Sequencing and Adjusting/Assisting

Pranayama: The Science of Breathing in Yoga Practices

Pranayama Functions

·    Use breath to support movement rather than oppose it.

·    Not disturbing the flow of the breath or the focus of the mind

·    Mental steadiness is the goal

·    Breath is the link between body and mind 

·    Therapeutic nature: affects the “doshas”

Prana

·    Life force: exists in and makes up all living things

·    Beyond sense conception, energy, not air

·    Prana expresses itself through the functions of the body and mind, it is the reason we keep breathing when we are asleep

·    When prana is blocked in a portion of the body, that portion ceases to function properly.

·    We change the movements of body breath, mind and FOOD in order to restore prana to normal unimpeded levels. This is because food has prana as it was living. 

·    Ayurveda & Prana

o  Prana vata is responsible for the subsets of vata. It causes the movement responsible for breathing

·    Prana in Yoga

o  Prana vayu: breath

Pranayama

·    Ayama-“to lengthen or to extend”

·    Pranayama “ to lengthen or extend the breath”

·    Reducing the total number of breaths allows us to live longer (pradipika)

·    Pranyama involves the minimal movement of the body so that one can focus on the breath

·    Remove mental disturbances and prepare the mind for meditation

o  Right posture

o  Active regulation of the breath

o  Proper mental focus

·    Mental and physical disturbances alter the pattern of breathing

o  Durga

o  Sukshma

·    Passive Observation: inhalation, exhalation and the pauses between them

·    Awareness of the breath alone will tend to make it longer and smoother

·    What is pranayama? Combination of…

o  Physical factors

§ Position of the body: erect shusumna

§ Four parts of breathing

·    Puraka (I)

o  Limited to what you need

o  Energetic when extended

·    Recaka (e)

o  Extended reduces rajas (movement)

o  Promotes deeper and fuller inhalation

o  Relaxation promoted

·    Bahya kumbacka (s)

·    Antar-kumbacka (r)

o  Methodology (mouth, nose, etc)

o  Mental factors

§ Focus of the mind (desha) “place”

o  Temporal Factors

§ Duration of each of the components of the breathing cycle (kala)

§ Total number of respirations (samkhya)…duration of pramnayama session

·    Nadis: channels through which prana flows. Obstruction of these nadis results in disease

o  Ida 

o  Pingala

o  shushumna

·    Agni (fire): transforms prana in food into “dhatus” (body tissues)

·    Bandhas & mudras (locks /seals)

o  Mula

o  Uddiyana

o  Jalandara

o  Jivha (tip of tongue rolled back to hard palate)

Enhance the functioning of the agni. Prevent prana from moving upward and apana from moving downward, so that both are retained and balanced

Prescriptions for Pranayama

Six Different Views on Breathing in Yoga

Pranayama, the formal practice of controlling the breath, lies at the heart of yoga. It has a mysterious power to soothe and revitalize a tired body, a flagging spirit, or a wild mind. The ancient sages taught that prana, the vital force circulating through us, can be cultivated and channeled through a panoply of breathing exercises. In the process, the mind is calmed, rejuvenated, and uplifted. Pranayama serves as an important bridge between the outward, active practices of yoga—like asana—and the internal, surrendering practices that lead us into deeper states of meditation.

1. Inegral: Connecting Movement with Meditation

In the integral yoga tradition propounded by Swami Satchidananda, pranayama is incorporated into every yoga class. A typical session starts with asana, moves on to pranayama, and ends with seated meditation. "A hatha yoga class in the Integral Yoga system systematically takes the person deeper," says Swami Karunananda, a senior Integral Yoga teacher. "Asana is meditation on the body, pranayama is meditation on the breath and subtle energy currents within us, and then we work with the mind directly, with the ultimate aim of transcending body and mind and experiencing the higher Self."

While practicing asana, students are advised when to inhale and exhale, but no additional manipulation of the breath is introduced. Within the pranayama portion of the class—which may comprise 15 minutes of a 90-minute session—students sit in a comfortable cross-legged posture with their eyes closed.

