Basic Breath Awareness
Begin by simply bringing your attention to your breathing and noticing how your breath is behaving. Is it slow and steady or short and unbalanced – are you using the full capacity of the lungs or accessory breathing (into the chest rather than down into the belly). Bo Forbes, clinical psychologist and integrative yoga therapist describes cultivating this mindful relationship with our breathing as “truly valuable information in creating stress resilience.”
This Pranayama is easy to try anywhere and at any time: start to pay attention to your breath and just notice how it is behaving. Notice if the breath begins to naturally slow now you are paying attention to it, begin to become aware of your breathing and for 2-3 minutes simply observe your breath.
Triangle Breathing
Triangle breathing can be a highly affective pranayama practice for calming the mind and also balancing the body.
To start, inhale and exhale once fully.
On the next breath, count the length of your inhalation.
Hold for the same count as your inhale.
Exhale for the same count as your inhale.
So your breath becomes an evenly controlled triangle. For example; if your breath count is 5 you would inhale for 5 breaths, pause or hold the breath for 5 and then exhale for 5.
Continue to draw this triangle with your breath for a few rounds.
If you feel comfortable you can begin to slowly increase the length of your triangle with one count at a time but if you find yourself becoming short of breath, return to the previous count.
Extended Exhalation
Bring your awareness to your breath and take few deep, relaxing breaths – inhaling and exhaling fully.
Begin to count each inhale and exhale – counting to 5 with each breath in and extending each exhale to 7 counts. If this is uncomfortable shorten each breath to 3 or 4 counts on the inhale and 5 or 6 counts on the exhale.
Continue to breath consciously, extending your exhalation on each round and continuing to count your breath.
This style of Pranayama will calm the body by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for slowing the heart rate and allowing the body to move into rest & digest mode.
Keep counting your inhale and exhale for 5 to 10 minutes before returning to a normal breath again.
Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama (Alternate nostril breathing)
This practice of alternating between the right and left nostrils as you inhale and exhale can help to focus the mind and create more unity between your body and your breath. This can be a powerful breath to practice after Asana practice to help you prepare for meditation.
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Find a comfortable seated position.
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Bring your right hand in a gentle fist in front of your nose, then extend your thumb and ring finger.
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Close your right nostril with your thumb.
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Inhale through your left nostril, then close it with your ring finger.
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Open your right nostril and exhale slowly through it.
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Inhale through the right nostril then close it.
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Open your left nostril and exhale slowly through it.
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That is one cycle of Nadi Shuddhi.
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Repeat this practice 3–5 times at a comfortable pace.
Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breath or Ocean Breath)
“This classic pranayama practice, known for its soft, soothing sound similar to ocean waves, can further enhance the relaxation response of slow breathing” Patricia Gerbarg, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College and co-author of The Healing Power of the Breath.
Gerbarg teaches ‘that the vibrations in the larynx stimulate sensory receptors that signal the vagus nerve to induce a calming effect
I often teach Ujjayi breath by asking students to imagine they are holding a mirror in their hand and are trying to fog up the mirror as they exhale by making a soft, oceanic HA sound.
Start by inhaling into the nose slowly.
As you exhale slowly through the nose make a soft HA sound (as though you are fogging up a mirror) through the soft palette at the back of the throat.
Try this firstly by exhaling through the mouth.
Then try to make the same sound with the mouth closed, breathing slowly and steadily.
This breath should sound like a gentle oceanic noise.
Continue to engage with this breath for 5-10 rounds.
Ujjayi breath can have a calming effect when practiced seated or help to energise the body when practiced during Asana.