Definition of the yogic term for these breathing techniques
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Basic Yogic Breathing Techniques for Relaxing and Energizing the Body Definition of the yogic term for these breathing techniques 1. Prana - life force, the energy of the universe. 2. -yama - lengthening, restraining, controlling, mastering 3. Pranayama - The mastery of the energy of the universe through breathing techniques. from Wikipedia: Several researchers have reported that pranayama techniques are beneficial in treating a range of stress related disorders, improving autonomic functions, relieving symptoms of asthma, and reducing signs of oxidative stress. Practitioners report that the practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong will-power, and sound judgment, and also claim that sustained pranayama practice extends life and enhances perception. The Breaths 1. The Abdominal Breath, sometimes called Belly Breath or Diaphragmatic Breath a. Benefits: This is the most important breath of all. It should be your lifelong default breath. It is the most efficient breath to oxygenate the body, and it activates the relaxation response, which soothes the nervous system, reduces stress, and massages and tones the heart and the digestive system. It is efficient breathing, so the heart and lungs work less and rest more. The breath is felt down in the abdomen, the chest is relaxed. b. Practice: To feel the belly breath if you are not familiar with it, lie on the floor and relax, so that you are no longer ...
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Basic Yogic Breathing Techniques for Relaxing and Energizing the Body Definition of the yogic term for these breathing techniques 1. Prana lifeforce, the energy of the universe. 2. yama lengthening,restraining, controlling, mastering 3.PranayamaThe mastery of the energy of the universe through breathing techniques. fromWikipedia:Several researchers have reported that pranayama techniques are beneficial in treating a range of stress related disorders, improving autonomic functions, relieving symptoms of asthma, and reducing signs of oxidative stress. Practitioners report that the practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong willpower, and sound judgment, and also claim that sustained pranayama practice extends life and enhances perception. The Breaths 1. TheAbdominal Breath, sometimes called Belly Breath or Diaphragmatic Breath a. Benefits:This is the most important breath of all. It should be your lifelong default breath. It is the most efficient breath to oxygenate the body, and it activates the relaxation response, which soothes the nervous system, reduces stress, and massages and tones the heart and the digestive system. It is efficient breathing, so the heart and lungs work less and rest more. The breath is felt down in the abdomen, the chest is relaxed. b. Practice:To feel the belly breath if you are not familiar with it, lie on the floor and relax, so that you are no longer “doing” the breath, but simply letting the universe breathe you. Feel how the belly rises on the inhale and lowers on the exhale. Exaggerate that motion. Once you feel where the natural breath is in the body, you can actively move the breath to that area no matter what position you’re in, using an exhale with your abdominal muscles. When the inhale follows, the breath will come into the abdominal area. Keep the pattern going, allowing the belly to rise and fall with the inhale and exhale. 2. TheComplete Breath, also called the Threepart Breath a.Benefits: This breath uses the full capacity of the lungs, removing stale air and toxins. It keeps the chest and lungs flexible and relaxed. It increases overall energy, renews the entire system, and improves digestion and elimination. b.Practice: It’s helpful to feel this breath first on the floor as well. Lie on your back, allowing the body to relax. Begin with the belly breath, filling the lower part of the lungs. With the next inhalation, begin again by filling the belly, then actively take in more air and feel the ribcage expanding upward and out to the sides. Continue inhaling into the upper area of the chest, under the shoulders, to fill the lungs completely. Exhale slowly, contracting the abdominal muscles at the end of the exhalation to squeeze out all the residual air. Once you feel the three areas lying down, practice the threepart breath in any position whenever you want to relax, ground yourself, and renew your energy. 3.The Breath of Joy a.Benefits: This is an active threepart breath, energizing the whole body and fun to do. b.Practice: Stand tall with feet hip width apart and arms by your sides. Raise the arms up in front of the body with palms facing down as you inhale into the belly. Continue the inhalation, bringing your arms out to the sides with palms facing forward as you fill the ribcage with air. Continue