Three basic pranayama techniques are routinely taught to beginners: Deergha Swasam; Kapalabhati, or rapid diaphragmatic breathing; and Nadi Suddhi, Integral Yoga's name for alternate nostril breathing. In Deergha Swasam, students are instructed to breathe slowly and deeply while envisioning that they are filling their lungs from bottom to top—first by expanding the abdomen, then the middle rib cage, and finally the upper chest. When exhaling, students envision the breath emptying in reverse, from top to bottom, pulling in the abdomen slightly at the end to empty the lungs completely.

"Three-part deep breathing is the foundation of all the yogic breathing techniques," Karunananda says. "Studies have shown that you can take in and give out seven times as much air—that means seven times as much oxygen, seven times as much prana—in a three-part deep breath than in a shallow breath."

In the Integral tradition, Kapalabhati consists of multiple rounds of rapid breathing in which the breath is forcefully expelled from the lungs with a strong inward thrust of the abdomen. Students might start out with one round of 15 breaths in quick succession and build up to several hundred breaths in one round. In Nadi Suddhi, the fingers and thumb of the right hand are used to close off first one nostril and then the other. This pranayama starts with an exhalation and an inhalation through the left nostril, followed by a full breath through the right, with the whole pattern repeated several times.

Instruction in the breathing practices is systemized in the Integral system, with each technique practiced for a specific duration or number of rounds in one session. As students progress, they are taught to incorporate specific breathing ratios—inhaling for a count of 10, for example, while exhaling for a count of 20. Students move on to advanced practices only when they meet specific breathing benchmarks along the way, indicating that the nadis, the subtle energy channels of the body, have been sufficiently purified and strengthened.

Only at more advanced levels do students learn to incorporate retention, or breath holding, into pranayama. At this point Jalandhara Bandha, the chin lock, is introduced. Retention is said to be important because "it super-injects prana into the system," says Karunananda, and "builds up tremendous vitality." Students are also sometimes invited to incorporate healing visualizations into this practice. "As you inhale you can visualize that you're drawing into yourself unlimited quantities of prana—pure, healing, cosmic, divine energy," Karunananda says. "You can picture any form of natural energy that appeals to you. Then on the exhalation, visualize all

the toxins, all the impurities, all the problems leaving with the breath."

2. Kripalu: Cultivating Sensitivity and Awareness

Pranayama is also introduced from the very beginning in the Kripalu tradition. Here, however, breathing exercises are just as likely to be offered before asana practice as after. "I always begin my classes with 10 to 15 minutes of pranayama," says Yoganand Michael Carroll, former director of advanced yoga teacher training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts. "I have folks sit down and do pranayama until they're quiet, they're sensitive. If we can feel more when we go into our postures, we're more likely to be aware of our limits and be respectful of the body." Pranayama is almost always taught in a seated position in the Kripalu tradition, with eyes closed and with little emphasis on particular bandhas, or energy locks, until intermediate stages of practice. Students are counseled to follow a slow and gentle approach. Teachers may stop and ask students to note sensations, emotions, and thoughts that come up for them, in order to help them taste more subtle aspects of the practice.

"In Kripalu Yoga, one of the premises is that through developing sensitivity to the body we can learn a lot more about the unconscious drives," Yoganand says. "Breathing is a really integral part of that because unconsciously we choose how much we're going to feel by how much we breathe. When we breathe more deeply, we feel more. So when I'm leading pranayama, I'm primarily encouraging folks to slow down, to release constrictions in breathing and focus on what they feel."

Attention is also paid to the breath during the practice of postures. In beginning asana classes, students are instructed when to inhale and exhale as they enter and release postures, and to simply pay attention to their breath at other times. In more advanced classes, students are encouraged to observe how different postures change their breathing patterns and what feelings arise with these changes. In addition, seasoned students are encouraged to employ a gentle version of Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breath), a practice in which the throat is slightly constricted and the breath made softly audible.

In the pranayama portion of the class, beginners usually start with a three-part deep breathing pattern similar to that of Integral Yoga. Beginners are also introduced to the Ujjayi breath during seated pranayama, as well as to Nadi Sodhana, Kripalu's term for alternate nostril breathing. In addition, Kapalabhati is taught in a particularly slow and steady fashion. "When I teach this," says Yoganand, "I usually have folks visualize that they're blowing out a candle, and then I have them exhale in the same way but through the nose." Students learn to extend this practice gradually, starting with 30 to 40 breaths and adding repetitions as well as speed as they grow more adept.

