The place of stillness

Yesterday, as I was meditating I suddenly entered this place of stillness - my thoughts suddently subsided, my breathing became very slow and I felt total stillness. I could hear what was going on around me, but my mind was still, my breathing was still, my heart was ... peaceful. I do a breathing exercise, a type of pranayam I learned from guru Sant Shri Asaram Bapuji. I take a deep, deep breath, then try to hold it for 1 min. I don't try to force it too much, but sometimes I do look at the second hand of the clock to see my progress. Next I breathe out all air, then hold the breath. 40 seconds is the ideal, and it is called "baahya kumbhak" where you hold your breath after breathing out. It is more difficult than "kumbhak" which is holding your breath after you breath in. I don't try to do 40 seconds, but only as much as I can without forcing to the point of uncomfortability. Doing this exercise helps the breath flow much smoother and almost feels like it was moving through butter - frictonless. Feels good. So, the point is, this place of stillness, of almost no-breath I think is partly because of this pranayam exercise, and my meditation. Because even though I wasn't breathing regularly, taking in very little air, my chest was moving as if I was breathing regularly. It didn't seem like I needed air, because it seemed like I was getting air anyway. It was an amazing feeling.