Go Beyond Body and Mind
Pranayama and Its Application in Daily Life
There seems to be a misconception of yoga that
it is synonymous with asana, the physical postures, and its practices
aim only at achieving ever challenging gymnastic feats. In reality, this
misunderstanding of yoga is furthest from the truth. Yoga practices are
balanced integration of physical postures (asana), breathing
(pranayama), deep relaxation and meditation practices. Therefore, yoga
would be incomplete if only asana is practised. Physical practices are
designed as warm-ups leading up to the vital pranayama breathing
practices. In fact, pranayama and cleansing yogic practices were
developed first in ancient India prior to asana practices, highlighting
the importance of breathing practices. Since 6th to 5th centuries BCE,
yogis knew that breathing practices were essential in promoting the flow
of vital energy, the prana, and to control the pranic movement.
However, the healing power of this advanced yoga practice was kept
secret among the rishis (sages) and was not known among the general
public until recent years. Sri Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the founder
of Bihar School of Yoga, imparted and propagated pranayama sequences to
be incorporated into daily routines to benefit all people, including
invalids and the physically challenged.
Yoga is experiential. It can neither be only an intellectual exercise nor a matter of blind belief. In order to reap the benefits of this ancient wisdom, all aspects of yoga, including pranayama, must be practised with dedication. Pranayama practices can transform your daily life and give you a better understanding of your body and health. According to Ayurveda, the purpose of pranayama is to improve one’s quality of life and increase lifespan. In order to attain the much coveted long and healthy life, understanding the following three points are essential:
- 1) The difference between regular breathing and pranayama practices
- 2) The benefits of pranayama in daily activity
- 3) How pranayama prevents diseases and improves health
Pranayama: An Essential Practice of Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga
The Eight-Limbs of Yoga is the structural framework of yoga as outlined in the Yoga Sutra, compiled approximately 2000 years ago by Patanjali, for controlling our restless minds so we have better focus to engage fully in our daily lives. It is a method of self-realization in 8 progressive steps. Pranayama, the 4th limb of yoga, is the precursor to meditation practices, and the start of the advanced yoga practices. However, practices must be done in synchronicity to develop in organic unity.
1st Limb: Yoga takes us on an inward journey from the external to the internal. The first limb is the Yamas,
a code of social conduct. The 5 rules of yamas are external disciplines
to help people live harmoniously in society and to positively direct
their energies.
- 1. Ahimsa: practice non-violence and non-harm physically, verbally and emotionally
- 2. Satya: practice truthfulness and honesty
- 3. Asteya: no stealing, materially, personally and intellectually
- 4. Bramacharya: behave with restraint and good intentions (Traditionally known as the practice of celibacy but recently, the aspect of “Godly behaviour” has become the focus of this practice.)
- 5. Aparigraha: practice non-possessiveness
2nd Limb: The second limb is the Niyamas, the code of personal conduct, consisting of 5 rules of internal discipline to help us live harmoniously with others, prevent personal accumulation of negative karma, and ultimately, to reduce unnecessary suffering for ourselves. In effect, both yamas and niyamas create guidelines for people to live mindfully and in peace while avoiding creating negative energy.
- 1. Saucha: practice of physical and mental cleanliness
- 2. Santosha: practice of contentment, be satisfied with what you have
- 3. Tapas: practice discipline
- 4. Svadhyaya: practice self-reflection, awareness of one’s mind and actions
- 5. Ishvara Pranidhana: practice of devotion to align one’s energy to higher consciousness and to the ideals of one’s pure awareness
3rd Limb: Asana is the practice of mastering the body to sit still in meditation. The Sanskrit etymology of the word means cushion, which is used for sitting in a meditative pose. The physical postures, purposefully created for the asana practice, must be done with body, mental and breath awareness. Without awareness, nor adhering to the yamas and niyamas, the practitioner is only doing physical exercise, not yoga. Getting to know our physical bodies is the first step to gaining self-awareness and preparing ourselves for the breathing and meditation practices.
4th Limb: Pranayama
is breathing practice to control the flow of prana, the vital life
force, and to deepen one’s physical and mental awareness in deep
relaxation. Although the physical benefits of the practice are
undeniable, ranging from controlling heart rate to purifying the lungs,
it also balances the mental and emotional state of a person. It is the
first stage of advanced yoga practices, followed by the meditative limbs
of yoga. In pranayama, the breath acts as a bridge to connect the body
and mind. Asana and pranayama practices gradually open up our deepest
personal conditioning and make us aware of the suffering this
conditioning generates.
5th Limb: Pratyahara is the
practice of detaching from the sense organs. It brings us to a state of
complete relaxation and leads our awareness inward, getting closer
towards stilling the mind. Often a calming sensation of “coming home” is
experienced by the practitioner. Yoga Nidra is an example of a
pratyahara practice where a person lays in a relaxed position on his or
her back with the neck and spine straight and is guided by a teacher
through a sensory awareness meditation. The purpose of this practice is
to give full focus on one sensation at a time while detaching from other
sensations in a deep state of relaxation.
