Vase breathing

Vase breathing (Skt. kumbhaka; T. rlung bum pa can རླུང་བུམ་པ་ཅན་) is so called because it involves holding or 'containing' the breath in a way that is analogous to a vase or container.

Tsepak Rigdzin states:

A tantric practice or yoga of wind meditation in which, roughly speaking, air from the bottom of one's body is drawn up and air from the upper part of the body is compressed down so as to form a vase-shape at the navel level, and then retained and released at appropriate intervals according to the instruction of the master.

There are two different practices called vase breathing, and the differences between them are significant. These are:

• vase breathing practice associated with tranquillity meditation or mantra recitation, and
• vase breathing practice associated with caṇḍālī (T. tummo; inner heat) meditation.

These two types of vase breathing are often referred to as the "small vase" (T. bum chung) and "large vase" (T. bum chen), respectively. In the practice of the small vase, the breath is steady and relaxed. In the practice of the large vase, as part of caṇḍālī (inner heat) practice, the vase breathing needs to be quite intense and energetic.

Further reading

• Baker, Ian (2019), Tibetan Yoga: Principles and Practices, Inner Traditions 
• Tsoknyi Rinpoche (2012), Open Heart, Open Mind—Awakening the Power of Essence Love, Harmony, Chapter 8