Lesson 7 – Pranayama – The Breath
Pranayama – The Breath
Anuloma Viloma by Jesús Bonilla "Tanumânasî" - http://www.yogallimite.com/.
In Patanjali’s The Yoga Sutras, the fourth limb of yoga is pranayama, control of the
breath. Pranayama is defined in Wikipedia as a Sanskrit word meaning "extension of
the prāṇa or breath" or "extension of the life force" (accessed 9/25/15). The word is
composed of two Sanskrit words, prana, life force or life breath, and ayāma, to extend
or draw out.
As long as we are alive, we are breathing. Most of the time, we are unaware of the
breath because it happens automatically and without our input. When we become
aware of the breath, however, that is pranayama.
It’s important to note that pranayama can be practiced in almost any position. You may
practice pranayama seated on the ground, seated on a cushion, seated on a chair or
lying down, depending on the breath being practiced and what you are trying to
accomplish. For example, if your intent is to stay awake and aware, it’s probably best to
sit up rather than lying down. Pranayama can even be practiced while in a standing,
seated or inverted yoga pose. Usually it is suggested that the spine be upright, but if
you don’t want to sit up, then don’t let that stop you from focusing on the breath. Try it
several different ways.
1
There are many different breathing patterns in pranayama. If you decide to go deeper
into yogic practices, you may learn about them. In this course, however, we will be
focusing on five breathing patterns—natural breathing, full yoga breath, kapalabhati
breath, ujjayi breathing and alternate nostril breathing.
Why Do Pranayama?1
Physical well-being, lightness of heart, clarity of mind, inner and outer health and
fulfillment, weight loss, purpose, intention and direction--If you could produce these
sorts of results without any cost, equipment, office visits, special shoes, travel or special
talent, would you be interested? If all it took was about 10 minutes a day, would you
take the next step?
Pranayama is the art and science of yogic breathing techniques, and these techniques
will reliably produce the benefits listed above. Things that sound too good to be true—
the latest fad diet, get-rich-quick schemes—usually are. But yogic breathing exercises
actually deliver the benefits they promise, and this lesson is aimed at helping you
understand why and how.
Defining our Terms
It should come as no surprise that breathing is one of the most important and intricate
activities we engage in. In many ways, our conscious life begins with our first breath [an
inhale] and ends with our last breath [an exhale]. Cellular respiration, the source of all
our physical energy and expression in the world, is dependent on a constant flow of
oxygen being delivered to each cell and carbon dioxide being taken away.
Every emotional state we experience has a corresponding pattern of breathing
associated with it. Even the elemental rhythm of our heartbeat is intimately connected
with the action of our lungs. The word “inspiration” itself refers to the act of breathing in,
as well as the state of being inspired, of being filled with spirit and energy.
Because yoga comes from India, many of its terms sound foreign to Western minds and
can make the practices seem esoteric or inaccessible. In reality, pranayama is as easy
to practice as awareness of our next breath. “Pranayama” is a Sanskrit word made up of
two halves, “prana” and “ayama,” and is most often translated to mean “mastery of the
life force,” or sometimes, “removal of obstacles to free the flow of life force.”
In yoga, the life force, known as prana, refers to the energy that animates, controls and
permeates the world both in us and around us. Digesting our food, changing our heart
rate in response to exercise, and fighting off infections are all highly complex and
variable tasks, yet each of them happens spontaneously, effortlessly and automatically
through the functions of prana. This same force is behind great migrations, the
2
interdependence of species and the changing of seasons. As the naturalist John Muir
said, “Tug on anything at all and you’ll find it connected to everything else in the
universe.” Prana is this active and intelligent force connecting everything, and
pranayama is the exploration of how we can tap into this universal potential.
The aim of both yoga in general and pranayama in particular is to help us participate in
the nearly unlimited intelligence of the life force so that we can share in its capacities.
Instead of fighting nature, we gradually become a partner with it. When the ancient
seers began their study of the potential of human beings thousands of years ago, they
soon saw that working with the breath could yield impressive results toward greater
aliveness, self-expression and power. The breath is one of the easiest doorways into
the capabilities of the human nervous system because it touches every aspect of our
being--physical, physiological, psycho-emotional, and spiritual.
Physical Effects: Organ Toning and More
The first step in pranayama is training ourselves to use the entire range of our physical
breathing apparatus. This means experiencing full yogic breathing—coordinating the
lower, middle, and upper parts of the breath process—as well as learning to attenuate
the outgoing breath. You can learn this type of breath from any qualified yoga instructor.
When we take full, slow, deep breaths through the nose, using all three sections of our
breathing apparatus and drawing out the exhalation longer than the inhalation, a
number of important things start to happen in our body. First, nose breathing filters the
air, warms it and keeps it moist. Thus the air arrives in the lungs in the best condition to
provide efficient transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This is no small thing. Anyone
who deals with breathing difficulties will tell you just how much dusty, dry, cold air
aggravates their challenges. In addition, full breathing through the nose also stimulates
some of the subtle nerve structures, beginning the process of bringing light and
aliveness to our inner realms.
A full breath with the exhalation longer than the inhalation also has significant impact on
the processes of the abdominal cavity, where all of our main organs are located. As the
diaphragm moves up and down, each of our abdominal organs moves also, sliding
against one another, changing shape, tugging on its attachment tendons and fascia,
and sloshing around any liquid or food it contains. These physical actions are crucial to
the health of our organs, and thus to our quality of life.
Since many of us spend too much time sitting, we don’t get the movement we need to
promote optimal health, especially in our abdominal cavity. Sitting at a desk, at the table
or in a padded chair in front of the TV undermines proper breathing by promoting a
“hunched over” or compressed posture that collapses the chest and pinches the
abdomen. This compromised posture leads to an over-reliance on getting our breath
3
from the middle and upper parts of our lungs, using our diaphragm inefficiently, and
costing us the health-producing movement of our key organs. It might sound odd to
credit a regular pranayama practice with improving both digestion and elimination, but if
you practice regularly, you will see that this is what happens.
When we practice full yogic breathing, we also increase the velocity of the fluids moving
through all the tissues in our body, thus promoting an increase in nutrition to the cells,
more efficient waste removal and better immune defense. Scientists estimate that we
have more than two gallons of fluid in our body that is not contained within our cells but
around our blood vessels, organs and cells. When the breath moves in and out, it
produces alternating saturating and wringing effects on our tissues and this “interstitial
fluid.” Similar to cleaning a dirty sponge in a sink, this action has a significant cleansing
effect.
The alternating squeezing and soaking process helps the lymph system (our many
glands) in particular. Our lymph system is tasked with fighting infections and overall
detoxification. This function requires fluid transport, but the lymph system itself does not
contain a primary pump like the heart, so any activity that promotes fluid movement
becomes crucial. Complete yogic breathing is one of the best facilitators of this
necessary transport.
The last physical benefit of pranayama practice is that full yogic breathing tends to
