Pranayama
The Subtlety of Breath
I didn’t know this practice before my trip to India, even though I had been practicing yoga for years. None of my teachers incorporated pranayama into our sessions. After my trip to India and my Hatha yoga training, I began to systematically include pranayama in all my classes over one hour long.
What is Pranayama?
The word is divided into two parts :
★ Prana : vital breath (or vital energy)
★ Ayama : control or mastery
While pranayama is often translated as “breathing exercises,” in ancient texts (like Patanjali’s), prana refers to the body’s subtle energy, the essence of life. Ayama means not only control and extension but also retention of breath. So, by combining these two terms, Prana and Ayama, we get “mastery of vital energy through breath.” Over time, with practice, you will begin to sense the deeper meaning of this subtle art.
How to Practice Pranayama?
Avant de commencer, installez-vous dans une position confortable (de préférence assise, avec le dos bien droit), pour ne pas bloquer les voies respiratoires ou la digestion. Il est recommandé d’attendre au moins deux heures après un repas avant de pratiquer le pranayama, comme pour le yoga. Ensuite, choisissez le type de pranayama en fonction de vos besoins.
There are several categories of pranayama:
★ Warming : Surya bhedhan, Kapalabhati, Bhastrika…
★ Cooling : Chandra bhedhan, Shitali, Shitkari…
★ Balancing : Anula Viloma, Nadi Shodana, Bhramari, Ujjayi, Nadi Shodana…
Warming pranayamas activate the body and the nervous system, helping to overcome lethargy or sadness. Cooling pranayamas calm stress, soothe anger, and cool the body, especially in summer. It’s common to end a session with a balancing pranayama to restore inner balance.
When to Practice Pranayama?
Pranayama is practiced after your yoga session, as a bridge to savasana or meditation. It calms the nervous system and prepares the mind for what comes next.
Why Practice Pranayama?
The benefits of pranayama are numerous: it soothes the nervous system, helps regulate blood pressure, improves concentration, enhances oxygenation, and balances masculine and feminine energies (yin and yang). It is also a key step in yoga according to Patanjali, coming right after the asanas (yoga postures).
What Are the Contraindications?
Though pranayama is beneficial for most people, certain conditions require caution:
★ Pregnant women
★ People with high or very low blood pressure
PFor more information, you can read the dedicated article on Wikipédia.
Please clic here to try some pranayama exercices