6th Limb: Dharana is the practice of one-pointed concentration where an actual object or a visualized image in the mind is used as a focal point of awareness to prevent the mind from wandering. This stage of practice marks the practitioner’s arrival at “the door to the house” of meditation.
7th Limb: Dhyana is the practice of meditation. The practitioner is fully in the present moment for a period of time. This state can be achieved only through complete stillness of the body and the mind and is the culmination of all the previous practices. Meditation eliminates mind’s afflictions of ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion and longing for life, and thus prepares us for the final limb of yoga.
8th Limb: Samadhi is the indescribable state of experiencing unity with all that is in the universe. It is the awakening to the divine essence of who we truly are and gaining access to all knowing. The mind no longer dominates our awareness and stops comprehending the world in dualities. The true self, the divine essence, takes charge of the mind and body, allowing us to live authentically without afflictions and be free from the vicious cycle of karma.
Yoga is a lifestyle adhering to the precepts of the 8 Limbs of Yoga; therefore, asana alone is not yoga. Dedicating oneself to the core practices of asana, pranayama and pratyahara is a good starting point to change your life.
Respiration / Breathing
According to Yogic science, verified by modern scientific research, Certain Basic Rest-Activity Cycles (CBRAC) occur in our bodies when energy from one hemisphere of the brain moves to the other. The human nasal membranes expand and contract on a cycle that alternates from left to right. As a result, one nostril dominates respiration for 90 minutes, then the other takes over in a cycle continuing 24 hours a day. Our emotional and physical health is a result of the chemical make up of our bodies. Changing the breath dominance from one nostril to the other reverses the brain hemisphere dominance, and by doing so, we can change our personalities and manage our health. The nasal passages are doorways to our personalities, minds and bodies. By consciously controlling our breath, we can activate the pineal gland, alter and balance our emotions and improve our health.
The right nostril, known as the sun channel (surya nadi), is active at sunrise. Right nostril dominance is associated with physical activities, work, eating and mental activities. The left nostril, known as the moon channel (chandra nadi) is active at sunset and its dominance is associated with being peaceful, meditative, and creative. By taking advantage of the nostril dominance, one can maximize success in daily activities.
In general, it is best to breathe through the nostrils rather than the mouth. Contrary to common belief, absorption of oxygen in the lungs takes place mostly during exhalation. By exhaling slowly through the nostrils, more oxygen can be absorbed in the lungs, as well as efficiently removing carbon dioxide.
Respiration
Respiration is the action of bringing oxygen from the atmosphere to the lungs, bloodstream and to every cell in the body. There are two levels of respiration: external and internal. Respiration taking place in the lungs is external respiration and energy building respiration in the cells is internal respiration. Unconscious and simple breathing we do during asana practices is external respiration, but the conscious breathing practices of pranayama promote internal respiration. Internal respiration is necessary for increasing the energy level and purifying the blood.
Process of Breathing
The process of correct breathing begins with an inhalation through the nostrils. The nasal cavity is a hollow space within the nose and skull and is lined with hairs and mucus membrane. Its functions are to warm, moisturize and filter air entering the body before it reaches the lungs.
Gas Transfer
The average inhaled air, by volume, consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% mixture of argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium and hydrogen. The gas exhaled, by volume, is 4% to 5% carbon dioxide which is about a hundred times increase over the inhaled amount. Then how is it possible that we breathe in only oxygen and not the nitrogen that is the largest component of air? The alveoli, located at the ends of bronchioles in the lungs, are ventilated, allowing for gas from an area with a higher number of particles to pass to an area with a lower number of particles. Our bodies are made of substances in the environment, and thus our bodies have as much nitrogen in it as in air, but less oxygen because the body utilizes it to produce energy. This environment induces property of concentration gradient and allows for oxygen to pass through into the blood stream while keeping out excess nitrogen. Likewise, carbon dioxide is diffused out of the blood stream during the exhalation process.
The Lungs and Blood Purification Process
Our lungs are a pair of organs performing gas exchange between our blood and air. They extract oxygen from the air and removes carbon dioxide from the body. Inhaled air goes down the trachea which then divides into the two bronchial tubes. The bronchial tubes further divide into bronchioles. The ends of bronchioles are covered in tiny grape-like air sacs called alveoli. There are over 300 million alveoli in our lungs, which are surrounded by a net of tiny blood vessels called capillaries. The inhaled oxygen passes through the alveoli walls into the bloodstream through the capillaries.
Heart Function
The blood
having absorbed oxygen travels from the lungs to the heart. The heart
pumps the blood to all parts of the body to distribute oxygen to every
cell. As the cells use oxygen to produce energy, carbon dioxide is
produced and absorbed into the bloodstream flowing back into the lungs.
