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‘Breathing is the physical part of thinking and thinking is the psychological part of breathing.” – Ayurveda
Pranayama is a part of Yoga system that teaches you the art of extending your breath in many different ways. When practicing pranayama the breath should be skillfully inhaled, exhaled and retained. It teaches you to change the depth, rate and pattern of breathing.
Pranayama is a Sanskrit word which literally translates into “extension of the prana or breath”. ‘Prana’ means life-force and it is the life-force or vital energy that pervades the body. Prana is the link between mind and consciousness. The physical manifestation of “prana’ is breath and ”ayama” means to extent or draw out the breath.
When the Breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the Breath is still, so is the mind still.” – Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Breathing is vital for our survival as it is the only way we can send oxygen inside our body and into our organs. We can live for months without consuming food and days without water, however we can only survive a few minutes without breathing. When you learn the breathing techniques it will positively affect your actions and thoughts. Every thought we have changes the rhythm of our breath. When we are happy breathing is rhythmic and when we are stressed breathing is irregular and interrupted. Mastering the art of breathing is a crucial step towards self-healing and survival.
Best time to practice:
Pranayama or breathing exercise can be a great way to start your day. Early morning is the best time to practice pranayama, especially outside where you can find fresh air. It is recommended to do breathing exercises on an empty stomach. There are some contraindications to these breathing exercises that I will discuss when I explain the pranayama’s.
Benefits of Pranayama:
Pranayama techniques are beneficial in treating a range of stress related disorder.
Pranayama improves the autonomic functions.
It helps relieving the symptoms of asthma.
It reduces the signs of oxidative stress in the body.
Practicing pranayama everyday can assist in steady mind, strong will power and sound judgement.
Regular pranayama can extend life and enhance ones perception of life.
Number of studies show that pranayama causes change in the cardio respiratory system including lowering of blood pressure
Certain pranayama’s are excellent for weight loss.
Getting ready for Pranayama:
To do pranayama sit facing east or north in a comfortable cross legged position on a yoga mat. Make sure your head, neck and chest are in a straight line and keep your spine stretched. Pranayama should not be performed within an hour of eating, bathing or sexual activity without at least an hour gap.
Who should not be doing Pranayama?
Pranayama should be practiced with care and it is better to do advanced pranayama with a teacher’s guidance.
Pranayama is not recommended during menstruation, and pregnancy.
Anyone with any form of heart condition, particularly if they have a recent history of heart attack. People with low blood pressure must practice pranayama under the guidance of a teacher or Ayurvedic Doctor.
Avoid if you have fever, bronchitis, or pneumonia.
Anyone going through radiation or chemo therapy.
Not recommended for anyone going through psychological condition, sadness, grief, trauma, anger, anxiety, depression or suicidal feelings.
Basic Pranayama practice:
Before doing Pranayama’s such as Bhastrika, or bellows breath, practice purification of nervous system which is called Nadi Shodhona in sanskrit. It is recommended to start Pranayama practice with “alternate nostril breathing” and “breath awareness.”
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Anuloma Viloma):
This pranayama is breathing through alternate nostrils of the nose. It is otherwise known as Purification of the Nervous System or Nadi Shodhona Pranayama. It is very calming and purifying.
Position: Sit comfortably in a chair with your feet firmly on the floor. Or sit cross legged on the floor.
Repetitions: Begin 10 rounds with breathing through the left nostril and 10 rounds breathing with the right.
Steps to practice Anuloma Viloma
Alternate nostrils are closed, generally by using the right hand’s thumb, ring and little finger. The thumb is used for closing the right nostril and the ring and little fingers are used to close the left nostril. The mouth is closed, and is not used for breathing. No sound should be produced while inhaling or exhaling.
The cycle of practice is:
Round One:
Begin by focusing your attention on your breathing for a minute. Observe the flow of breath in both nostrils. pranayama_fingers01
Form the Pranayama Mudra on your right hand and raise your hand. (See picture)
Close the right nostril is closed with the right hand thumb and inhale deeply through the left nostril.
After inhaling, close the left nostril with ring and pinky finger and exhale through the right nostril.
After exhaling through the right nostril and inhale through the same nostril.
Close the right nostril after inhaling and exhale through the left.
To summarize in this round you will – inhale left – exhale right – inhale right – exhale left. After 10 rounds return the hand to the knee and form a “gyan mudra”. Then concentrate for one minute on normal breathing.
Round Two:
Position the left hand in Pranayama Mudra.
Repeat the process beginning with the right nostril inhalation.