empty the lungs completely. This has two important consequences. First, this means
that the bottom third of the lungs gets a thorough airing when we do pranayama
exercises. Like the bottom of any container, gravity will tend to accumulate material
there. When we use our lungs completely on a regular basis, we have a better chance
of keeping the bottom third of our lungs cleaner. Second, regular practice of a fullbreath technique will keep the tissues of the lower lungs more nourished, flexible and
free of toxins. Just like the heart can starve for blood when the arteries harden and
narrow, the lower lung tissue can starve for nutrients and oxygen when it is insufficiently
used and seldom moved.
Physiological Effects
Most of us have heard of the “fight-or-flight” response, the automatic stress response
that happens in difficult or threatening situations. This response comes from our
unconscious nervous system (the autonomic nervous system), which actually consists
of two halves--the sympathetic system and the parasympathetic system. The
sympathetic system helps us get “pumped up” or energized to deal with external
demands or threats and is thus the originator of the stress response. The
parasympathetic system moderates or de-energizes the body and is thus the originator
4
of the relaxation response. In a healthy system, these two halves of our autonomic
nervous system should turn off and on regularly in response to life events.
Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., suggests in response to fight-or-flight, we immediately turn our
focus to the breath and bring ourselves into a calmer state of pause-and-plan.
According to Dr. McGonigal:”2
The pause-and-plan response drives you in the opposite direction of the fightor-flight response. Instead of speeding up, your heart slows down and your
blood pressure stays normal. Instead of hyperventilating like a madman, you
take a deep breath. Instead of tensing muscles to prime them for action, your
body relaxes a little.
Unfortunately, our nervous systems do not always function in a healthy or conscious
way. In our modern world, it is well established that we overstimulate our sympathetic
nervous system and understimulate our parasympathetic nervous system—with
disastrous impacts on our health. Living with an over-amped sympathetic nervous
system in a habitual stress response contributes to almost every domain of illness, from
heart disease and hypertension to digestive difficulties (including constipation and
diarrhea), diabetes, backaches, joint pain, autoimmune disorders and insomnia.
A daily pranayama practice stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system as well as
or better than any other activity—you can test this yourself by starting a regular practice
and noticing that at some point during your breathing session your salivary glands will
kick in and fill your mouth with saliva, one of the key indicators of parasympathetic
activity. Taking time each day to consciously activate the parasympathetic nervous
system will, over time, reprogram our bodies away from the habitual pull toward
overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and significantly reduce the health
risks associated with that overstimulation.
Psycho-Emotional Effects
Do you remember your parents, grandparents or teachers telling you to take ten deep
breaths when you got angry and before you acted [or reacted] on that anger? This folk
wisdom endures because it has a solid base in science—and begins to demonstrate
some of the most powerful benefits of pranayama, that the breath pattern will
automatically change when the emotional pattern changes. We breathe in one pattern
when we’re joyous, another when we’re angry, another when we’re depressed, another
when we’re distracted, and so on. This presents an important opportunity.
When we spend several minutes a day consciously regulating our breath, we break our
unconscious patterns of breathing and the unconscious emotional patterns that
underpin them. This is a very important phenomenon. We function best when we are
5
flexible, agile and able to flow with the changes that life brings. Unfortunately, many of
us fall into habits of thinking and feeling that come to dominate our consciousness, even
when they are out of step with what life is presenting. We wind up narrowing the range
of our emotional and cognitive experience and become more rigid, more habitual and
less creative, less able to see or think outside the “box.” Daily practice of breath
regulation works against this “ossifying tendency.” Just as many times computer
glitches can be solved simply by rebooting the hard drive, so too can habitual emotional
glitches be solved simply by changing the patterns of our breath.
One of the most important psycho-emotional benefits of practicing breath regulation is
the confidence it gives practitioners to self-regulate in other areas of their lives. Because
pranayama takes focus, overall concentration increases as well. Since you are
stimulating the relaxation response, you are able to be calmer in many areas of life.
Since you are increasing oxygen levels in your blood each day, your cellular respiration
becomes more efficient and your energy levels start to build. Because you are starting
to see success in so many areas, your self-confidence gets a boost and that growth in
confidence brings a higher level of performance, thus further bolstering self-confidence.
Pranayama practice is the priming mechanism for the pump that starts the virtuous
cycle of feeling good about yourself.
Over time, pranayama practice also generates awareness of the more subtle layers of
interconnection between our thoughts, our choices and their effects. Many people doubt
that such simple exercises can produce these results, but those who actually practice
have no doubts whatsoever, including the yogis who have confirmed this over and over
for thousands of years. Think about it—if it weren’t effective, would humans have
bothered to keep this knowledge alive as long as they have? Find out for yourself.
Spiritual Effects
Looking at the catalog of the benefits of pranayama practice in these domains, there is
more than enough inspiration to begin practicing, but the real payoff goes beyond these.
Western science focuses on the gross nervous system, but yogic wisdom always
posited the existence of a matching subtle nervous system. Full pranayama practice
aims to illuminate and enliven this subtle nervous system. Yoga teaches that the human
nervous system has potentials far beyond the normal regulation of the physical and
mental bodies. In yoga, the human nervous system is like a set of antennae that can
focus and channel the creative power of the universe into expression in a single life.
Pranayama practice polishes the capacity of the nervous system to conduct this cosmic
creative potential into real, tangible manifestation. It is similar to increasing the capacity
of a wire inside a lightbulb so that it can handle more wattage without burning out. When
the wire can handle more wattage, it produces more light and heat. When we practice
6
pranayama every day, our subtle wiring gradually becomes stronger and we begin to fill
up with light and energy. In many ways, this is all we really mean when we talk about
being “enlightened.” There is really no end point, just a gradually increasing capability of
our nervous system to handle all forms of energy.
As the light body is gradually polished and enlivened, we also develop a much richer
inner life and a deep sense of spiritual balance. When pranayama is followed by a short
period of meditation, the connection to inner stillness increases by leaps and bounds
and will ultimately create the period of rest, integration, and quietness that we crave in
our practice.
In the end, breath, movement and energy is life, and life is breath, movement and
energy. The yogic practice of pranayama combines all of these elements into a single
integrative experience that is well worth the investment and one that will absolutely
generate both inner aliveness and resilience and a powerful outward expression. The
only thing you need to do is practice it.
Importance of Healthy Breathing3
We know how to breathe, don’t we? It is something that occurs automatically,
spontaneously, and naturally. We are breathing even when we are not aware of it. So it
seems foolish to think that one can be told how to breathe. Yet, one's breathing
becomes modified and restricted in various ways, not just momentarily but habitually.
We develop unhealthy habits without being aware of it. For example:

We tend to assume positions such as slouching, collapsing the chest, which
diminishes lung capacity to function properly, which results in shortened breaths.

We also live in social conditions that are not good for the health of our respiratory
system.

A normally sedentary person, when confronted with a perplexing problem, tends
to lean forward and bend his head down. These body postures result in reduced
lung capacity.

As our duties, responsibilities and their attendant problems become more
demanding, we develop habits such as slouching and forgetting to breathe.

The more we concentrate on something, the tenser the muscles become. This
leads to the contraction of the muscles in your arms, neck and chest.
o
The muscles that move the thorax and control inhalation and muscular
tenseness clamp down and restrict the exhalation.
7
o
The breaths become shorter and shorter.
o
After an extended period of intense focusing, the whole system seems to
be frozen in a certain posture.
o
We become fatigued from the decreased circulation of blood and from the
decreased availability of oxygen for the blood because we have almost
stopped breathing.
For an example of what can happen to your breath under certain circumstances, try an
experiment suggested by Swami Vishnu Devananda: (1) Focus attention upon the ticks
of a clock placed at a distance of about twelve feet. (2) If you get distracted, concentrate
harder until you experience the ticking with undivided attention. (3) If you fail at first, try
again and again until you succeed in keeping the ticking clearly in mind for at least a
few seconds.
What happened? The majority of persons who took part in this experiment reported that
they completely suspended the breath. The others, who concentrated less, reported that
they experienced very slow breathing. This experiment shows clearly that where there is
concentration of the mind without awareness of the breath, then breathing becomes
very slow or even gets suspended temporarily.
What's Wrong with the Way We Breathe?

Our breathing is too shallow and too quick.

We are not taking in sufficient oxygen and we are not eliminating sufficient
carbon dioxide. As a result, our bodies are oxygen starved and a toxic build-up of
carbon dioxide and other toxins occurs. Every cell in the body requires oxygen
and our level of vitality is a product of the health of all the cells.