Carbon dioxide passes into the alveoli walls from the capillaries and is
exhaled out of the lungs.
Normal breathing occurs primarily in the upper or superior lobes of both sides of the lungs.
The lungs are divided into lobes and each lobe is utilized for different types of breathing. The right lung is comprised of three lobes; the upper, middle and lower lobes. The left lung is slightly smaller because of the location of the heart and is comprised of two lobes: the upper and lower lobes.
According to
Ayurveda, fruits and vegetables similar in shape to a particular organ
or part of the body are believed to contain nutrients beneficial to the
corresponding body parts. For example, grapes look like clusters of air
balloons of the alveoli, and therefore, considered good to eat for the
enhancement of lungs function.
Energy Building / Inner Respiration
Energy is produced in each cell of our bodies, fueled by oxygen that we inhale and the nutrition we consume. Inner respiration, also known as cellular respiration, is the process of breaking sugar and oxygen into a form called ATP, which the cell converts into energy. Pranayama practices enhance inner respiration by providing efficient distribution of oxygen, the necessary reactant to produce energy, to every cell. For example, lack of oxygen distribution compounded by unhealthy lifestyle will cause diabetes. Regular pranayama practices along with a suitable diet can control diabetes.
Breath Control Centers in the Brain
Normal breathing is an involuntary process controlled by the lower brain center. We do not need to make an effort or remember to breathe. However, by understanding how we breathe, we can control and correct the breath when we are short of it.
There is a common fallacy that inhalation is more important than exhalation, but it is quite the contrary. Exhaling thoroughly is far more important. Increase in carbon dioxide in the blood stimulates the lower brain center, which triggers rapid inhalation. Slow and longer exhalation is more effective in lowering CO2 content in the blood and eliminates the stimulus which causes rapid involuntary inhalation. Rapid breathing causes the heart to pump faster unnecessarily and triggers hyperventilation, perpetuating the need to inhale. Rather, when you feel out of breath, focus on exhaling, then you can regain a comfortable and slower pace of breath.
Life Dependency
It is important to understand the most significant factors which determine our life expectancy and quality of our health. According to conventional medicine, health is defined as a state of being free of diseases and injuries. This definition focuses on illness rather than promoting a healthy body that is capable of long life. The following factors are essential in living your life to its full potential.
Length of breath:
By exhaling properly and taking slower and deeper breaths, we can live longer. Slower breaths promote smooth flow of energy and are less stressful to vital organs such as the heart. It is a fact that animals with rapid breaths have shorter life expectancies. The chart here shows the correlation of increase in life expectancy to decrease in number of breaths per minute. On average, adult humans breathe 15 times per minute. Through the practice of pranayama, we can learn to reduce the number of breaths per minute and increase our life span.
The Speed and Quality of Breath: The speed and how a person breathes reveal his or her emotional and mental state. The following are the emotional and mental states correlated to the types of breathing;
Everyone has experienced paralyzing feelings of anxiety, anger and sadness at some point in their lives and, often, it is very difficult release these feelings. By being aware of the breath, and taking slower and deeper breaths, you can be in command of your own emotions and not be enslaved by them.
Volume of Air (Vital Capacity)
On average, unconscious and calm breathing moves 500 ml of air in and out of the lungs in one breath. In stark contrast, conscious yogic breathing can expand vital capacity up to 5 liters. Regular pranayama practices can slowly build up the breathing capacity to one’s maximum level. Athletes with larger vital capacity have more physical and mental stamina and power because they have ample supply of oxygen for gas exchange.
Lungs, Heart & Diaphragm
A large dome-shaped muscle under the lungs called the diaphragm aids inhalation and exhalation. When inhaling, the diaphragm contracts downward, creating a vacuum that allows air into the lungs. During exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes upwards, pushing on the lungs, causing them to release carbon dioxide. Abdominal breathing is the simplest and best way to increase vital capacity. With inhale, the belly-abdominal area is pushed out and, with exhale, the belly-abdominal area is pushed in and contracted. Both inhalation and exhalation should be done through the nose slowly. Even a beginner pranayama practitioner can increase his or her vital capacity to 2 to 3 liters in relatively short amount of time by doing abdominal breathing. Asana practices alone do not achieve an increase in vital capacity.
The real benefits of yoga begin with pranayama practices. Breathing practices purify blood to get rid of toxins in the body, enhances energy flow and thus balances the body and mind. Many people mistakenly only practice asana and quit yoga after two years because they do not experience any further benefits besides some physical flexibility. Only when yoga is practiced in its entirety, with pranayama, can the practices be sustainable and reap long-term benefits.
