SAMANU
Samanu is the mental process of purifying the nadis. Until there is purification of all the nadis, there will be no real success in pranayama. When the nadis are full of impurities, the breath does not go into the middle nadi, sushumna. There is no arriving at the higher state of mind. Samanu, or the mental process of cleansing the nadis, should be done prior to meditation on the chakras. If needless to say, it is for the advanced students who are studying with a teacher.
1. Sitting in any meditative pose with the spine held straight, the following breathing technique is used: using the right thumb to seal the right nostril, begin to inhale to a count of 5 through the left nostril, repeating mentally, the bija mantra of air, 'YAM'. The mental attention is focused upon the heart chakra, which is the centre of the element air. Air is visualized as flowing outwards from this chakra into all the nadis, blowing away all the impurities within them.
After the inhalation is complete, the retention of the breath takes place to a mental count of 20, the student continuing the repetition of the bija mantra 'YAM'. This is followed by the exhalation to a count of 10, still repeating 'YAM' (with attention fixed throughout on the heart chakra).
2. Inhalation through the right nostril now takes place, repeating the bija mantra of fire which is 'RAM'. At this time, the attention has been moved to the fire centre in the solar plexus. Fire is visualized as burning up all the impurities in the nadis. (The breathing ratio of 5-20-10 can be observed throughout this exercise). After the period of retention (mentally repeating 'RAM') exhalation through the left nostril to a mental
3. count of 10 takes place (still repeating 'RAM').
3. Continue to inhale once again through the left nostril. Concentration now is moved to the tip of the nose and the bija mantra of the moon 'TAM' is repeated. During retention, while repeating TAM' the divine nectar is visualized flowing from the moon chakra above the right eyebrow, and into all the nadis of the body, bringing them into a condition of complete purification. Exhalation through the right nostril takes place with the mental attention being focused at the base of the spine (muladhara chakra), and the bija mantra of earth 'LAM' is repeated.
This exhalation through the right nostril represents one complete round (unlike anuloma viloma).
A maximum of up to four rounds of this exercise is advised, with bandhas being applied at the appropriate times. The ratio given above of 5-20-10 is for practical purposes. The count that is given in the classical yoga texts is 16-64-32. The progress: from the given ratio of 5-20-10, up to the maximum of 16-64-32, should be slow and preferably under the guidance of a competent teacher. The most important is the inner concentration.
Samanu is usually practiced after Kapalabhati and before Anuloma Viloma.
Questions:
1. Who can practice samanu?
2. Describe samanu practice.
3. How many rounds should one practice?
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