Shallow breathing does not exercise the lungs enough, so they lose some of their
function and elasticity, causing a further reduction in vitality.

Animals that breathe slowly live the longest. The elephant and the tortoise are
good examples. We need to breathe more slowly and deeply.

Quick shallow breathing results in oxygen starvation which leads to reduced
vitality, premature ageing, a poor immune system and a myriad of other factors.
Why Is Our Breath Fast and Shallow?
There are several reasons why our breath becomes fast and shallow. The major
reasons are:
8

We are in a hurry most of the time. Our movements and breathing follow this
pattern.

The increasing stress of modern living makes us breathe more quickly and less
deeply.

We get too emotional too easily.

We get easily excited, reactive and/or angry, and most of the time we suffer from
anxiety due to worry and stress.
These negative emotional states affect the rate of breathing, causing it to be fast and
shallow. Furthermore:

Modern technology and automation reduces our need for physical activity. There
is less need to breathe deeply, so we develop the shallow breathing habit.

We are working indoors more and more. This increases our exposure to
pollution. As a result, the body instinctively inhales less air to protect itself from
pollution.

The body takes in just enough air to keep us alive.
But what about the quality of our lives? As we go through life, these bad breathing
habits become part of our lives. Unless we do something to reverse these habits, we
can suffer permanent problems. The good news is that these are reversible, but before
we can change these habits, we must recognize and accept that our behavior needs to
be changed.
Certainly, Yoga is not the only way to cope with stress and the resultant drop of oxygen
supply in the brain brought on by constricted breathing. Taking a coffee break, going to
the restroom or a having a good laugh may all result in some readjustment of
constricted breathing patterns. These can be thought of as "mini yoga." Even smoking
cigarettes is a misguided and ignorant attempt to take a break and breathe deeper,
unfortunately with the negative addition of noxious poisons being taken directly into the
lungs and therefore slowly and inevitably poisoning all the systems of the body.
We can benefit by taking or seeking more breaks, vacations or jokes. But for people
whose occupations continue to be highly stressful, something more is needed. Deep
breathing exercises and stretching of muscles, especially those primarily concerned
with controlling inhalation and exhalation, should be practiced. Participation in active
sports will also be useful. Going for a walk is very good. For those experiencing
restricted breathing at night, morning exercises should be actively pursued. And, of
course, meditation should be consistently practiced.
9
The Effects of Shallow Breathing
Shallow breathing can result in:

Reduced vitality, since oxygen is essential for the production of energy in the
body.

Susceptibility to disease. Because oxygen is essential for healthy cells, our
resistance to disease is reduced. This means we catch more colds and develop
other ailments more easily.

With our sedentary way of living, we only use about one tenth of our total lung
capacity. This is sufficient to barely survive, but not sufficient for a high vitality
level, long life and high resistance to disease.

Poor oxygen supply affects all parts of the body. When an acute circulation
blockage deprives the heart of oxygen, this will result in a heart attack, while a
stroke is the result of poor oxygen supply to the brain.

Scientists have known for a long time that there exists a strong connection
between respiration and mental states. Improper breathing produces diminished
mental ability, and conversely, mental tension produces restricted breathing.

Research regarding various heart diseases and cancer due to lack of oxygen
supply in the body shows that:
o
For a long time, lack of oxygen has been considered a major cause of
cancer. Even way back as 1947, a study done in Germany showed that
when oxygen was withdrawn, normal body cells could turn into cancer
cells.
o
Similar research has shown that lack of oxygen is a major cause of heart
disease, stroke and cancer.
o
An editorial in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine suggested that
fast, shallow breathing can cause fatigue, sleep disorders, anxiety,
stomach upsets, heartburn, gas, muscle cramps, dizziness, visual
problems, chest pain and heart palpitations.
o
Scientists have also found that many people who believe they have heart
disease are really suffering from improper breathing.
10
o
Old people and those whose arteries are clogged often become senile and
vague because the supply of oxygen in the brain is reduced, and they get
irritated very quickly.
o
People who have sedentary jobs and spend most of the day in offices
have oxygen-starved brains and their bodies are just barely “getting by.”
They feel tired, nervous, irritable and are not very productive. On top of
that, they sleep badly at night so they get a bad start for the next day and
the cycle continues.
o
This situation also lowers their immune system, making them susceptible
to catching colds, flu, allergies, etc.
Importance of Breathing through the Nose
The first rule for correct breathing is that we should breathe through the nose. This may
seem obvious, but many people breathe principally through the mouth.

Mouth breathing can adversely affect the development of the thyroid gland and
can retard the mental development of children.

Pathogens can directly enter the lungs through mouth breathing. (It is easy to
break the habit of breathing through the mouth. Just keep your mouth closed and
you will automatically breathe through your nose.)

