3 Top Ways of Relaxation in Yoga

by Tirtha Acharya | Sep 6, 2023 | Yoga

3 Top Ways of Relaxation in Yoga – Technique 1: Natural Relaxation

Preparation:

Lay down on your back. Be sure you are comfortable so that you don’t have to move your body for 20 minutes. If you do have not enough time, you can reduce it to 10 minutes. If you find any discomfort anywhere in the body, make it comfortable.

Body Scanning- Head to toes

Head Region: Move your awareness to the top of your head. Feel the top of the head inside and out. Concentrate there and experience the sensation. Do the same thing throughout the head, forehead, eyes, ears, chicks, nose, lips, and chin. Let it be as it is. You will get relaxed.

Neck Region: Move towards the throat and neck part by part and piece by piece. Concentrate and feel inside and out as it is.

Shoulders, Arms, and Hands: Move your awareness to the right shoulder, upper arm, forearm hand, and fingers. Feel the sensation inside and out if possible. Do the same thing for the left side as well.

Chest and Abdomen:

Now concentrate on the chest- right and left sides. You can do it inside and out as well. Feel the sensation. Move towards your abdomen and feel its sensation as it is.

Upper, Middle, and Lower Back:

Move your awareness towards the upper back and feel it as it is. Go to the middle back and lower back and feel the sensation.

Waist and Hips:

Switch your awareness to your waist and feel the sensation, do the same for the hips.

Pelvic region:

Feel your pelvic region inside and out.

Thigh to toes:

Move your awareness to the right thigh, knee, shin and calf, ankle, foot, heel, sole, and toes, and feel the sensations. Continue the same thing for the left leg as well.

Reverse Body scanning- toes to head

Now you need to scan your body from toe to head. The process is similar to the above.

Toes to Thigh: Now you need to start from the toes, foot, sole, heel, ankle, shin, calf, knee, and thigh of your left leg. Do the same thing on the other leg.

Pelvic Region

Hips and Waist:

Lower, Middle, and Upper Back: Begin from the lower back.

Abdomen and Chest

Hands, arms, and Shoulder  

Neck Region

Head Region

Conclusion:

In this way, you can relax your body without imagination. Here you are supposed to feel your body as it is. You need to recognize your body’s sensations. You will not give any autosuggestion, no visualization, nothing from the mind. Let everything happen naturally, and simply observe it. You will do nothing from your side, but observe as a spectator.

Duration: You can consume 10 to 30 minutes for this. Do not do very fast or very slow. If you are doing it for 10 minutes, consume 5 minutes for the journey from head to toe and 5 minutes to go back. If you are doing it for 20 or 30 minutes, you can consume a little more time. You should not consume more than 10 minutes for a single trip head to toe or toe to head.

In the end, feel the whole body. Slowly move your hands and leg to sit down. And you can close it.

Technique 2: Auto-suggestion Method:

Lay down in a comfortable pose as in Savasana. Once you find fully comfortable try to stop all types of movement during this relaxation. Now you need to apply autosuggestion for relaxation as you move your observation head to toe and toe to head.

Head and Face Region: Concentrate on the top of your head and give the autosuggestion “My head is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed.  Do this on the back of the head, forehead, face, nose, chicks, and chin one after the other.

Neck and Throat: Concentrate on your neck and suggest that your neck is relaxing. Feel completely at ease. Do this on the throat, the right and left side of the neck; also inside and out.

Shoulder and Hand:  Concentrate on your right shoulder and suggest “My right shoulder is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed.  Go ahead to the upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand, and fingers. Repeat on the other hand as well.

Chest and abdomen: Concentrate on your chest and give the autosuggestion, “My chest is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed. Go ahead to the abdomen.

Upper. Middle and lower Back: Concentrate on your upper back and do autosuggestion, “My upper back is getting relaxed.” Feel as if it is fully relaxed.  Continue it to the middle back and lower back.

Hips, Waist, and Pelvic Region: Concentrate on your hips and give the autosuggestion, “My hips are getting relaxed”.  Feel as if it is fully relaxed. Carry on to your waist and pelvic region as well.

Thigh to foot: Concentrate on your thigh and do autosuggestion, “My right thigh is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed. Keep on to the knee, calf, ankle, heel, top of the foot, sole, and toes. Do again on the other side as well.

Now do this from the foot to head.

Foot to thigh: Concentrate on the left big toe and go autosuggestion, “My big toe is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed. Keep on for all the toes, sole, heel, top of the foot, ankle, calf, knee, and thigh. Repeat it on the other legs as well.

Pelvic Region, Waist, and Hips: Concentrate on your Pelvic Region and autosuggest, “My Pelvic Region is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed. Keep on to the waist and hips as well.

Lower, middle and upper back: Concentrate on your lower back and give the auto-suggestion, “My lower back is relaxing”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed. Keep on to the middle back and upper back.

Abdomen and chest: Concentrate on your abdomen and autosuggest “My abdomen is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed.  Keep on to chest as well.

Neck and throat: Concentrate on your neck and autosuggest “My neck is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed. Go ahead to the throat.

Face and Head Region: Concentrate on your chin and autosuggest “My chin is getting relaxed”. Feel as if it is fully relaxed. Continue it to lips, cheeks, nose, ears, forehead, back of the head, and top of the head.

Depending on how much time you have, you can do it from top to bottom and from bottom to top for 10 to 30 minutes.

Technique 3: Imagination method

This is a stress-management method as well that you may apply anyplace. When you’re anxious, visualization, commonly referred to as “guided imagery,” might help you unwind. And it only takes a few seconds to finish. Before you start, you might want to warm up by practicing another relaxation technique, like deep breathing.

Make the pictures objects of imagination: Any scene that makes you feel at ease can serve as your imagery. It can be a location you’ve visited in the past or an idyllic scenario in your mind. Both inside and outside are options. Pick a peaceful activity for yourself. Give as many details as you can. Consider the ambient temperature, sounds, fragrances, calming views, and any physical sensations you experience.

Here are some illustrations of visualizations:

         i.            Your raft: Today is warm. On a raft, you’re drifting on your back while enjoying the shade provided by the trees along the coast. You completely unwind as you dangle your fingertips in the chilly water. While softly floating on the sea, you observe clouds moving across the sky. It’s quite cozy. You can stay there as long as you choose, feeling nothing but calm.

       ii.            Crackling flames: You’re bundled up indoors in front of a cozy fire. Cold rain is falling outside. Only the sound of crackling wood can be heard, and flames can be seen flickering. All of your muscles are soothed and relaxed as you feel the warmth on your face. You’re feeling comfortable at ease and relaxed.

      iii.            Flowing river at the base of Green Mountain: You are on a side of clean water at the corner of the forest. You can listen to the sound of rivers, birds, etc. The view and sound both are soothing. As you feel the warmth on your face, all of your muscles are calmed and relaxed. Feel relaxed, at ease, and comfortable.

     iv.            Waterfall on the Himalayan: From a high mountain, a scenic view of the waterfall pleases you. Enjoy the cool breeze and pure air in nature. See beautiful flowers like rhododendron which are available in the mountain. This also keeps you satiated, and tranquil and relaxes your body and mind.

These four visuals are merely four instances. Pick your own peaceful location.

