Take a deep breath in, hold, and take a deep breath out. The instant relaxation and surge of energy you get are due to controlled breathing techniques like that which boost overall health and well-being.
Yogendra Pranayama
Pranayama is the art of controlling your breath to promote a healthy you. ‘Prana’ means breath of vital energy of the body and ‘Ayama’ means control.
A part of Kriya yoga, the yoga of movement, Pranayama works to regulate breathing movements and control the energy of our bodies.
Nine Types of Pranayama
There are nine types of Pranayama that one can practice to control and regulate their breathing:
Yogendra Pranayama 1
An extremely helpful technique to combat the effects of smoking, Pranayama 1 helps to heal the damage done to the skin and eyes due to excessive use of cigarettes. This Pranayama promotes strength in the lungs and improves their efficiency and function.
Directions:
- Stand up straight with your shoulders and body relaxed and your feet a few inches apart.
- Inhale slowly but continuously.
- Exhale slowly but continuously.
- Perform the inhalation and exhalation in the same way for 10 rounds.
Yogendra Pranayama 2
Directions:
- Take the same stance as you did in Pranayama 1 and place your hands below your ribs on either side of your body.
- Inhale to expand the intercostal muscles and, as soon as you have all the breath in, immediately start to exhale.
- Focus on the lower ribs and feel your lungs as they expand.
- With each breath, start with a count of two seconds and continue until you count to seven seconds.
Note: Avoid moving and using the abdominal and the clavicular muscles.
Yogendra Pranayama 3
Directions:
- Stand tall with your feet a few inches apart from each other.
- Inhale using only your clavicular muscles, and make sure to keep the intercostal and diaphragm controlled. As you inhale, move your shoulders slightly upwards and backward.
- Immediately start to exhale as soon as you finish inhaling.
- With each breath, start with a count of two seconds and continue until you count to seven seconds.
Yogendra Pranayama 4
Directions:
- For this round, you will need to start by lying flat on your back with your legs folded.
- Place the left hand on your belly, close to the navel and inhale deeply to move your abdomen upwards.
- Slowly start to exhale to pull your abdomen inwards to form a cavity with your stomach. Make sure to keep your chest still.
- The count should start at three seconds and continue for a maximum of eight counts. Continue this Pranayama for a maximum of 10 rounds.
Note: Make sure to maintain an equal inhalation and exhalation count.
Yogendra Pranayama 5 (Sunyaka)
Directions:
- Get into a seated position, either in Sukhasana, Vajrasana or Padmasana, and take a few rounds of breaths.
- Start to take short inhales and slowly exhale to draw the abdomen in towards the spine until you are out of breath to exhale.
- Hold your breath for about five seconds and slowly start to increase the length of time to thirty seconds.
- Keep the diaphragm relaxed and inhale gently followed by an exhale to normalize your breathing.
- Practice this breathing technique for ten rounds, pausing for a few seconds between each round.
Note: Keep your eyes closed or keep your gaze fixed on your nose.
Yogendra Pranayama 6 (Puraka)
Directions:
- Get into a seated position either in Sukhasana, Vajrasana or Padmasana.
- Take a short inhale followed by a deep and continuous exhale, using all your respiratory muscles. Try not to bloat your abdomen.
- Start to inhale continuously for about five seconds and slowly increase the length of time to about thirty seconds followed by exhaling out your breath.
- Practice this Pranayama for 10 rounds and focus on your breathing technique and the respiratory muscles.
Yogendra Pranayama 7 (Kevala Kumbhaka)
- Get into a seated position either in Sukhasana, Vajrasana or Padmasana.
- Take a short inhale followed by a deep and continuous exhale using all your respiratory muscles.
- Keep the abdomen drawn in and hold your breath for as long as you can (try to hold your breath for twice as long as your inhalation). Exhale as you normally would.
- Inhale for five seconds, hold for 10 seconds, and gradually increase the time until you are able to reach a thirty-second inhalation and a sixty-second retention.
- Practice this breathing technique for 10 rounds, pausing for 60 seconds between each round.
Note: Keep your eyes closed or keep your gaze fixed on your nose. Avoid straining yourself while holding your breath.
Yogendra Pranayama 8 (Recaka)
Directions:
- Get into a seated position either in Sukhasana, Vajrasana or Padmasana.
- Start to inhale and hold this breath for double the count. Exhale continuously for as long as you can. For example, if you inhale for three seconds, retain for six seconds followed by an exhalation for 12 seconds. Gradually increase the counts of inhalation and exhalation.
- Always suspend your breath for a few seconds before you inhale. Focus on the flow and depth of your breathing and make sure that you exhalation technique is smooth and continuous.
- Practice this Pranayama for 10 rounds.
Yogendra Pranayama 9 (Anulom Vilom)
Directions:
- Get into a seated position either in Sukhasana, Vajrasana or Padmasana.
- Place your thumb and little finger on your right and left nostril.
- Close your left nostril completely and inhale through your right nostril. Close both your nostrils and hold your breath for four seconds.
- Then, exhale through your left nostril, making sure to keep the right nostril closed.
- Repeat this Pranayama and inhale from the left nostril this time.
Benefits of Yogendra Pranayama:
The art of mastering your breath and controlling your energy brings various benefits to the mind and body.
Important benefits of Yogendra Pranayama include:
- Induces relaxation to the mind and body
- Gives you an energy boost
- Enhances focus and concentration
- Keeps your blood pressure under control
- Reduces stress, depression, and hypertension
- Promotes strength in the nervous system and respiratory system
- Keeps the muscles relaxed
Updated by Siya Rajan on 06/16/2018
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References:
Courtesy The Yoga Institute, Santacruz (E), Mumbai