The nose has various defense mechanisms to prevent impurities and excessively
cold air entering the body.
o
At the entrance to the nose, a screen of hairs traps dust, tiny insects and
other particles that may injure the lungs if you breathe through the mouth.
o
After the entrance of the nose, there is a long winding passage lined with
mucus membranes, where excessively cool air is warmed and very fine
dust particles that escaped the hair screen are caught.
o
In the inner nose are glands which fight off any bacilli which have slipped
through the other defenses. The inner nose also contains the olfactory
organ--our sense of smell. This detects any poisonous gases around that
may injure our health.
Yogis believe that the olfactory organ has another function--the absorption of prana
from the air. If you breathe through the mouth all the time, as many people do, you are
cheating yourself of all this free energy.
11
The Need for Faith4
The practice of pranayama cannot be hurried. It can easily take a year or two of daily
practice to master the material covered in this article. Pranayama, much more than
asana, is a practice you engage in not just for its immediate, direct benefits but for the
steadiness, depth and patience that are the eventual fruits of practice.
As you practice pranayama, carefully observing the process, you’re following in the
footsteps of countless old-time yogis. Over the course of centuries, they played around
with the breath, trying this, that and the other thing. Through trial and error, they slowly
developed a repertoire of specific pranayama techniques which, if you reproduce them
accurately, will yield predictable results, giving you more consciousness, more
awareness of, and more control, over your internal world.
When you start pranayama, at first you may have to take the results on faith. In the
beginning, pranayama can be boring. It’s very subtle, and there’s no obvious excitement
and immediate payoff of well-being, as there often is in asana practice. You do the
same thing day in and day out, and it doesn’t seem as though you’re progressing.
That’s when you need faith. Since you have no prior experience of a sophisticated,
sustained pranayama practice, you have to trust in all the people who have gone before
you. You have to be willing, at least in the short term, to try pranayama on an
experimental basis, to see if you can verify in your own internal life what the old texts
are telling you.
It’s worth the effort. After a while, you will begin to notice that during the 10-20 minutes
you are practicing pranayama, you will feel calmer, quieter, more centered and more in
touch with the pulses of the breath, body and mind. The change may not be all that
dramatic, but over time you will become more familiar with those qualities—and not just
on the micro level of your practice, but on the macro level of your whole life.
Selected Pranayama Breaths
Natural Breathing5
Natural breathing is a simple technique which introduces practitioners to their own
respiratory system and breathing patterns. It is very relaxing and may be practiced at
any time. Awareness of the breathing process [simply listening to the breath] is
sufficient to slow down the respiratory rate and establish a more relaxed rhythm. This is
the breath that is used for meditation. In fact, the following is the format for meditation.




Sit in a comfortable meditation posture or lie in savasana and relax the whole
body.
Breathe through the nose.
Observe the natural and spontaneous breathing process.
Develop total awareness of the rhythmic flow of the breath.
12










Do not control the breath in any way. Simply observe it as a “witness.”
Notice that the breath is cool as it enters the nostrils and warm as it flows out.
Observe this with the attitude of a detached witness.
Feel the breath flowing in and out at the back of the mouth above the throat.
Bring the awareness down to the region of the throat and feel the breath flowing
in the throat.
Feel the breath flowing in the lungs. Be aware of the lungs expanding and
relaxing.
Shift the attention to the ribcage and observe the expansion and relaxation of this
area.
Bring the awareness down to the abdomen. Feel the abdomen move upward on
inhalation and downward on exhalation.
Finally, become aware of the whole breathing process from the nostrils to the
abdomen and continue observing it for some time.
Anytime it is noticed that your awareness has gone away from being present with
and observing the breath, smile and bring awareness back to the breath, over
and over and over again.
Full Yoga Breath6
Yogic breathing is used to maximize inhalation and exhalation. Its purpose is to gain
control of the breath, correct poor breathing habits and increase oxygen intake. It
may be practiced at any time, standing, seated or lying down, and it is especially
useful in situations of high stress or anger for calming the nerves, for taking oneself
out of a fight-or-flight situation and allowing us to switch our consciousness to
pause-and-plan. However, while its inclusion in a daily yoga program will correct and
deepen natural breathing patterns, yogic breathing itself should not be performed
continually. Once a state of calmness has been achieved, it is best to switch to
natural breathing.









Sit in a meditation posture or lie in savasana and relax the whole body, or
perform full yoga breath in a standing position, if necessary, such as in a
fight-or-flight situation to calm the nerves and regain control of the emotions.
Inhale slowly and deeply, allowing the abdomen to expand fully.
Try to breathe so slowly that you alone can just barely hear the sound of your
breath.
Feel the air reaching into the bottom of the lungs.
At the end of abdominal expansion, start to expand the chest outward and
upward.
When the ribs are fully expanded, inhale a little more until expansion is felt in
the upper portion of the lungs around the chest and collarbone area. The
shoulders and collarbone should move up slightly. Some tension will be felt in
the neck muscles.
The rest of the body should be relaxed.
Feel the air filling the upper lobes of the lungs.
This completes one inhalation.
13
The whole process should be one continuous movement, each phase of breathing
merging into the next without any obvious transition point. There should be no jerks or
unnecessary strain. The breathing should be like the swell of the sea.







