Only a tiny portion of the prana that might be taken from the air via deep and regulated yogic breathing is actually retrieved with regular, shallow breathing, according to Acharya Bhagwan Dev in his book Pranayama, Kundalini, and Hatha Yoga.
- Kumbhaka significantly improves the real storage of prana in the body (breath retention).
- Kumbhaka is a technique for securing prana in the body.
- This remark further clarifies that pranayama is only accomplished via breath retention, implying that simple Ujjayi breathing is just pranayama in the abstract.
The Hatha Tatva Kaumudi describes the consequences of retaining or fixing prana in different parts of the body.
- During kumbhaka, fixating is as simple as concentrating the attention on the necessary spot.
- Because prana follows the mind, conscious attention will naturally direct prana to that location.
- Sundaradeva claims that keeping the prana at the navel cures all illnesses, that holding it at the tip of the nose gives one mastery over prana, and that holding it at the big toes gives one lightness.
- During the exhale phase, prana is primarily distributed to different parts of the body.
- While the retention phase is utilized to absorb prana in the Manipura Chakra, it is the exhale that transports prana from the navel to places where it is required more urgently.
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