Conscious Breath Control
Unconscious breathing is controlled by medulla oblongata, located in the brainstem, and is commonly referred to as the primitive brain. The more evolved area of the brain, cerebral cortex, controls conscious breathing. Pranayama is a conscious breathing practice; therefor directly stimulates the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for memory, focus, perception, cognition, awareness, thought, language and consciousness . Pranayama stimulates parts of the brain essential to our evolution. For example, the kapalpati* breathing practice clears the frontal part of the brain thus activates and balances the higher brain. (*This breathing technique is described under Heating Pranayama Practices.)
Parts of the Brain
The
brain is a complex organ with different parts of the brain controling
specific parts of the body. The diagram here is a “brain map” showing
areas of the brain dedicated to motoring and sensory processing of
different parts of the body. The brain is divided into the left and
right cerebral hemispheres, joined at the middle. The motor cortex on
the left side of the brain controls movement and sensations on the right
side of the body. The somatic sensory cortex on the right side of the
brain controls movement and sensations on the left side of the body.
With awareness, we can train ourselves to use both sides of the brain
equally and simultaneously, which improves control of our bodies and
asana practices.
Pranayama stimulates the cerebral cortex but the function of the brain is further enhanced by practicing Yoga Nidra, a pratyahara practice (5th Limb of Yoga). Yoga Nidra is a guided deep relaxation practice where awareness is brought to various parts of the body in order to stimulate specific parts of the brain. The sequence of awareness during Yoga Nidra must follow the order of the control centers in the brain for maximum effectiveness. Asana alone cannot activate specific brain parts in the way pranayama and Yoga Nidra can, nor can it bring such deep state of relaxation to conducive to healing. This relaxed state even enhances the effectiveness of medication, thus allowing the patient to reduce dosage and dependency on drugs.
Nose Brain Connection
Air entering through the nostrils stimulates the limbic system of the brain. This system, also known as the emotional nervous system, is a complex set of structures which connects higher mental functions with primitive emotions.This is one of the reasons why most pranayama practices are done through the nose and how it is effective in changing the personality.
Important Facts About Breathing
Deep breathing releases endorphins (neuro-modulators in the brain) into blood streams. Endorphins are natural narcotics, which help us cope with pain, and eliminate fear and anxiety. Slow and rhythmic breathing creates a sense of relaxation, produces alpha waves in the brain and reduces muscle tension, thus allowing us to experience deep relaxation. Steady rhythm in the breath synchronizes brain, enzymatic and heartbeat rhythms. It also manages emotional states, hormone levels, sleep and wakeful states and eases muscle and mental tensions. Ultimate goals of pranayama practices are to induce relaxation, mental and physical balance and to recharge physical and mental energy. Regular practice will fortify you with confidence to face life’s challenges with peaceful and relaxed state of body and mind, and to make better decisions in life.
Breathing and the Nervous System
Yoga is the union of the body, mind and soul. This union is achieved through the main circuit running in the body, the spine. It connects the brain to all the other parts of the body through the 7 chakras (energy centers) located along the spine (See Chakra diagram). Pranayama is the fastest and most efficient way to recharge vital energy (prana) in our bodies and, by doing so, relaxes the body and mind. When yogic breathing practices are done with awareness, prana can be directed to the point of focus. The word pranayama is a compound word composed of prana (energy) and yama (direction). Therefore, pranayama is a practice of directing energy through the breath. This union is achieved through the balanced coordination of the three nervous systems which run along the spine. According to yogic science, nadis are energy channels often compared to the nervous systems. They are complex network of 7,200 subtle energy channels which distribute vital force (prana) to every cell in the body. The energy’s movement originates from the mooladhara chakra, (root energy center), located at the base of the spine. From this root chakra, the three major nadis, and minor nadis branch out to reach every corner of the body.
Three Major Nadis
1) Pingala Nadi, which correlates with the sympathetic nervous system, emanates from mooladhara chakra and starts on the right side of the spine, then curves and passes through the other six chakras. This nadi ends at the right side of ajna, third eye chakra, where energy is collected for further distribution. Pingala nadi conducts prana shakti, the energy which governs the physical functions and is associated with the solar and positive energy. The right nostril activates the pingala nadi.
Associated with: Ha (sun), Day time, Shiva (masculine energy),
2) Ida Nadi, which correlates with the parasympathetic nervous system, emanates from the mooladhara chakra and starts from the left side of the spine, then curves and passes through the other six chakras. Ida Nadi ends at the left side of ajna, third eye chakra, where energy is collected for further distribution. It is like the mirror opposite to the pingala nadi. Ida nadi conducts chitta shakti, the energy which governs the mental functions and is associated with the moon and negative energy. The left nostril activates the ida nadi.
