Yoga is a vehicle.
Yoga is a path
to follow and not the destination.
Yoga is the journey - teaching joy in the present while
enabling the yogi to prepare for a glorious future.
Each person who practices yoga is a yogi
whether an advanced student or a beginner. We are all students, even when we are teachers.
When we practice yoga we
discover the amazing ability of the body to move, balance, lift, and support; we increase the
ability of the mind to focus and release preconceived notions; we transcend the body and
the mind to the place of being.
This page is intended as a starting point for learning some basic yogic breathing techniques. There are many variations
and more advanced techniques that should be learned under the guidance of a qualified instructor. Happy breathing!
-KG
Basic Pranayama
- Complete Breath
The 3-part, or complete, yogic breath is one that involves the entire lung capacity. Originating in the diaghram by relaxing
and softening the abdomin, the breath proceeds through the nose to fill up the lungs as we allow the rib cage to expand and feel the ribs move
to the sides. Finally the breath moves up into the top of the lungs and we feel the top of the chest expand as though the
breath is filling up the space underneath our collar bones. The exhale is as important, or more so, than the inhale as a
complete exhalation rids the body of stale air and makes room for the next complete inhalation. Exhale through the nose
out of the top
of the chest, feel the ribs move closer together, and finally contract and push the remaining air out of the lower lungs
by contracting the abdominal muscles.
In this way, a complete breath - abdominal, intercostal, and clavicular - is completed. At first, this may seem like a
needlessly complicated way to think about breathing. After all, you've made it this far without worrying about your
breath and whether your ribs are moving out to the sides. However, breath is the vehicle for consciousness. The more
conscious our breath, the more aware we become of the placement of our body in space, of our tension and relaxation, of
our anger and joy. Breath is the fundamental keystone of any conscious practice. Yoga is no exception. In fact, yoga
postures are just posturing without a conscious emphasis on the breath and focused attention. Luckily, there is no time
limit for learning these practices. Practice little bits every day and have patience with yourself. Enjoy the journey and,
sooner than you expect, complete breath will be easy and automatic.
- Ujjayi Breathing
Ujjayi breathing expands on the concept of the complete breath. Meaning "victorious", ujjayi is performed
by creating a soft sound in the back of the throat while inhaling and exhaling through the nose. The air swirls in the
back of the throat creating a sound like the wind in the trees or the ocean from a distance (or, as one student said,
"like Darth Vader in Star Wars"). An easy way to learn ujjayi is by taking a deep inhalation and then
opening the mouth and whispering the sound "Hhhaaaaaaa". After a few repetitions inhaling through the nose and then
exhaling "ha", you can start to both inhale and exhale the sound "ha". Although the throat may start
to dry out, the feeling of
swirling air and a slight constriction in the top of the back of the throat are the feelings you need to recreate
ujjayi with the mouth closed. Close the mouth and continue with ujjayi breathing throughout your
practice unless you are in relaxation (corpse pose) in which case, allow the breath to flow in your own natural rhythm.
- Kapalabhati
Kapalabhati is a cleansing breathing technique that rids the lungs of stale, unused air. Meaning "skull shining"
kapalabhati increases the amount of oxygen in the body, ridding it of fatigue and effectively clearning the mind
and improving concentration. It is a series of sharp, quick exhalations and slightly longer, relaxed inhalations followed
eventually by a retention of the breath. Kapalabhati proceeds as follows:
- Start with three rounds of complete breath
- Exhale with a quick, firm contraction of the abdomin
- Immediately soften and release the abdomin, allowing for a short inhale (do not force the inhalation)
- Repeat steps 2 & 3 (20 times as a beginner, progressing to rounds of 60-100 pumpings)
- Exhale completely and hold the exhalation for 5-10 seconds
- Take one complete breath
- Inhale 1/2 to 3/4 of your lung capacity and hold your breath for 30 seconds or as long as comfortable
- Repeat all steps twice more
- Anuloma Viloma
Anuloma Viloma is balancing breathing technique that restores an equal flow, balancing prana in the body.
In this alternate nostril breathing exercise, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, exhale through the
other nostril and then inhale again. The thumb of the right hand rests over the right nostril, the right ring and pinky
fingers rest over the left nostril. After exhaling completely, Anuloma Viloma proceeds as follows:
- Inhale through the left nostril, sealing the right nostril with the thumb
- Place the ring and pinky fingers over the left nostril (thereby sealing both nostrils) and retain the breath
- Uncover the right nostril and exhale
- Leaving the right nostril uncovered, inhale through the right
- Place the thumb over the right nostril (threby sealing both nostrils) and retain the breath
- Uncover the left nostil and exhale
Repeat steps 1 through 6 for three rounds, building gradually to twenty rounds. The ratio for the breath can be to
inhale, retain, and exhale to the same count (i.e count to 4 while inhaling, 4 while retaining, and 4 while exhaling). This
is a basic balancing breath. A slightly more advanced version is to inhale, retain and exhale to the ratio of 1:4:2 (i.e.
inhaling for 4, retaining for 16, and exhaling for 8). The count can be extended within the given ratio as you become
more comfortable with anuloma viloma