Illustration of a person meditating in a white robe with seven chakras glowing red to violet, a warm golden current rising from the belly and a cool silver-blue current descending from the nose, meeting at the heart.

Vigyan Bhairava Tantra · Method 7 · Verse 64

Where the Two Breaths Meet

vāyudvayasya saṃghaṭṭād antar vā bahir antataḥ |
yogī samatvavijñānasamudgamanabhājanam || 64 ||

The two currents of breath meet, inside or outside. Where they meet, at their very end, the meditator becomes ready. Then the knowledge of evenness (inner balance) can rise.

Vijñānabhairava, verse 64 · our own rendering from the Sanskrit

What the verse points to

Yoga texts often speak of two currents of breath. Prāṇa (life energy, in yoga tradition) is linked with the in-breath and upward movement. Apāna (the downward, outgoing breath) is linked with the out-breath and downward movement. Verse 64 points to the place where these two meet and balance. The result it names is samatva, meaning evenness or calm balance. The Bhagavad Gita (a famous Hindu scripture) praises this same quality as yoga (Gita 2.48).

Breathe along

Breathe in 4 · Meet 2 · Breathe out 4 · Meet 2 (seconds) - repeat. Counts are a guide; go slower or shorter if you need to.

How to practise

Sit in any way that is comfortable. You can sit cross-legged on a cushion, or upright on a chair with your feet on the floor. The person in the picture sits in lotus pose, with each foot resting on the opposite thigh. You do not need to sit that way.

Sit comfortably with a long spine. Close your eyes.
Breathe in for about 4 counts and feel the breath coming down into the body.
At the top, notice a brief meeting point. Imagine the downward and upward flows touching at the heart.
Breathe out for about 4 counts and feel the breath rising and leaving.
At the bottom, notice the second meeting point, outside the body.
Keep the in-breath and out-breath about equal. Practise for 5 minutes, then rest in natural breathing.

What you may notice

A sense of balance - neither pushing nor pulling.
The in-breath and out-breath starting to feel like one smooth circle.
Feeling steadier or more even-tempered afterwards.

Tips

Equal breathing is the heart of this one. If 4 counts is too long, use 3.
Alternate Nostril Breathing works on the same feeling of balance.
Keep the meeting moments short and natural.

Safety: Go gently. Breathe naturally, and never strain, force or hold your breath for long. Talk to your doctor before trying breath meditations if you are pregnant, or have a heart condition, high blood pressure or epilepsy. Do the same if you have had recent surgery or are going through a mental-health crisis. Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy, light-headed, short of breath or anxious.

Source: Vijñānabhairava, verse 64. Sanskrit from Vijñānabhairava, Sanskrit e-text (GRETIL, input by Marino Faliero, 1998). English rendering and practice notes by Prana Path. About the text

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