Associated with: Ta (moon), Night time, Shakti (feminine energy)
3) Sushumna Nadi, which correlates with the central nervous system, emanates from the mooladhara chakra and runs straight up the spine ending at sahasrara, crown chakra. It conducts the atma shakti, spiritual energy, which connects us to higher consciousness. The Pingala and ida nadis spiral in and out of the sushumna nadi, highlighting how a balanced and unhindered flow of prana in all three major nadis is necessary for spiritual awakening.
Breathing from the right nostril activates the left brain and breathing from the left nostril activates the right brain. Breathing practices balances both sides of the brain and allows for balanced coordination in body and mind. The yogic understanding of health does not deem a disabled person as “unhealthy”. In fact, health can exist in a physically disabled individual. A good example is the late theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking. Despite his severe degenerative disease, his mind was healthy and focused which allowed him to accomplish far more than most and contribute to life fully.
Types of Breathing
In yoga, there are 5 basic types of breathing. It is necessary to follow the guidance of a knowledgeable yoga teacher to learn the breathing practices correctly.
Abdominal breathing: Inhaling through the nose, the diaphragm contracts and goes down while the belly rises. Exhalation through the nose, the belly goes down and the diaphragm goes up. Abdominal breathing quickly slows down the pace of breathing and gives quick relaxation and can be done anytime.
Thoracic breathing: Chest breathing is the inhalation of the lungs by expanding the thorax by using intercostal muscles to elevate the ribs rather than the diaphragm. The reverse is done in the exhalation.
Clavicular breathing: Inhalation only in the top third of the lungs by raising the collarbone and reversing for exhalation. This is the shallowest form of breathing.
Yogic breathing: Slow and purposeful inhalation of breath that fills two sections of the torso in sequence. First the abdomen, then the chest. A slow exhalation is done in the reverse order.
Full Yogic breathing: Slow and purposeful inhalation of breath which fills three sections of the torso in sequence. First the abdomen, then the thorax (chest), and finally the clavicular (upper chest/throat). A slow exhalation in the reverse order follows.
Precautions: Yogic and full yogic breathing are for advanced practitioners. It is important to consult a qualified yoga teacher prior to practice.
Matter and Energy (Prana)
The universe is composed of matter and energy (prana). Likewise, we humans are also composed of the same matter and energy. According to yogic science, a person is composed of 5 energy sheaths called the koshas. The interactions of the 5 koshas create the personality of an individual. The first two sheaths relate to the physical reality. The outer most layer is the annamaya kosha, the physical body which depends on food for nourishment. Pranayama kosha is the sheath of vital life force, prana, which fuels the physical body to exist. The rest of the koshas are manomaya kosha, (the mental body), vijnamaya kosha (wisdom body) and anandamaya kosha, (the bliss body). An integrated yoga practice of asana, pranamaya and meditation is necessary to reach the anandamaya kosha (bliss body). Pranayama practices are essential for pranamaya kosha to distribute energy efficiently because the breath is the carrier of prana to every corner of the body. Conscious breathing can deliver prana to a targeted area, such as body parts experiencing pain, and promote healing there. The original source of prana is the sun. Without this solar gift, there would be no life. Prana is a force in motion that perpetuates all of life’s activities.
Prana
Prana is a Sanskrit compound word. Pra and na denotes constancy of a force being in constant motion. Energy is a vibration of a certain frequency. The word pranayama is sometimes translated as prana (breath) yama (control). However, it is a combination of the words prana and ayama which means the pranic capacity or length, focusing more on the duration of breath rather than the control. Pranayama practices activate the quality of prana to a higher frequency. Since conception until 4 months fetus, we are dependent on our mother’s prana. After 4 months, we source our own prana even while in the mother’s womb. Every breath we take recharges and carries prana within us.
The Pranic Body and its Movement and Areas of Influence
The pranic body (prana vayu) dictates the movement of life force (prana) in the body through the breath. There are 5 main prana vayus, which categorizes prana by movement, function and governs different areas of the body, both physical and subtle. Vayu means wind, suggesting the flow of energy.
1) Prana is seated in the heart but is responsible for providing energy to all glands between anahata (heart) and visuddha (throat) chakras. It propels respiration and blood circulation. The movement of the prana is upward. Lack of flow of this type of prana can be corrected through practicing pranayama
2) Apana is seated at the base of the spine but is responsible for all glands between mooladahara (root) and svadishthana (sacral) chakras. Its function is excretion and movement are downward.
3) Samana is in the region of the navel and performs digestion and provides prana to the adrenal gland. The movement of the energy is twisting around the torso.
4) Udana is in the throat and is responsible for swallowing, balancing the thyroid gland, allowing sleep and separates the spirit from the body at death. It also controls the brain, face, hands and legs. Movement is upward.
5) Vyana is the reserve energy and is responsible for blood circulation. Its movement is outward in a circular motion.
What is Pranayama?
