Pranayama Trouble, Getting nothing Options

Hello

I've been practicing alternate nostril breathing daily for a few months, and I'm just not getting anything out of it. I don't think I'm doing it incorrectly, it's a simple procedure after all. I don't even get the stress reduction or feeling of clarity that some folks report, never mind the deeper aspects of pranayama which, if I understood correctly, involve gaining experience and mastery of prana. Am I just being way too impatient with this practice? If you practice pranayama regularly, what do you get out of it?

Ahava

Thanks for the reply. Let me explain what I've been doing: I used a 4:16:8 count (inhale over 4 through left nostril, hold over 16, exhale over 8 through right nostril, repeat starting with right nostril, etc.). I created a simple sound track using a metronome that keeps the count for me, and rings a bell every time it gets to 1 again. This completely eliminated the need to count mentally, which I thought was good because it allows me to focus my awareness entirely on my breathing. What's also great is I can adjust the tempo. So I started at 60 beats per minute (that's 1 metronome click per beat, or quarter notes), which was fairly easy. I built myself up to 30 minutes a day and then I progressively slowed the tempo down by 2 BPM until I got to 40 BPM, which was excruciatingly difficult. Then I decided to throw in the towel because I just wasn't seeing benefits.

All in all pranayama by itself, once a day, is not enough to counter daily stress, never mind get all the other benefits.

Yeah I noticed pranayama doesn't really help for stress. If I feel the need to get rid of stress, I would much rather use brainwave entrainment. (20 minutes at 10hz works magick for me.)

Keep going and ask questions, it is sooo simple to miss a break through because of some preconceived notions. What is best one day may not be best the next day or even hour. There are many subtle considerations so if you notice something as a pattern then ask about it, it might shave weeks or months off your practice.

Indeed. I'll check out Pradipika, hopefully I'll be better informed. Are there any other texts that you would recommend that you consider essential for proper practice of yoga? I have Swami Vivekananda's Raja Yoga, but he doesn't go into specifics of practice. Inspiring read though.