Pranayama

Pranayama is the breath work practice in yoga. Prana is something that flows continuously inside of us, energising us and keeping us alive. Without prana there is no life. If we are troubled, restless, lacking in motivation or suffering from illness then this would mean there is too much prana outside the body rather than inside. When we are feeling well and content, there is more prana in the body. Prana needs to be able to flow freely through the body so we need to remove blockages in the body that stop it being able to flow, and avoid prana being dispersed beyond the body.

In yoga we link mind and breath. Pranayama practice is about conscious breathing, and focusing our attention on the breath to encourage prana to flow freely.

Ways we can keep attention on the breath includes the following:

• Focus on a place in the body where you can feel the physical sensation of the breath

• Follow the movement of the breath, observe the breath

• Listen to the breath, for example when using Ujjayi breath

• Counting the breath – we should take at least 12 breaths in a pranayama exercise.

To keep concentration during a breathing practice we could also:

• Use a hand mudra – when our mind wanders, the mudra will fall apart.

• Internal gazing – holding the eyes in a fixed position with the eyelids closed. This maintains our concentration.

Forms of Prana

• Vyana-vayu – distribution of energy into all areas of the body.

• Udana-vayu – the throat and the function of speech.

• Prana-vayu – chest

• Samana-vayu – central area of the body and the function of digestion

• Apana-vayu – lower abdomen and function of elimination

How to practice pranayama

We regulate the breath and breathe consciously. In pranayama we emphasise the inhalation, exhalation or retention of breath. The exhalation is important, to eliminate impurities in the body. Only once we have emptied ourselves can we take a new breath.

Pranayama should be practiced in a seated position with the spine tall. It is advised to have a break between asana and pranayama practice, to allow the mind to transition from one to the other and to rest the body. Completing asana practice first is advisable because the asana practice can help open up the body, ready for an effective pranayama practice, allowing breath to flow easily through the body.

When starting a pranayama practice, it is advisable to practice with a qualified yoga teacher. They will be able to guide you on how to practice the different types of breathing techniques and will be able to guide appropriate ratios for the inhalation, inward retention, exhalation, and outward retention. We should pay close attention to the impact of the body in pranayama, just as we would in an asana practice, to ensure it feels good in the body. With regular practice of pranayama we may notice changes, such as being able to use more capacity for breathing and being able to lengthen the lengths of the inhale/exhale/retentions.

Pranayama techniques:

• Nadi Sodhana – alternate nostril breathing, achieved by blocking off one nostril and the other. This practice balances the flow of prana to calm the body and mind.

• Sitali - involves inhaling through a curled tongue and exhaling through the nose. It is a cooling breath.

• Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breathing) – You take a deep inhalation and short sharp exhalations contracting the abdomen. This is a cleansing and revitalising breath.

• Bhastrika (bellows breath) – The technique uses the diaphragm and abdominal muscles as a pump to produce deep and rapid breathing. This breath warms and purifies the body

• Bhramari (humming bee breathing) - calms the mind and nerves by making a humming sound like a bee.

• Ujjayi - diaphragmatic breathing, where you breathe through the nose while gently constricting the throat, creating an audible vibration as the air passes in and out of the throat.