Only at more advanced levels do students move on to additional pranayama practices, Yoganand says. At this level, students use a centuries-old yoga manual called the Hatha Yoga Pradipika as a guide, mastering the subtleties of the eight formal pranayama practices detailed in this text. "The pranayama is to make you more sensitive," says Yoganand. "As folks become more aware of sensations and feelings, there's a real possibility for personal growth and integration."

3. Ashtanga: Unifying Action, Breath, and Attention

Join a workshop with students from different yoga traditions and you can pick out Ashtanga practitioners with your eyes closed. They're the ones who sound like Star Wars's Darth Vader even when they're standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). That's because they're practicing Ujjayi breathing, which is carried all the way through the vigorous series of postures in this tradition.

Ashtanga teachers say the deep and rhythmic breath fuels the inner energetic flames, heating and healing the body. Just as importantly, Ujjayi breathing keeps the mind focused. By returning again and again to the subtle sound of,this breath, the mind is forced to concentrate and become quiet. "Since the Ashtanga practice is very breath-oriented, in a sense you're doing a kind of

pranayama from the moment you begin the practice," says Tim Miller, who has been teaching this approach to yoga for more than two decades.

In the Ashtanga tradition Ujjayi breathing is taught in concert with both Mula Bandha (Root Lock) and Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal Lock). This means that while breathing, the pelvic floor and the belly are gently drawn inward and upward so that the breath is directed into the upper chest. When inhaling, students are instructed to expand the lower chest first, then the middle rib cage, and finally the upper chest.

Seated pranayama practices are also a part of this tradition, although Miller says that Pattabhi Jois, the father of Ashtanga Yoga, hasn't taught it to groups since 1992. Today only a handful of teachers regularly teach this series, which is comprised of six different pranayama techniques. These practices are learned progressively, each one building upon the previous, and are practiced in a seated position with the eyes open. Typically, they are only introduced after students have practiced yoga for three to five years, Miller says, and have mastered at least the Primary Series of Ashtanga postures.

"As Patanjali says in the Yoga Sutra, one should have reasonable mastery of asana first, which means for sitting pranayama practice you need to have a comfortable seat," he says. "Not that people necessarily need to be able to sit in Padmasana (Lotus Pose) for 45 minutes, but at least they have to be able to sit in an upright position where they can be relatively still." In the first technique, students practice Ujjayi breathing while adding a pause at the end of the exhalation, a pattern called Bahya Kumbhaka. Then they reverse that pattern and pause at the end of the inhalation, a pattern called Antara Kumbhaka. Once mastered, these practices are integrated into a single sequence: three Ujjayi breaths with no breath holding, three Ujjayi breaths with exhalation retention, and then three Ujjayi breaths with inhalation retention. Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha are engaged throughout, and Jalandhara Bandha, the Chin Lock, is added only during the inhalation retention.

The second practice in the Ashtanga sequence combines the retentions learned in the first sequence into each breath cycle, so that the breath is held after both the inhalation and the exhalation. The third sequence builds on the second, this time adding alternate nostril breathing, and the fourth incorporates Bhastrika (Bellows Breath), a rapid, forceful, diaphragmatic

breathing that's similar to the practice Integral Yoga calls Kapalabhati. The more advanced practices build upon the first four in ever more complicated and demanding patterns.

"I think a lot of people are scared off by , and yet personally I think it's the most important part of yoga," Miller says. "People spend all those years making a 'good seat' with asana practice. At some point I hope they're going to use it."

4. Iyengar: Developing Precision, Power, and Subtlety

Like Ashtanga yoga, the Iyengar tradition takes seriously Patanjali's counsel that should be introduced only after a student is firmly grounded in asana. In this approach, formal breathing practices are separated from asana and are introduced in a slow and methodical fashion. Mary Dunn, who was a senior teacher in the Iyengar tradition, once said that students are ready to begin when they can practice deep relaxation in Savasana (Corpse Pose) with a calm and attentive mind. "They have to really be able to go inward and not just drop off into sleep," she said. "And they have to have a refined place where they can stop and simply be—not in an action or in the imagination, but in recognition of their internal state."

