When we use the word ‘swara’, we are talking about something more than the air which flows from the nostrils, we are also talking about the flow of prana, a very subtle and vital aspect of the breath. Up to now, knowledge of the swara has only been sought by a small minority of people. In fact, breathing is a process which is generally ignored, although it is the most important function of the body.
Breathing continues twenty-four hours a day, whether one is aware of it or not. The breath is man’s most valuable treasure because without it he cannot exist for more than three minutes. There is a saying that man is born alone and dies alone, but this is incorrect. Man is born with his breath, and with his subtle prana, which is the essence of the breath, he departs. Breath is man’s ‘soul’ companion. Therefore, the Upanishads refer to swara as atmaswaroopa or brahmaswaroopa, thus inferring that man is a part of Brahman or the universal consciousness. If you can realize the true reality of the breath, you can realize the atma or soul.
Breathing is therefore more than a simple physical action.
Each breath has an underlying significance and a particular ‘coded message’. For the spiritual aspirant the breath provides a vehicle by which he can reach the ultimate goal. Ordinary breathing is a mechanical function performed by the physical body, but in swara yoga breathing is a process which can be manipulated and controlled.