I learned about this breathing technique from www.Ananda.org and www.anandaonlineclasses.org (the meditation class offered goes into detail on it's use.) There are also some books that discuss it, like "How to Have Courage Calmness and Confidence." Which details the technique towards the end.
It was Yogananda who taught the technique in that book. It's a simple technique of inhaling and exhaling naturally through the nose. On the inhale you mentally say "hong" and on the exhale you mentally say "sau" (sounds like saw.)
While doing this, you put your attention at the opening of the nostrils. AFter awhile, you move your attention up the nasal caveity to where it connects with the brow. Feel the air movement while you mentally chang hong sau on inhales and exhales.
After awhile you migrate the attention to the spot between the eyebrows (Ajna Chakra or "3rd Eye") and continue the mental chant and focus. If attention wonders just bring it back.
I've started doing Hong Sau throughout the day.
I had a rough week at work and one day, I went outside and sat somewhere quiet and used the technique to slow the heart, remove the stress... and just get back to a peaceful center.
I was reading in "How to have Courage, Calmness and Confidence" yesterday:
When you act in the world forgetting God, you have changed your center from God to matter. This material nature will throw you into the whirlpool of change and will stifle you with worries and sorrows. Revert to your own true nature. Change your center from material desires to desire for God. pg 134.
Hong Sau allowed me to recenter. It really helped put things into perspective.
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