Pranayama - Powerful Breathing Exercise

By Pradeep Mahajan

Prana in Sanskrit (ancient Indian language) is the universal principle of energy. It is all pervading and vital for life. It is found in all forms of life, in human beings, in animals & also in plant life.

Prana shines in our eyes. It is through prana that our ears hear, the eyes see, the nose smells & the brain functions. It is prana that does digestion, excretion and secretion.

Prana is spent by thinking, moving, talking, writing etc. A healthy man has abundance of prana or nerve-energy or vitality. The prana is supplied by food, water, air, solar energy etc. The supply of prana is taken up by the nervous system. The prana is absorbed by breathing. The excess of prana is stored in the brain and nerve centres.

Pranayama is a control of Prana and the vital forces of body. It is a regulation of breath. The aim of Pranayama is the control of breath.

Pranayama though it concerns with the breath, gives good exercise for the various internal organs and the whole body. Pranayama bestows good health and a steady mind.

How to do Pranayama?

Sit in a chair with chest, neck and head in one vertical line. Do not bend your body either forwards or backwards. You can sit in Padmasan or Siddhasan also. You must experience joy & pleasure in doing the same. You should not feel any undue strain. Always inhale & exhale slowly.

Whenever you feel uneasy, depressed or dejected practice pranayama. It is a sure way to feel refreshed.

1) Equal Breathing Pranayama:

Stand erect in a relaxed comfortable position, with feet apart. This practice can be done in a sitting position also. Inhale slowly and continuously in a relaxed manner to a count that is comfortable. (You can count silently in mind 1001, 1002 & 1003 etc. One can initially begin counting 1001 & 1002. Later, after practice one can go upto 1003 or more).

As soon as the inhalation is complete start exhalation in the same manner, keeping the same count as above i.e. equalize inhalation & exhalation.

Concentrate on the gentle uninterrupted long flow of the breath. Do this practice for 10 rounds.

2) Alternate Nostril Pranayama:

Sit in a comfortable position. Exhale fully. Close right nostril with your thumb and inhale slowly through your left nostril. Close left nostril with index finger and exhale through right nostril. Inhale through right nostril. Close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. Continue this pattern for 10 rounds. For the next round start with the opposite nostril. (I.e. inhale through right nostril).
Benefits:

Appetite is improved. Energy level improves. Concentration improves. Mind becomes one pointed.

It is important to avoid stress in performing pranayama.

(Disclaimer: Consult your doctor before practising pranayama, if you are suffering from any heart ailment /high blood pressure or nervous disorders).

Kapalbhati Pranayama (Cleansing Breathing Exercise) Step by Step and Shining Face

By Subodh Gupta

Kapal in Sanskrit means FOREHEAD, and Bhati in Sanskrit means SHINING. Practicing Kapalbhati on regular basis leads to shining face with inner radiance. Kapalbhati is highly energizing abdominal breathing exercise.

What we do in Kapalbhati Pranayama

In Kapalabhati we do quick exhalation and natural inhalation. Normally exhalation takes one fourth of the time of inhalation. Quick exhalation and natural inhalation follow each other.

How to do Kapalbhati Pranayama

Step 1) Sit in comfortable crossed leg position with Back straight. Hands resting on knees in either chin or gyana mudra. Face to be relaxed.

Step 2) Inhale deeply through both nostril, expanding abdomen and exhale with the forceful contraction of abdominal muscles. (Pull the abdomen in by quickly contracting the abdominal muscles and exhale through the nose). The air is pushed out of lungs by contraction of
the diaphragm.

Step 3) After exhalation again inhalation but inhalation should not involve any effort. To inhale just relax and the lungs will automatically expand and filled with air.

One can begin with 15 respiration. After completing 15 quick exhalation and natural inhalation , inhale and exhale deeply. This is one round.One can start the practice of Kapalbhati pranayama with 3 such rounds for practice.

Benefits of Kapalabhati

1) Kapalabhati cleanses the lungs and entire respiratory system.

2) The blood is purified and body gets an increased supply of oxygen to all cells.

3) Digestion is improved.

4) Abdominal muscles are strengthened.

5) Prepare the mind for meditation.

6) Energise the mind for mental work.

Precautions:

Kapalbhati should not be practice by those a) Suffering from heart disease b) High blood pressure c) Hernia d) Should never be practiced when an asthmatic attack is in progress. e) If pain or dizziness is experienced ,it is preferable to stop the practice till the sensation has passed. Practiced can be restarted with less force. f) Quick exhalation should be comfortable to oneself. i.e. quick exhalation should not be too forceful.

Common Mistake: 1) Abdomen is contracted while inhaling. 2) Shoulders are contracted to push the air out when exhaling. 3) Back and shoulders move during exercise.

Point to Note: a) Exercise should not be done if you are feeling uncomfortable at any time during the exercise. b) Rapid breathing used in this technique should be from the abdomen and not from the chest. c) Kapalbhati should be practice on an empty stomach only. d) Kapalbhati should be practiced after the asanas and Relaxation (atleast 10 minutes) and before meditation e) Chest should not move very much. (f) It is always good and advisable that this exercise should be learned under supervision of yoga teacher after discussion with him about your health.

