Vijñāna – wise knowledge

«Sitting in the padmasana posture, renouncing the society of men, let the Yogi press the two vijnana nadis (vessels of consciousness, perhaps coronal arteries) with his two fingers» (Śiva-samhitā, 5.36).

It’s a pitfall, Leo, don’t fall into it! Careful to try padmāsana, you can hurt your knees. Nobody tells you to give up the social life, rather it is your month for relationships. And above all, do not compress the vijñāna-nādi, it is dangerous! So, you think, what did you write all this for? Because there is a message between the lines. The vijñāna-nādi are literally “the channels of knowledge”. It is said that compressing them helps to enter an altered state of consciousness, which should open to new dimensions and above all to wisdom.

This month you should engage in something perhaps more difficult than what Śiva-samhitā suggests: to seek wisdom while maintaining a thriving social life. In some cases the key word could be “diplomacy.” With the help of diplomacy and with Jupiter in your favor, you can enjoy one of your best birthdays!

IN PRACTICE  

Jalandhara-bandha, throat lock. 

The vijñāna-nādi seem correspond to the nerves of the carotid sinus. Compressing them with your fingers can be very dangerous, because they flow next to the carotid arteries and to compress these arteries means blocking the blood supply to the brain. With jalandhara-bandha a slight compression is obtained, while the position in general recalls introspection, humility and reflection. In meditation or with pranayama, practice it every night before bed.    

Meditation: 

Since you have to practice the bandha, you can take advantage to meditate like the Desert Fathers did. The enemies accused them of omphaloscopy, contemplating the navel. For them, instead, it was turning their eyes towards the heart, as well as a sign of humility. The navel is strong, the heart is loving. Which way do you choose?

Mantra of the month: 

«Tact and diplomacy».