Steps:

• Lay down in Savasana pose. Keep your body comfortable. Observe your whole body. If you find any discomfort in any part of your body, make it comfortable again. Keep your eyes closed. Take deep breaths for about 3 minutes using the breathing technique given below:
• Put your hand on your belly.
• As you breathe in and out, your stomach should rise and fall. Breathe deeply through your nose.
• For a moment, keep the breath in your lungs. Then let the breath out through your mouth. Up to ten times should be used, then resume your regular breathing pattern.

Spend a moment visualizing yourself in your restful setting. Imagine that you are there. Experience the calming sights, sounds, smells, textures, and physical sensations in your surroundings by using your senses. Let yourself get at ease in this setting. Keep your focus on this location’s serene tranquility. Keep your focus on the specifics of the scene and the feelings of peace that are evoked by it.

Authenticate yourself:

This activity could be challenging at first. You could feel that practicing visualization is pointless. However, taking a brief mental break is beneficial for your health. Embrace the power of visualization. Test your ability to focus on the image for at least a minute.

• If you notice that distractions are drawing your focus away from the scene, gently bring it back.
• It will become effortless and relaxing with practice.
• If you frequently nod off, you can decide to set a timer to wake you up after a certain period of time.

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My 7 Best Yoga Poses 

by Tirtha Acharya | Aug 25, 2023 | Yoga

My 7 Best Yoga Poses 

I love all the yoga poses since every single pose (asana) helps to be in sync with existence and has a unique effect on the body and mind. If I am asked to choose any 10 yoga asanas, then I would choose the following:

  1) Vrikshasana:

The Sanskrit term “Vriksha” means tree and “Asana” means pose.  This pose gives balance and stability. In this pose, you have to stand on one leg while the other foot is on the thigh. Hands can be joined in front of the chest. It has a next variation- lifting your hands up over the head and interlocking them, by facing palms upwards. This pose helps strengthen your legs and increases the balance of your body and mind. If you can do it with closed eyes, it reveals your hidden concentration power. It has several benefits:

         i.            Strength in hips and pelvic region

       ii.            Reduces the risk of sciatica.

      iii.            Tones the leg muscles.

     iv.            Improves postures and concentration.

2) Virabhadrasana– A

The term “Virabhadra” is the name of a divine warrior. It is a great pose for hip opening and improving strength.

Steps:

This pose is practiced keeping feet about 4 to 5 feet apart, one front and the other back. The toes of the back foot have to be kept slightly facing to the side about 45 to 60 degrees. The back leg should be straight while the front leg is bent about 90 degrees at the knee. Hips should be squared to the front. Hands are stretched upwards. Join your hands over the head and gaze fixed on the thumbs. Hold the pose for deep five breaths. During inhalation, you can do moola bandha and exhalation release.

Benefits:

         i.            It influences your root chakra and sacral chakra.

       ii.            Strengthens legs, arms, and shoulders.

      iii.            Gives balance and coordination.

     iv.            Increases vigor and stability.

       v.            Relieves stress.

     vi.            Maintains muscle endurance.

3) Virabhadrasana– B

Virabhadrasana- B is somewhat close to the previous pose. This pose is practice keeping feet about 4-5 feet apart sideways. Bend your right leg about 90 degrees at the knee and your right foot should be turned to the right side while your left leg is straight facing the foot frontwards. Give equal weight on both legs.

Its benefits are similar to Virabhadrasana-A. However, the way of hip opening is different. In the previous pose, the hips are opened stretching the legs front and back while in this pose hips are stretched extending the legs sideways.

4) Mayurasana:

This is a great pose for strengthening the core and abdomen. The Sanskrit term “Mayura” means peacock. The elbows are fixed at the abdomen. Place your hands on the floor facing your fingers backward. Balance your entire body of arms, keeping your body straight and parallel to the floor. Hold the pose as long as you can.

Benefits:

         i.            It improves the digestive system.

       ii.            Avoids abdominal problems.

      iii.            Facilitates good bowel movement and avoids constipation.

     iv.            Helpful to activate Navel (Manipura) chakra.

       v.            Manages appetite

     vi.            Activates and strengthens internal organs

    vii.            Brings stability and balance.

5) Adho- Mukha Vrikshasana:

This is hand balancing and inverted pose. The Sanskrit term “Adho-mukha” means downward facing while “Vriksha” means tree. It is known as a handstand in English. To do this pose you have to strengthen your arms, shoulders, and hand with various asanas and exercises. In the beginning, you can practice handstands with the support of the wall. You have to engage not only the heel of the hand but the entire hand and fingers. Engage your hands and shoulders. Then lift your legs up. In the beginning, you need to try against the wall. Eventually, you can try without the wall.

Benefits

➢  Bolsters the muscles of the hands, arms, wrist, and shoulders.

➢  Improves digestion and stretches the abdominal muscles.

➢  Enhances the body’s coordination and balance.

➢  Increases cardiovascular stamina and turns on the carotid artery’s baroreceptors.

Precautions:

         i.            Avoid it during high blood pressure, wrist or arm injury, menstruation, and pregnancy.

       ii.             Recent surgery

      iii.            Fever, flu, or cold

     iv.            Digestive problems

       v.            Injury in the neck, back, wrists, or shoulders.

     vi.            Recent surgery

    vii.            High blood pressure

  viii.            Cardiovascular disorders

     ix.            Severe stress or anxiety at the moment.

       x.            Hernia

     xi.            Infections in the eyes, ears, or nose.

6) Hanumanasana:

This is super hips opening pose. It will be easier to do if two cushions are used. Place a cushion under the left knee and another under the heel of the right leg while pulling it to the front. Stretch them apart as much as you can.  Hold this pose for about five breaths and repeat it on the other side.

Benefits:

         i.            Humanasana increases stamina, endurance, flexibility, and muscle strength.

       ii.            Assist dancers tone their leg muscles and lower their risk of hips and leg injuries.

      iii.            Helps in gastric ulcers and persons with mild sciatica pain.

     iv.            Has influence in the root chakra and sacral chakra.

7) Pincha Mayurasana:

The Sanskrit term “Pincha” means feathers and “Mayura” means peacock. It is known as arm balance in English. To do this pose, fix your forearms parallel to each other at shoulder distance apart. Engage your arms, shoulders, and core.  Keep your shoulder blade elevated wide while pressing your forearms, wrists, and palms into the ground. Now lift your leg up. You have to try this with the teacher after that against the wall. Eventually, you will get into this pose.

Benefits:

         i.            Promotes better digestion, increased circulation, and a calmer state of mind.

       ii.            Better circulation in the brain.

      iii.            Increases strength of arms.

     iv.            Keeps chest and heart strong.

       v.            Stimulate Ajna chakra

Avoid this pose if you have the following issues:

    xii.            Recent surgery

  xiii.            Fever, flu, or cold

  xiv.            Menstruation or pregnancy

   xv.            Digestive problems

  xvi.            Injury in the neck, back, wrists, or shoulders.

xvii.            Recent surgery

xviii.            High blood pressure

  xix.            Cardiovascular disorders

   xx.            Severe stress or anxiety at the moment.

  xxi.            Hernia

xxii.            Infections in the eyes, ears, or nose.