Savasana is introduced in a reclining position, with the chest and head supported, so students can focus on the breath without the distraction of needing to maintain proper posture. Precise directions are offered to ensure that basic aspects of yogic breathing are well understood before students move on to more strenuous practices. True to Iyengar's "Come watch" approach, it's not uncommon to see 40 students fervently gazing at their teacher's rib cage, watching the instructor point to the precise area of the chest that should be engaged in any given phase of the breath.

Fundamental breathing awareness is introduced first, with students guided to observe the rhythm and texture of inhalation and exhalation. Ujjayi breathing is then introduced, first extending the breath on the exhalation and then reversing that pattern, lengthening the inhalation while exhaling normally. The belly is kept passive, and the lower ribs are activated first, followed by the middle ribs, and finally the upper chest—as if filling the chest from the bottom to top. Even when exhaling, emphasis is placed on maintaining an expansive quality to the rib cage.

The practice of Viloma (Stop-Action Breathing) is also introduced early on. Here, a number of pauses are interspersed into the breath—first during the exhalation, then during the inhalation, and finally during both. Dunn said this teaches students how to direct the breath into specific areas of the chest, ensuring that the entire rib cage is fully activated while

breathing deeply. "Viloma allows you to work on a piece of the breath at a time, and it also allows you to be more subtle in terms of placement, developing steadiness, control, and inwardness."

Once seated is introduced, Iyengar teachers focus on maintaining a balanced posture, starting out with a well-supported Sukhasana, or simple cross-legged posture, with the hips elevated on folded blankets. Specific breathing practices are introduced with the same methodical approach as when students lie down for Savasana, and in a similar sequence. Special emphasis is placed on Jalandhara Bandha, which Dunn said should be maintained throughout practice to protect the heart from strain.

At more advanced levels of practice, students incorporate Kumbhaka (Breath Retention) into Ujjayi and Viloma techniques, and are introduced to alternate nostril breathing. Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha aren't even mentioned until students have reached the most advanced levels of practice. Outside of practice, Iyengar Yoga has a reputation for focusing more on alignment than breath, and often in a beginning asana class you won't hear much more than "Breathe!" But Dunn said the system attends carefully to the breath during movement, just in somewhat subtle ways. She pointed to Light on Yoga, the bible for Iyengar students, in which B.K.S. Iyengar offers detailed descriptions about breathing during the practice of specific postures. "There are instructions about the breath all the way through. It's the linchpin; it's in every pose," she said. "Once the shape and actions of the asanas are mature, form and breath merge," Dunn added. "The breath in all its aspects becomes an integral part of the experience of practice."

5. Viniyoga: Creating a Personalized Practice

In the Viniyoga approach, pioneered by T. Krishnamacharya and his son T.K.V. Desikachar, breathing is the foundation upon which all other practices are built. "For us, even at the level of asana the focus is on the relationship between the flow of the breath and the movement of the spine," says Gary Kraftsow, founder of the American Viniyoga Institute. "Even within asana itself our emphasis is to understand very technically, even biomechanically, how to control the flow of the inhalation and the exhalation, and how and

when to progressively deepen the flow of the breath."

During asana practice students are instructed to breathe in a way that supports the movement of the spine: usually inhaling during backbending movements, for example, and exhaling during forwardbending and twisting movements. Students are sometimes asked to change the length of the exhalation relative to the inhalation in a particular posture, or even to briefly hold their breath. At other times they are asked to alter their breathing pattern progressively as they repeat a movement. "Let's say we do an asana six times," Kraftsow says. "We can make the exhalation four seconds the first two times, six seconds the second two times, and eight seconds the last two times."

Once students are familiar with the quality and control of the breath during asana, they are introduced to formal breathing practices. It is generally introduced in a comfortable seated position—occasionally even in a chair—and is adapted in a reclining position for those who aren't able to sit for long periods of time. Long retentions and bandhas aren't introduced until more advanced stages of practice, Kraftsow says, unless there are therapeutic reasons for incorporating them.

