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Showing posts with label breathing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breathing. Show all posts

Thursday, 29 September 2011

Pranayama

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Yoga Exercises > Yoga Breathing - Pranayamas
Pranayama is an aspect of Yoga that deals with breathing. It is the breathing process or the control of the motion of inhalation, exhalation and the retention of vital energy. Proper breathing is to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control Prana or the vital life energy.


"Agni" connotes 'fire' in Sanskrit. In this pranayama the internal fire is stirred up, thus increasing the body heat.

In this pranayama, you breathe in and out through alternate nostrils. Hence the name.

"Bhramar" means 'bee' in Sanskrit. In this pranayama a humming sound is produced while breathing just like a bee.

Bhastrika Pranayama - Bellow Breathing 
"Bhastrika" refers to 'bellows' in Sanskrit. Air is drawn in and out of the abdomen just as a blacksmith uses his bellows.


"Dirgha" connotes 'long' in Sanskrit. This pranayama involves a long and deep breath which fills all the three chambers of the lungs.

"Kapal" means 'skull' and "bhati" means 'shine' in Sanskrit. This pranayama cleanses the respiratory system, particularly the nasal passages in the skull.

In Sanskrit, "Moorcha" means 'fainting' or 'swooning'. This pranayama involves slow inhalation and retention of air for a long period.

 
"Sheetal" means 'cool' in Sanskrit. This pranayama has a cool effect on the body by lowering the body temperature.

Sheetkari breathing has a cooling effect on your body.

In this pranayama, inhalation is done only through the right nostril.

The word "Ujjayi" means 'victorious' in Sanskrit.
Also explore the three important  yoga bandhas
and yoga asanas 

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Agnisara

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"Agni" connotes 'fire' in Sanskrit. In this pranayama the internal fire is stirred up, thus increasing the body heat.

Sequence:

  1. Stand erect with your legs fairly apart and hands hanging by the sides.
  2. Bend your trunk forward and bend your knees slightly.
  3. Place your palms on the corresponding knees.
  4. Exhale completely.
  5. As in Uddiyana Bandha, retain your breath.
  6. Blow out your stomach without inhaling.
  7. Keep this for about 2 seconds.
  8. Pull in your stomach.
  9. Pull in and blow out your stomach 4-6 times.
  10. Inhale.
  11. Repeat steps 4-10 four to five times.

Caution:

  • Do not practice this pranayama after a meal.
  • Pregnant and menstruating women should not perform this pose.
  • This pranayama should be avoided by people with abdominal surgery.

Benefits:

  • This pranayama improves digestion.
  • Agnisara is an energy booster.
  • This pranayama helps reduce fat from your abs.
  • Blood circulation to the digestive system is increased.

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Anuloma Viloma - Alternate Nostril Breathing

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In this pranayama, you breathe in and out through alternate nostrils. Hence the name.



Sequence:

  1. Place your right hand on your nose to close the nostrils.
  2. Fold in your index and middle fingers.
  3. Place your ring and little finger on the left nostril.
  4. Close the right nostril with your thumb.
  5. Lift the fingers on the left nostril and breathe through it., retain your breath.
  6. The right nostril should remain closed.
  7. Close both the nostrils and hold your breath.
  8. Open the right nostril and breathe out keeping the left nostril closed.
  9. Breathe in through the right nostril keeping the left closed.
  10. Hold your breath keeping both nostrils closed.
  11. Exhale through your left nostril.
  12. The right nostril should remain closed.
  13. In the above steps, count to 2 while inhaling, 4 while holding the breath and 8 while exhaling.
  14. Repeat the above eight times.
  15. You can build up to 16 times at one go.

Benefits:

  • This pranayama helps achieve a melodious voice.
  • Anuloma Viloma restores normal breathing.
  • It is beneficial for relaxation of mind and body.
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Bhramari Breathing

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"Bhramar" means 'bee' in Sanskrit. In this pranayama a humming sound is produced while breathing just like a bee.