Now start to exhale.
First, relax the lower neck and upper chest, then allow the chest to contract
downward.
Next, allow the diaphragm to push upward toward the chest.
Without straining, try to empty the lungs as much as possible by drawing or
pulling the abdominal wall as near as possible to the spine.
The entire movement should be harmonious and flowing.
Hold the breath for a few seconds at the end of the exhalation.
This completes one round of yogic breathing.
At first perform 5-10 rounds and slowly increase to up to 10 minutes (or more) daily.
Then relax any effort and go to natural breathing. To finish, bring the awareness back to
observing the physical body as a whole. Become aware of your surroundings, gently
open your eyes, smile and go on with your day.
Kapalabhati Pranayama7
Kapalabhati breath is a type of breathing exercise that helps you rid yourself of various
ailments over a period of time. "Kapal" means forehead and "bhati" means shining.
Eventually, kapalabhati should bring about a glow on the face of the practitioner.
Kapalabhati is usually done in a sitting posture, but it also can be performed during
various yoga postures or even lying down. Focus on a forceful exhale, like blowing the
nose. The inhale, however, is passive. Exhale and simultaneously sharply contract the
abdominal muscles with each exhalation [pumping the lower abdomen below the naval
area].
Of all the cleansing routines of yoga, kapalabhati is the only one which can cleanse both
the mind and the body using only the breath. As a de-stressing tool, kapalabhati
breathing has shown remarkable results. Some people perform this technique simply for
its relaxing benefits and clearing the mind, while others perform it for the physical
benefits it offers. Some people perform kapalabhati for weight loss as well because it
works both the respiratory system and the abdominal muscles, helping to improve and
strengthen body tone.
Kapalabhati clears the respiratory passages, minimizing risks of infections and allergies
in the respiratory system. With the forceful breaths of kapalabhati, allergens and the
infectious materials in the lungs and the respiratory passages are blown away and
therefore removed from the body.
The kapalabhati breath also helps improve the flexibility of the diaphragm. The
diaphragm is a flat muscle located under the lungs which lowers to suck air into the
lungs and pushes upward to clear the lungs of air. With kapalabhati breath, the
14
diaphragm gets plenty of exercise, becomes more pliable and improves circulation. As
the diaphragm becomes stronger and more flexible, the risk of developing hernias also
reduces drastically.
As can be seen in this picture, when you breathe out the diaphragm moves up and
when you breathe in the diaphragm moves down to make space for air in the lungs.8
When we practice kapalabhati breathing, on each exhalation we push the diaphragm
upward by sharply contracting the lower abdominal muscles and bringing the naval back
to the spine. Then we relax the diaphragm allowing for a passive inhale. This is done
quickly, over and over again, and results in a pumping action with the lower abdominal
muscles.
Since kapalabhati also helps improve blood circulation, especially to the lower half of
the body, it helps improve the functioning of the entire body. Of course, the technique
also helps increase the lung capacity and improves respiratory efficiency, making more
oxygen available to the body. As more oxygen flows into the body, it becomes more
efficient. You can feel yourself infused with energy every time you perform this
technique. In addition to that, you may also feel a quiet mind, increased mental acuity,
improved concentration and heightened senses.
Kapalabhati breath is performed as follows:9




Sit in a comfortable meditation asana. While learning this breath, the head and
spine should be straight with the hands resting on the knees in either chin or
jnana mudra.
Close the eyes and relax the entire body.
Exhale through both nostrils with a forceful contraction of the abdominal muscles.
The following inhalation is passive and occurs by allowing the abdominal
muscles to relax.
After completing 10 rapid breaths in succession inhale and exhale deeply. Allow
the breath to return to natural breathing. For beginners, this is one round.
Practice up to five rounds.
15
The rapid breathing should be from the abdomen, and the shoulders should remain
relaxed. Beginners may take several free breaths between rounds. The number of
respirations may be increased from the initial count of 10 up to 50 as the abdominal
muscles become stronger. Advanced practitioners can increase up to 60-100 breaths
per round.
Kapalabhati is usually practiced at the beginning of a yoga session to clear excess
mucus from the nasal passages, to warm the body, to massage the organs and to quiet
the mind. It should be performed on an empty stomach 3-4 hours after meals. If
practiced late at night, it can prevent sleep. If pain or dizziness are experienced, stop
the practice and sit quietly for some time. Then practice with more awareness and less
force. If the problem continues, consult a competent teacher.
Kapalabhati should not be practiced by those suffering from heart disease, high blood
pressure, vertigo, epilepsy, stroke, hernia or gastric ulcer. It is not recommended during
pregnancy or menses. There are many benefits: Kapalabhati has a cleansing effect on
the lungs and is a good practice for respiratory disorders. It balances and strengthens
the nervous system and tones the digestive organs. It purifies the nadis (pathways or
channels for prana) and removes sensory distractions. It energizes the mind for mental
work, removes obsessions from the mind and removes sleepiness.
Although kapalabhati is similar to bhastrika (breath of fire), there are important
differences. Bhastrika uses force on both inhalation and exhalation, expanding and
contracting the lungs above and below their resting or basic volume. Kapalabhati, on
the other hand, actively reduces the volume of air in the lungs below this level through
forced exhalation. In this practice, inhalation remains a passive process, which brings
the level of air in the lungs back to the basic volume only. Kapalabhati reverses the
normal breathing process, which involves active inhalation and passive exhalation. It
has profound effects on the nervous system.
Ujjayi Pranayama10
When done properly, ujjayi (translated as “victorious”) breathing should be both
energizing and relaxing. In yoga, ujjayi breath is also called “ocean breath,” “warming
breath,” “psychic breath” and “relaxing breath,” among others. In The Yoga
Sutra, Patanjali suggests that the breath should be both dirga (long) and
suksma (smooth). The sound of ujjayi is created by gently constricting the opening of
the throat to create some resistance to the passage of air. Gently pulling the breath in
on inhalation and gently pushing the breath out on exhalation against this resistance
creates a well-modulated and soothing sound—something like the sound of ocean
waves rolling in and out.
The key to ujjayi breathing is relaxation. The action of ujjayi naturally lengthens the
breath. A small effort is required to produce a pleasing sound, but too much effort is not
recommended because it creates an irritating grasping quality and a grating sound,
possibly resulting in a sore throat.
16
To practice the inhalation, focus on creating a soothing and pleasing sound that is
unhurried and unforced. I suggest working on your ujjayi breathing in a seated, relaxed
cross-legged position to begin with. Imagine sipping the breath in through a straw. If the
suction is too strong (like with a thick milk shake), the straw collapses and great force is
required to suck anything through it. Once ujjayi breathing is mastered in a seated
position, the challenge is to maintain the same quality of breathing throughout
your asana practice, in any pose, including savasana.
Throughout your practice, try to maintain the length and smoothness of the breath as
much as possible. Once you find a baseline ujjayi breath in a pose that is not too
strenuous (downward-facing dog, for example), endeavor to maintain that quality of
breath throughout the practice.
The basic technique is as follows:11









