BreathVoidVerse 25beginner
The Pause After the Breath
In the still gap after the out-breath, before the next in-breath, Bhairava appears.
Source verse · Verse 25
maruto antar bahir vāpi viyad yugma anivartanāt
In the still gap after the out-breath, before the next in-breath, Bhairava appears.
▶ Practice this technique5 / 10 / 15 min · eyes closed
How to practice
- 1Breathe naturally and let attention settle on the breath.
- 2After the out-breath completes, do not rush to inhale.
- 3Notice the small, weightless pause where no breath moves.
- 4Let attention rest fully in that gap.
- 5Notice the same gap at the top of the in-breath. Live in the two pauses.
Practice note. The gap is brief at first and lengthens on its own. Never force the breath to hold — that is pranayama, not this. Only notice the pause that is already there.
Terms in this technique
- prāṇa
- The vital breath/energy; here, the upward-moving breath.
- śūnya
- Void, emptiness — not nothingness but open, contentless awareness.
- kumbhaka
- The natural pause/retention of the breath.
- bhairava
- The fierce, all-encompassing form of Shiva; ultimate consciousness.
Sources consulted
- Jaideva Singh, Vijñānabhairava: The Manual for Self-Realization (Motilal Banarsidass, 1979)
- Swami Lakshmanjoo, Vijnana Bhairava: The Manual for Self Realization (Universal Shaiva Fellowship, 2007)