Pranayama — Breath Control

Practicing Pranayama means controlling the movement of the breath — the inhalation, exhalation, and pausing or holding of the breath. In Sanskrit, “Prana” means vital energy, while “Yama” means to extend; we can understand it as the extension of one’s vital energy. 

Our vital energy, or Prana, is what keeps us alive. The health and strength of the immune system depend on the amount of Prana stored in the body, which fluctuates throughout our lives.

To increase the amount of Prana in your body, try turning your attention toward nature. Allow yourself to be nourished by it. Prana is the invisible link that connects all living things in the web of life.

Next, make sure to rest and restore both body and mind. You can do this by slowing down, meditating, and sleeping well each night. Healthy eating is also essential. 

Other methods for increasing your Prana include spending time with kind people, observing your thoughts, working in moderation, serving others, having compassion, and Pranayama (breathwork).

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Benefits of Pranayama

Improving your breath control brings many benefits. It reduces stress and anxiety, increases concentration, and restores inner peace and calm. 

Breathing techniques make the heart more robust and more efficient. By improving the cardiac rhythm, breathwork can relax the nervous system and make you feel better. 

Proper breathing also increases the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, improving digestive function and metabolism and stimulating weight loss. Better breathing means enhanced physical fitness and mental concentration for athletes and surfers.

Pranayama as a Tool for Meditation 

If you were to sit down right now, close your eyes, and focus only on breathing slowly through your nose with your mouth closed, you would notice your mind shift directly into the present moment. Over time, this experience, like surfing, becomes deeply satisfying. 

If you pause briefly between each inhale and exhale, you might notice your mind go blank as you focus on this fleeting pause. In yoga, this pause is called Kevala Kumbhaka — when inhalation and exhalation are suspended at will. As you continue this practice, this moment can be broken for longer.

Things to consider while performing breathing exercises: 

• For starters, simply observe your breath. Try to slow down the pace of your breathing.
• Notice the many qualities of your breath: the speed, the starts and stops.
• Identify any blockages. If you feel pain, tension, or weakness in any body part, try breathing into that region. 
• Try relaxing the surrounding muscles, organs, and bones as your breath moves through these areas. 
• Pause between inhalations and exhalations. If you are new to this practice, note that this pause doesn’t have to be long or strenuous — two seconds will do the trick.
• As you exhale, try to visualize yourself releasing any blockages that exist.
• Notice any change in temperature as you breathe in and out.
• There are many details of the breath that we should pay more attention to. This is an excellent opportunity to discover these details!

Traditional Pranayama

Pranayama has a purifying force on the mind that may also cultivate self-discipline. According to the Yoga Sutras, a veil of mental darkness blocks the light within. Pranayama removes this veil and allows the mind to become clear and fit for concentration. 

Pranayama’s promotion of physical health and well-being is an ancillary benefit: the main purpose of concentrated breathing is to control the undulations of the mind and regulate Prana.

Recommended Sitting Position for Pranayama 

Any seated posture is good for Pranayama as long as you keep your spine straight and your body relaxed. The traditional seated position is on the floor with legs crossed in lotus position. However, this position can be difficult for people with tight hips. The idea is to feel comfortable and sit without pain. As you begin your practice, sitting on a bolster or a chair may be necessary.

When to Practice

Pranayama is best practiced on an empty stomach. Traditionally, Pranayama is practiced very early in the morning, during Brahma Muhurta time—about 90 minutes before sunrise. 

Although it is best to practice early, it is not necessary. You can also practice Pranayama in the late afternoon or evening, but make sure this is a time when you can relax fully. If you start your mornings with coffee or tea, note that caffeine or any other stimulant will alter the nervous system and make it harder to achieve total relaxation

Pranayama Techniques

Ujjayi Breath

Also called victorious breath, this technique is practiced by slightly constricting the back of the throat, slowing the passage of air, and creating a whispering sound. You can imagine you are trying to fog up a mirror in front of you. The sound is reminiscent of ocean waves crashing on the shore. 

