Directing Prana

The breath animates, sustains, and nourishes our body. It is the most essential, vital, and intimate relationship we have with life.

By regulating our breath we can enhance our physical and mental performance. For example:
• A quiet, soft, and calm breath leads to a composed and peaceful experience.
• An even, deep, and regular breath can build stamina and heat.
• A harsh, irregular breath can lead to injurious practice and induce reactive behaviour.

Thousands of years ago, Yogis realized the importance of an adequate oxygen supply. To help revitalize the mind and body, and control Prana (vital life energy) they developed and perfected various breathing techniques.

You can also take advantage of these Pranayama Exercises.

Dirga
The Three-Part Breath is considered a focusing breath because we are focusing our breath alternately breathing into the belly, chest, and back.

For students first learning this breath, I recommend a slightly unconventional way of learning to breath into the different sections of the lungs. Rather than doing them in a smooth progression, I recommend taking each individually.

Begin by lying on your back, I like the knees to be bent and feet flat on the floor. Spine is in a neutral alignment. Begin to take long deep belly breaths allowing the belly to rise on each inhale, and with each exhale the navel falls gently back towards the spine. Do 10 of these breaths.

For the next 10 breaths, gently pull the navel in towards the spine, stilling the belly and directing the breath into the upper chest. Now the chest rises and falls while the belly remains relatively still.

For the last 10 breaths, while gently pulling the navel in towards the spine, think of lifting it up under the ribcage and cinching in the side waists. Now hold the belly and chest still while sending your breath into your side and back ribs. You should feel your ribs expanding out to the sides and pressing down into the mat.

Once you are able to confidently direct your breath through the different sections of your lungs, you’re ready to move on.

Begin by breathing into your belly, once the belly is full, continue to inhale and begin to expand the side ribs, and with the last part of the inhale fill the upper chest/low throat area.

And ask you exhale, begin by emptying the upper chest, collapsing the side ribs inward, then with the last of your exhale, allowing the navel to fall towards the spine.

The breath moves through each section smoothly like an undulating ribbon or a gentle wave.


Kapalabhati
The Skull Shining Breath is considered a very cleansing breath.

Begin by sitting in Sukhasana, an easy cross-legged position. Allow your inhales to occur softly, passively. Then with each exhale, sharply and forcefully expel the air from your lungs, pulling the navel into the spine. Continue this rhythm of passive inhales and forceful exhales 20 times then take 4 long deep breaths and repeat.

The rhythm of your breaths should be quick but not so quick that the inhale becomes forced. Allow the relaxation of the belly to draw the air into the vaccum rather then consciously sending the air in.


Nadi Sodhana
The Alternate Nostil Breath is a balancing breath because we are intervening in a autonomic process that is inherently unbalanced and introducing order. Though we have two nostrils, we only breath through one nostril at any given moment. Throughout the day the nostril we breath through will shift to the other. This shift usually occurs every two hours but is variable depending on the individual. The less healthy we are, the longer between nostril shifts. And I’m sure that you’ve all heard that disuse or little use causes strain on the system and sometimes injury. This is true for car engines, plumbing in a house, and even our bodies.

Our nasal cycles also correspond to brain function. When we’re breathing through our right nostril, the left side of our brain has higher activity. Therefore balancing our the breathing is important not just to our physical health but to our mental health as well.

To begin, sit in an easy cross-legged position and place your right thumb against your right nostril and breath in through your left nostril to the count of four. Then close your left nostril with your ring finger and pinky, while lifting your thumb from your right nostril as you exhale through the right. Now inhale through the right nostril, switch, and exhale through the left nostril. Continue this for four cycles then return to normal breathing.

Only perform Nadi Sodhana if you’re nasal passages are unobstructed. Do not perform if you have a cold. Forced inhalation through a congested nostril can cause injury.


Shitali
Shitali is a cooling breath that is beneficial during really hot weather or when you need to cool yourself during or after a vigorous Yoga practice.

Begin by sitting in Sukhasana, the roll up the sides of the tongue creating a U-shape with the tongue partially extruding from your lips. Inhale gently through your mouth feeling the cool air run along the tongue and directed into the body. Then exhale through the nose.


Ujjayi
The Victorious Breath is a heating and energizing breath that’s a perfect complement to Suryas (Sun Salutations) or Vinyasas. It can give you that boost to get through those endurance challenging sequences.

Begin to cultivate an Ujjayi breath by constricting the back of your throat as if you were saying “Hah” or trying to fog up a mirror. In fact, go ahead and say “Hah” 3 times long and drawn out.

Now continue to inhale and exhale deeply and evenly through your nose while keeping this gentle throat constriction. This constriction of the throat creates a resistance and channeling affect to the air as its breathed, heating and energizing you.

The sound of your Ujjayi breath should be soft and personal. The person right next to you may hear you but the person on the other side of them should not. Your breath should be long and even, and without force. It is a gentle breath that should not require great effort to maintain.


So in review:

Dirga / Three Part Breath (Focusing)
• Alternate breathing into the belly, chest, and back

Kapalabhati / Skull Shinging Breath (Cleansing)
• Passive inhale, forced exhale

Nadi Sodhana / Alternate Nostril Breathing (Balancing)
• Inhale one nostril, exhale through other

Shitali (Cooling)
• Inhale through rolled tongue, exhale through nose

Ujjayi / Victorious Breath (Heating and Energizing)
• Deep and even through partially constricted glottis

I hope this week’s tip helps you to recognize the mirror between your breath and your thoughts/actions/moods. Then rejoice in the knowledge that you can influence each by simply controlling how you breathe.


Namaste.