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Transcendental Meditation – How to Practice TM?

by Tirtha Acharya | Aug 22, 2023 | Yoga

Transcendental Meditation

The practice of transcendental meditation (TM) helps people stop thinking about things that are distracting and cultivate a relaxed awareness. The late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi originated TM from India’s illustrious Vedic culture. In the 1960s, he introduced the method to the United States.

Transcendental meditation entails silently repeating a mantra for 15- 20 minutes (or longer) in a serene, dimly lit space without any outside distractions or background music. Make sure your phone is off, or on quiet before you begin, and take precautions to ensure that no family members or pets will bother you while you are meditating. To make your meditation space more comfortable, you can also burn incense or light candles.

Steps:

Then perform transcendental meditation by doing the following: Place your hands on your lap and take a comfortable seat on the floor or on a chair. Close your eyes for about a minute, take a few deep breaths, and relax your body. Your eyes should remain closed during the 15- to 20-minute session.

Repeat a chant, Vedic mantra mentally while meditating. This might be a word or phrase you choose, a Sanskrit sound you learned from a meditation master, etc. This helps you concentrate.

Complete your attention on the mantra. Refocus your mind on the mantra if you notice that you are becoming distracted. After the session, open your eyes. Until you feel ready to stand up, continue to sit. Many people advocate meditating at least once a day, although you may wish to perform a session anytime you are feeling stressed throughout the day.

Supporters of TM claim that during meditation, normal thought is “transcended.” It is taken over by an awareness of only consciousness. The meditator reaches absolute quiet, rest, stability, order, and the absence of all mental barriers in this condition.

Learning and Practicing Transcendental Meditation

If you are beginning TM meditation for the first time you need to follow these steps: A certified instructor will go through a seven-step training program before teaching the TM technique so that you will be clearer.

During a 60-minute introductory lecture, a TM instructor gives general information regarding the method and its results. A second lecture lasting 45 minutes that provides greater detail follows that. The next step is for interested parties to go to a 10- to 15-minute interview and a 1- to 2-hour personal training session. They each receive a mantra after a brief ceremony, which they are instructed to keep private.

After that, there are three days of checking for accuracy and one or two more hours of instruction. The instructor performs the following during these sessions: more fully describes the procedure and offers any necessary adjustments. Provides details on the advantages of consistent practice. The teacher meets with students on a regular basis throughout the following few months to guarantee the proper technique. People spend 15 to 20 minutes each time they practice TM. That typically implies twice a day, once before breakfast and once before dinner. This can also be practiced right after you wake up in bed and just before going to bed. There is no demanding work involved in TM. Additionally, neither contemplation nor focus is necessary. Instead, teachers advise students to breathe properly and concentrate on the chant.

Contra-indication:

According to a few accounts, people who have specific psychiatric problems and meditate may have new or worsening symptoms. Before beginning TM, speak with your doctor if you have a current mental health condition. Tell your meditation teacher about your situation as well.

Benefits:

Regular meditation has been shown in certain studies to lessen chronic pain, anxiety, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and the need for medical services. There are several benefits of meditation. It releases your mental clutter and emotional knots. You will start experiencing bliss, harmony, and happiness within. When your mind is peaceful, immunity power will increase; thus you will have better health. Both TM and other kinds of meditation are generally secure and enhance a person’s quality of life. However, doctors concur that meditation shouldn’t be utilized in place of traditional medical care or as a stand-alone treatment for any specific health condition.

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Shiva Swarodaya

by Tirtha Acharya | Aug 16, 2023 | Yoga

Shiva Swarodaya

Shiva Swarodaya is a primeval yogic and tantric scripture, in Sanskrit poetry form. Satyananda Saraswati in 1983 translated it as Swara yoga. The text is in the form of a conversation between Lord Shiva and Goddess Pārbati in 395 verses. Shiva Swarodaya is also known as “Phonetical astrology” i.e. the “prosody of one’s own breath”

The text begins with the dialogue between Pārbati and Shiva, where Shiva introduces the scripts and illuminates about the necessity for keeping secret and mentions astrological worth of Swarodaya knowledge.

Its basic application is to comprehend and recognize the breath as being the part of cosmic life force, through practicing “Swara Yoga” (a distinct approach of scrutiny, study & practicing of breath). Mukti Bodhananda states that the script qualifies us to realize character and disposition of breath and its effects on the body as different forms of breathing directs to different manners of actions; physical, mental and spiritual. This ancient science associates the breath with the sun, moon and the five elements (earth, water, sky, air, and fire), serving us to govern moods, cure diseases and be in harmony to the celestial cadence.

Swaras and their effects

There are three types of Swaras (breathing systems) arising out of Nadis- Ida (breathing through the left nostril), Pingla (breathing through right nostril) and Sushmana (breathing through both nostrils). Most of the time we breathe in & out through either Ida or Pingala while sometimes we breathe through both the nostrils Nadis as well; which is known as Shusumna. This mode of breathing is normally for a short duration when respiration shifts from right to left & vice versa.

According to Ayurveda, imbalance in Vata, Pitta and/or Kapha triggers diseases and these can be well-adjusted through Swara Yoga.

According to Astrology, one needs auspicious time to do fortunate work for attaining success. Swara yoga brings that auspicious time without the help of astrology.  Each of the Swaras imply specific matching activities in a suitable time. Generally, our activities are categorized into three main levels-physical, mental and spiritual; which are respectively chaired by Pingala nadi (right nostril), Ida nadi (left nostril) and Shusumna (both the nostrils).

 Activities recommended during the breath through right nostril:

Predominance of breathing through the right nostril is auspicious for physical activities. Difficult and hard physical works; learning and practicing use of arms, ammunition and weapons; demolition of foes; getting victory in war, attack, encounter; enmity; inflicting punishment; winning in competition, breaking / splitting; gambling; shaver, bathing; eating; sleeping; sex by male, visiting women & prostitutes, enchanting females, attracting others; generating fear, harsh works; short distance travel; entry into house, boarding ship or big boat; elimination of poison; taking intoxicants, organization of poison, usage of Mantras; study of holy books; study & teaching of difficult & destructive branches of knowledge, climbing mountains & forts; risky and heroic feats; riding on horse / elephant and transports; physical exercise; trade of animals; agriculture; crossing pond-river; taking medicine; giving donations; sale-purchase, hire; making bricks, grinding stones work of wood-metals; performance of ‘Six-Works’: ” thrashing, alluring, hostility, obstructing, vanquishing, vexing”.

Activities recommended during running of left nostril:

This is the time to do peaceful and stable work. It is auspicious in commencing time-consuming and long distance travels, installation of Murti, beginning of new temple, house, school, shop, developmental works; trade (give and take by the hand presenting the mode of breathing); agriculture works, sowing seeds, buying agricultural land, digging for drinking water, flag installation in temple, pilgrimage, charity; donation; wearing of clothes and ornaments; treaty and agreement; Yoga initiation; sacrifice and oblation of fire for peace; prayer, worshipping; recital of sacred texts; initiation of Mantras; receptiveness of futurity erudiction; nuptial; administering of medicine, handling of difficult illness, eliminating toxin/poison; starting of education/ skill like-singing-dancing-playing musical devices; symposium on dance – drama; stationary and fixed works; mental and creative works; entry into house – city – village; coronation, searching for king (high official, leader, employer); enjoyable and friendly activities, making friends; women to participate in sexual relations; auspicious deeds; teachings; collection of domestic items – treasure and cereal; acquisition of jewelry; initiation of water tank-pond-well.