In the Viniyoga approach, students are often taught to inhale from the top down, emphasizing an expansion of the upper chest first, then the middle torso, then the lower ribs, and finally the abdomen. "Our view is that chest-to-belly expansion will actually help you deepen the flow of breath," Kraftsow says. "If I'm trying to expand my chest, chest inhalation is going to facilitate that. If I'm trying to straighten my thoracic spine, chest inhalation is going to facilitate that. But there are many contexts in which chest breathing is contraindicated. If I have asthma, chest breathing might aggravate this condition." In such cases, he notes, a student would be offered a different breathing pattern, one that eases rather than exacerbates the condition.

True to the Viniyoga approach, which holds that yoga's practices should be offered in a personalized form that matches the needs of each particular student, Kraftsow says there's no set sequence of techniques once an essential awareness of the breath has been cultivated. "My first emphasis will be progressively lengthening the flow of the inhalation and the exhalation," he says. "And then the direction I'll go depends on your needs or interests. If you find yourself having low energy in the morning, I'd suggest one thing. If you're overweight or have high blood pressure, I'd suggest a different."

And although Viniyoga focuses on adapting the practice to suit the needs of each person, this doesn't mean students can approach the breath in a willy-nilly fashion. "One should be careful unless one has been initiated by someone who knows what they're doing," Kraftsow says. "I would encourage students to seek out a well-qualified and highly trained teacher before going deeply into strong practices."

6. Kundalini: Combining Mudra, Mantra, and Breath

In Kundalini yoga, introduced to the West by Yogi Bhajan, breathing practices are integrated into all classes along with asana, chanting, meditation, and other cleansing practices designed to liberate healing flows of energy from the base of the spine. Strong techniques are fundamental to this approach, and breathing is given greater emphasis than precision of movement or technique. "In Kundalini Yoga, breath is as important as asana," says Kundalini instructor Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa. "That's the root, that's the structure—breathing into a soul, living within a body. Everything else is frosting on the cake."

Techniques in this tradition are often woven directly into the practice of asana. For example, in a class students might hold a posture like Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) for five minutes or more while breathing rapidly, inhaling through the mouth and exhaling through the nose. Or one particular movement—standing on your knees and then bowing down into Balasana (Child's Pose)—may be repeated for 10 minutes or so, while breathing in a particular rhythm and chanting one phrase or mantra, sometimes to music.

An important element of Kundalini Yoga is the Breath of Fire, a rapid diaphragmatic breath similar to what's called Kapalabhati in other traditions. Khalsa doesn't overwhelm beginning students with detailed techniques; instead, she encourages them to dive into the practice immediately. "Usually I just say, 'Open your mouth and pant like a dog,'" Khalsa says. "or, 'Pretend you're a Saint Bernard in the Mojave Desert.'" Once students get a feel for this fast-paced breath, with the belly swelling on the inhalation and pressing back in toward the spine on the exhalation, Khalsa instructs them to close the mouth and continue this breath through the nose. In a typical class, Breath of Fire might be practiced for several minutes on its own or else performed while moving through a repetitive series of movements, like scissoring the legs back and forth overhead while lying on one's back.

In addition to Breath of Fire, students are also taught techniques that emphasize long, deep breathing, Khalsa says, as well as alternate nostril breathing. Kriyas (cleansing practices), mantras (sacred sounds), and mudras (hand gestures) are combined together with various breath techniques. Khalsa says the unique combination of these techniques helps turbocharge the breath and foster deeper states of meditation. "Breath alone is just a physical exercise, " she says. "But when you start adding the other components, that brings change about much quicker than sitting and following your breath alone."

Consideration of the chakras, or energy centers, is also integral to the Kundalini tradition. Khalsa encourages her students to feel the breath originating from the lowest three chakras at the base of the torso. "We have to bring forth the prana, the life force, from the source," she says. "And the source is really the mother, the Earth."

