Cosmobiological Rhythms – Time Structure of Breathing 1. Chronobiological Background
In the past few decades’ research in Chronobiology have demonstrated the existence of identifiable time structures for many key physiological variables. Most of the research in the field is focused on the implications of this temporal organization of physiological functions such as change in resistance 1 and susceptibility of the body to stimuli, hormones or medicines. As observed by Halberg , the stage of the body’s rhythm at the time of exposure to a stimulus can account for the difference between convulsion or no convulsion, malignancy or no malignancy, even for life and death. Studies have brought out that the same stimulus increases or decreases the blood pressure depending on the circadian stage at which the medicine is applied. Also it has been shown that the same amount of dietary salt per day affected blood pressure in a quite different way depending on how it was 2 distributed among the three daily meals . Importance of rhythm is thus receiving added recognition and this research initiative covers efforts in – (a) Mapping the time structures of key physiological variables and their implications in … (b) Concomitant monitoring of physiologically notable cardiovascular and cosmo-helio and geophysical variables (c) Glean the helio-geophysical time structures that may have existed at the sites of life’s origins wherever they may have been. This involves –
Studies to understand the circadian and other ultradian and infradian rhythms which are superimposed on seemingly chaotic changes. Monitoring of Physiological variables to look for matching patterns with the geophysical ones . For example periodicities or other patterns found in geophysics such as half-yearly patterns will lead to exploration of their numerical counterparts in other fields such as those of biomedicine (i.e. half-yearly pattern in epilepsy and weekly components) and vice versa, as a first step. 3 Reported rhythms include circaseptan or Seven-day changes (in human heart rate), circatrigintan (30 days), circannual etc. Further scrutiny of physiological time series recorded concomitantly with the cosmogeophysical variables is being undertaken at various places to establish the complimenting aspect of chronomes to genomes in shaping an internally integrative integrative evolution of the human species rather than an externally adaptive evolution. 2. Time Structure of Breathing Behavior Against the above background of chronobiological studies, a study has been made of the ancient notions of Yoga on breathing patterns patterns of human beings. Scope of the study may be framed in the following questions –
Can there be a time structure for breathing behavior of mammals/human beings?
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If yes, can the time structure of breathing be mapped with appropriate observations? If No, why? How the most vital function of the biological machine is immune to a time structure based on the luni-solar-geo rhythms? Do not the rest of the related clock mechanisms imply that the breathing also must have a time structure based on cosmo-biological factors? What is the possibility for the high frequency breathing rhythm to be basic to other rhythms operating in the body?
In looking for an answer to the above questions, in Yoga literature we come to note the following interesting observations: a) 21600 are the breaths in a day and thus earth’s rotation was conceived by ancient savants in terms of the number of breaths – in one breath, earth’s rotation amounted to 1 minute of arc and thus the ancient literature point towards a circadian rhythm of breathing from sunrise to sunrise. b) A seven-day overlay represented by cultural signature of weekdays – i.e. a Circaseptan rhythm of breathing. c) Circatrigintan of 30 degrees revolution of the earth around sun d) Circannual rhythm of 360 degrees revolution of earth around sun e) Yoga precepts also point towards hourly ultradian rhythms operating during day and night with 12-hour day-night patterns. Further, it may be of relevance to note that one of the most important Yogic exercises viz., Prnyma is concerned with regulation of breathing which is treated as vital to the control of mental activity – psychic state of the individual that has a bearing on other physiological variables. Breathing rhythms as such may be fundamental to other biological rhythms operating in the body and thus the study of the time structure of breathing may lead to the basic matrix over which other rhythms can be examined . 