In general, saintly activities are introduced during the prevalence of the left nostril. One must switch mode of breathing aptly at the time of initiating specific preferred undertaking. When breath is flowing from both the nostrils, the time is auspicious for mere worshipping & devotional activities renouncing fruits. This is the time to practice for enlightenment and liberation, giving up all types of connection with the world. This is a very important time for self-awakening and unifying with super consciousness. Worldly work should not be done during the time of sushumna (when breath flows through both the nostrils). Most of the astrologers have found that conformity to the maxims of ‘Swar Shaastras’ is more worthwhile than omens, and also favorable time can be opted for through Swara Yoga.

Shiva Swarodaya verse 1 to 50

TRANSLATION FROM THE ORIGINAL SANSKRIT

महेश्वरं नमस्कृत्य शैलजां गणनायकम् । गुरूं च परमात्मानं भजे संसारतारणम् ॥१॥  Maseshwaram namaskritya shailajaam gananaayakam । Guroom ch paramaatmaanam bhaje sansaartaaranam ॥१॥    By bowing down to Maheshwar (Lord Shiva), Parvati (Shailja) and Ganesha (Counterman/ Gananaayak), I pay obeisance to the Guru who is actually the Supreme Consciousness (Paramatma) and the protector of the world.

देव देव महादेव कृपां कृत्वा ममोपरि । सर्वसिद्धिकरं ज्ञानं कथयस्व मम प्रभो ॥२॥ Deva Deva Mahadeva kripaam kritvaa mamopari । Sarvasiddhikaram Jnyaam kathayasva mama Prabho ॥२॥

Devi said: O God of gods! Mahadev, have mercy on me, my Lord, and give me the knowledge which confers perfection and provides accomplishment (spiritual power).2

3.  कथंब्रह्माण्डमुत्पन्नंकथंवापरिवर्तते।कथंविलयतेदेववदब्रह्माण्डनिर्णयम्॥३॥

Katham brahmaandamutpannam katham vaa parivartate . Katham vilayate deva vasa brahmaandanirnayam.

Tell me, O Lord, how the universe was originated, how changes happen and how it goes dissolution – disclose me that who the determinant of the creation is.

4. तत्त्वाद्–ब्रह्माण्डमुत्पन्नमं तत्त्वेन परिवर्तते । तत्त्वे विलीयते देवि तत्त्वाद्– ब्रह्माण्डनिर्णयः ॥४॥ Tatwaad-brahmaandamutpannam tattvena parivartate . Tattve viliiyate devi tatvaad-brahmaandanirnayah.

Ishwara said: The universe (creation) takes the cause of tattwas (subtle essence). It is maintained by them and eventually dissolves in them. O Goddess, tattwas are the origin of the universe.

5. तत्त्वमेव परं मूलं निश्चितं तत्त्ववादिभिः । तत्त्वस्वरूपं किं देव तत्त्वमेव प्रकाशय ॥५॥ Tattvameva param muulam nishcitam tattvavaadibhih. Tattvasvaruupam kim dev tattvameva prakaashaya.

Devi said: Tattwas (elements) are the root cause, discovered by the proponents of tattwas. O God, what is the features of those elements? Please disclose that to me.

6. निरञ्जनो निराकारो एको देवो महेश्वरः। तस्मादाकाशमुत्पन्नमाकाशाद्वायु सम्भवः ॥६॥ Niranjano nirakaro eko devo maheshwarah. Tasmaadaakaashamutpannamaakaashaadvaayu sambhavah.

Ishwara said: There is only one pure, birthless and formless Supreme Being (that is Lord Maheshvara) from which the akasha (sky/ether element) develops, and vayu (air element) comes from the sky.

7. वायोस्तेजस्ततश्चापस्ततः पृथ्वीसमुद्भवः । तानि पञ्चतत्त्वानि विस्तिर्णानि च पञ्चधा ॥७॥ Vayostejastatashcaapstatah prithviismudbhavah. Tani pancatattvaani vistirnaani ca pancadha.

Air produces Tejas (fire element), Tejas produces Aapas (water element), and Aapas originates Earth element. These five elements are spread all over the world in this fivefold way.

तेभ्यो ब्रह्माण्डमुत्पन्नं तैरेव परिवर्तते । विलीयते च तत्रैव तत्रैव रमते पुनः ॥८॥ Tebhyo brahmaandamutpannam tairava parivartate. Viliiyte ca tatraiva tatraiva ramate punah.

Creation is designed and sustained due to these five elements, which again fuses back into tattwas (five elements). (This is an uninterrupted subtle progression of creation.) Thus it again roll up to continue within the tattwas.

पञ्चतत्त्वये देहे पञ्चतत्त्वानि सुन्दरि । सूक्ष्मरूपेण वर्तन्ते ज्ञायन्ते तत्त्वयोगिभिः ॥९॥ Pancha tattvaye dehe Panchatattvaani sundari. Sookshmaroopena vartante gyaante tattvayogibhih.

O beautiful lady, the five elements are present in the body in a subtle form which arises from these five elements. This is known to expert yogis who are skilled in the science of elements.

अथ स्वरं प्रवक्ष्यामि शरीरस्थ स्वरोदयं । हंसचारस्वरूपेण भवेज्ज्ञानं त्रिकालजं ॥१०॥ Atha svaram pravakshyaami shareerastha svarodayam. Hamsacaarasvaroopena bhavejgyaanam trikaalajam.

I will now explain the knowledge of the origin of swaras abiding in the body. With the understanding of the svara, which moves as Hamso (i.e. the sound of the outgoing ham and the arrival So), one gains past, present and future knowledge.

गुह्याद्गुह्यातरंसारमुपकारप्रकाशनं।इदंस्वरोदयंज्ञानंज्ञानानांमस्तकेमणिः॥११॥

Guhyaadguhyaataram saaramupkaara prakaashanam. Idam svarodayam gyaanam gyaanaanaam mastake manih. 11

The knowledge of swara is the top-secret among the secrets and uncovers the spirit of all advantages. This science is the gem of all knowledge.

सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतरं ज्ञानं सुबोधं सत्यप्रत्ययं । आश्चर्यं नास्तिके लोके आधारत्वास्तिकेजने ॥१२॥ Sūkṣmātsūkṣmataraṁ jñānaṁ subōdhaṁ satyapratyayaṁ. Āścaryaṁ nāstikē lōkē ādhāratvāstikējanē.12.

This is the subtlest wisdom. It is comfortable to comprehend and is grounded on veracity. It is amazing for the atheist and the basis for the theists.

शान्ते शुद्धे सदाचारे गुरुभक्त्यैकमानसे । दृढचेते कृतज्ञे च देयं चैव स्वरोदयं ॥१३॥

shaante shuddhe sadaachaare gurubhaktyaikamaanase . drdhachete krtagye ch deyan chaiv svarodayan .13.

The knowledge of this swara yoga can be given only to one who is naturally calm, pure in attitude, good conduct, focused, devoted to the Guru, determined and grateful.