When they're not practicing a particular breathing pattern, Khalsa encourages her students to breathe in a very relaxed and easy fashion, with the belly swelling on the inhalation and then releasing back toward the spine on the exhalation. Sometimes if she notices that a student's belly isn't moving with the breath, she'll place the spine of a book into the belly horizontally and tell the student to press against it with the abdomen on an inhalation and then release the pressure against the book on an exhalation. "So many people do yoga for years and never breathe right," Khalsa says. "Their breathing is nutty; it's barely there. Their practice might look really good, but it's not taking them where they really want to go," she says. "Most of us inhale way more than we exhale, and we need to reverse that so we give back more than we take. The breath heals more than anything else in the whole wide world."

Traditional Uses for Pranayama:

1. Bhastrika

Sanskrit word Bhastrika means bellows. This breathing exercise resembles the blowing of bellows. Bhastrika is the excellent breathing exercise which we can practice slowly or fast as per our convenience. A person who is suffering from a Heart problem and Lung problems should practice slowly or slowly increase the speed of breathing.

Bhastrika Pranayama should practice normally 3-5 minutes twice a day in the fresh air. In this pranayama, the body gets the maximum amount of oxygen due to complete inhaling and exhaling breathing.

     Steps for Bhastrika Pranayama

·     Sit comfortably on the flat ground. Those who can’t sit on the ground can sit on a chair because this pranayama is related to the breath.

·     Take a deep breath through both nostrils and fill the lungs with air and then exhale with a hissing sound.

·     Inhale deeply and exhale completely.

·     Do this for 2 min to 5 minutes max and see the result in a few days.

     Benefits of Bhastrika Pranayama

·     It improves blood circulation.

·     Keep away the heart-related problems.

·     Provide relaxation for body and mind.

·     Improves your concentration.

·     Helps to stronger the lungs.

·     Relive stress depression and hypertension.

·     Cures obesity and arthritis.

·     Calms the mind.

·     Cures throat infection.

·     Increases appetite.

·     Cure asthma, headache, migraine, neurological problems, depression, gastric problems.

     Precaution

This pranayama can be done slowly, medium and fast. 

·     Those suffering from lungs and heart problems and high blood pressure can perform slowly. Practice under expert guidance.

Bhastrika basically generates heat in the body hence it is one of the effective breathing exercises for those people who have Kapha body type. 

·     Those people who are suffering from an increase in heat in the body should avoid or decrease the duration of doing Bhastrika.

·     Keep in mind high blood pressure patients should exhale through the mouth instead of the nose. It will keep you away from taking BP control medicines forever. 

2. Kapalbhati pranayama 

Kapalbhati pranayama is very effective in 

·     curing stomach disorder, 

·     obesity, 

·     digestive disorder and many problems related to stomach. 

·     Those trying to lose weight can practice Kapalbhati regularly and see 100% results. let’s see its benefits and how to do Kapalbhati Pranayama.

     Steps for Kapalbhati Pranayama

·     Sit on the flat floor and fold your legs. keep the spine straight and close the eyes.

·     Keep the right palm on right knee and left palm on left knee.

·     Now take a deep breath and exhale with all your force so your stomach will go deep inside.

·     When you exhale with hissing sound try to think that your disorders are coming out of your nose.

·     Do not stress on inhaling. Inhalation should not involve any effort. Inhaling will be done automatically after each exhaling.

·     Repeat these steps for 5 minutes and take rest. You can increase the time for 15 – 30 minutes.

·     The speed of practice should be medium.

     Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama

·     It improves the function of the lungs and the respiratory system.

·     Improves the function of the reproductive system. Cures erectile dysfunction naturally.

·     Improves the function of the pancreas. Helps to produce insulin hormone naturally.

·     It removes toxins from the body and helps to clean the internal system.

·     Calms the mind and bring stability to mind.

·     Very effective in weight loss.

·     Cures breast cancer.

·     Helpful in reducing weight (Belly fat).

·     Keeps depression away and brings positive thoughts.

·     Helpful in curing respiratory diseases as asthma, allergies, and sinus.

·     A cure for constipation, acidity, diabetes, asthma and all kinds of respiratory troubles, sinus and even hair loss.

·     Cures kidney problems and lower down the high creatinine level.

·     Improve the function of kidneys.

Kapalbhati Pranayama should be done slowly in the beginning for 1 minute if you are fresher. But after a good practice, you can practice it for 10 mins – 45 minutes as per your stamina.