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inhaling into the top of the lungs as you bring your arms overhead with palms facing each other. When you have totally filled the lungs, bend your knees as you fold the body forward, swinging the arms down and back, exhaling completely with a resounding “Hah” powered from the belly. 4.The Ocean Sounding Breath a.Benefits: This is a breath that deeply relaxes and soothes the nervous system. The breath is lengthened as the air is drawn to the bottom of the lungs. It can also be used as a meditative breath, since the sound absorbs and focuses the mind effectively for some people than simply concentrating on the sensation of a quiet breath. b.Practice: Sit comfortably with the spine straight, take a few breaths and relax. Begin to whisper the letter “r” on the exhale and the inhale. The sound doesn’t have to be too loud, but try to keep it smooth and even. When you are able to whisper the sound through the mouth evenly in and out, close the mouth and continue the sound through the nostrils on the inhalation and exhalation. Continue with long, deep breaths. c.Awareness: Sometimes in the beginning it doesn’t seem that you are getting enough air. Know that it’s as though you are breathing “through a straw” so it simply takes a little longer to get the same amount of air. This is a good thing: it slows down the process, which is part of what makes the breath relaxing. 5.The Skull Polishing Breath, called the Breath of Fire in some traditions a.Benefits: This breath strengthens the abdominal muscles, diaphragm, and heart. It deeply massages the internal organs, stimulating digestion and elimination. It removes stale air and toxins from the lungs and pumps freshpranainto all cells of the body. At the same time, it energizes, massages, and cleanses the central nervous system, bringing mental clarity and alertness. Done through alternating nostrils, it has a balancing effect. b.Practice: The breath consists of an active exhalation using the abdominal muscles and a passive inhalation where the universe returns air to the system. It’s helpful to start in a standing posture to learn this breath, to be sure that the body is really erect, allowing the abdominal area room to activate the breathing. In order to feel the involvement of the abdominal muscles, I recommend that you simply take a tissue and blow your nose through both nostrils, noticing the area of the body that powers that action. You’ve just done the Skull Polishing Breath. Now simply toss the tissue and continue the breath.You can use a mirror to check that your chest is still and it’s simply the abdominal muscles that are working. c.Awareness: This breath can make you feel dizzy. It’s actually a good thing, because it means that you’re getting more oxygen to the brain. It’s like a healthy cocktail buzz. 6.The Alternate Nostril Breath, sometimes called the Balancing Breath a. Benefits:This breath stimulates the brain sidetoside, synchronizes the hemispheres for whole brain activity, and balances any dominance. It strengthens, calms, and regulates the nervous system, eliminates wastes, and increases assimilation of energy. b. Practice:Sit erect, relaxing your breath and your body. Using your right hand, create the hand position for the breath by folding the index and middle fingers down to be out of the way so you can use the thumb and fourth finger to create the alternating pathway for the breath. Begin the breath by closing off the right nostril with the thumb and breathing in the left nostril. Immediately close off the left nostril with the fourth finger and breathe out the right nostril. Keep the left nostril closed off and breathe in the right nostril. Immediately close off the right nostril with the thumb and breathe out the left nostril. You’ve now done one round of the Balancing Breath. Continue with smooth, deep breathing through alternating nostrils. End by exhaling through the left nostril. A general awareness: Start slowly withpranayama. If you experience dizziness, slow down your breath. If you feel you are gasping for air, speed up the breath. Breathe less deeply if you feel nauseous. Bhavani Lorraine Nelson, a senior faculty member at Kripalu, leads experiential workshops in meditation and mindfulness, stress reduction, and the power of the voice, including sounding, singing, chanting, sound healing, and public speaking. Since aligning with Kripalu in 1988, Bhavani has also offered workshops elsewhere in the US, Canada, Japan, and Iceland. She has many albums of singing and chanting, includingSoulflight: Chanted Mantras for Healing and IlluminationandAmba Bhavani: Meditations in Chantin Sanskrit;Into the Hands of God, with chants in English;Meditation Made Possible, with instruction in meditation on the breath; andA New Dawn, with Bhavani singing inspirational songs written by her and others. To book a workshop, kirtan, or concert in your area, contact Bhavani at 4136374823 or at www.bhavanilorrainenelson.com. 2