दुष्टे च दुर्जने क्रुधे नास्तिके गुरुतल्पगे । हीनसत्त्वे दुराचरे स्वरज्ञानं न दीयते ॥१४॥ dushte ch durjane krudhe naastike gurutalpage . heenasattve duraachare svaragyaanan na deeyate .14.

This knowledge of speech should not be given to the wife of wicked, villainous, angry, atheist, of evil character, irrational, adulterous.

श्रणु त्वं कथितं देवि देहस्थ ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । येन विज्ञानमात्रेण सर्वज्ञत्वं प्रणीयते ॥१५॥ shranu tvan kathitan devi dehasth gyaanamuttamam . yen vigyaanamaatren sarvagyatvan praneeyate .15.

Listen, O Devi, as I mention you the supreme wisdom abodes in the body, the right knowledge of which can only be the omniscient.

स्वरेवेदश्चशास्त्राणिस्वरेगान्धर्वमुत्तमम्।स्वरेचसर्वत्रैलोक्यंस्वरमात्मस्वरुपकं॥१६॥

Svarē vēdaśca śāstrāṇi svarēgāndharvamuttamam. Svarē ca sarvatrailōkyaṁ svaramātmasvarupakaṁ.16.

The knowledge of all the Vedas, Shastras and music is contained within the Swara. In the swara, there are three planes of subsistence (conscious, subconscious, unconscious). Swara is actually soul (self-illuminated).

स्वरहीनं च देवज्ञो नाथहीनं यथा गृहं । शास्त्रहीनं यथा वक्त्रं शिरोहीनं च यद्वपुः ॥१७॥

svaraheenan ch devagyo naathaheenan yatha grhan . shaastraheenan yatha vaktran shiroheenan ch yadvapuh .17.

All is futile without the knowledge of swara like an astrologist without the swara knowledge; a house without the master, a mouth without scriptures or a body without the head.

नाडीभेदं तथा प्राण तत्त्वभेदं तथैव च । सुषुम्नामि श्रभेदं च यो जानाति स मुक्तिगः ॥१८॥

naadeebhedan tatha praan tattvabhedan tathaiv ch . sushumnaami shrabhedan ch yo jaanaati sa muktigah .18.

The one who has distinction concerning the nadis, prana, tattwas and sushumna has the right to emancipation.

साकारे वा निराकारे शुभं वायुवलाकृतं । कथयन्ति शुभं केचित्स्वरज्ञानं वरानने ॥१९॥

saakaare va niraakaare shubhan vaayuvalaakrtan . kathayanti shubhan kechitsvaragyaanan varaanane .19.

O lady with beautiful face, either with a shaped or amorphous, swara does the most important work. Knowledge of the swaras is cogitated to be greatly fortunate.

ब्रह्माण्डखण्ड पिण्डाद्याः स्वरेणैव हि निर्माताः । सृष्टिसंहारकर्ता च स्वरः साक्षान्महेश्वरः ॥२०॥ brahmaandakhand pindaadyaah svarenaiv hi nirmaataah . srshtisanhaarakarta ch svarah saakshaanmaheshvarah .20.

All are originated merely by the swara in the macro and microcosmos. Swara is the basis of creation and annihilation and is truly Lord Shiva himself.

स्वरज्ञानात्परं गुह्यं स्वरज्ञानात्परं धनं । स्वरज्ञानात्परं ज्ञानं न वा दृष्टं न वा श्रुतं ॥२१॥

svaragyaanaatparan guhyan svaragyaanaatparan dhanan . svaragyaanaatparan gyaanan na va drshtan na va shrutan .21.

It has neither been seen nor heard anything more secret, more treasured or more erudite than the knowledge of Swara.

शत्रं हन्यात्स्वरबले तथा मित्रसमागमः । लक्ष्मीप्राप्तिः स्वरबले कीर्तिः स्वरबले सुखं ॥२२॥ Śatraṁ han’yātsvarabalē tathā mitrasamāgamaḥ. Lakṣmīprāptiḥ svarabalē kīrtiḥ svarabalē sukhaṁ.22.

With the strength of Swara, one can kill enemy and meet friends. Wealth, fame, happiness or pleasure are also attained by the power of Swara.

कन्याप्राप्ति स्वरबले स्वरतो राजदर्शन । स्वरेण देवतासिद्धिः स्वरेण क्षितिपो वशः ॥२३॥ kanyaapraapti svarabale svarato raajadarshan . svaren devataasiddhih svaren kshitipo vashah .23.

With the strength of Swara, one finds girl for marriage, audience from a king, accomplishment on God and subjection.

स्वरेण गम्यते देशो भोज्यं स्वरबले तथा । लघुदीर्घं स्वरबले मलं चैव निवारयेत् ॥२४॥

svaren gamyate desho bhojyan svarabale tatha . laghudeerghan svarabale malan chaiv nivaarayet .24.

Abroad travel and attainment of good food are possible with the strength of Swara. Even urination and defecation are also possible with Swara.

सर्वशास्त्रापुराणादि स्मृतिवेदाङ्गपूर्वकम् । स्वरज्ञानात्परं तत्त्वं नास्ति किञ्चिद्वरानने ॥२५॥  Sarvaśāstrāpurāṇādi smr̥tivēdāṅgapūrvakam. Svarajñānātparaṁ tattvaṁ nāsti kiñcidvarānanē.25.

There is nothing beyond the knowledge of Swara. All the shastras, puranas, smritis, vedanga are also nothing in comparison to Swara.

26. नामरुपादिकाः सर्वे मिथ्या सर्वेषु विभ्रमः । अज्ञानमोहिता मुदा यावतत्त्वं न विद्यते ॥२६॥

Nāmarūpādikā: Sarvē mithyā sarvēṣu vibhramaḥ. Ignōmōhitā mudā yavatatatvam na vidyātē 26.

You are under the illusion of name and form unless you discern the tattwas, and ignorance itself keeps you in the dark.

27. इदं स्वरोदयं शस्त्रं सर्वशस्त्रोत्तमोत्तमं । आत्मघटप्रकाशार्थं प्रदीपकलिकोपमं ।।२७॥

Idam svarōdayam śāstra sarvaśāstrōttama. Ātmaghaṭanā prakāśārthaṁ pradīpakālikōpamaṁ.27.

This Swarodaya test is the greatest of all scriptures, and like a flame it is able to ignite the abode of your own soul.

28. यस्मै कस्मै परस्मै वा न प्रोक्त्तः प्रश्नहेतवे । तस्मादेतत्स्वयं ज्ञेयमात्मनोवाss त्मनात्मनि ॥२८॥

Yasmai kasmai parasmai vā na prōkttaḥ praśnahētavē. Tasmādētatsvayaṁ jñēyamātmanōvāss tmanātmani.28.

Swarodaya knowledge should not be exposed merely to solve someone’s queries, nevertheless it should be learnt and understood for the self, by one’s own intelligence, in one’s own physique.

29. न तिथिर्न च नक्षत्रं न वारो गृहदेवता । न च विष्टिर्व्यतिपातो वैधृत्याद्यास्तथैव च ॥२९॥

Na tithīrna nakṣatra na gr̥ha dēvatāharū. Na ca viśirvyatipātō vaidr̥tyādyasthaiva ca 29.