     Precautions

·     Those are heart patient should do this slowly while exhaling. You can do Kapalbhati pranayama in morning or evening both the time, but keep in mind that you should do this on empty stomach.

·     Pregnant women should not do this.

·     High blood pressure patient should practice Kapalbhati at a slow rate. Means 3 exhalations per 5 seconds and force of exhalation should be reduced.

·     Practice pranayama under the supervision of an expert yoga teacher after informing about your whole health.

·     Those women’s, feel comfortable practicing pranayama during periods, can go ahead otherwise avoid it.

3. Bahya Pranayama 

In this pranayama, the breath is kept outside during the practice so it is called Bahya Pranayama. Bahya means “outside”.  It should be done after Kapalbhati pranayama.

     Steps for Bahya Pranayama

·     Sit in the pose of Padmasana or Siddhasana.

·     Take a deep breath and exhale completely (breath out) to evacuate lungs as much as possible.

·     Hold your breath and touch your chin to the chest is called (Jalandhar Bandha or Throat lock). By pulling your stomach in and up under the rib cage such that the stomach and back seem to touch each other from inside. It is called (Uddiyana Bandha). Lift the muscle from groin area is called (Mulabandha or Root lock).

·     Hold this three bandhas for some time as much you can 10-15 seconds then breathe in deeply to release these three locks.

·     Repeat Bahya pranayama for 2-5 minutes daily.

     Benefits of Bahya pranayama

·     Constipation, Acidity, Gastric problem, Hernia cure completely.

·     Cures problems related prostate.

·     Cures problems related reproductive organs.

·     It is beneficial in diabetes also.

·     Urine and sperm-related problems get cure completely.

     Precautions

·     Pranayama should be done on empty stomach having a gap of 5 hours between practice and your meal.

·     Those suffering from a heart problem, blood pressure, and cervical colitis should not practice. They can control this by practicing other asana and pranayama. Practice under expert guidance.

·     Women should not practice Bahya pranayama during a period.

4. Anuloma Viloma Pranayama 

It is very effective to purify mind and body. Anulom Vilom pranayama is one of the excellent breathing exercises which is also known as Nadi Shodhana. Regular practice offers energy to the body and releases stress and anxiety. It should be practiced in the morning in the fresh air with an empty stomach.

     Steps for Anuloma Viloma Pranayama

It is very simple asana that everyone can do this at any age.

·     Sit comfortably on the flat ground. Those who can’t sit can sit on a chair because this is related to the breath.

·     Now close the right nostril with right thumb and breathe from left nostril. Then close left nostril with middle and ring finger and breathe out from right nostril.

·     Now breathe in deeply with right nostril and then close the right nostril and breathe out deeply through the left nostril. Do the repetition.

·     Do this for 5-10 minutes.

·     Keep in mind that your breathing should be up to the lungs and not in the stomach.

     Benefits of Pranayama Anuloma Viloma

·     It improves blood circulation.

·     It calms your mind.

·     Keep away the heart-related problems

·     Provide relaxation for body and mind.

·     Regular practice of Anulom Vilom breathing exercise cleanses, strengthens and tones your nervous system.

·     It improves your concentration.

·     Excellent for glowing skin.

·     Helps to improve the function of your lungs.

·     Helps to prevent diabetes and keeps diabetes under control.

·     Remove blockage of arteries.

·     Relive stress depression and hypertension.

·     Cure Asthma, headache, migraine, Neurological problems, Heart blockage, depression, gastric problems.

     Precaution

·     Practice under expert guidance. Pregnant women should practice Anulom Vilom but over straining should be avoided.

·     Anulom vilom pranayama should be practiced on an empty stomach.

·     It should be done in the morning or evening or both. If you don’t have time in the morning or evening, you can do it at your convenience.

·     Make sure that you practice Anulom vilom pranayama 4-5 hours after having your food.

5. Bhramari Pranayama

Bhramari pranayama is the excellent breathing exercise which plays an important role in releasing agitation, frustration, and anger. It is the best breathing exercise in calming your mind. ‘Bhramari ‘is the type of ‘Indian bee’ and ‘pranayama ‘means breathing. So it is called as Bhramari Pranayama. In this type of pranayama when we exhale making a humming sound. It resembles the typical humming sound of bees. So you can understand why this breathing exercise is called as Bhramari Pranayama. Let’s see steps and benefits of pranayama as follows.