Yoga For Diabetes - Proper Breathing For Stress Reduction and Glucose Control

By Bradley Kapture

Can you remember as a child going to the doctor and having him place his cold stethoscope on your chest? "Now take a big inhale breath". If you are like me I recall expanding my chest, lifting my shoulders and pulling my shoulder blades back. Right? Wrong! As a culture the way we sit, drive, stand and a lack of knowledge in the proper mechanics of breathing has created a health crisis. In addition to this, the vanity factor of pulling our belly in tight and not allowing it to flow with the breath has compounded this chronic condition of hypoventilation.

As a result of this hypoventilation the average person uses only 10% of their lung capacity. This shallow breathing pattern is associated with the "fight or flight' syndrome. This syndrome drives blood glucose levels high and also inhibits the body from producing insulin. The result is a type 2 diabetes train wreck! To compound the problem, without proper breathing the body becomes a toxic waste dump and an easy target for a variety of other diseases.

The mechanism of breathing though normally automatic can be consciously controlled as well. Proper techniques of conscious breathing can eliminate stress and the high blood glucose levels caused by the fight or flight syndrome. In yoga these techniques are referred to as pranayama, the third action in my yoga method to manage diabetes.

Action 3 Pranayama

Yoga breathing techniques

Pranayama teaches you to use the other 90% of your lungs and to neutralize the stress that contributes to high blood sugars associated with diabetes. It also provides a deep cleansing of the body's tissues and helps treat such problems as high blood pressure, irritability and disturbed sleep. Pranayama breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic response calms the body and neutralizes the stress and anxiety triggered by an overactive sympathetic nervous system.

There are a wide variety of techniques in pranayama for both energizing and healing the body. However the first lesson of pranayama is to master the proper flow of breath itself.

An overview of the mechanism of breath

The primary muscle of respiration is the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome shaped muscle that sits in the center of the torso separating the chest and abdominal cavities.

When you inhale the diaphragm pushes down to create a larger space in the chest and in turn drawing more breath into the lungs. To take full advantage of this process and draw a full breath you must allow the belly to become soft and expand as the diaphragm pushes down. This is simply how we are designed. As you exhale the diaphragm relaxes and pulls back up towards the chest and the belly contracts.

The secondary muscles of respiration are the intercostals, (these are the muscles between the ribs), and the abdominals. For the sake of developing proper breathing begin to focus on these secondary muscles and consciously draw your belly in a bit tighter on the exhale breath to help further empty the lungs. This action will also have the counter action of triggering a more complete inhale on the next breath drawn. Now let's put the proper mechanics of breath to work with a pranayama technique.

Stress response pranayama technique

This simple little technique can be used at any time to reel yourself back in and keep your blood sugars in check. Try this a few times at home first to get the rhythm right and then you will be able to comfortably use it anywhere you go.

Step One: Breathe in through the nose for a brisk 4 count. (Remember let your belly be soft and allow it to expand on the inhale breath).

Step Two: Hold the breath for a brisk 4 count.

Step Three: Breathe out through the nose for a brisk 8 count. (As you exhale the breath pull the belly in tight to squeeze all of the air out).

The whole cycle should only take about 10 seconds. If for any reason you find it difficult to hold your breath or if you find yourself a little dizzy, shorten the hold and the exhale by 2 counts each.

That's it! Just practice this prescription for eight or ten cycles any time you find yourself "ready to blow" and repeat as necessary. It works like a charm and the refills are unlimited!

Yoga Breathing Techniques - 5 Ujjayi Pranayama Steps For Curing Insomnia

By Outarow Chuong

If there's one medical condition which can seemingly strike anyone at anytime, that is none other than insomnia. This common sleep disorder can have psychological, physiological, environmental and medical reasons. Now, if you are one of the millions of people who are suffering from this condition, did you know that there is a type of yoga which can help cure it?

The key is to learn about the breathing techniques involved in the Ujjayi Pranayama - a style of yoga which is also called ocean breath, hissing breath and victorious breath. Ujjayi literally means rising victoriously. When you practice this style, you can use the techniques to cure any sleeping disorders that you may have.

5 Steps to Develop a Breathing Technique

To help you out, here are the five steps that you need to follow if you want to develop a technique based from Ujjayi Pranayama yoga - which should help cure you of insomnia:

• Begin the yogic breathing technique by taking five long, deep and slow breaths. This should help in the relaxation phase.


• If you are using the Ujjayi Pranayama steps to specifically cure insomnia, close your eyes during the exercise.


• Next, try to constrict your throat muscles. At this point, it would help if you will visualize that you are breathing through a hold in your throat. This type of yogic exercise is also known as 'ocean breath' because of the sound that will be made by the air passing through your throat. The point of this step in the exercise is to breathe through your throat instead of through your nose.


