Prayer is actually a synonym for surrender. This act of surrender is completed only after the expression of gratitude. Gratitude is a means of offering the doership of an act to God / the Guru; hence it helps in reducing the ego.
With practice of pranayam one gets used to concentrating on breathing. Since one gets used to concentrating on breathing, when it becomes rapid one immediately becomes aware of it. This implies that indirectly one becomes aware that either thoughts have increased or emotions are being aroused.
Usually breathing occurs for about an hour through the right nostril. Then for two to four minutes through both the nostrils. Then again through the left nostril for an hour and later for two to four
minutes through both. Then again through the right nostril. This cycle goes on continuously. By practising anulom-vilom pranayam one gradually gets used to breathing through both nostrils.
Muscles of the eyelids and respiration are supplied by both the voluntary and involuntary nervous systems. If one makes efforts to decrease voluntary
movements of these muscles by doing tratak and pranayam then their involuntary movements too can gradually be decreased and brought under control.
If one restricts the experiencing of object pleasure then one gets time for the
study (spiritual practice) of unlimited happiness (Bliss). To achieve this
while experiencing happiness within the limits of Righteousness, one should
remain more and more bound by limitations.
Endurance of pain increases mental strength and detachment towards worldly life and therefore the mind turns to Spirituality. By experiencing unhappiness destined actions are completed. However the real motive behind practising Hathayoga is not limited to merely bringing about an increase in the tolerance of the mind but to activating the kundalini.
Maun Vrat : The real support for silence is chanting The Lord’s Name itself. Without chanting, the one practising silence can get deluded. Chanting is the real secret of silence.
By closing four out of the five sense organs (viz. eyes, nose, ears and tongue) the perception of external stimuli decreases and tranquility of the mind is facilitated.’ At that time if one concentrates on the rhythm of respiration (chanting a mantra along with it) then one begins to slip into meditation.
‘ku’ refers to the absolute earth (pruthvi) element and ‘la’ to merge. ‘Kula’ thus means to merge with or to destroy the absolute earth element present in the Muladhar chakra. Hence, the family deity is the one by whose spiritual practice the Muladhar chakra can be activated.
Only when the impressions of desires and instincts, likes and dislikes, temperamental characteristics, etc. are wiped off from the subconscious mind, that is only when nescience is destroyed can one experience the Bliss lying dormant within oneself.