Pranayama (prana — vital force; yama — to gain control) is the science of elevating the vital energy by cleansing, balancing and controlling the life force within the human system. It is the fourth limb of Patanjali’s eight-limbed (ashtanga) yoga.
The respiratory system is the bridge between the conscious and the sub-conscious mind, and between voluntary and involuntary functions.
Because breathing is both voluntary and involuntary, conscious control of the breath lets us influence otherwise involuntary functions of the body. Prana is the basic life principle that acts as a bridge between mind and matter. Its five aspects — prana, apana, samana, vyana and udana — govern different functions of the body.
Why breathing practice matters
Deficiencies and subnormal tendencies deep within manifest as pranic imbalances — wrong breathing rhythms, speeds and haphazardness — which can present as conditions such as asthma. Correcting the breath addresses these problems in both children and adults, and develops the psyche and physique in a systematic way.
Objectives of breathing practice
- Train the full use of all lobes of the lungs
- Normalise the breathing rate
- Make the breath uniform, continuous and rhythmic
- Develop the ability to increase and decrease the breathing rate at will
- Slow the exhalation so it is longer than the inhalation
- Develop awareness of the breath and its movement through the body
Begin with Sahaja Pranayama — a simple, natural deep-breathing practice anyone can follow.