3. Geometry of the Circannual Rhythm Rhythm of Breathing and its its components Most interesting feature of the breathing rhythm in its circannual aspect is the correlation that Yoga precepts suggest to a specific geometry of the apparent solar orbit. Sidereal revolution of earth around sun beginning at the star Lambda Scorpii defined to be of 240 0 sidereal longitude (or the bottom of the cerebro-spinal axis of the Cosmic Man conceived as a Yogi) marks the beginning of the cycle and in ancient India solar transit of this particular point was celebrated by the lighting of lamps to reflect the new year and a new creative cycle. cycle. This creative creative circannual cycle cycle had smaller components in terms terms of solar months, months, weeks and days. Above cycle had a division into 12 monthly patterns that formed the 12 ancient sidereal zodiac signs. Solar cross over at each 30 0 multiple was termed “samkrama” which meant a change over of breath from one nostril to the other. Quadrangular division of the cycle at longitudes 0, 90, 180 and 270 0 received special mention in ancient literature. 4. Monthly Transit of Sun and Correlation to Breathing 2
Easiest option for a verification of the above Cosmo-biological rhythm is to watch for the transit of breath from one nostril to the other at the specific moments as shown below: Table-Ι: Solar Transit Data for 2005
Date
January 14, 2005 February 13, 2005 March 15, 2005 April 14, 2005 May 15, 2005 June 15, 2005 July 17, 2005 August 17, 2005 September 17, 2005 October 18, 2005 November 17, 2005 December 16, 2005
Longitude Time of Sid. λ transit in IST 0 270 22:55 0 300 12:05 330 09:14 0 18:05 30 15:17 60 22:02 90 08:58 120 17:15 150 16:51 180 04:28 210 03:57 0 240 18:24
GMT 17:25 06:35 03:44 12:35 09:47 16:32 03:28 11:45 11:21 th 22:58→ 17 th 22:27 → 16 12:54
In the vicinity of these moments, breaths undergo a shift of path, from one nostril to the other and the breath current has other distinctive features at these times. All individuals can personally experience this effect of Sun, next time on 14 April 2005 at 12:35 GMT and th 15 May 2005, 09:47 GMT and at other moments indicated in the Table. th
16 December 2005, 12:54 UT will mark the beginning of a new creative cycle when Sun transits over Lambda Scorpii which is located very close to galactic center.
5. Elaboration of the Yoga Precepts on Zodiac In view of the numerous notions on Zodiac prevailing in the pseudo scientific practice of astrology, confusion may be caused by the reference to Zodiac. Present work has nothing to do with such pseudo scientific notions. According to the tenets of Yoga, the Cosmic Man of Time or the mathematical abstraction of the apparent solar orbit as the Wheel of Time is a Yogi engaged in breathing exercise [or Prnyama in Sanskrit]. Breathing Cycle of this Cosmic Yogi begins with exhalation during Sun’s transit across sidereal Capricorn (270 0) to Sidereal Cancer (90 0) and then on the other half inhalation takes place. One year was thus one breath of the Cosmic Man according to the Yoga tenets. Further it may be noted that the experienced correlation between the movement of Sun and breathing behavior gave the appellation of “Pr na-Srya” to breath. Whole of Yoga tradition in the ancient world thus suggests a correlation between the apparent course of Sun i.e. rotation and revolution of earth round Sun and the breathing behavior. 6. Circadian and Circaseptan patterns 3
Circadian rhythm of breathing begins at sunrise and has quadrangular structure decided by sunrise, upper transit, sunset and lower transit of Sun. Each quarter are 6 equal divisions and approximates an hour. Each hour is specified to have the well-known Moon & Sun or yin and yang or auspicious-inauspicious qualities. Moon’s hour is treated as beneficial for biomedical aspects during daytime and Sun’s hour for nighttime. Among the above 24 hourly states of a day, the sequence of 7 each is ascribed special qualities like the seven weekdays. So a particular breathing sequence beginning on Saturday has states as represented by different colors as shown or in terms of ancient symbolism of planets as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, and Moon, which repeat in cycles, and the 25 th hourly state is the first of the next weekday. Table -ΙΙ ΙΙ (a): Hourly States Weekday/ Hour 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Table -ΙΙ (b): Hourly States In terms of planetary symbolism Weekday/ Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Hour 1
