‘Breathing is the physical part of thinking and thinking is the psychological part of breathing.” – Ayurveda.
The Sanskrit word ‘Pranayama’ means “extension of the prana/breath”. The word ‘Prana’ means life force and “Ayama” means control. An old Ayurvedic proverb says that when the breath is steady, the mind is steady. By controlling one’s breath consciously, one can move towards a path of holistic healing and cure. When one consciously follows his breath, you make your mind go into a realm of meditation and concentration. Pranayama is crucially linked to Yoga.
Pranayama is both an art and science of purification of the tracts, vessels and nerves. Through controlled breathing of inhalation and exhalation, one can control the life force or prana. Pranayama does not just mean deep breathing. It encompasses variation wherein one has to inhale and exhale deeply, forcefully exhale, forcefully inhale and perform an ‘Om’ chanting, etc.
The best time to practice pranayama is in the morning because the mind as well as the environment is fresher in the morning. The mind is at peace and free from all distractions. It is recommended to do breathing exercises early in the morning (one can have 1-2 glasses of water but no food). If anyone wants to do pranayama during the day time, one can do 3-4 hours after a meal. One should practice Pranayama in Sukhasana posture, keeping the neck and head in a straight line.
Pranayama is capable of relieving a person of all stress and mental health related disorders, can remove any blockages from the respiratory and digestive tract. Pranayama ensures that oxygen reaches properly to each and every cell in the body. This strengthens the functioning of the organs such as the pancreas, kidneys, diaphragm, intestines and lungs. It can calm and strengthen the mind, increase longevity and imbibe a sense of positivity within. Pranayama specifically ‘Kapalbhati’ and ‘Anuloma Viloma’ is excellent for weight loss. As Pranayama relaxes and soothes the nerves, it reduces blood pressure and risk of heart diseases. Pranayama flushes out all kinds of negative emotions (such as anger, depression, greed, jealousy) and toxins from the body. Pranayama breathing techniques are easy to practice and do guarantee all sorts health benefits.
Pranayama encompasses every aspect of our existence: physical, psycho-emotional, physiological and spiritual. Ancient Indian sages and yogis studied the human mind 5,000 years ago and experienced that practicing the breathing exercises gave impressive results.
The 8 varieties of Pranayama are:
Kapalabhati
Anuloma Viloma
Ujjayi
Bhastrika
Shitali
Sitkari
Suryabhedana
Bhramari
It is suggested that one should practice all the 8 variations in the above-mentioned sequence.
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