| We've all had someone tell us in moments of upset or | | | | poses get challenging. |
| panic to stop and take a deep breath. Breathing | | | | There's more than one school of thought when it |
| consciously or in a controlled manner is the heart of | | | | comes to the best way to incorporate pranayama into |
| pranyama. Conscious breathing brings more oxygen | | | | yoga practice. Some forms of yoga advocate the |
| into your blood, and in turn, to your brain. As a result, | | | | separation of pranayama from the yoga poses, while |
| your nervous calms down and you feel less anxious | | | | others believe conscious breathing is critical to reaping |
| and more energized. | | | | the maximum benefit from asana practice. |
| Pranayama Basics | | | | In other words, not all forms of yoga include |
| If you've ever taken an aerobics class or worked out | | | | pranayama as part of its practice. Ashtanga yoga is |
| with a personal trainer, you've been reminded to | | | | one form that does. When you practice Ashtanga |
| breathe while you're exercising. Given that our bodies | | | | yoga, your movements flow in one-to-one ratio with |
| breathe whether we're paying attention or not, it may | | | | your breath where movements that cause your body |
| seem like a silly instruction, but at different levels of | | | | to expand are done on the inhalation and those that |
| exertion, many us of hold our breath whether we | | | | contract the body follow on the exhalation. Kundalini |
| realize it or not. | | | | yoga is another form of yoga that relies heavily on |
| The word pranayama breaks down into prana, which | | | | pranayama to awaken and move energy throughout |
| translates to life force energy, particularly in the breath | | | | the body and expel toxins. |
| and ayama which means restraint or control. The | | | | Pranayama Techniques |
| practice of pranayama then, is the practice of | | | | In addition to basic long, deep breathing, the most |
| controlled, restrained breathing. | | | | common pranayama techniques include victorious or |
| At its most basic level, controlled breathing involves | | | | ujayyi breath, breath of fire and alternate nostril |
| consciously prolonging your inhalation and holding it | | | | breathing. |
| briefly before exhalation. Most people tend to be | | | | Ujayyi or victorious breath is done only through the |
| shallow breathers, utilizing only the top two-thirds of the | | | | nose and involves a slight constriction at the back of |
| lungs. | | | | the throat. Take a long inhale with your mouth closed |
| With this pranayama technique, sometimes called long, | | | | and when you do, make the sound aaah; repeat on |
| deep breathing, you seek to fill your lungs all the way | | | | the exhale. When done properly, victorious breath is |
| to the base and on the exhalation, empty them to the | | | | said to sound like the ocean and is often referred to |
| top near your collarbone area. Your goal is to maintain | | | | as oceanic breath. Victorious breath is believed to |
| a regular, steady flow of breath from the beginning of | | | | generate heat in the body and rid the muscles of lactic |
| each inhalation to the end of each exhalation. | | | | acid build up. |
| The spiritual theory behind it the practice is that you're | | | | Breath of fire is most often used in the practice of |
| inhaling energy from its source in the universe, savoring | | | | Kundalini yoga and is believed to relieve fatigue by |
| it for a moment and then releasing it back to the world | | | | restoring vitality and energy to the nervous system. |
| with a loving, compassionate intention. | | | | Breath of fire is usually practiced for 30 seconds up to |
| How it Works | | | | 3 minutes. |
| Yoga practitioners have been using pranayama for | | | | To perform breath of fire, inhale deeply through the |
| thousands of years to guide them through their yoga | | | | nose and feel your abdomen extend outward. Exhale |
| and meditation practices. Conscious breathing helps | | | | through your nose as your abdomen pulls back toward |
| quiet the mind during meditation, and brings fresh | | | | the spine. Inhale again and this time when you exhale, |
| oxygen into the body to support it during difficult or | | | | consciously draw your abdomen back to toward the |
| challenging yoga poses. Certain pranayama techniques | | | | spine several times, as if you were pumping a fireplace |
| are also thought to help body release toxins. | | | | bellows. The force of your exhale should sound like a |
| It's pranayama's ability to quiet the mind is that makes it | | | | long, strong sniff. |
| useful during times of intense stress, emotional upset, | | | | Alternate nostril breathing is said to calm a busy mind, |
| anxiety or trauma. Anyone can benefit from practicing | | | | help ease insomnia and cool the body. Although it may |
| tilde;'Â"anywhere, at any time. You don't need to | | | | feel awkward at first, once you get into a rhythm you'll |
| wait for a crisis, believe in life force energy or take up | | | | feel the effects of bringing more oxygen into your |
| yoga to experience its benefits. | | | | system almost immediately. It's also believed that |
| Yoga and Pranayama | | | | alternate nostril breathing helps connect the left and |
| Even though you don't need to be a yogi to practice | | | | right halves of the brain. |
| conscious breathing, yoga and pranayama | | | | To begin, place your right thumb over your right nostril |
| complement each other nicely and are often practiced | | | | and your right ring finger above your left nostril. Gently |
| together. | | | | close your right nostril and inhale through the left nostril. |
| Different yoga poses create space in different parts | | | | Inhale to a count of 4. Then, close your left nostril at |
| of the body; the better your posture, for example, the | | | | the same time you release the right and exhale |
| easier it is to breathe fully into the whole of your lungs. | | | | through your right nostril to a count of 8. Then, inhale |
| Likewise, the more controlled your breathing, the more | | | | through your right nostril to a count of 4; release your |
| focus you're able to bring to your yoga practice and | | | | left nostril and close your right and exhale through your |
| the more oxygen for your body to rely on when the | | | | left nostril to a count of 8. |