For each ujjayi breath, you must keep your lips sealed as you allow the air to enter through your nose while bringing attention to the throat. As you breathe, it is important to bring attention to your face to make sure you are not holding any tension. Focus on relaxing your jaw and softening the palate. This technique should be relaxing yet energizing at the same time.

Ujjayi breath is commonly applied in the Ashtanga Vinyasa system and is the essence of the asana practice. When practicing asana, maintaining the ujjayi breath is an important aspect of guiding each movement, as we consciously finish each breath before moving to the next posture. 

The aim should be to keep the ujjayi sound smooth and even. This gentle sound helps your mind to focus and move inward. 

Nadi Shodhana

In Sanskrit, “nadi” means channel or flow, and “shodhana” means purification. So, altogether, this phrase translates to the purification of internal energy. This practice is also known as alternate nostril breathing.

“To perform Nadi Shodhana, make a loose fist with the right hand. Extend the thumb and the last two fingers. Close off the right nostril by pressing against the side of the nostril with the thumb. Exhale slowly and deeply through the left nostril, and then begin a deep inhalation through the same nostril. 

Now close off the left nostril by pressing against the side of the nostril with the last two fingers. Release the thumb to exhale slowly and deeply through the right nostril. Now, inhale through the right nostril. 

Once again, close off your right nostril with the extended thumb and exhale through your left nostril. Continue your breathing by inhaling through the same nostril and then change to the other side. The pattern is: exhale, inhale, and switch. Exhale, inhale, and switch. 

Remember to make your breathing full and deep, starting each inhalation by relaxing the abdomen and allowing it to expand, continuing while expanding the rib cage and then the upper chest until the collarbones rise slightly. Then, exhaling slowly, first dropping the collarbones, then contracting the chest, and then the abdomen — one section flowing into the other. End your practice with an exhalation through the right nostril.” 

Sri Swami Satchidananda, The Breath of Life: Integral Yoga Pranayama

This is a good method for calming the nervous system and cultivating alertness. This technique is also thought to synchronize the brain’s two hemispheres and reduce stress and anxiety. 

Advanced Pranayama techniques should be taken with seriousness. If we don’t practice correctly, they might negatively alter our mental and emotional states. It is always a good idea to practice under the guidance of a teacher.

Asana, Pranayama, and the Vagus Nerve

Recent research shows that one of the main reasons for yoga’s effectiveness in reducing stress and anxiety is its capacity to tone the vagus nerve — the largest cranial nerve responsible for relaying messages between the brain and the respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems. 

Combining Asana practice, proper breathing techniques, and meditation, especially Vipassana, or lovingkindness meditation, positively affects the vagus nerve. This affects your breathing, digestion, and heart rate and facilitates your ability to find calm. 

This nerve activates the relaxation response of the parasympathetic nervous system, which decreases anxiety, stress, and inflammation. If the vagus nerve isn’t firing properly, it can increase stress and anxiety, creating digestive issues and a weakened immune system. 

Many Asana postures tone the vagus nerve by fostering full diaphragmatic smooth and steady breaths. Belly breathing should feel easy and calming.

The concept of resonance breathing happens when your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems come into harmonic balance. It’s important to note that “resonance” is the scientific word for when heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, and brainwave function all operate on the same frequency

Resonance Breathing

1. Start by simply observing the breath. 
2. Then, begin to slow the inhales and elongate the exhales. 
3. Choose the time (in seconds) that works best for you. You can count in your head if that helps:
   1. Inhale for 4, exhale for 6 
   2. Inhale for 5, exhale for 5 
   3. Inhale for 6, exhale for 6 
   4. Inhale for 5, exhale for 7

Keep your breath smooth as you count. Notice how you feel after just a few minutes. What is the state of your mind? Allow the calm to permeate throughout your being.

Resources

Sri Swami Satchidananda, The Breath of Life: Integral Yoga Pranayama

Richard Rosen, The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama