Harmonizing Breath and Awareness: Swara Yoga in the Context of Advaita Vedanta

Recently, I came across some videos on the topic of Swara Yoga that I found extremely intriguing. I decided to explore it further, as I was keen to incorporate some form of breath awareness into my daily routine, aside from the standard pranayama practices. I subsequently participated in an online course conducted by Swami Charanashrit of Swara Yoga Peeth in Rishikesh. Swami Charanashrit is a pioneer in this field and has been guiding numerous sadhaks on the science of Swara Yoga. I am grateful to him for reviving this ancient knowledge, as per the guidance he received from his Guru.

What is Swara Yoga?

Swara means a musical note but it also means the continuous flow of air flowing through one nostril and yoga means union. So Swara Yoga is a science which is about the realization of cosmic consciousness, through the awareness or observation, then control or manipulation of the control of breath in the nostrils. As per Swara Yoga, Breath is the language of our Self and it has connection to all the movement of time (KALA) - present past and future. Swara yoga is an ancient tantric science which involves the systematic study of the breath flow through the nostrils (or swara) in relation to the prevailing phases of the moon, time of day and direction. The swara yoga practices related to breath were used to understand the governing forces of life, to understand the nature of the universe and effects of the elements on body and mind by observing the different patterns of breath. Lord Siva gives this precious knowledge of Swara Yoga to Shakti. Further, it was used to go beyond the limitations of the mind. Swara yoga is a tantric science coming from the Agama Shastras and from Shaiva Tantra, where Lord Shiva is the guru and Shakti is the disciple. Through the knowledge of swara yoga one can become free from all kinds of negative influences of one’s destiny and can achieve heightened awareness

Note : Above definition of Swara Yoga has been taken from www.swarayoga.org and a more elaborate description can be found on the website. There are deeper dimensions to Swara Yoga than what I have explained and that is beyond the scope of this essay.

While Swara Yoga promises numerous benefits in the material world by enhancing awareness of active nadis and tatvas and engaging in activities conducive to the active swara, my interest lay in exploring this science as a method to reconfirm the teachings of Advaita Vedanta. Advaita Vedanta asserts that the reality of the Jiva (individual) and the Brahmande (universe) is actually Brahman (pure awareness). It invites us to experience oneness, as the entire universe is a single reality, deeply interconnected. As individuals (jivas), however, we  feel separate or limited. We do not experience the oneness with the universe, nor do we feel that the universe is our body. My objective in learning Swara Yoga was to uncover this oneness through understanding our Swara.

Swara Yoga correlates the active nadis and tatvas in our Swara with the phases of the moon. This suggests that our bodies are deeply connected with the universe and do not function in isolation. In Swara Yoga, it is taught that during sunrise in Shukla Paksha (the waxing moon), the left nostril (IDA nadi) is active for the first three days, followed by the right nostril (Pingala nadi) for the next three days, and so on alternately. A deeper understanding reveals that in every cycle of IDA and Pingala throughout the day, different tatvas or elements are active for brief periods, identifiable through specific techniques that require heightened awareness. Thus, regardless of who you are, as long as you are a healthy human being, the universe activates your relevant NADI during sunrise and at several specific times of the day. This indicates that the entire universe is closely interconnected and operates in a rhythm that many of us are unaware of. Being aware of these interconnections not only allows us to experience oneness with the universe but also enhances our ability to perceive this profound connection.

In addition to recognizing oneness with the universe, I believe that being aware of your breath and the active nadis and tatvas brings a heightened sense of awareness to daily life. In Advaita Vedanta, the techniques of shravana (listening to teachings), manana (contemplating teachings), and nididhyasana (meditating on teachings) stress recognizing your true nature as pure awareness (chaitanya). I feel that practicing Swara Yoga, which involves breath awareness, enhances this awareness and increases the likelihood of recognizing our true nature.

Another by-product of this recognition is the understanding that we are not the doers of actions; everything happens by itself. Just as the universe meticulously manages your breath, including the active nadis and tatvas according to the moon cycles, it also manages all actions, making it clear that no action is actually yours. As pure awareness, you merely witness what is happening; everything occurs by itself. When you identify with pure awareness, you recognize that the whole universe is a unified entity that manages and sustains itself.

महेश्वरम् नमस्यकृत्यम् शैलजाम् गननायकम। गुरु च परमत्मानम् भजे संसार तारनम् ॥

Salutations to Maheshwara (Bhagwan Shiva), Godess Parvati the cosmic mother and Ganesha- destroyer of all obsticles and giver of wisdom, I bow to the guru who is verily the supreme consciousness (Paramatma) and capable of freeing from all the bondages of the mortal world. Sloka - 1 Shiva Swarodaya