You don’t need to confer the date, days, stars, gods, juxtaposition of stars or trisosha (disorders of the humors- phlegm, bile, wind) before beginning any work, if you have the swara knowledge.

30. कुयोगो नास्त्यतो देवि भविता व कदाचन । प्राप्ते स्वरबले शुद्धे सर्वमेव शुभं फलं ॥३०॥

Kuyōgō nāstyatō dēvī bhavitā ra sambhavataḥ. Prāpta svarabalē śudhē sarvamēva śubham phalam

O Goddess, the ominous moment had never come and will never come when the pure power of the swara is attained; since in that case all the fallouts will be propitious.

31. देहमध्ये स्थिता नाड्यो बहुरुपाः सुविस्तराः । ज्ञातव्याश्च बुधैः नित्यं स्वदेहज्ञानं हेतवे ॥३१॥

Dēhamadhyē sthitā nāḍyō bahurupāḥ suvistarāḥ. Jñātavyāśca budhaiḥ nityaṁ svadēhajñānaṁ hētavē.31.

There are varieties of nadis which spread throughout in this body. The sage (wise) must always discern them for right apprehending of their own body.

32. नाभिस्थानात्स्कन्धोर्ध्वमङ्कुराइव निर्गताः । द्विसप्ततिसहस्त्राणि देहमध्ये व्यवस्थिताः ॥३२॥

Nābhisthānātskandhōrdhvamaṅkurā’iva nirgatāḥ. Dvisaptatisahastrāṇi dēhamadhyē vyavasthitāḥ.32.

These nadis initiate like sprouts from the navel section, and outspread up to the shoulders. There are seventy-two thousands nadis which extend all the way through the body.

33. नाडिस्था कुण्डलीशक्तिर्भुजङ्गाकारशयिनी । ततो दशोर्ध्वगा नाड्योदशैवधः प्रतिष्ठिताः ॥३३॥

Nāḍīsthā kuṇḍalī śaktibhujaṅgakarṣāyinī. Tatō daśōradhvagā nādyōdaśaivadhā prasthitāḥ

In these nadis exist Kundalini energy, abiding in the composition of a serpent. Ten nadis encompass downwards and ten upwards.

34. द्वे द्वे तिर्यग्गते नाड्यौ चतुर्विंशतिसंख्यया । प्रधाना दशनाड्यस्तु दश वायुप्रवाहिकाः ॥३४॥

Dvē dvē tiryaggatē nāḍyau caturvinśatisaṅkhyayā. Pradhānā daśanāḍyastu daśa vāyupravāhikāḥ.

Two nadis are in each side, both existing in askew paths. Like so there exist twenty-four nadis of which ten are prominent for the alteration of ten vayus.

35. तिर्यगुर्ध्वास्तथानाड्यो वायुदेहसमन्विताः । चक्रवत्संथिता देहे सर्वाः प्राणसमाश्रिताः ॥३५॥

Tiryagurdhvāstathānāḍyō vāyudēhasamanvitāḥ. Cakravatsanthitā dēhē sarvāḥ prāṇasamāśritāḥ

All these nadis link resembling a circle from every single angle, up and down. They all are disciplined the by pranic force.

36. तासां मध्ये दश श्रेष्ठा दशानां तिस्त्र उत्तमाः । इडा च पिङ्गला चैव सुषुम्ना च तृतीयका ॥ ३६॥

Tāsāṁ madhyē daśa śrēṣṭhā daśānāṁ tistra uttamāḥ. Iḍā ca piṅgalā caiva suṣumnā ca tr̥tīyakā. 36.

Ten nadis are significant of all the nadis. Ida (moon), pingala (sun) and sushumna (neutral) are most important of the ten.

37. गान्धारी हस्तिजिह्वा च पुषा चैव यशस्विनी । अलम्बूषा कुहूश्चैव शङ्खिनी दशमी तथा ॥३७॥

Gāndhārī hastijihvā ca puṣā caiva yaśasvinī. Alambūṣā kuhūścaiva śaṅkhinī daśamī tathā.37.

The rest are gandhari, hastijihva, poosha, yashaswini, alambusha, kuhu and finally shankhini is the tenth.

POSITION OF THE NADIS

38. इडा वामे स्थिता भागे पिङ्गला दक्षिणे स्मृता । सुषुम्ना मध्यदेशे तु गान्धारी वामचक्षुणि ॥३८॥

Iḍā vāmē sthitā bhāgē piṅgalā dakṣiṇē smr̥tā. Suṣumnā madhyadēśē tu gāndhārī vāmacakṣuṇi

Ida nadi situates on the left side, pingala on the right side and sushumna nadi in the centre of the body, Gandhari situates in the left eye.

39. दक्षिणे हस्तिजिह्वा च पूषा कर्णे च दक्षिणे । यशस्विनी वाम कर्णे आनने चाप्यलम्बुषा ॥३९॥

Dakṣiṇē hastijihvā ca pūṣā karṇē ca dakṣiṇē. Yaśasvinī vāma karṇē ānanē cāpyalambuṣā.39.

Similiarly, Hastijihva lies in the right eye, in the right ear poosha situates, yashaswini in the left ear, alambusha in the mouth.

40. कुहूश्च लिङ्गदेशे तु मुलस्थाने तु शंङ्खिनी । एवं द्वारं समश्रित्य तिष्ठन्ति दशनाडिकाः ॥४०॥

Kuhūśca liṅgadēśē tu mulasthānē tu śaṅṅkhinī. Ēvaṁ dvāraṁ samaśritya tiṣṭhanti daśanāḍikāḥ

In the reproductive organs Kuhu situates and in the anal area shankhini lies. In this way all these ten nadis are instituted in the introductory of the body.

41.पिङ्गलेडा सुषुम्ना च प्राणमार्गे समाश्रिताः । एतहि दशनाड्यस्तु देहमध्ये व्यवस्थिताः ॥४१॥

Piṅgalēḍā suṣumnā ca prāṇamārgē samāśritāḥ. Ētahi daśanāḍyastu dēhamadhyē vyavasthitāḥ

Ida, pingala and sushumna, the three main channels, are situated in the pranic (vital force) route. These ten nadis are organized inward of the body.

42. नामनि नाडिकानां तु वातानां तु वदाम्यहम् । प्राणेssपानः समानश्च उदानोव्यान एव च ॥४२॥

Namāni nāḍikānā tu vatana tu vadamyahama. Prāṇē sa pānaḥ samānaśca udanōvyāna ēva ca ​​.42.

  I articulated you the names of the nadis, now I will say you vayus’ names associated to the nadis. They are prana, apana, vyana, udana, and samana.

43. नागः कूर्मोssथ कृकलो देवदत्तो धनञ्जयः । हृदि प्राणो वसेन्नित्यमपानो गुदमण्डले ॥४३॥

Nāgaḥ kūrmōsstha kr̥kalō dēvadattō dhanañjayaḥ. Hr̥di prāṇō vasēnnityamapānō gudamaṇḍalē.43.

Similarly, the subordinate pranas are naga, kurma, krik’ara, devadatta, dhananjaya. The ceaseless prana occurs in the heart and in the excretory organs apana vayu lies.