Pranayama is a Sankrit word literary translated as “extension of the prana or breath” but its accurate meaning is “extension of life force.” Pranayama practices give dimensions to prana and energize the whole personality. It directly and positively affects the body and mind and influences our daily activities. Asana was created to help open the body so that prana can flow easily. It is the pranayama that removes blockages in the energy centers and passages. More importance must be placed on pranayama and yoga practice as a whole must be balanced rather than over emphasis on asana practices. Without pranayama, asana practices are no more than physical exercise and inadequate.
Following are 4 types of pranayama practices categorized by their effects. Not all practices are for everyone. Read the precautions carefully and consult a qualified yoga teacher if in doubt.
Heating / Vitalizing Pranayama
This category consists of heavy breathing practices to improve vitality and metabolism, to cultivate mental alertness, and confidence. Regular practice removes physical and mental toxins, laziness, dullness and burns excess fat. This category of pranayama is particularly beneficial for people having low blood pressure, diabetes and hyperthyroid. The rigorous breathing throws out carbon dioxide and therefore affects the breathing to slow down after the practice. However, heating pranayama is not for everyone. People with high blood pressure, reactive quick temper, heart problems, acidity, ulcer, hyperthyroid and post-surgery patients must refrain from these practices.
Kapalbhati (forceful exhalation): Kapalbhati is one of the six detox practices in yoga to purify the body from toxins. Practice by sitting upright, inhale normally and exhale forcefully. The belly should go out when inhaling but the belly must be pushed in strongly at the navel when exhaling. Do 20 to 200 breaths in each round for 3 to 5 sets or according to your ability and needs.
Benefits:
- Remedies obesity, diabetes, flatulence, constipation and acidity
- Strengthens intestine and improves digestion
- Rejuvenates cells, reduces wrinkles, relaxes facial muscles and nerves and slows down aging
- Clears sinuses
- Stimulates and awakens the third eye energy center
Precautions: People with high blood pressure, reactive quick temper, heart problems, acidity, ulcer, hyperthyroid and post-surgery patients must refrain from these practices.
Bhastrika (forceful inhalation & exhalation): Also known as the bellows breath, it is practiced by sitting upright, and begins by exhaling forcefully and inhaling forcefully. The belly goes out at inhale, and belly goes in at exhale. Do 20 to 200 breaths in each round for 3 to 5 sets or according to your ability and needs.
Benefits:
- Strength the lungs
- Alleviates allergies, asthma, respiratory diseases, tonsil and thyroid
- Purifies the blood and removes toxins from the body
- Improves the immune system
- Increases body temperature body and improves metabolism
Precautions: People with high blood pressure, reactive quick temper, heart problems, acidity, ulcer, hyperthyroid and post-surgery patients must refrain from these practices.
Surya Bheda (Right nostril breath): Sit upright. Place the right-hand forefinger and middle finger on the eyebrow center. Use the ring finger to close the left nostril and breath in from the right nostril slowly and deeply. Hold the breath as long as you are comfortable then cover the right nostril with the thumb and exhale slowly through the left nostril. Repeat the process for 3 to 5 minutes, inhaling only through the right nostril and exhaling only through the left nostril. The purpose of this practice is to stimulate the Surya Nadi (Pingala Nadi) to activate bodily functions.
Benefits:
- Activates body functions and promotes physical activity
- Increases digestive fire
- Cleanses frontal sinus
- Alleviates lethargy and depression
- Remedies low blood pressure
- Stress management
Precautions: People with high blood pressure, reactive quick temper, heart problems, acidity, ulcer, hyperthyroid and post-surgery patients must refrain from these practices.
Swan Pranayama (panting dog breath): Sit upright and place your hands on the knee. Stick your tongue out and inhale exhale rapidly through your mouth like a panting dog. Emphasis is on the exhale rather than the inhale. Make sure your belly pushes out at inhale and contracts at exhale. The breathing should not be forced but rhythmic and smooth at a medium to fast pace. Do 20 to 200 breaths in each round for 3 to 5 sets or according to your ability and needs.
Benefits:
- Detoxifies the body by exhaling carbon dioxide
- Sends oxygen to the brain and promotes mental alertness
- Prevents fat deposit in the abdominal area
- Promotes metabolism
- Improves respiratory capacity
- Promotes confidence, reduces nervousness and insecurity
- Reduces frustrations from unfulfilled desires
- Manages depression
Precautions: People with high blood pressure, reactive quick temper, heart problems, acidity, ulcer, hyperthyroid and post-surgery patients must refrain from these practices.
Cooling Pranayama
The main purpose of these practices is to calm and cool down the body and mind. They are beneficial in reducing anger, hunger, thirst, acidity and ulcers while controlling high blood pressure and hyperthyroid. People with depression, low blood pressure, colds, flues and hypothyroid should refrain from these cooling breathing practices.