Now inhale right – exhale left – inhale left – exhale right.
After 10 rounds return the hand to the knee and concentrate for one minute on normal breathing and the rhythm of the heartbeat.
Mrigi Mudra Pranayama
Benefits of Anulom Viloma:
With this pranayama you will instantly experience peace and blissfulness. As though you were transported into a new world.
It is said in the yoga science this pranayama cleanses 72,000 nadis or channels in the body.
It helps purify the blood and the respiratory system.
The deeper breathing enriches the blood with oxygen. As a matter of fact large amount of oxygen goes to the brain, lungs, heart, and capillaries.
It balances and calms our nervous system so when stressed this is extremely beneficial.
It helps relieve anxiety, nervousness and headaches.
This pranayama helps to strengthen the respiratory system.
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| There are no conversations. |
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| cauz |
March 19, 2019, 9:39 a.m. |
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| A. A. Milne |
The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking. |
| Theaster Gates |
I actually no longer use 'art' as the framing device. I think I'm just kind of practicing things, practicing life, practicing creation. |
| Marina Abramovic |
To control the breathing is to control the mind. With different patterns of breathing, you can fall in love, you can hate someone, you can feel the whole spectrum of feelings just by changing your breathing. |
| JR |
Art is not supposed to change the world, to change practical things, but to change perceptions. Art can change the way we see the world. Art can create an analogy. |
| Colin Farrell |
You spend so much time in your head in life. And what yoga does is, it asks you to allow your head to be quiet, to allow it to be still, just for an hour and a half. Just deal with your body and your breath. And it's a great workout. I love it. |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
Music rhythms are mathematical patterns. When you hear a song and your body starts moving with it, your body is doing math. The kids in their parents' garage practicing to be a band may not realize it, but they're also practicing math. |
| Lascelles Abercrombie |
No poet will ever take the written word as a substitute for the spoken word; he knows that it is on the spoken word, and the spoken word only, that his art is founded. |
| Jeffrey R. Immelt |
I think we should have basically the same tax policy that Germany, Japan, the U.K., everybody else has, which is a tax rate in the mid-20s and no loopholes. Zero. The U.S. has the most antiquated tax system. And that means some people are going to pay more taxes, and some people are going to pay less. |
| Larry Elder |
In the last 1,000 years, the Arabs have translated as many books as Spain translates in just one year. |
| Hermann Ebbinghaus |
On the basis of the familiar experience that that which is learned with difficulty is better retained, it would have been safe to prophesy such an effect from the greater number of repetitions. |
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Science of Breath, by Yogi Ramacharaka, pseud. William Atkinson, [1904], at sacred-texts.com
Science of Breath
A Complete Manual of
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As a cell biologist, Sundar Balasubramanian never forgot his rural southern Indian roots, or the traditional practices his uncle, the village healer, exposed him to. Today, as a researcher and assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, Balasubramanian has turned his focus back to those roots — specifically, to pranayama, a deep-breathing relaxation technique. He’s showing that this ancient yoga practice is about more than relaxing — it can change us at the cellular level.
Q: What made you examine this technique through a cellular biology lens?
A: In 2005, I noticed whi...
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OnyxPhonics will be a tool that teaches you how say the word onyx.
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NOSTRIL-BREATHING
Vs.
MOUTH-BREATHING
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i realized i have trouble expressing myself due to my past experiences and the overwhelming nature of them. my dad left my mom 2 years after i was born. my brother has lived in japan for almost 10 years. my mom was wrongfully fired and unemployed for almost 2 years while i was in college, food stamps was a savior to us. I watched the 'plug being pulled' on my grandpa 3 years ago. watched my dog die and literally take his last breath a year later. my grandma died a few months ago.
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Pretty sure it's just that the part of my brain that tells me which things make sense and obey the laws of physics don't always activate when I'm sleeping and thinking about buildings.
This post is a comment.
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I think it greatly affects how we think. I don't know about the latter part. What about when there is something that you don't know how to describe? You're still thinking about it.
This post is a comment.
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The black bear. Gingivitis is an asset (bad breath); poor self-esteem is a liability. I'm rooting for the underdog, though; his self-esteem could use the win.
This post is a comment.
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There are few subjects relating to spiritual development so
critically important and yet so
incompletely understood as Yoga.
Although the interest in Yoga that started
in the West during the
1960’s has abated to some degree
, the teaching of the various
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sometimes i start thinking about stuff and then i stop thinking about what i was thinking about and then i'm like thinking about this whole other thing than what i was thinking about. you know what i'm saying?
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