Sit in any comfortable meditation asana.
Close the eyes and relax the whole body.
Take the awareness of the breath into the nostrils and allow the breathing to
become calm and rhythmic.
After some time, transfer the awareness to the throat.
Feel or imagine that the breath is being drawn in and out through the throat and
not through the nostrils, as if it is taking place through a small hole in the throat.
As the breathing becomes slower and deeper, gently contract the glottis so that a
soft snoring sound, like the breathing of a sleeping baby, is produced in the
throat. If practiced correctly, there will be a spontaneous contraction of the
abdomen, without any effort being made.
Both inhalation and exhalation should be long, deep and controlled.
Practice yogic breathing while concentrating on the sound produced by the
breath in the throat.
The sound of the breath should be audible to the practitioner alone.
Begin with 10 breaths and slowly increase to five minutes for general benefits. As an
adjunct to meditation, practice for 10-20 minutes.
Ujjayi is classified as a tranquillizing pranayama and it also has a heating effect on the
body. This practice sooths the nervous system and calms the mind. It has a profoundly
relaxing effect at the psychic level. It helps to relieve insomnia and may be practiced in
savasana and just before sleep. It slows down the heart rate and is useful for people
suffering from high blood pressure.
Ujjayi can be performed in any position, standing, sitting or lying. Those suffering from
slipped disc or vertebral spondylitis may practice ujjayi in vajrasana (hero pose). Relax
the face as much as possible. Do not contract the throat too strongly. The contraction
should be slight and applied continuously throughout the practice.
17
Anuloma Viloma Pranayama12
Alternate nostril breathing is considered the most important of all pranayama to help
purify and energize the system. Anuloma viloma is also called nadishuddhi pranayama,
because it is not just a pranayama but is also a purification procedure. Nadi means
channel and refers to the energy pathways through which prana flows. Shuddhi means
cleansing. Hence nadishuddhi means channel cleansing.
This form of yoga is known as alternate nostril breathing because while performing this
form of yoga the individual breathes alternatively from each nostril, one nostril at a time.
Many yoga experts believe that alternate nostril breathing helps in cleaning and
rejuvenating the energy channels which is why it is known as nadi shodhana or
purification of the channels or nadis.
Some of the alternate nostril breathing benefits are that it tends to calm the nervous
system and the mind. Additionally it also helps in the optimum functioning of both sides
of the brain which results in a more balanced person.
The technique is as follows:13

Place the right hand in the vishnu mudra, with the index finger and middle finger
in the palm.
18