44. समानो नाभिदेशे तु उदानः कण्ठमध्यगः । व्यानो व्यापि शरीरेषु प्रधानाः दश वायवः ॥४४॥

Samānō nābhidēśē tu udānaḥ kaṇṭhamadhyagaḥ. Vyānō vyāpi śarīrēṣu pradhānāḥ daśa vāyavaḥ

Samana situates in the navel region, Udana is in the throat region while Vyana permeates throughout body. In this way ten airs (vayus) are notorious.

45.  प्राणाद्याः पञ्च विख्याता नागाद्याः पञ्च वायवः । तेषामपि च पञ्चानां स्थानानि च वदाम्यहम् ॥

praanaadyaah panch vikhyaata naagaadyaah panch vaayavah . teshaamapi ch panchaanaan sthaanaani ch vadaamyaham .

I have conveyed you the five chief pranas, now I will say you the additional five vayus such as naga, etc. along with their locations.

46. उद्गारे नाग आख्यातः कूर्म उन्मीलने स्मृतः । कृकलः क्षुतकृतज्ज्ञेयो देवदत्तो विजृम्भणे ॥ ४६

Udgārē nāga akhyāhaḥ kūrma unamilnē smr̥tiḥ. Kr̥kalāḥ kṣātkr̥tajñēyō dēvadattō vijrambhanē. 46

Naga vayu works for belching and vomiting; kurma vayu’s function is to open and shut the eyes also blinking. In the same manner, krikara and devadatta are for sneezing and yawning respectively.

47. न जहाति मृतं वापि सर्वव्यापि धनञ्जयः । एते नाडीषु सर्वासु भ्रमन्ते जीवरुपिणः ॥

Na jahāti mr̥taṁ vāpi sarvavyāpi dhanañjayaḥ. Ētē nāḍīṣu sarvāsu bhramantē jīvarupiṇaḥ.

The dhananjaya vayu won’t abscond even after the death, and this pervades the whole body. This is how, the ten vayus (air) wander through all these nadis in the physique of the beings.

48. प्रकटं प्राणसञ्चारं लक्षयेद्देहमध्यतः । इडा पिङ्गलासुषुम्नाभिर्नाडीभस्तिसृभिर्बुधः ॥

Prakaṭaṁ prāṇasañcāraṁ lakṣayēddēhamadhyataḥ. Iḍā piṅgalāsuṣumnābhirnāḍībhastisr̥bhirbudhaḥ.

The learned people should lucidly comprehend the movement of the prana through the three nadis- ida, pingala and sushumna in the body.

49. इडा वामे च विज्ञया पिङ्गला दक्षिणे स्मृता । इडानाडीस्थिता वामा ततो व्यस्ता च पिङ्गला ॥४९॥

Iḍā vāmē ca vijñayā piṅgalā dakṣiṇē smr̥tā. Iḍānāḍīsthitā vāmā tatō vyastā ca piṅgalā.49.

Ida is be recognized to be positioned on the left side and pingala on the right (of spinal cord), overlaying (like snakes) each other.

50. इडायां तु स्थितश्चन्द्रः पिङ्गलायां च भास्करः । सुषुम्ना शम्भुरुपेण शम्भुर्हंसस्वरुपतः ॥५०॥

Iḍāyāṁ tu sthitaścandraḥ piṅgalāyāṁ ca bhāskaraḥ. Suṣumnā śambhurupēṇa śambhur’hansasvarupataḥ.50.

In ida nadi the moon is located and the sun in pingala nadi. Sushumna nadi is the place of lord Shiva in the form of Hamsa (the resonance of the exhalation Ham and inhalation Sa breath).

For more blogs visit on our Nepal Yoga Home blog section.

List Of 15 Important Pranayamas / Breathing Techniques

by Tirtha Acharya | Aug 11, 2023 | Yoga

15 Important Pranayamas

Pranayama i.e. a proper way of breathing or dimensions of vital life force is a crucial organ of yoga.

1.       Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath’ & ‘Breath of Fire)

2.       Dirga Pranayama (Long breath- in 3 part)

3.       Bhastrika (Bellows breath)

4.       Anulom- vilom

5.       Nadi-sodhan (Alternate nostril breath)

6.       Ujjayi (Ocean breath/ victorious breath)

7.       Shitali (Cooling breath)

8.       Shitakari (Hissing breath)

9.       Surya bhedi Pranayama (Right nostril breath)

10.   Chandra bhedi pranayama (Left nostril breath)

11.   Moorchha Pranayama (Swooning breath)

12.   Udgeeth Pranayama (Chanting breath)

13.   Plavini Pranayama (Floating breath)

14.   Sama vritti

15.   Bhramari (Humming bee breath)

1.       Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath’ & ‘Breath of Fire’)

In Sanskrit, ‘kapala’ means skull and ‘bhati’ means light (implying perception, knowledge)

Kapalabhati comprises short, fiery exhales and slightly longer, passive inhales. Exhales are made by vigorous contractions of the lower stomach (between the pubis and navel), which force air out of the lungs. Inhalations are reactions to the contraction’s release, which draws air back into the lungs.

Steps

ï         Focus on your lower belly.

ï         Now swiftly squeeze your lower tummy, forcing a burst of air out of your lungs. Alternatively, you might pump your hands against your lower belly. As your tummy “rebounds” to draw air into your lungs, rapidly let go of the contraction (or your hands). Start out slowly to find your pace. Repeat eight to ten times, pausing every exhale and inhale cycle for roughly a second or two.

ï         You can speed up to two exhale-inhale cycles per second as you are more competent at contracting and releasing your lower belly. Think of the exhale as “brightening” or sweeping out the lining of your cranium.

ï         Perform 25 to 30 cycles initially. You should gradually boost your practice cycle count to 100 or higher.

2.       Important Pranayamas – Dirga Pranayama (Long breath- in 3 part)                                                                        

  This three-part breathing benefits your neurological system, your mind  and your ability to recognize your lung capacity. It is generally used at the start of a yoga session to direct your focus inward and away from any outside distractions you may have brought to the mat. Clearing your mind and getting ready for practice involves paying close attention to how the breath feels in your body. Deep, regular breathing also activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers stress and anxiety hormones in your body. Healthy lung function is promoted by the three part nature of the breath, which involves actively expanding and then contracting your abdomen, rib cage, and upper chest.

Instructions:

Come to a backward lying position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat.

Although you can perform this Important pranayama while seated, it’s easier to feel the impact of the breath flooding your body when it reaches the floor when you’re lying down.

Focus on your breath while closing your eyes, first only observing your natural inhales and exhales without making any adjustments. This helps to calm your distracted mind.  Breathe in and out through your nose.

Phase I

 Take a deep breath in through your nose and direct it toward expanding your abdomen.

Give it your all-out puff.

When you feel empty, bring your navel toward your spine and exhale slowly and fully through your nose, squeezing out every last bit of air while deflating the belly.

For at least three cycles and more if you prefer, repeat this deep belly breath.

Phase II

As you have been doing, take a breath in and fill your belly first.

Take in a little more air and focus it on filling your rib cage so that you can feel your ribs somewhat opening up.

If you are lying on your back, you will feel this more strongly.

When you exhale, let the breath out from your belly first, drawing your navel toward your spine at the end, and then from your rib cage so that your ribs draw back together.

