Two modifications for the pranayama part:
- After being able to do really slow breaths, meaning 1-2 breaths per minute over 10 minutes without problems and after having reached stability in most of the kundalini stimulating additions:
--> you can add kumbhakka (breath retention) to SBP for 2-10 secs after inhalation and after exhalation.
Especially the second one wakes up kundalini strongly. For that reason, this kind of breathing can either be done after 5-10 minutes of normal SBP for some additional minutes. Or only in one of both sitting sessions.
Only increase retention times if slow and stable breathing is possible without more effort. Never exchange slow breathing with kumbhakka+fast breathing.
Cautions: It is only for mid to later stages and should not be done to a painful extreme. People with blood pressure problems should bypass this or just stay with little seconds of breath retention. In latest stages, yoni mudra kumbhakka will make the most difference in kundalini waking.
-------------------------
- After being stable in a whole set of kundalini stimulating elements, especially in bhastrika pranayama and yoni mudra kumbhakka / whole body mudra:
--> you can fuse both for very strong kundalini awakening and bringing it up to the third eye.
The procedure: After 5-20 bhastrika SB-pranayams, with the last one exhale very strongly and then inhale very deeply, hold the breath, do yoni mudra ( + jalandhara, mula bandha and uddiyana bandha ( + kechari mudra 1 if not already in 2 or higher)). Stay with breath, energy and attention at the brow as silent, stable and relaxed as possible. And this for as long as possible without going to extremes. When first signs of discomfort start, loosen the bandhas + mudras and start to exhale very slowly.
At the beginning 1 repetition is enough. After some days to weeks, it can be enhanced 1 per time. In that case, after having exhaled, you can take 1-3 normal breaths and then start over with 5-20 bhastrika SBPs + yoni mudra kumbhakka / whole body mudra, and so on.
The best place for this technique is after pranayma and before starting with DM.
Cautions: The same as the one above, except that this one can be overdone much easier than any other technique. After some weeks to little months the ability to hold the breath will effortlessly exceed minutes and this again will make 1 repetition more effective than 3 before! So one should be careful with this changing dynamic. Overall, its effects are intense and only for those with high bhakti and already stable routines of advanced techniques.
------------------
The timings and amounts are just a starting point. The focus is more on the techniques itself. Everyone at this stage will do what suits best for him/her anyway. And most probably many won't need these enhancements either.
Iny my experience, the first one opens both nostrils very fine and opens the entrance to sushumna. Bhastrika+kumbhakka make the lifeenergy enter it smoothly. The bandhas and mudras bring this energy very safely to the third eye. Because of this combination, the mind can suddenly stop and you can even dive into intense silence and pure bliss awareness. The contrast can be huge and frightening for the first time. But the bliss will welcome you in such a way, that this kind of fear will vanish instantly.
The second technique also improves health and melts stubborn blockages like nothing else.
I don't know if AYP needs this. Both can be integrated without (much) time addition and both provide a smooth opening of the sushumna and make the transition to nondual awareness much easier. So they are more of an addition for those within ayp who have some years behind them and still wonder why nothing happens. Or for those with extreme insensitivity (and short timing). Or for those who have done some good progress over the years and have an immense bhakti rising and are ready for a greater shift.
