Download Introduction The body can go for many weeks without food and for

Introduction
The body can go for many weeks without food and for days without water or sleep,
but life will cease in a matter of minutes without air. Thus, the primary element of
life is derived from the air we breathe. In yoga, this subtle element is known as
prana or life-force. Prana is not the air itself but the subtle life-giving element
extracted from the air. The more life-force you have in your body, the more "alive"
you are; the less life-force, the less "life". Life-force is present in all forms of
nourishment but it is accessible and most constant in the air.
Even though no one can live for more than a few minutes without breathing, most
people are unaware of the importance of breathing properly. Most people use only a
fraction of their full breathing capacity. A combination of stress, poor posture,
long hours behind desks, and flat-stomach phobia turns many people into "chest
breathers" - people who expand only the upper chest when they inhale. Chest
breathing creates an imbalance in the oxygen/carbon dioxide ratio, which results in
hyperventilation and dizziness.
For optimal health, breathing should be full and rhythmic using the diaphragm and
ribs to fill and empty the lungs. Proper breathing is governed primarily by the
movement of the diaphragm. As it descends, the abdomen expands drawing fresh
air in through the nose and into the lungs. Deep abdominal breathing promotes a
full exchange of air, keeping the oxygen/carbon dioxide ratio balanced. Proper
breathing can tone up your entire system and enhance health and vitality.
Your inhalation and exhalation establish a constant flow of energy and release
within you. The inhalation brings continuous energy into your body. The exhalation
heals and relaxes you. Emphasis placed on inhalation will generally create a
stimulating or energizing effect on the system; while emphasis on exhalation will
bring about a more passive or relaxed state.
Breathing is a vital element of hatha yoga. Practicing yoga breathing, or breath
control in yogic terms is called pranayama. The word "Pranayama" can be broken
into two parts: Prana means life force and Yama means control. By conscious
control of the breath, you can create a proper rhythm of slow, deep breathing.
Pranayama breathing exercises are the link between the physical and mental
disciplines of yoga. Because the breath, body and mind are so closely linked, a
change in one immediately affects the other two. By developing control of your
breathing, you can bring about beneficial changes in your body and mind. Yogic
breathing energizes and cleanses the body, calms and relaxes the mind, and serves
as a perfect warm-up for practicing yoga poses. In coordination with yoga poses,
the breath unifies mind and body, balances opposing energies, and helps the body
relax deeply and safely into each pose.
Benefits
Like asana practice, pranayama practice has far-reaching positive effects on
physical, mental and emotional well-being. It also encourages spiritual development.
Physical Benefits:
Proper breathing provides sufficient oxygen for the correct and efficient
functioning of every body cell. Without sufficient oxygen, the cells cannot
metabolize food properly. Nutrients, including precious vitamins and minerals, are
wasted. Proper breathing allows the body to metabolize food efficiently and to rid
itself of all the noxious gaseous by-products of metabolism, especially carbon
dioxide. It nourishes the muscles and organs with oxygen. It dispels fatigue and
anxiety.
Brain cells have a high rate of metabolism, so the brain requires much more oxygen,
relatively, than any other organ of the body. A lack of oxygen results in
sluggishness, fatigue, confusion, disorientation and a loss of mental balance,
concentration, memory and control of the emotions.
A mastery of yoga breathing techniques is the best - and most readily available tool for stress reduction. The common remedy for stress is to take a deep breath.
Supplying the brain with sufficient oxygen is the greatest tool in stress
management.
Yogic breathing exercises help to keep the two sides of the brain in balance. As
well as controlling opposite sides of the body, the two halves of the brain deal with
different functions and different aspects of our lives. The right side of the brain
is calming, intuitive, inner-directed, emotional, subjective and deals with
simultaneous reasoning and spacial and nonverbal activities. While the left side of
the brain is aggressive, logical, outer-directed, rational, objective and deals with
sequential reasoning and mathematical and verbal activities. Proper breathing helps
the two sides of the brain to work together.
Pranayama deepens breathing which stretches the intercostal muscles, strengthens
the respiratory system and aids conditions such as asthma
Mental and Emotional Benefits:
By exercising control over breathing, you can learn to control the energy within the
body, and ultimately gain full control over the mind. In yogic breathing exercises,
the breath is seen as the important link between our physical and mental aspects.
Pranayama cleanses an strengthens the physical body, but its most important
benefit is for the mind.
Proper breathing soothes the nervous system; calms, steadies, and clears the mind;
improves concentration, focuses attention, and increases the ability to deal with
complex situations without suffering from stress.
