The apply of pranayama or ‘breathwork’ because it’s additionally identified, is an integral a part of yoga, and one thing that has really existed far longer than the bodily postures. Decide up a replica of the Hatha Yoga Pradipikaor Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha and also you’ll discover there’s much more consideration given to the specifics of respiration and motion of prana than there may be in most trendy yoga books or courses. The rationale? Prana means ‘life pressure’, simply as qi does within the Conventional Chinese language Drugs context. The first yoga practices have been involved primarily with this move of vitality above all else. All the pieces we do from shifting to consuming, sleeping, socialising, and finding out has an impact upon our life pressure. And with regards to respiration, it’s a robust method to work with prana.
While the UK Summer time is usually a little unpredictable, it’s possible we’ll all expertise a bout of steamy scorching and humid days wherever you occur to stay. From an ayurvedic perspective, the summer time season holds the qualities of warmth, moisture, depth, transformation and fervour – all qualities of the Pitta dosha. This implies we’re all a bit of extra prone to really feel scorching and bothered, intensely pushed and centered, and usually a bit of extra fiery than common. Utilising these particular pranayama practices not solely retains the physique bodily cool and balanced throughout scorching climate, nevertheless it additionally cools and calms the thoughts. Whether or not you’re working or on trip, indoors or out, these three practices are easy to make use of if you want them.
1. Sitali breath
Sitali means ‘cooling’ or ‘soothing’, and is a technique that will look a bit of unusual, however is extremely efficient. Very like animals do, this pranayama approach works by passing the breath over the tongue and cooling the physique from the within.
To practise: Curl the tongue and inhale the breath as if you have been sucking air by a straw, maintain for a second then exhale slowly by the nostril. Proceed for a few minutes then drink a glass of cool water to boost the soothing results. Should you’re not in a position to curl your tongue, merely stick it out and really feel the breath passing over the tongue as you inhale.
2. Chandra Bhedana
This ‘moon piercing’ or ‘moon activating’ breath works on the delicate vitality channel of ida, the female nadi to the left of the backbone. Chandra Bhedana is particularly soothing for the nervous system, and is nice to practise within the night earlier than mattress, or in the event you’re feeling pissed off or irritable.
To practise: Shut off the appropriate nostril and breathe out and in slowly by the left nostril for 3 minutes. To reinforce the apply, visualise a silver crescent moon reflecting over cool water.
3. Pranayama With Visualisation
Including visualisation to your breathwork practices is a beneficial method to domesticate a peaceful and quiet but centered and artistic thoughts. When you’ve got difficultly meditating, this will also be an efficient method to get began.
To practise: Lie in your again comfortably and breathe slowly out and in by the nostril. As you inhale, really feel a cool white mild travelling up the physique from the toes to the highest of the pinnacle. As you exhale, really feel the cool white mild journey again down the physique. With every spherical of respiration, think about the sensation of the cool white mild calming, soothing and cooling your physique and thoughts increasingly. Follow for 3-5 minutes and finish with the exhale returning to the toes to floor your self.