Close the right nostril with the thumb. Begin by inhaling through the left nostril.
At the same time count mentally and slowly to 3. This is the basic count.
Breathe deeply without strain.
Close the left nostril with the ring finger and release the pressure of the thumb on
the right nostril. While exhaling through the right nostril, count mentally and
slowly to 3. Then inhale through the same nostril (the right) and count mentally
and slowly to 3. (This is a ratio of 1:1.)
Then close the right nostril with the thumb and exhale (for 3) and inhale (for 3)
through the left nostril.
Continue to alternate, exhaling and inhaling each side.
After finishing several rounds, exhale through the left nostril.
Practice 5-10 rounds at first. After a week, if there is no difficulty, increase the length of
inhalation/exhalation by one count. Continue to increase the count in this way until the
count of 10 is reached. Do not force the breath in any way. Be careful not to speed up
the counting during exhalation to compensate for shortage of breath. Reduce the count
at the slightest sign of discomfort. After perfecting the 1:1 ratio, it may be changed to
1:2, where the exhalation is twice as long as the inhalation. Dozens of different
variations may be used as to both the ratio and the number of rounds. As illustrated in
the above image, you can also close both nostrils between the inhalation and exhalation
and hold the breath for a ratio of 1:1:1, or 1:1:2, etc.
This pranayama has calming effects and relieves anxiety and improves concentration.
The ratio of 1:1 establishes a calming rhythm for the brain and heart, assisting people
with cardiovascular and nervous disorders specifically and stress-related conditions
generally. As the count is increased (from 3 to 4, etc.), the breath slows down. The
respiration becomes more efficient because the air flow is smoother and less turbulent.
The 1:1 ratio helps people with respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema and
19
bronchitis. The ratio 1:2, where the exhale is twice as long as the inhale, gives profound
relaxation. The heartbeat and pulse rate slows and blood pressure drops. The extension
of the count should be built up slowly.
With pranayama practice you can increase your intake of oxygen up to five times. This
means you can get rid of five times of carbon dioxide from your body, as well as other
toxins. The practice of pranayama is known to produce remarkable results for healing
and relaxation. Pranayama can change lives. It helps you to stay youthful, supple, slim,
full of vital energy, peaceful, relaxed and results in better mind control. The more you
increase your supply of prana and oxygen, the greater will be your sense of well-being.
Pranayama lays the foundation for practice of asana and all of the other limbs of yoga.14
Pranayama is not rigid and inflexible. All the breaths in this lesson can be practiced in a
mix-and-match fashion. Ujjayi breath, for example, can be practiced with natural
breathing, asana, kapalabhati and/or full yoga breath and often is. Experiment with the
breaths. Be flexible and experiment. There is no end to the variations.
Homework Assignment Follows
on Next Page
20
Homework Assignment
Lesson 7 – Pranayama – The Breath
All answers are to be in English and in simple terms.
1. What is the fourth limb of yoga?
2. Why is nose breathing important?
3. In your own words, in the context of this lesson, what is an “ossifying tendency”? (See page 5.)
(Look up “ossify.” Look up “tendency.”) Give an example of an ossifying tendency.
4. In your own words, in the sense of daily stress, in simple terms, define “fight-or-flight,” how it
happens, and how it affects your life.
5. What do you think is the best way to handle a common fight-or-flight situation (other than to
drop everything and run like hell)?
6. In your own words, in simple terms, what is the sympathetic nervous system? (Google it.)
7. In your own words, in simple terms, what is the parasympathetic nervous system? (Google it.)
8. In your own words, in simple terms, briefly describe how to perform natural breathing.
9. In your own words, in simple terms, briefly describe how to perform full yoga breathing.
10. In your own words, in simple terms, briefly describe how to perform kapalabhati breathing.
11. In your own words, in simple terms, briefly describe how to perform ujjayi breathing.
12. In your own words, in simple terms, briefly describe how to perform alternate nostril breathing.
13. Did this lesson in any way change the way you think about breathing? In what way? Why do you
think it’s important (or not) to be aware of the breath?
LEGIBLY handwrite your answers and turn in your
homework in at the beginning of the next class. (Take
your time. If I can’t read it, it won’t count.) Don’t forget
to put your name on it so that you can receive proper
credit.
21
1
Except as otherwise noted, this section was adapted from “Why Do Pranayama?” at
http://kripalu.org/article/819/, accessed 9/25/15.
2
McGonigal, Kelly, Ph.D., The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why it Matters, and What You
Can Do to Get More of It, (Penguin Group, New York, 2012), p. 37.
3
Except as otherwise noted, this section was adapted from Bagus, Jenni, “Yoga Breathing (Pranayama) The Importance of Breathing,” at http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/pranayama/importance.asp, accessed
9/25/15.
4
Briggs, Tony, Yoga Journal, “Breathing Lessons,” August 28, 2007, at
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/breathing-lessons-2/, accessed 9/25/15.
5
This section was adapted from Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Asana, Pranayama, Mudra & Bandha
(Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India, 1969…2008), p. 378.
6
This section was adapted from Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Asana, Pranayama, Mudra & Bandha
(Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India, 1969…2008), p. 383.
7
This section was adapted from http://www.yogawiz.com/pranayama/kapalbhati.html#continued,
accessed 9/25/15.
8
The image and short explanation of the diaphragmatic process is from “What Causes Hiccups” at
Dguer090.wordpress.com, accessed 9/27/15.
9
This section was adapted from Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Asana, Pranayama, Mudra & Bandha
(Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India, 1969…2008), pp. 410-411.
10
This section was adapted from Miller, Tim, Yoga Journal, “What is Ujjayi?” August 28, 2007, at
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/what-is-ujjayi/, accessed 9/25/15.
11
This section was adapted from Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Asana, Pranayama, Mudra & Bandha
(Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India, 1969…2008), pp. 402-403.
12
This section was adapted from “Alternate Nostril Breathing - Anuloma Viloma,” at
http://www.yogawiz.com/breathing-exercises/alternate-nostril-breathing.html, accessed 9/25/15.
13
This section was adapted from Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Asana, Pranayama, Mudra & Bandha
(Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India, 1969…2008), pp. 387-388.
14
This paragraph was adapted from “Yoga Breathing Exercises for Energy and Tranquility,” from
http://www.yoga-for-beginners-a-practical-guide.com/yoga-breathing.html, accessed 9/26/15.
22