Sequence:

  1. Sit comfortably in Padmasana.
  2. Place your right hand on your nose.
  3. Keep the right thumb near the right nostril.
  4. Do not close the right nostril.
  5. Take a long and deep breath through both nostril.
  6. Close your right nostril by pressing the right thumb.
  7. Hold your breath for sometime.
  8. While exhaling, hold your larynx with your right hand to produce a humming sound.

Benefits:

  • It clears the throat and helps develop a melodious voice.
  • Pregnant women can perform Bhramari to prepare for labor.
  • Hypertension and depression can be overcome with regular performance of this pranayama.
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Bhastrika Pranayama - Bellow Breathing

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"Bhastrika" refers to 'bellows' in Sanskrit. Air is drawn in and out of the abdomen just as a blacksmith uses his bellows.

Sequence:

  1. Sit down in Padmasana.
  2. Place your left hand on your left knee.
  3. Place your right hand on your nose.
  4. Take a few shallow breaths in quick succession.
  5. Close off both nostrils.
  6. Hold your breath and perform both Jalandhara and Moola Bandha.
  7. Raise your head.
  8. Exhale through the right nostril keeping the left nostril closed.
  9. Immediately after exhalation apply Uddiyana Bandha.
  10. This completes one round of Bhastrika.
  11. Beginners can start off with three rounds of ten pumpings.
  12. Later you can increase it to eight rounds of 100 pumpings.

Caution:

  • Stop practice if you feel dizziness.

Benefits:

  • Stop practice if you feel dizziness.
  • This pranayama increase your concentration power.
  • The abdominal muscles gain strength.
  • Bhastrika provides relaxation and revitalization.
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Dirgha Pranayama — Complete Breath

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"Dirgha" connotes 'long' in Sanskrit. This pranayama involves a long and deep breath which fills all the three chambers of the lungs.

Sequence:

  1. Sit erect on the floor.
  2. Keep your eyes closed.
  3. Take a couple of long and deep inhalations.
  4. Each inhalation needs to take place in three steps:
    1. Inhale deeply to fill the lower abdominal region. Exhale and flatten your stomach.
    2. Inhale again deeply to fill up the lower lungs. Simultaneously raise your ribcage. Exhale.
    3. Inhale deeply to fill your stomach with air, expand your rib cage. Continue breathing till the upper chest area is also raised.
  5. Once you have assumed the right pattern, inhale in one long flow.

Caution:

  • Stop practice if you feel dizziness.

Benefits:

  • Menstruating women get relief with this pranayama.
  • Constipation can be cured.
  • Dirgha Pranayama relaxes both your mind and body.
  • This asana supplies oxygenated blood to the lungs.
  • The nervous system is rejuvenated.
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Kapal Bhati

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"Kapal" means 'skull' and "bhati" means 'shine' in Sanskrit. This pranayama cleanses the respiratory system, particularly the nasal passages in the skull.

Sequence:

  1. Sit comfortably and firmly in Padmasana.
  2. Exhale all the air from your lungs.
  3. Inhale and exhale deeply 4-5 times.
  4. Relax the abdominal muscles.
  5. Take a shallow breath.
  6. Expel air forcefully through both nostrils.
  7. As you breathe out make a hissing sound.
  8. Simultaneously, contract the abdominal muscles quickly and vigorously.
  9. Release the contraction and take air into the lungs.
  10. Contract your abdomen and expel the air out forcefully.
  11. Let the abdomen relax once air is drawn in.
  12. Repeat several times in quick succession to make a round.
  13. At the end of each round, take a slow and deep breath to gain a normal breathing rhythm.
  14. You can do three rounds of this pranayama in one sitting, resting in between each round.

Benefits:

  • This helps remove all stale air from your lungs.
  • Fresh air is supplied to the respiratory system.
  • This pranayama increases lung capacity.
  • Kapala Bhati is a beneficial breathing technique to provide elasticity to the diaphragm.
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Moorcha Pranayama

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In Sanskrit, "Moorcha" means 'fainting' or 'swoonin'. This pranayama involves slow inhalation and retention of air for a long period.


