When breath is tied with movement, this is yoga. The breath is our life force. Without breathing, we die. However, in the modern world, we tend to have little awareness of our breath. For something that we do constantly, and cannot live without, we give it very little attention. When we become aware of our breath, then we can begin to make changes in the process of breathing. These changes can have a profound effect on our entire lives. First we become aware of our breath, as it is. Then we begin to work with the breath, making changes where necessary.
The Sanskrit term Pranayama is the joining of two words, Prana and Ayama. Prana means breath or life force, while Ayama means to extend or lengthen. Thus Pranayama indicates lengthening the breath. When we begin to lengthen the breath, we change our consciousness and our responses to stress.
At its most basic we are seeking to become aware of our natural breath and then to bring the inhale and exhale into balance, so that they are of equal length. Then, we seek to extend the inhale and the exhale. By doing this, we bring more oxygen into the system, fully filling the lungs and bringing the air down into the lower lobes of the lungs. When we extend the exhale, we expel carbon dioxide out of our systems, reducing this toxic gas. We more fully develop the core muscles of the upper abdomen, the ribcage, with the full exhale. However, the most important aspect of the long exhale is that it reduces our physical stress-response. This can be used on the mat and off.
When we practice the postures of yoga, we connect our breathing, the inhale and exhale, with our movements, so that it is the breath which precipitates the movement. Of utmost importance is the long, slow exhale, which produces calm in difficult and stressful poses.
While the breathing I have described above is fundamental, both to our yoga practice and to our lives, there are several other types of Pranayama we may choose to work with for different effects. The Ujayyi breath is a more intense form of the breath I describe above and is basically an intensification of that breath, which includes sound. Alternate nostril breathing, Nadi Shodhana, is used for calming effects and to energize and balance the system. The three-part breath, Deergha Swasm, enhances our core musculature and teaches us to breathe fully and deeply. For instances of stress or mental anxiety, extending the exhale to one or two counts longer than the inhale is very effective, while extending the inhale to be longer than the exhale is energizing. These are but a few examples of the many techniques of Pranayama.
Pranayama has long been a very special practice for me, and having worked with a wide range of Pranayama techniques for over two decades, I am able to teach you these effective means to embracing your breath as a doorway to control of your response to stress and as a means to shift mood and awareness.
