Pranayama technique (6) Murcha

Closing the passages with Jalandhara Bandha firmly at the end of Puraka, and expelling the air slowly, is called Murcha, from its causing, the mind to sworn and giving comfort (Hathayoga-pradipika II:69). This practise derives its name from the fact that it causes the mind to point. This is accomplished by locking the air within the body during the suspension and focusing the mind on the space between the eyebrows until it swoons. Theos Bernard was taught to do this by suspending the breath outside the lungs. The beginner is advised not to work on this practice during his preparatory period. It has a normal place in the more highly developed stages of pranayama when working with the mind. When the bally is filled with an freely circulating with the body, the body easily floats even in the deapest water, like the leaf of a lotus (Hathayoga-pradipika II:70), Gheranda Samhita (V:83) described it as, having performed Kumbhaka with comfort, let him withdraw the mind from all objects and fix it in the space between the eyebrows. This causes painting of the mind and gives happiness. For, by thus joining the Manas (Mind) with the Atman (Soul), the bliss of yoga is certainly obtained" (Gheranda-samhita 5:83).

52 Theos Bernard says, "thus condition obtains only for those who have mastered pranayama is its advanced stages. These are kelnuques for inducing certain psychological phenomena which are out of place at this time. I was not given these practices until I had fully developed pranayama (pp. 63-64).