Saturn
Sun
Moon
Mars
4
Mercury
Jupiter
Venus
2 3 4 5 6
Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury
Venus Mercury Moon Saturday Jupiter
Saturday Jupiter Mars Sun Venus
Sun Venus Mercury Moon Saturday
Moon Saturday Jupiter Mars Sun
Mars Sun Venus Mercury Moon
Mercury Moon Saturday Jupiter Mars
7 8 9
Moon Saturday Jupiter
Mars Sun Venus
Mercury Moon Saturday
Jupiter Mars Sun
Venus Mercury Moon
Saturday Jupiter Mars
Sun Venus Mercury
10 11 12 13 14 15
Mars Sun Venus Mercury Moon Saturday
Mercury Moon Saturday Jupiter Mars Sun
Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury Moon
Venus Mercury Moon Saturday Jupiter Mars
Saturday Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury
Sun Venus Mercury Moon Saturday Jupiter
Moon Saturday Jupiter Mars Sun Venus
16 17 18
Jupiter Mars Sun
Venus Mercury Moon
Saturday Jupiter Mars
Sun Venus Mercury
Moon Saturday Jupiter
Mars Sun Venus
Mercury Moon Saturday
19 20 21 22 23 24
Venus Mercury Moon Saturday Jupiter Mars
Saturday Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury
Sun Venus Mercury Moon Saturday Jupiter
Moon Saturday Jupiter Mars Sun Venus
Mars Sun Venus Mercury Moon Saturday
Mercury Moon Saturday Jupiter Mars Sun
Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury Moon
Deeper rhythms or micro patterns in terms of the five elements also find a mention in the Sanskrit Yoga and Tantra literature. Different Differe nt weekdays are characterized by special threehour patterns within which the five elements are said to rise in the order Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether and then in reverse reverse as Ether, Ether, Air… to complete the the cycle of 3 hours. hours. Each of the elements has special special duration as shown shown in Table in minutes. minutes. Green is Earth, Yellow is Water, Red is Fire, White is Air, and sky blue is Ether. Tantra literature attaches special importance to the rise of these so-called primordial elements, which makes or mars the auspiciousness in general. Irrespective of the minor details and features that Tantra literature ascribe, the tenets point towards a deeper time structure of breathing which may be delineated and put to effective use in chronobiology and chronobiochemistry. chronobiochem istry. 2 each of three-hour patterns occur between sunrise, upper transit, sunset and lower transit and the day-quadrants decide the time intervals in the proportion given. Each quadrant is 6 hours or 360 minutes and accordingly we need to look at the numbers 6, 12, 18 .. given as minutes.
Table -
ΙΙΙ:
3-Hour States in Weekdays
Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday 6
30
12
24
18
12
18
12
30
18
30
24
18
24
5
18
24
24
30
30
24
30
24
18
30
24
30
30
30
30
12
30
18
24
30
24
30
6
24
12
18
24
18
24
6
18
6
12
18
12
18
12
12
6
6
12
6
12
18
6
12
6
6
6
6
24
6
18
12
6
12
Perhaps, here we are meeting with the Yoga principle that may facilitate a better chronobiochemistry than the hitherto achieved results. Breathing being the most vital function and perhaps the reflection of the basic time sense of the body arising from controllers like SCN or pineal gland, the time structure of breathing may have the potential to enable a better delineation of the chronome of human beings. 7. Original Precepts in Sanskrit Tantra Literature
(a) Breaths move in the fashion of Ham-sa 21600 times per day
! "# $ % & '((( '((( (b) The following verse describes exhalation exhalation as the alphabet ‘ha’ and inhalation as ‘sa’ so that the breathing may be denoted as “ham-sa” – and epithet of Sun.
)*+ + ,-./ 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 All human beings chant the mantra 21600 times a day and it is this phenomenon that inspired the T ntriks to divide the path of Sun and Moon into 21600 kal s. It cannot be otherwise -the design that made on the sky had as its basis an earthly experience. (c) The following verse describes alternate symbolism of the left nostril as represented by Moon and the right nostril as represented by Sun.
