Lord Vishnu and the nectar

While studying for my first assessment in the Iyengar method,  we were asked to read a part of the Tree of Life by B.K.S Iyengar. Honestly,  it was about this time last year that I opened the book for the first time after having it for nearly 8 years.  Over the last year,  it has been a story I have read numerous times.  All the art work that depicts this story is beautiful and detailed.  Then while studying and chanting sutras from my next list,  the story was revealed again in the very first sutra! through the explanation of B.K.S. Iyengar in Light on the Yoga Sutras.  For those of you who know me,  this story is a perfect representation of the last 4 years of my life.  Without all this churning and practicing and breathing,  I would not be sitting here writing this from such a place of gratitude.   The story goes like this I will keep it short:

In the Srimad Bhagavatam,  there was a story of how the "nectar of immortality"  was produced.  The angels feared that the desire of the "nectar"  to the demons would over take them. The angels sought help from 3 Lords who went to Lord Vishnu for help.  He suggested the angels and demons work together to churn then ocean to bring out the "nectar".  They used Mount Meru as the churn-er,  Lord Adisesa (Lord Vishnus serpant couch)  as the the rope to turn Mount Meru. the angels and demons are the ones pulling back and forth on the serpant to get that mountain to move!  Many plants were thrown into the ocean to produce the "nectar",  these plants refer to the 7 constituents the body is made of.  Mount Meru represents the spinal column and Lord Adisesa represents the control of the spine for respiration.  So as the story goes on,  the mountain sinks to the bottom of the sea,  at this time, Lord Vishnu reincarnates to Lord Kurma (the tortoise) and goes under the mountain, lifts it up again so the churning can continue!  Isn't this exciting??  The first thing to come out of the ocean as a result was halahala which is a poison that represents exhalation,  thank goodness that Lord Vishnu took one for the team, he swallowed it.  The last, but not least was the "NECTAR".  Yeah! 

Sutra II.49
tasmin sati svasa prasvasayo gativicchedah pranayamah

Pranayama is the regulation of the incoming and out going flow of breath with retention.  It is to be practised only after perfection in asana is attained.

**  In Light on the Yoga Sutras,  he explains that the story above is an "interwoven explanation, symbolizes what takes place in the human body in the practice of pranayama."

***As you practice this week add in a little pranayama of your own.  Be reminded that the poses would not be possible without this prana=energy we produce at every moment!  Take time in your asanas to breath,  to breath, to breath some more.