have two questions:

* consistent use of the right hand only will create an imbalance in
the body, so this seems wrong to me. Why not alternate?

* what about people who are left handed?




left hand is reserved for "ahem" other things
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Bay Guy
Posted 2005-03-29 9:37 PM (#20489 - in reply to #20481)
Subject: RE: Digital Pranayama



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Thanks Tourist and EasternSun.

The "reservation of the other hand" applies to eating in India as well, so I am told.

BKS has extraordinary descriptions of the fingering technique, and I can see
doing that with one hand only.

Still, I have trouble with the restriction to the right hand, for the two reasons implied
by my questions. If it's simply a hygenic tradition that does not apply in my
world, then why do it?
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kulkarnn
Posted 2005-03-29 11:04 PM (#20503 - in reply to #20472)
Subject: RE: Digital Pranayama


Dear Brother Bay Guy:
I did not see your this question before. I am giving answer to your original question. But, with all humility and request for forgivenness, I am not open to much discussion and explanation of my answers.


Answer: It will NOT make any difference which hand fingers you are using in doing the pranayama, if you are doing the closing of nostrils correctly. Now, of course, when you are right handed, right hand shall do a better job. So, with left hand of a left handed job.

Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org
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Bay Guy
Posted 2005-03-30 7:01 AM (#20521 - in reply to #20503)
Subject: RE: Digital Pranayama



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Thank you, Brother Neel. This is sort of what I thought.


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twisti
Posted 2005-03-30 8:13 AM (#20528 - in reply to #20472)
Subject: RE: Digital Pranayama


I alternate, I use the right hand most of the time but every now and then I will use the left.

Like you mentioned Bay Guy, the 'traditions' don't apply so much for me and I like to balance it out on occassion.

Side note: Didn't they used to cut bad people's (thieves etc) right hands off back in the day as a type of punishment? That way they had to do everything with their left hand which was considered very unclean etc
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afroyogi
Posted 2005-03-30 4:21 PM (#20582 - in reply to #20472)
Subject: RE: Digital Pranayama


Being right-handed this question never really bothered me. Used the right hand automatically. I didn't even know that one is supposed to use the right hand exclusively.
What I noticed is that as soon as I'm not completely focussed my head tends to turn a bit to the right side to make the job easier for my right arm. I guess that's probably not good is it? After reading this thread I will from now on alternate the hands in order to restore the balance. Good idea?
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Bay Guy
Posted 2005-03-30 8:17 PM (#20619 - in reply to #20582)
Subject: RE: Digital Pranayama



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Iyengar has a "don't do this" photo in Light on Pranayama which
shows the mistake of turning your head toward the hand holding the nose.

I've taken to alternating arms, but I started this thread to see whether I was
guilty of apostosy.
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