!" !" Id (left nostril) and Pi gal (right nostril) also are known as Moon and Sun paths and the same is described as aligned along the route of Pr n a. a. (d) The following verse describes the change of breathing state in the bright and dark fortnights of the lunar month. 6
#% $ %" &'() &'()*+ *+( ( ), - .* + /0/0& ' /0/0& '., “On the first day of the bright fortnight left nostril is more active while for the first day of the dark fortnight, the right nostril is more active. They remain powerful as described, especially for the first three days of each fortnight” (e) The daily breathing pattern of the fortnights are described as:
123 3456& '7 .8 .89 9& ' & ' 880() 880()", *+.&' &'$$.56 .564:;<', , 89 9 & ' & ' , =0.>? ?. .0@", 0@", “Breath a of Moon or left nostril in light fortnight and breath of Sun or right nostril in dark fortnight covers the 24 hours of the day, alternately for one hour. Yogis should keenly understand the onset of light and dark fortnights by the occurrence of the breath in the left and right nostrils respectively” Here we see find an ideal pattern of breathing described in relation to the luni-solar phenomena and as explained in the succeeding verses, verses, the aim of Pr n yma or breathing exercise of Yoga is to achieve control over the breathing process to achieve the desired pattern – one who has control over the two paths viz., the left and right nostril breaths is a Yogi. (f) The interrelationship of the breaths and the external luni-solar cycles cycles is clearly stated as:
>.. A1. A1.> > .2.2"% "%"% % A1., , .=<'. =<'.B B/$ /$ 9.B 9.B8B 8B , CD, E.B% %> >. .B B. ., 4()0B=2 =2.. ,CF, “The sun is in control of the sun breath or right nostril and moon is linked to the left nostril. One who knows the maintenance of this rhythm can have great success in life. Sunrise during left nostril breathing and sunset in right nostril breath keeps one in the best of qualities and the opposite is to be avoided” (g) Significance of the weekdays weekdays is explained as:
GH8 G H8 <'A <'A 11> > B( ) ( )&', I2&'. &'.8 89 9 8 8", ",CJ, #&'2 ()&'$()()0B( ) ( )&', 2.() .()&'.& & '8 8", ",DK, “On Monday, Thursday, Wednesday and Friday, especially in the bright fortnight and on Sunday, Tuesday and Saturday especially in the dark fortnight, the left and right nostrils are respectively auspicious for undertaking all works” 7
(h) Year beginning and the solstices for the Cosmic Man in Breathing Exercise
$/8 /89 9-", 8.3 3. .0 0 -() -().,LKM, “On the morning of the sidereal Aries ingress or the nearby occurring bright half and for the sidereal Capricorn and Cancer ingresses the adept Yogi must observe the flow of the five elements to understand the nature of time ahead” We thus find a description of the various elements of the luni-solar calendar in relation relation to the breathing phenomenon of the human body. Extreme importance attached to astronomy in the ancient civilizations and Hindu way of life now allows a better comprehension. The left and right paths of breaths (similar to the Yin and Yang duality) and the simultaneous flow of breath in both, the three possibilities were known all through out the ancient world as is evident from the Greek Legend of Aesculapius: Aesculapius was the son of Apollo, the God of prophecy and healing -the equivalent of the Siva of Hindus. Aesculapius was tutored in medicine by Centaur and became very proficient and got killed by Jupiter on the request of Hades who feared that Aesculapius would make all immortal. Winged staff and the serpent was obviously the symbol of such healers who had the healing power gained through occult practices like Yoga. A single serpent represented the simultaneous flow or the serpentine healing power while two intertwined were left and right nostril paths of breath. There’s no conflict as some people tries to make out that the staff of Aesculapius had only one serpent. He chose to represent as his symbol the serpentine healing power represented by simultaneous flow in nostrils instead of the two paths of Caduceus. Winged Staff as the symbol of healing and the association association of Sagittarius with the God of healing reminds us of the Hindu legends on churning of the Milky way for the elixir of immortality. 8. Abstraction of the Correlation Between Sun and Breathing In India the above correlation of the sun and breathing behavior was the basis of the mathematical formulation of the sidereal zodiac or wheel of time or calendar on the apparent orbit of Sun. Reference star that facilitated the above abstraction viz., Lambda Scorpii marked the position of Phallus (240 0) on the human body and thus the ancient civilizations chose to worship time as Phallus. In India, Phallus not only represented time but also got personified as God Siva – the Preceptor of Yoga, Astronomy, Astrology and all creative pursuits. Such deep-rooted cultural signatures may be a pointer towards the wide prevalence of Yoga and occult practices in the ancient world and awareness regarding the correlation between Sun and the breathing behavior.
9. Conclusions 1. A time structure can be delineated for human breathing behavior based on the Yoga conception of the wheel of time as abstraction of the correlation between the apparent course of the Sun and breathing patterns.
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2. Verification Verifica tion of the above time structure can be easily done by watching the 12 monthly transits of breaths from one nostril to the other corresponding to the apparent solar ingresses to the 12 sidereal signs. 3. Deeper studies studies can be attempted attempted if (2) above above can be accomplished. accomplished. 4. Breathing rhythms rhythms may be reflective of the basic time structure structure of the human body and thus of fundamental significance to the rhythms associated with other physiological variables.
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