9. When, Why, and How to Hold Your Breath in Meditation

Breathing during meditation can be likened to a gas pedal in a car—inhale to accelerate and exhale to decelerate. With each inhale, you fuel your cells with Prana, the life force energy, infusing vitality into the creation or experience within you. With each exhale, you allow the Prana to flow through your body, grounding that creation or experience into reality.

If you want to fully absorb and hold onto an elevated experience—or reinforce your presence in a mindful moment—this is where "holding" your breath comes into play.

How to Hold Your Breath in Meditation

Technically, you don't "hold" your breath in meditation. Instead, you practice pausing or stopping the flow of Prana. Think of your breath as a garden hose and Prana, the life essence that flows through your breath, as the water running through it.

Holding your breath is like trying to block the water coming out of the hose with your hand—you can feel the pressure building as your lungs protest. In contrast, pausing or stopping the flow of Prana is like controlling the water flow at the faucet itself, creating a smoother and more controlled experience.

To try this:

1. Take a deep breath and hold it to observe the sensation. Notice how your consciousness feels like it’s battling your body for control.
2. Now, try again. This time, mid-inhale, stop inhaling as if you’re turning off your breath. Feel the difference?

When meditating, you want to cultivate control over your breathing. This precision allows you to channel Prana effectively into the creations or experiences you desire.

Why Hold Your Breath in Meditation?

Prana is the vital energy that gives life to all creation. As you learned in Lesson 1, everything is a creation. If there’s something you want to hold onto—or release—you can use breath control to influence its evolution.

1. Letting Go of Unwanted Creations
   If you’re experiencing nightmares, hallucinations, or unhelpful visions during meditation, holding your breath can help you eradicate these creations. This technique symbolically and energetically asserts your sovereignty, showing the creation that you are in charge.
2. Savoring Elevated Experiences
   When you encounter an elevated state or a moment of enlightenment, you might wish to pause and fully immerse yourself in the experience. Stopping the flow of Prana briefly can help you "freeze" the moment, akin to pausing time, allowing you to soak in its essence.

When to Hold Your Breath in Meditation

Breathing operates in a continuous wave-like rhythm: inhaling creates an upward incline, and exhaling produces a downward decline. You can pause your breath at any point along this wave, but certain moments are particularly powerful:

• At the Peak of an Inhale
  Pause here to hold onto and amplify an uplifting or energizing experience.
• At the End of an Exhale
  Pause here to ground yourself, let go of unwanted energies, or deepen your sense of calm.

To practice, visualize a mountain:

1. Inhale to climb to the peak.
2. Pause at the top to take in the view.
3. Exhale down the other side in equal measure.
4. Repeat as necessary to self-regulate, restore balance, and manage your mental health.

What’s Next? Next week, we’ll dive into how to fuel life into your safe space using the power of breathwork. Stay tuned!

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Please note: Esoteric concepts are not meant to be taken literally or as absolute truths. However, they can provide valuable perspectives and context, helping our limited human minds grasp complex ideas.