#IndiaBreatheAgain | Guided by Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar Ji
Breath moves life, yet there is a space within every breath that holds a far greater power — the space of stillness. This stillness is called Kumbhaka, the conscious pause after inhalation, where the body does not move, the breath does not move, yet something within us expands.
In the Himalayan yogic sciences,
Kumbhaka is described as “the doorway between the visible and the subtle.”
It is a shift in dimension.
The Forgotten Space Within Breath
Every breath has three phases:
Inhalation — Retention — Exhalation
Most people live only in the first and last phase.
The middle phase — the stillness — is lost.
This is because modern breathing is shallow, fast, distracted, and reactive. The breath enters and exits rapidly, leaving no space for the mind to feel the silence between movements.
In ancient yogic texts, it is said that:
“The strength of a human body and mind lives in the pause between breaths.”
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Kumbhaka is this gap — a quiet inner chamber where:
- Prana gathers
- The body becomes receptive
- The mind settles
- Awareness deepens
When breath pauses with awareness, life expands inside.
Why Stillness Matters in Yogic Breathing
Stillness is not emptiness.
Stillness is concentration — a space where the entire system reorganises its energy.
During Kumbhaka:
- The diaphragm holds steady
- The lungs open to their full potential
- The pranic currents stabilise
- The nervous system gains resilience
- The mind becomes deeply centred
This moment of non-movement awakens an intelligence inside the body that cannot be accessed when breath is rushing in and out.
Kumbhaka is the bridge where breath meets consciousness.
The Silent Power of Kumbhaka
When you inhale, breath enters the system.
When you exhale, breath departs.
But when you retain the breath within, prana expands to places you rarely access.
Ancient yogis discovered that in this space:
- The inner fire strengthens
- The nadis absorb prana
- The mind becomes single-pointed
- emotions gain balance
- The senses withdraw inward
The physiology also shifts.
When breath stays inside:
- blood pressure centres
- The heart rhythm softens
- The lungs rediscover their capacity
- The abdomen becomes stable
- The subtle pranic field expands
Kumbhaka is thus a practice for inner absorption.
-Why This Space Has Been Forgotten Today
Modern breathing has become fragmented because:
- Stress shortens inhalation
- distractions keep the mind agitated
- posture collapses
- Breath becomes mechanical
- Rhythms of life lose alignment
When breath becomes shallow, the pause disappears.
When the pause disappears, prana disperses instead of concentrating.
This is why yoga emphasizes Kumbhaka:
it returns the breath to its true depth.
Enhanced Bhastrika with Kumbhaka — A Himalayan Method
In Day 6 of #IndiaBreatheAgain, Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar Ji guides a refined practice of Bhastrika combined with Kumbhaka.
This is a classical technique from the Himalayan tradition used to awaken the internal power of the lungs.
How the Practice Works
- Sit with the spine aligned
- Inhale gently for 3 seconds
- Hold the breath for 25–30 seconds
- Exhale slowly and steadily
This conscious retention becomes a doorway into inner strength.
The lungs stretch, the system stabilises, and prana begins to spread through the nadis with greater force.
Practised for 7 minutes, morning and evening, this technique deepens breath capacity and awakens inner endurance.
The Physiological Shift During Kumbhaka
When breath stays inside:
- the lungs expand completely
- unused air sacs awaken
- oxygen stays longer at the base of the lungs
- prana permeates deeper tissues
- the heart gains rhythm
- the mind becomes steady
- the abdominal region becomes firm
It is within this stillness that the body learns how to sustain itself with internal energy.
Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar Ji often shares:
“When the breath pauses with awareness, the body receives the prana that cannot enter through movement.”
Kumbhaka transforms breath from a mechanical act into a conscious energy experience.
The Inner Dimension of Kumbhaka
In yogic philosophy, Kumbhaka is described as a higher state of breath.
It refines the internal state of the practitioner by cultivating:
- concentration
- clarity
- pranic absorption
- inner silence
- steadiness
- confidence
- deep awareness
In the pause between inhale and exhale lies the opportunity to:
- connect deeply to oneself
- enhance inner vitality
- strengthen willpower
- achieve mental steadiness
- awaken inner harmony
This small pause becomes a vast inner space.
–A Guiding Insight from Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar Ji
“The space between two breaths holds a secret —
when you enter it with awareness,
life reveals its deeper strength to you.”
This is the essence of Kumbhaka.
Why This Practice Matters for India Today
In a time when breath is weakened by pollution, stress, irregular routines, and low lung utilisation, building breath capacity is essential.
Kumbhaka strengthens the lungs from within, awakens the deeper dimension of prana, and brings stability to an overstimulated lifestyle.
This is why Enhanced Bhastrika with Kumbhaka is a vital component of the #IndiaBreatheAgain movement — a national initiative led by Akshar Yoga Kendraa to reconnect citizens with the power of conscious breathing.