Pranayama: Breathing Techniques for Yoga

The body is like the wick of a candle, and the mind is like the glow all around it...

The mind, body, and breath are so intimately connected that they deeply influence each other. The way we breathe is influenced by our state of mind, and in turn, our thoughts and physiology can be influenced by our breathing. Deep breathing practices advocated in advanced yoga training can have a positive impact on our physiology, both body and mind.

Pranayama  ( Breathing  techniques)

For thousands of years, Yoga and Ayurveda have employed ( breathing techniques) pranayama to maintain, balance, and restore physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

Prana refers to the universal life force and ayama means to regulate or lengthen. Pranayama means working in the dimension of prana.

Prana flows from thousand of channels called nadis and centers of the body called chakras. The quantity and quality of prana and the way it flows through the nadis and chakras determine one’s state of mind and create an aura around your body. A continuous and high flow of Prana can keep your mind calm, positive, and enthusiastic.

Benefits of regularly practicing  pranayama ( breathing techniques)

1.  Increase in your energy level by increasing and enhancing the quality and quantity of prana.

2. Clear your blocked veins and arteries resulting in increasing metabolism.

3. Brings clarity to the mind and good health to the body.

4. Keeps your mind calm, positive, and relaxed which results in making better decisions.

5. Brings harmony between the body, mind, and spirit, making one physically, mentally and, spiritually strong.

 Types of Pranayama and How to do them: 

· Bhramari Pranayama (The Bee Breath)

 If your mind buzzing with the activities and you are not able to  focus on any one thing, then find a quiet corner and try Bhramari Pranayama and apply brakes to your buzzing mind.

Steps for Bhramari Pranayama

1. Sit down in Vajrasana or Padma

2. Your shoulders must be stretched out and your spine straight. Now, open up your palms and close your ears with your thumbs.

3. Place your index fingers on the forehead, right above your eyebrows. Let your middle and ring fingers rest on your closed eyes. 

4. Breathe in deeply and exhale slowly, keeping your mouth closed. While breathing out, make a little humming sound.

5. Your fingers should feel the vibrations of the sound. Remove the fingers gently from your face and rest them on your knee.

6. One round is complete. Repeat the procedure 5-10 times.

· Kapal Bhati pranayama (skull shining breathing technique) 

Kapalbhati Pranayam can be used to detoxify your body from negative thoughts and emotions, it also helps in clearing your energy channels( nadis)and energy centres (chakras).

 Steps for Kapalbhati Pranayam

1. Sit comfortably and close your eyes.

2.  Take a deep breath and exhale using all your strength from the belly

3.  As you exhale, release the exhale with `swoosh sound, while simultaneously visualizing that all your problems are exit through the nose. 

4. It's suggested that you increase your breathing time by an average of 15 to 30 minutes.

· Bhastrika pranayama (bellows breath)

A couple of rounds of Bhastrika can energize you completely. It keeps you awake, keeps the cerebrum active, hence enhancing your learning. Bhastrika helps the energy to keep flowing and removes harmful toxins from the body.

Steps for Bhastrika Pranayam

1.  Sit in Vajrasana  or sukhasana (cross-legged position).

2. (Pranayama can be more effective in Vajrasana as your spine is erect and the diaphragmatic movement is better. 

3. Makes a fist and fold your arms, placing them near your shoulders. 

4. Inhale deeply, raise your hands straight up and open your fists. 

5. Exhale slightly forcefully, bring your arms down next to your shoulders and close your fists.

6. Continue for 20 breaths.

7. Relax with palms on your thighs. 

8. Take a few normal breaths. 

9. Continue for two more rounds.

· Nadi Shodhan Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing technique)

Can't concentrate on the task at hand? Try Nadi Shodhan Pranayama. It calms and centers the mind by bringing harmony between the mind, body, and soul.

Nadi = subtle energy channel; Shodhan = cleaning, purification; Pranayama = breathing technique.

Steps for Nadi Shodhan Pranayama

1.  Sit comfortably with your spine erect and shoulders relaxed. Keep a gentle smile on your face.

2.   Place your left hand on the left knee, and palms open to the sky or in Chin Mudra (thumb and index finger gently touching at the tips).

3. Place the tip of the index finger and middle finger of the right hand in between the eyebrows, the ring finger, and the little finger on the left nostril, and the thumb on the right nostril. We will use the ring finger and little finger to open or close the left nostril and thumb for the right nostril.

4. Press your thumb down on the right nostril and breathe out gently through the left nostril.

5. Now breathe in from the left nostril and then press the left nostril gently with the ring finger and little finger. Removing the right thumb from the right nostril, breathe out from the right.

6. Breathe in from the right nostril and exhale from the left. You have now completed one round of Nadi Shodhan pranayama. Continue inhaling and exhaling from alternate nostrils.

7. Complete 9 such rounds by alternately breathing through both the nostrils. After every exhalation, remember to breathe in from the same nostril from which you exhaled. Keep your eyes closed throughout and continue taking long, deep, smooth breaths without any force or effort.

·  Ujjain Pranayama or Ocean Breathing

Ujjayi breathing is sometimes also called "the ocean breath", as the movement of air in the glottis (throat) resembles the sounds of waves of the ocean.A technique that builds heat in the body and relaxes the mind.

Steps for Ujjain Pranayama

1.  To create the Ujjayi breath, one can constrict the back of the throat, similar to the constriction made when speaking in a whisper.

2. Therefore, it is an audible breath that is often compared to the sound of the ocean or snoring. Although there is a constriction of the throat, the Ujjayi breath flows in and out through the nostrils, with the lips remaining gently closed.

3. The breath should be both long, smooth, and subtle allowing the air to reach all the cells in your lungs. In the beginning, it may seem like a lot of work, but eventually, it should become effortless.

For a beginner in yoga, exhalation with Ujjayi is relatively easier than inhalation. So you may start with learning Ujjayi exhalation.

These are some types of pranayama (Breathing techniques) which can help you stay calm, positive, and enthusiastic.

Since the pranayamas or breathing exercises deal with the subtle life force, it is important to practice them as taught by a certified yoga practitioner. Experimenting with these techniques is not advisable.

-Gunjan Kriplani (Team SYNC Snippets)