In addition, proper breathing calms the emotions, increases emotional stability,
helps with emotional control and equilibrium, reduces craving and desire, combats
depression, helps in the relief of grief and sadness, puts you in touch with your
inner self and gives you poise and serenity.
Breathing Exercises
Abdominal Breathing
Sit comfortably in a cross-legged position on the floor or lie flat on your back in
the Corpse pose. Place a cushion under the buttocks if you need more support when
sitting on the floor. Hands may be relaxed by the sides or you can place one hand
on the abdomen to feel it rising and falling. Relax your mind and body. Inhale slowly
and deeply through the nose, feeling your abdomen expand and rise while keeping
the chest still. As you exhale, feel the abdomen sink down. Expand the abdomen on
the inhale and contract the abdomen on the exhale. Practice this exercise for ten
breaths (one inhalation and one exhalation equals one breath.)
Benefit: Breathing slowly and deeply brings air to the lowest part of your lungs and
exercises your diaphragm which can greatly enhance breathing capacity. It relaxes
mind and body, massages internal organs, calms emotions and induces restful sleep.
Rib Cage Breathing
Sit comfortably in a cross-legged position on the floor or lie flat on your back in
the Corpse pose. Place a cushion under the buttocks if you need more support when
sitting on the floor. Hands may be relaxed by the sides or you can place the hands
on the sides of the ribs to feel them expanding and contracting. Gently contract
the abdomen. Inhale slowly through the nose into your rib cage. Do not pull the
breath deep into your lungs, but keep it focused between your ribs. Feel the ribs
expand outward and the chest open as you breathe in. As you exhale, feel the ribs
contract inward. Repeat five times.
Benefit: Relaxes the mind and body and strengthens the lungs.
Complete Breathing
Sit comfortably in a cross-legged position on the floor or lie flat on your back in
the Corpse pose. Place a cushion under the buttocks if you need more support when
sitting on the floor. Hands may be relaxed by the sides or you may place one hand
on the abdomen and the other on the rib cage to check that you are breathing
correctly. Inhaling slowly through the nose, feel the abdomen expand first, then
the rib cage, and finally feel the air filling the upper chest. Your abdomen will
automatically be drawn in as the ribs move out and chest expands. Slowly exhale,
emptying the lungs from top to bottom. Your shoulders and head should stay
essentially in the same position throughout; don't raise your shoulders on the
inhale or slouch forward on the exhalation. Your inhalation and exhalation should be
about the same length of time. Do not hold your breath either at the top or the
bottom of the breath but make the transition smooth. Inhalation is done from the
bottom up and exhalation from the top down. Repeat five times.
Benefit: This is the technique you will probably use most often to combat the
tensions and stress in your life. You can use it anywhere, anytime to calm your mind
and help quiet physical responses to stress - rapid heartbeat and breathing, and
tense muscles. Use this technique to center yourself before your meditation and
before asana practice to make them even more effective.
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Sit comfortably in a cross-legged position on the floor or on your knees in
Thunderbolt position. Keep your spine and neck straight, but not tense. Do not lean
forward. Place a cushion under the buttocks or the knees if you need more support.
Rest the left hand on your left knee. Extend the thumb, ring finger and little
finger of your right hand and fold down your other two fingers into your palm.
Start by closing your right nostril with your thumb and inhale slowly and deeply
through the left nostril for a count of 8. Then press the ring and pinky fingers
against the left side of the nose, sealing the left nostril closed while keeping the
thumb against the right nostril, and hold for a count of 8. Lift the thumb from the
right side of the nose, opening the right nostril. Exhale slowly and fully through
the right nostril for a count of 8. Inhale slowly and deeply through the right
nostril, still holding the left nostril shut for a count of 8. Cover the right nostril
with the thumb and hold for a count of 8. Release the left nostril and exhale
through the left nostril for a count of 8. Repeat sequence five times.
Benefit: Calms and balances the mind and body, aids relaxation, improves
concentration, strengthens respiration.
Ujjayi Breath
Sit cross-legged on the floor or on your knees in Thunderbolt position. Keep your
torso straight and do not lean forward. Place a cushion under the buttocks or the
knees if you need more support. Inhale slowly, keeping the mouth closed and
partially closing, or contracting, the back of your throat to slow down the breath.
Hold for a few seconds. Exhale, again partially closing or contracting at the back of
the throat to slow down the breath. This breath will make a hoarse hiss-like sound
like steam being released from a radiator. Repeat five times. As you get better at
this, try to exhale for longer than you inhale.
Benefit: Increases lung capacity, opens the chest, relaxes the nervous system,
increases oxygen in the blood, reduces phlegm and strengthens the immune system
http://www.yogaforbeginners.com/breathing