Sheetali (cooling breath): Sit upright and keep both hands on your knees. Stick your tongue out and fold it like a tube or straw. Take a long deep inhalation through the tongue tube. Close the mouth and slowly exhale through the nostrils. Repeat 20-30 breaths.
Benefits:
- Controls high blood pressure
- Purifies blood
- Reduces body temperature
- Balances acidity
- Manages reactivity and anger
- Enhances the nervous and endocrine systems
- Remedies insomnia
- Counters hyperactivity
Precautions: People with depression, low blood pressure, colds, flues and hypothyroid should refrain from these cooling breathing practices.
Sheetkari (hissing breath): Sit upright and keep both hands on your knees. Roll the tongue upwards so that the tip of the tongue touches the upper palate. Clench the teeth together and inhale slowly through the teeth. Close the mouth then slowly exhale through the nostrils. Repeat 20-30 breaths.
Benefits:
- Reduces the body temperature and calms the mind
- Relaxes the body and mind
- Removes hunger, thirst, sleepiness and lethargy
- Manages depression
Precautions: People with depression, low blood pressure, colds, flues and hypothyroid should refrain from these cooling breathing practices.
Kaki (crow’s beak): Sit upright and keep both hands on your knees. Purse your lips into an O shape or like a bird’s beak. Inhale slowly through the pursed lips. Relax and close the mouth, then exhale slowly through the nostrils. Repeat 20-30 breaths.
Benefits:
- Cools body temperature in hot weather
- Relaxes the body and calm the mind
Precautions: People with depression, low blood pressure, colds, flues and hypothyroid should refrain from these cooling breathing practices.
Tranquilizing Pranayama
This category of pranayama is beneficial to everyone, even those who are ill. The calming effect on the body and mind promotes healing to take place and therefore promotes faster recovery to post surgery patients.
Ujjayi (victorious / ocean breath): Sit upright and keep both hands on your knees. Bend your head forward and let the chin touch the neck or keep your head in an upright position and create a contraction in your throat (vocal cords/glottis). While creating the contraction in the throat, inhale slowly and deeply through the nostrils while letting the air passing the contracted throat. This will produce a gentle hissing sound like the ocean. Then, exhale slowly and completely through the contracted throat in the same manner. The mouth must remain closed throughout this practice. Everyone can do this practice, including post heart surgery patients. Repeat this practice for 3-5 minutes.
Benefits:
- Soothing effect on body, mind and soul
- Regulates heartbeat
- Balances the thyroid gland
- Controls high blood pressure
- Promotes fluid transfer to the cells
- Enhances healing
Precautions: Almost everyone can do this pranayama practice. If in doubt, consult a qualified yoga teacher.
Bhramari (bumble bee breath): Sit upright and keep both hands on your knees. Close your eyes and place your index fingers over the traguses (the small flaps) of both ears firmly to close the ear canal. Do not stick your fingers directly in the ear canals. The purpose is to block out any outside sounds. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nostrils. Then, make a humming bee sound while slowly exhaling. Feel the vibration of the sound in your head. Phase out the sound as you have completely exhaled. Repeat 20 to 50 times.
Very tranquilizing practice for pregnant women, too.
Benefits:
- Relieves mental stress
- Eases cerebral tension to reduce anger and insomnia
- Promotes internal healing
- Alleviates fluid retention
- Induces sleep and alleviates insomnia
- Lowers blood pressure
- Stimulates pineal gland
Precautions: Almost everyone can do this pranayama practice. If in doubt, consult a qualified yoga teacher.
Balancing Pranayama and Breath Retention
Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing): Literally translated as channel/flow purification, this is the single most important pranayama practice which purifies and balances the body and mind, suitable for almost everyone, as long as the breath retention is not practiced. It is vital to learn breath retention practices under the supervision of a qualified yoga teacher.
Sit upright and close your eyes. Place your right index and middle fingers at your eyebrow center and cover your right nostril. With your right thumb. Inhale slowly and deeply without force only through the left nostril. Cover the left nostril with your ring finger and pause for a second (or include internal retention). Release the right nostril and exhale slowly and completely through the right nostril. Cover the right nostril, pause for a second (or include external retention), then release the left nostril and exhale slowly and completely. This constitutes one complete breath. Practice for 5 to 10 minutes in the morning prior to breakfast or before going to bed but not right after meals. Variations of this simple alternate nostril breathing are done in different ratios of durations of inhalation and exhalations and variations, which include internal and external breath retentions.
Internal and external retentions (antara-kumbhaka and bahya-kumbhaka) incorporated in the alternate nostril breathing practices trains the nervous system to tolerate a high level of carbon dioxide and also stimulate the brain cells. The collected carbon dioxide is released fully during the exhalation. It is the practice of holding the breath after inhalation and exhalation. Inhalation is often mistaken as the more important half of the breathing process but it is the exhalation that is vital to an efficient functioning of the respiratory system. Even compromised lungs affected with asthma and other lung diseases can be trained to function more efficiently by training to exhale more carbon dioxide. The positive effects of this practice are higher levels of oxygen in the bloodstream despite lower than average lung capacity.