Sequence:

  1. Sit comfortably in Padmasana.
  2. Take a deep and slow breath through your mouth.
  3. Focus on the space between your eyebrows.
  4. Lower your face to place the chin in the jugular notch.
  5. Apply Jalandhara Bandha .
  6. Exhale slowly.
  7. Start with nine rounds and gradually build up to 15 times.

Benefits:

  • It gives a great sense of relaxation and happiness.
  • Moorcha Pranayama helps to get in touch with your inner self.
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Sheetali Breathing

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"Sheetal" means 'cool' in Sanskrit. This pranayama has a cool effect on the body by lowering the body temperature.



Sequence:

  1. Sit in Padmasana.
  2. Place your hands on the corresponding knees with palms facing up.
  3. Assume Gyana Mudra(See below) with your fingers.
  4. Open your mouth and take out the tongue.
  5. Move to each side of the mouth.
  6. Inhale through your mouth and suck air into your lungs.
  7. Take in your tongue.
  8. Close your mouth.
  9. Retain your breath for about 5 seconds.
  10. Exhale completely through your nostrils.
  11. You can start off with one minute and build up to five minutes.

Benefits:

  • High blood pressure patients can benefit from this pranayama.
  • Sheetali Breathing cools down your body and quenches thirst.
  • Liver functions well.
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Sheetkari Breathing

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Sheetkari breathing has a cooling effect on your body.

Sequence:

  1. Sit erect in Padmasana.
  2. Place your hands on corresponding knees and assume Gyana Mudra(See below).
  3. Part your lips keeping the teeth together.
  4. Hold your tongue tip against the lower teeth.
  5. Inhale through your mouth with a hissing sound.
  6. Continue inhaling till your lungs are filled.
  7. Now close your mouth.
  8. Exhale through both the nostrils immediately.


Benefits:

  • It gives relief during hot days.
  • It can kill hunger and thirst.
  • Your entire body gets cooled.
  • You can achieve clean skin through regular practice of Sheetkari Breathing.

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Surya Bheda Pranayama

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In this pranayama, inhalation is done only through the right nostril.

Sequence:

  1. Sit in Padmasana, keeping your head, neck and back erect.
  2. Place your right thumb on the right nostril and the middle finger on the left nostril.
  3. Place your index finger in the space between the two eyebrows.
  4. Close the left nostril and breathe through the right nostril, filling up your lungs.
  5. Close both nostrils and apply Jalandhara Bandha.
  6. Raise your head and lift the chin from the throat cavity.
  7. Close your right nostril and exhale completely through the left nostril.
  8. You can hold your breath for a longer time with time and practic.
  9. Start with 10 repetitions and increase it up to 40.

Benefits:

  • This pranayama gets rid of all impurities from your body.
  • People suffering from asthma, cold and gastric problems can get relief from Surya Bheda.
  • Your immune system will get stronger.
  • Digestion improves.
  • Surya Bheda helps release heat from your body.
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Sunday, 25 September 2011

Ujjayi Breathing

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The word "Ujjayi" means 'victorious' in Sanskrit.


Sequence:


  1. Sit comfortable in Padmasana.
  2. Take a long and deep breath through both the nostrils.
  3. Close your glottis slightly.
  4. The inhalation should produce a sonorous sound.
  5. Hold the breath, applying Jalandhara Bandha and Moola Bandha.
  6. Exhale slowly through both nostrils, opening the glottis simultaneously.
  7. This should again produce a frictional sound.
  8. Complete exhalation and now apply Uddiyana Bandha.
  9. You can practice this pranayama three times spread throughout the day.
  10. Later you can increase to 27 times each day, with 9 in the morning, nine at noon and nine in the evening.

Benefits:

  • The nervous and the digestive systems benefits from this Pranayama.
  • This pranayama helps relax and calm your mind.
  • Ujjayi breathing alleviates high blood pressure.
  • You can develop a sweet voice with regular practice.
  • It can give you relief from cold, cough and tonsillitis.
  • This Pranayama can cure phlegm.
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