     Steps for Bhramari Pranayama (Humming Bee Breath)

·     Sit straight in the Padmasana or Sukhasana and press your tragus with your thumb.

·     Place your index fingers on the forehead and with the remaining fingers close your eyes.

·     Start inhaling through both the nostril deeply and slowly.

·     By keeping mouth closed, exhale by making a humming sound bee like “hmmm”. While making humming sound say ‘Om’ in soft humming sound.

·     Feel your body releases impurity from your body and experiencing positive energy.

·     Duration

·     Practice daily for 3 to 5 minutes.

     Benefits of Bhramari Pranayama (Humming Bee Breath)

·     It relieves tension, anger, and anxiety.

·     Effective against hypertension.

·     Cures sinus problem.

·     Bhramari Pranayama controls the high blood pressure and cures it.

·     Helps to stay calm and bring stability to mind.

·     Cures the problems related to nervous system.

·     During pregnancy, it is very helpful for pregnant women for easy and trouble-free childbirth.

     Precaution

·     It should be practice under expert guidance.

·     People having heart disease should not hold their breath for a long time.

·     Pranayama should be done on empty stomach.

·     If you feel dizzy while practicing, stop the exercise and start normal breathing.

·     Consult a doctor if you are suffering from an ear problem or and medical ailments before doing Bhramari Pranayama.

·     Should maintain a gap of 5 hours between your meal or lunch.

·     Better to practice in the morning in the fresh air.

6. Udgeeth pranayama 

It is known as “Omkari Japa” means chanting of “Om”. Udgeeth pranayama is the simple breathing exercise. Should be practiced on a daily basis like other 6 recommended pranayama.

     Steps of Udgeeth Pranayama

·     Sit in a suitably relaxed posture.

·     In this pranayama, the inhaling and exhaling duration should be long.

·     Inhale deeply and while exhaling chant Ommmmmmmmm for a long time as much you can.

·     In all pranayama, the breath plays an important role. So concentrate on your breath and feel a positive energy comes when you inhale and negative energy goes out while exhaling.

·     Repeat this for 5-10 minutes.

     Benefits of Udgeeth Pranayama

·     It calms the mind and brings stability.

·     It relieves tension, anger, and anxiety.

·     Excellent breathing exercises for meditation.

·     Effective against hypertension.

·     It cures problems related to sleep (Insomnia) and bad dreams.

·     Control the high blood pressure and cure it.

·     Cures the problems related to the nervous system.

·     Cures acidity.

·     Improve memory power.

     Precaution

·     Should be practiced under expert guidance.

·     In this pranayama, the inhaling and exhaling duration should be long.

·     Should practice pranayama on an empty stomach.

·     Having gap of 5 hours between yoga practice and your meal.

·     Better to practice in the morning in the fresh air.

·     Anyone can practice Udgeeth Pranayama including children of old age. You can practice this any time whenever you feel stress.

7. Pranav pranayama 

This is the last seventh pranayama. After practicing all six pranayama concentrate your mind on inhaling and exhaling for some time this is called Pranav pranayama. This is very simple breathing exercise. This is one type of meditation you can say.

     Steps for Pranav Pranayama

·     Sit in Padmasana, Sukhasana or Vajrasana quietly.

·     Breathe normally and concentrate your mind on inhaling and exhaling.

·     While practicing Pranav pranayama imagine that God is everywhere in every particle.

·     Practice for 3 minutes to 1 hour as per your available time.

     Benefits of Pranav Pranayama

·     It gives physical and spiritual energy.

·     Gives relief from mental stress and overcomes the physical disorders.

·     Gives good health.

·     Strengthen the mind.

·     Meditation.

·     Increases concentration.

·     Helps in spiritual development and widen our perspective.

·     This is the simplest breathing exercise and all people of any age can practice.

     Precaution

·     Pranayama should be practiced early in the morning on an empty stomach.

·     Pranayama should be practiced in the fresh air.