Benefits and Effects on Physical Body:
- Makes breathing rhythmic
- Purifies blood and releases out toxins naturally
- Supplies oxygen to every tissue and cell
- Maintains digestive process to produce glucose
- Maintains a healthy internal biorhythm
- Clears the respiratory channels
- Controls and balances secretion of hormones
- Balances the flow of energy in the pingala (masculine) and ida (feminine) nadis
- Promotes mental alertness and focus by balancing the left and right hemispheres of the brain
- Reduces dependency on medication
- Improves effectiveness of medication when necessary to take it
Benefits and Effects on the Emotions
- Regulates breathing speed directly controls emotions
- Balanced emotions allow for balanced and mature approach to life
- Improves patience and understanding
- Activates the pinal gland
- Improves discrimination power and analytical power
- Manages our basic instincts
- Tempers reactivity and anger
Positive Effects on Daily Activities
- Regulates and balances basic instincts such as eating, fears, sleeping patterns and desire to seek pleasure
- Evolves personality
- Improves inter-personal / relationship skills
- Increases our awareness of social responsibility
- Increased awareness of our relationship to the environment
Precautions: Most people can perform the basic alternate nostril breathing but those with heart problems, high blood pressure, hyperthyroid and other ailments should not practice breath retention. It is vital to only practice breath retention practices under the supervision of a qualified yoga teacher.
Practicing Alternate Nostril Breathing with Different Ratios
This pranayama practice is done in varying combinations and ratios to gradually increase the length of breath and retention. Ratios and the scope of practices can be increased over a period of time, according to the practitioner’s ability and physical conditions.
The practices are expressed in ratios. A ratio of 1 may represent any chosen unit of time. For example, if 1 represented 10 seconds, then 1:1 ratio means 10 seconds of inhalation and an equal time of exhalation. See the table below showing some of the variations of practices.
Qualities of the Left and the Right Nostrils
According to Swara Yoga, the study of upsurge of flowing energy, the ida nadi ends at the left nostril and the pingala nadi ends at the right nostril. The sushumna nadi ends at the between the nostrils. The activity of the nadis dictates the breath flows in the nostrils. When the flow in the ida is good, then the left nostril is more dominant. When the energy flow is stronger in the pingala nadi, then the right nose is more dominant. When the sushumna nadi is flowing with energy, then both nostrils ‘breath becomes freer flowing. The nostril dominance shifts from one to another every 90 minutes. Therefore, the nostril dominance reveals our state of mind and it can be used to our advantage if you do the right activity at the right moment. You can check your nostril dominance by doing the alternate nostril breathing and testing which nasal passage has better air flow.
Left Nostril Dominance (Ida): Indications and Strengths
- Drinking water and urinating
- Waking up/ getting out of bed
- Doing quiet and calm mental work
- Purchasing jewelry
- Doing charitable activities and helping others
- Settling disagreements
- Approaching seniors and bosses
- Religious practices, rituals, ceremonies and marriages
- Mantra chanting practice or meeting your guru
- Taking a long journey
- Sowing seeds and planting
- Receiving treatment of disease or medicine
- Taking part in musical activities like singing, playing instruments, composing or listening to music
- For women to practice sex
Right Nostril Dominance (Pingala): Indications and Strengths
- Doing physical activity and hard work
- Eating, drinking alcohol
- Evacuating the bowel
- Participating in risky and heroic warfare acts
- Studying academic and intellectual subjects such as mathematics
- Engaging in buying and selling, business and commercial trade
- Travelling
- Doing outdoor sports
- Opposing, resisting, accusing or sentencing someone or an organization
- Horse riding, motorbiking, going up hills and other rigorous riding activities.
- Meeting with enemies or to be dominant
- For men to practice sex
- Avoid spicy and hot foods
- Avoid showering
Ways to Readjust Nostril Dominance
By understanding the strengths and the characteristics of the left and right nostril dominance, you can maximize your energy and engage in activities which align with your natural aptitude at that particular cycle. For example, you may chose to go jogging during right nostril dominance and meditate during left nostril dominance. However, there are times when you may not have the luxury to wait for the perfect moment to engage in an activity. If a student is about to take a math examination or an office worker is about to confront their boss but their left nostril is in dominance rather than their right, there are ways to shift the nostril dominance. The suggestions below will allow better flow of air to the desired nostril.
- Press the armpit opposite to the nostril you want to activate. If you want to activate the right nostril, press the left armpit for a while and vice versa to activate the left nostril.
- Lie down on your side with the nostril that you want to activate on the top. For example, if you want to activate the left nostril, you must lie down on your right side.
Daily Pranayama Practice
The only way to benefit f
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