Every Breath You Take

Pranayama - Control Of Breath

Layer 4 of the Yoga Sutras is Pranayama which means ''control of breath''. The Sanskrit word Prana means ''life energy'' and the word Ayama is ''draw out or control''.

An on-mat yoga practice will often incorporate meditation, asana and pranayama. Without breath awareness, it becomes much harder to connect to ourselves, quieten the world and focus the mind.

When we investigate the yoga sutras, we see the practice of yoga sinks to layers much more subtle than the physical. While pranayama is the first of the deeper subtle energy examination, we see hints of it already as we think back on the yamas and the niyamas.

If you've done pranayama, you will have (hopefully) experienced the delicate balance between connection and expansion of the breath. If we think of the breath as literally bringing life force into our body, and start to work to maximise it's benefit, our practice can be transformed.

The yoga sutras outline three stages of breath;

Purak( Inhale)

Kumbhak (Retention)

Rechak (Exhale)

Patanjali also said that pranayama should be practiced in an appropriate asana, mostly a comfortable seat. In mainstream classes you'll probably find a section of dedicated pranayama and ujaii offered throughout the rest of the class. Some pranayama practices will have accompanying mudras, hand gestures, to enhance the energy flow.

Benefits of Pranayama

Where to start!

Firstly, connection to the now. This is one of my personal favourite benefits of pranayama. Just for now, lets do a wee pranayama. Allow your breath to flow freely and observe the simple act of natural breathing. Notice what happens in your chest, your belly. Become aware of the inhale, the space at the top of the inhale, the exhale and the space at the bottom of the exhale. See your breath as a continuous stream; arriving, staying a moment and departing.

As you did this exercise your mind would have been focused on the act of breathing. You wouldn't have been thinking of your bills or jobs, you wouldn't have been worried, mulling over issues or planning exciting activities, your anxiety would have paused - even momentarily. When we are absorbed in any breath awareness technique we cannot escape to anywhere else but the here and now.

When we talk about pranayama it's important to remember we are observing and controlling the flow of energy or life source into our body. Some ancient texts describe Prana as the energy of the universe, flowing through each and every one of us. The same energy that creates also destroys. Oftentimes the first clue something doesn’t feel right shows up in our breath. Think of a time you felt stressed or attacked, your breath changed from being slow and natural, to fast, short and mostly living in your shoulders.

In a yoga class setting, losing control of the breath is one of the first signs we’ve allowed the mind to wander. The best thing about noticing the loss of control, is that there is another inhale coming along very shortly, a chance to start again.

Pranayama is said to improve lung capacity, reduce stress by calming the central nervous system, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and, depending on the technique, energises the body. There have been many scientific studies that outline the benefits of working with our breath. A 2016 New York Times article states Studies have found, for example, that breathing practices can help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and attention deficit disorder.

In fact, there are many cases reported of pranayama being offered throughout the Covid 19 pandemic to help patients manage their breathing, aid in relieving stress and anxiety and promoting healthy lung capacity.

How To?

There are said to be 8 types of pranayama in Hatha yoga, although many variations exist. I regularly teach most of these so if you've taken a class with me chances are we explored the depths of your breath somewhere along the way🙂

Ujaii Pranayama

Probably the most common and frequently offered in mainstream classes, ujaii is a long inhale followed by a long exhale with a soft restriction at the back of the throat. It sounds like the waves of the ocean if you listen closely enough.

Dirga Pranayama

This is a beautiful technique that beginners can partake in physically, or in the mind’s eye. A small sip of inhale fills the chest, the next sip of inhale fills the middle of the belly, the remainder of the inhale fills the torso before exhalation.

Viloma Pranayama

This is a technique similar to the Dirga Pranayama but with pauses in between the sips. A small sip of inhale is held, the next sip of inhale fills the torso some more and is held, the remainder of the inhale fills the entirety of the torso and is held momentarily before exhalation. You can also pause the breath on the exhale too.

Nadi Shodhana

Ah, this beauty! It's practised by blocking off one of your nostrils with your fingers and releasing the other in time with your breath. A complex technique to first master but so very rewarding. Nadi Shodhana clears the energy channels of the body by balancing the three doshas - the mind, the body and the soul.

Sitali Pranayama

Sitali involves taking the inhale through a curled tongue or a small 0 shape made with your lips, cooling your body. This practice is beautiful in summer or if you've had a hard workout and want to cool off after.

Bhamari Pranayama

I teach this in my teenager’s classes and also in pregnancy classes... the power of vibration you guys!! Place the hands over the skull and thumbs on the front of the ears. Softly close off your ears with your thumb, you buzz like a bee on the exhale. That's it.

Bhastrika Pranayama

This breath works with the diaphrghram as you ''pump'' the breath through your body. A lovely warm-up technique before undertaking Kapalabhati breath.

Kapalabhati

This technique is a lovely warming practice. The muscles of the abdomen are rhythmically contracted in time with the breath to generate heat within the body.

Throughout the week notice how your breath falls naturally in your body. In moments of stress, observe the breath and notice any shifts or changes. If you are concentrating, notice how the breath feels in its length and depth. If you are excited and happy, notice how that affects the way you engage with the life force running through your body.

Breath = prana = life. There are not much simpler ways of putting it. By observing the breath we are observing how we interact with the Universe. Pretty cool eh?

Until next time breathe peacefully and fully, friends.

In love, always,

Leonie x