• Find a nice, slow and relaxing rhythm as you continue with this style. Imagine that you are in a peaceful, calm beach with only the sound of the surf as your companion.


• Continue with this exercise until you relax completely and fall asleep eventually.

As you can see, the steps involved in this breathing exercise are quite easy. The good thing about using the Ujjayi Pranayama techniques is that it will produce health benefits like lowering your blood pressure and ultimately relaxing you once you go to bed and try to sleep. As your body regains its equilibrium, your mind will also calm down and you can emerge successful in the fight against the sleeping disorder which is insomnia.

Yoga Breathing Is Feeling The Source Of Life

By Rose Windale

Breathing is the source of life, and in yoga, breathing is everything. When you say you "breathe", it is actually more than inhaling oxygen. More than inhaling and exhaling, breathing is a way of restoring balance and cleansing the body. And then again, there is a proper way, and an improper manner of doing it. In order to gain optimal results from breathing, you ought to know how to do it correctly. In the same manner as with other things, it takes time to learn proper yoga breathing. Gaining better know-how of a technique does not happen quickly. The following pointers, however, can guide you through basic yoga breathing exercises.

First there is the Kapalabhati, which is a basic technique. This method allows you to breathe in order to purify the body. In the Kriya method, there are six practices, and the Kapalabhati is one of them. In this practice, your breath is short, strong and fast. The organ primarily involved- the lungs- acts as a pump which expels waste from itself. You breathe deliberately fast, coming from your stomach and not from your chest. Another yet fundamentally important technique is to breathe through the nostrils alternately. You breathe through one nostril and then you hold your breath. Then you exhale through the other nostril.

It's inhale-hold-exhale with the ratio 2:8:4. The Brahmari breathing technique on the other hand is not used as often. You partially close the glottis while inhaling through both of the nostrils. The lips are closed causing the palate to vibrate because of the nasal airflow. Sithali, Sitkari is a technique rarely used. This yoga breathing technique works in a different manner. You stick your tongue out a bit. Then you softly curl the sides of the tongue up. Inhaling in this technique is done through the mouth. Yoga is a combination of exercises done with breathing. Fundamental to these breath exercises are yoga exercises.

One is not without the other. In any type of session, the fundamentals of breathing are taught. Breathing is the source of life, and this is one of the central focuses of yoga. Where you feel life and let it move through you and in you. With regular yoga practice, you experience inner cleansing. And you begin to gain equilibrium or balance. This is the importance of yoga as a spiritual practice. It greatly aids in healing and relaxation. You tend to yourself holistically- mind, body and spirit. For boosting and enhancing the total person, yoga is a recommended practice.

Many people have proven how it is beneficial for stress relief and relaxation, and even for weight loss. Even more so, you get to nourish your inner self- you get more in touch with yourself. And as you do, you gain better awareness of what is around you. You can learn about this holistic practice from online and offline sources. You can also opt to enroll in a health center offering similar courses, or else you can ask for the guidance of an expert.

Yoga - Improve Your Breathing

By Barbara Tomasik

Yoga is an ancient discipline that encompasses the entire body and mind and the breath is the link between the two. So, to perform correctly the yogic exercises one needs to learn the art of breathing which will lead to complete physical and mental relaxation and balance.

Yoga has been practiced for many centuries to improve the overall health and well-being of a person. With the stress we put our bodies through on a daily basis it is good to know that there is a way out.

To get the most benefits from a yoga practice we need to learn how to breathe correctly using our entire lung capacity and not only a small fraction of our lungs. When you breathe with awareness you become more aware of your physical body and of your state of mind. You will get lots of benefits like:

1) By breathing slowly and deeply you allow more oxygen to get into your body, especially to the brain.
2) It will release tension and stress.
3) The correct breathing will help to reduce wastes and toxins.
4) It will improve digestion.
5) It will improve your concentration.
6) It will help you think in a more positive way.

Apart from a deep abdominal breathing, which is quite easy to learn and relaxing, there are many other types of breathing. Some can be done on your own after learning from a qualified yoga teacher, but some should be always done in a presence of a yoga teacher.

The deep abdominal breathing is best done lying on your back on the yoga mat in a well ventilated room. Keeping your eyes closed observe the natural breath rising and falling for a moment. Then begin to lengthen the inhalation and deepen the exhalation. Start noticing the rhythmic rise and fall of your abdomen and the feeling of complete relaxation.

Alternate nostril breathing without retention can be easily mastered but adding the breath retention should be done under the proper guidance from a yoga teacher. It has some health contraindications so please check it before attempting it.

Kapalabhati is a more vigorous form of breathing helping to energize your body. It is good to learn it from a qualified yoga teacher before trying to perform it on your own.

In some circumstances breathing exercises should not be done:
1) If you are having any breathing problems.
2) Directly after eating food.
3) If you are depressed.

Remember: Breathing exercises can be detrimental to your health if done incorrectly!

Ms Barbara is a Certified Yoga trainer and also a Teacher in Physical Education. She is a member of REPs as Advance Instructor level 3.