Pranayama

 Definition of pranayama

 Prana means life force or breath sustaining the body; Ayama translates as "to extend or draw out." Together two mean breath extension or control.

Breathing is something we do regularly, whether consciously or unconsciously. It is one of the most vital functions of the body. In Yoga, the practice of conscious breathing is called pranayama.

In ashtanga, yoga pranayama is considered as its fourth extremity.

Infamous as the heart of Yoga, these breathing exercises, aka pranayama, teach us to use our lungs to its finest capacity; resultantly, each and every cell of our body get an ample amount of oxygen.

Pranayama meaning 

The word pranayama derived from Sanskrit word prana that means life force and the Ayama means to regulate. Thus, the pranayama refers to the regulation or extension of your life force. It means pranayama is a practice to use your breath to soothe every fluctuation of your racing mind and make you become mindful about one of the most important functions of life that are our breath.

How Pranayama Works

Yoga practitioners have been using pranayama for thousands of years to guide them through their yoga and meditation practices. Deliberated breathing helps quiet the mind during meditation, and brings fresh oxygen into the body to support it during difficult or challenging yoga poses. Assured pranayama techniques are also thought to help the body release toxins.

Pranayama can quiet the mind is what makes it useful during times of intense stress, emotional upset, anxiety, or trauma. Anyone can gain from practicing pranayama any place, at any time.

PRANAVA MUDRA FOR PRANAYAMA (BODY GESTURES & MENTAL ATTITUDES)

The first two fingers of the right hand palm are to be curved and last two fingers are to be kept straight and to be held together.

Now straighten the thumb and bending the right hand in the elbow, place the curved fingers in such a way that they come near the lips.

Keep the hand from shoulder to elbow glued to the chest. Keep the right hand thumb on the right side of the nose and last two fingers on the left side of the nose.

Now by pressing the thumb, the nasal cavity on the right side can be closed and by pressing the last two fingers left side cavity can be closed.

The pressure should be light and on just below the nasal bone, where the fleshy part begins. With this arrangement of the fingers, one can close any of the two nasal cavities. Here only the movement of thumb and the last two fingers is expected.

Movement of other parts should be avoided. The face should be kept quite gay and relaxed in order to practice breathing more effectively.

Further, in order to practice the cycle of inhaling and exhaling, six supplementary types are given. In all these types, the speed of breathing is more. These are actually the types of quick breathing.

While practicing these types one should first sit in one of the following Asanas: Padmasana, Vajrasana or Swastikasana. 

Then, the left hand should be kept in Dhyana Mudra and the right hand in Pranava Mudra. The eyes should be closed and the whole attention should be concentrated on breathing so that it will be possible to acquire it.

Types of Pranayama techniques: 

• Kapalbhati Pranayama:

Also known as skull cleansing pranayama, in kapalbhati pranayama, your inhale is passive, but your exhale is active, which means your exhale is forceful. Make sure that your exhalation is done by the involvement of your abdominal muscle and upward movement of your diaphragm. Since it is an advanced breathing exercise, it is must that you learn it under the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher.

• Ujayyi or victorious breath:

It is performed only through the nose and involves a minor constriction at the back of the throat. Take a long breathe in with the mouth closed and when you do, make the sound Aaah; do it again on breathe out. When appropriately practiced, victorious breath is said to sound like the deep-sea and is often referred to as oceanic breath.

Victorious breath is supposed to produce heat in the body and rid the muscles of lactic acid build-up.

• Bhastrika pranayama:

Breath of fire is most frequently used in the practice of Kundalini yoga and is supposed to relieve tiredness by restoring vitality and vigor to the nervous system. Bhastrika pranayama is one of the most intense physically and energetically, then kapalbhati pranayama. In bhastrika pranayama, the inhalation and exhalation both are active, and it is a must control over the diaphragm. Breath of fire is generally practiced for thirty seconds up to three minutes.

• Nadi shodhana:

Also known as alternate nostril breathing is one of the most relaxing breathing exercises that is known to calm your nervous system. Start your practice by taking slow and deep inhale from your left nostril while keeping your right nostril closed with your thumb after your inhalation opens your right nostril and exhale.

Pranayama techniques all involve breath control and observation. These simple yet effective breathing exercises benefits are immense. Our state of mind is directly related to the quality of Prana within. Our breath directs the flow of our thoughts, and Pranayama techniques help to stable those qualities of Prana and bring us closer to a state of homeostasis.

Type - 1

Keep both the nostrils open and then inhale and exhale with both the nasal passages. This type is nothing but quick breathing with both the nasal cavities. One should inhale and exhale with as much speed as possible and for as much time as feasible.

Type - 2

Take up Pranava Mudra and close the right nostril with the help of the thumb of the right hand, and inhale with left nostril and also exhale through the same nasal passage. In brief this type can be described as quick breathing with the left nostril.

Type - 3

In this type left nostril is to be closed and the quick breathing is done with the right nostril.

Type - 4

In this type close the right nostril, and inhale with the left nostril, and then immediately close left nostril and exhale with the right nostril. In this way try quick breathing by changing the nostrils.

Type - 5

This type of breathing is just opposite the previous one, that is, the left nostril is closed and inhaling is done with the right nostril, then immediately closing the right nostril, exhaling is done with the left nostril.

Type - 6

This type of breathing is designed by combining previous two types i.e., type 4 and type 5. First inhale with left nostril and exhale with right one, then inhale with right nostril and exhale with left nostril. Later continue the same process i.e. inhaling & exhaling with left and right nostrils alternately. Further switch to fast breathing by increasing the speed of breathing. After sufficient practice the speed of breathing can be increased immensely.

Initially one should start with eleven cycles of breathing, and it should be increased to one hundred and twenty one without any fear. However, later the breathing should be made a part of daily practice of other Asanas, and be practiced for two to three minutes. All these types can also be practiced with slow inhalation and exhalation. Here it is important to note that practicing these types of breathing does not mean doing Pranayama. This is simply a preparation of the actual practice of Pranayama.

https://youtu.be/1d3erUbB3uw

Kapalbhati pranayama

https://youtu.be/TsYT02UnkMA

Bhastrika pranayam

https://youtu.be/H7g1BMalpdw

Anulom vilom pranayama 

https://youtu.be/TJFOaebCH_k

Bharamari pranayama

https://youtu.be/F-tsrxmbw30

Ujjayi pranayama 

TYPES OF PRANAYAMA

1. Natural Breathing
2. Basic Abdominal breathing
3. Thoracic breathing
4. Clavicular breathing
5. Yogic breathing
6. Deep breathing with ratios
7. Fast breathing

8. Viloma – Interrupted Breathing
9. AnulomVilom – Alternate Nostril Breathing
10. Cooling Breath - Sheetali, Sitkari, Kaki mudra
11. Ujjayi – Victorious Breath
12. Bhramari – Humming Bee Breath
13. Bhastrika – Bellow’s Breath
14. Surya Bhedan – Right Nostril Breathing