Take this breath three or more times.

Phase III

As you have been doing, inhale to fill your abdomen and rib cage. Then, take in a little more air and let it fill your upper chest or cardiac region. As you inhale, feel your entire sternum rise, reaching your collarbones. When you exhale, drag your navel toward your spine by letting the breath first leave from your belly and then from your rib cage, allowing the ribs to move closer together as you exhale.

Once all three components of the breathing exercise have been engaged, perform five to ten additional cycles of it, finally allowing the three components to flow together without halting in between. Return to your natural inhalations and exhalations by letting go of breath control. With a more tranquil mind and more relaxed body, carry on with your yoga practice or the rest of your day.

3.       Bhastrika (Bellows breath)

It helps to enhance Prana (life force) in your being. It is usually used to invigorate the body and clarify thoughts.

Bhastrika will clear the air if you’re feeling cloudy or if time is passing slowly. This also helps

to lose weight,  improve digestion and accelerate metabolism.

Bellows breathing should probably be avoided right before bed because it could stimulate your mind and make it hard for you to fall asleep.

However, give it a shot the next time you need an energy boost.

Methods to Perform

Take a few deep breaths in and out of your nostrils while sitting up straight and relaxing your shoulders.

As you breathe in, fully extend your belly with each breath.
Start bellowing breathing by forcefully exhaling through your nostrils.

Next, take a deep breath at a rate of one second per cycle.

Make sure your diaphragm is doing the breathing; maintain stillness in your head, neck, shoulders, and chest as your belly inhales and exhales.

On your first cycle, perform 10 Bhastrika breaths in succession. Then, pause and let your body and mind naturally breathe while you pay attention to your body’s and mind’s reactions.

Start the subsequent round with 20 breaths after a 15 to 30-second rest.

Finish a third round of 30 bellows breaths after another 30 seconds of resting.

During the exercise, pay attention to your body’s signals.

Although bellows breathing is a safe technique, you should stop for a few minutes and breathe normally if you feel dizzy in any manner.

As the soreness subsides, attempt bellow breathing again, this time slowly and less vigorously.

Best time to do Bhastrika Pranayama

Morning time in an empty abdomen is the best time.

In the mid-afternoon slump:

For those of you who work in an office, the dreaded mid-day slump is the period after lunch when we crash.

Choose a quiet area of your office and practice a few rounds of bellows breathing if you’re feeling lethargic in the middle of the day or after lunch for a pick-me-up that’s even better than espresso.

Bhastrika has certain serious contraindications, including pregnancy, uncontrolled hypertension, epilepsy, convulsions, and panic disorder.

A full stomach should be avoided when practicing bellows breath; wait a minimum of two hours after eating.

4.  Anulom Vilom

It entails holding one nostril closed during inhalation and the other closed during exhalation.

The procedure is then carried out again in reverse.

It’s a variety of alternate nostril breathing.

It has many physical and psychological benefits, including:

• enriched breathing
• stress reduction
• Performing Anulom Vilom breathing may assist you in getting a better start to your day in the morning.
• promote better sleep.
• Heals high and low blood pressure
• Improves eyesight
• Heals skin problem
• improved patience, focus, and control
• relief from stress and anxiety
• improvements to the brain, and cardiovascular health
• better overall sense of well-being

Anulom Vilom ought to be performed on an empty stomach, ideally four hours after eating.

You should also locate a nice, cozy setting.

Methods of Anulom Vilom:

Choose a comfortable meditation sitting pose. Close your eyes and maintain a straight neck and spine.

Place your index finger and middle finger on your forehead; your ring finger on your left nostril and your thumb on your right nostril.

Using your thumb, close your right nostril, and take slow, deep breaths through your left nostril until your lungs are completely filled. Concentrate on your deep breath.

Next, let go of your thumb and use your ring finger to close your left nostril.

Breathe out gradually through your right nostril.

Now practice it in reverse, this time inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left.

Throughout the process, be conscious of your breathing and how it affects both body and mind.

Try this for about 5 minutes or less in the beginning. Jerky breaths and producing sound during breathing is not a healthy practice. Practice it in an empty abdomen or 4-5 hours after a meal.

5. Nadi-sodhana (Alternate nostril breath)

This Important Pranayama is similar to Anulom-vilom. It is advanced form where breath retention is required after each inhalation. The duration of breath retention depends on the capacity of the practitioner.

Duration of breath in the ratio:

The breath retention should not be forceful. It should be done unto your comfortable stage. In the beginning, you can do it for five minutes. Gradually, it can be done in 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or even more according to your interest and the time available.

6. Ujjayi (Ocean breath/ victorious breath)

Also Known As Hissing Breath, Darth Vader Breath

Ujjayi Pranayama is mostly practiced to support asanas, especially in the Vinyasa style. Here, you constrict or tighten the back of the throat to aid in lengthening each respiration set. Each in-breath and out-breath is prolonged, thorough, profound, and controlled. In the beginning, practice it while seated in a comfortable position. Once you’ve mastered it, start applying it to your yoga practice.

Benefits

• Ocean Breath concentrates and directs the breath, giving asana practice extra power and focus. It increases oxygen consumption.
• By regularly using this breathing technique, you can also relax by calming your body’s fight-or-flight responses.
• During an asana, your body tells you that it wants to get out of a pose as soon as possible, but with deep breathing your body responds response that everything is OK and you can hold the asana for longer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Sit up tall in a relaxed manner and close your eyes.

Close your mouth. Bring your awareness to your throat. Start to tighten the soft palate or glottis at the back of your throat when you exhale to somewhat restrict airflow. Consider that you are causing a pair of glasses to fog up. There ought to be a faint hissing sound. After you are comfy with the exhale, start to use the same throat contraction for the inhales.

Again, you should hear a quiet hissing sound. This is how the breath got its name because it has an oceanic sound. (It also has a Darth Vader sound.)

It is also okay if you only hear the sound coming in and out through the throat.

General Mistakes

Tightening your throat when performing Ocean Breath is the most typical error. Only a small restriction is desired.

Modifications and Variations

With the right coaching, advanced practitioners can investigate further varieties.

One advanced technique is the use of muscular locks (bandhas), such as the throat lock, and breath retentions (kumbhakas).

Safety and Precautions

This breathing pattern could be challenging if you struggle with breathing or have a condition like asthma. Make sure you are breathing normally, and stop practicing if you start to feel lightheaded or dizzy.

Pain shouldn’t be experienced while performing this Important Pranayama .

7/8. Sheetali (Cooling breath) & Sheetkari

 The Sanskrit word Sheetali signifies “cold” or “frigid,” which is the source of the word sheetali.

It can also be translated as “that which is quiet, passionless, and calming.”

Sheetali Pranayama is very effective to cool the body, the mind, and emotions.

On inhalation, it stimulates a potent evaporative cooling mechanism that releases soft cooling energy into the body’s deep tissues. Surprisingly, this pranayama also ignites the digestive fire, much like a live coal covered in ash can start to glow due to the effect of cold wind.

In scenarios including high temperatures, strenuous physical activity, protracted sun exposure, hot flashes, severe emotional situations, and other heat-producing conditions, the practice of sheetali pranayama may be essential.

In addition to being neutral toward vata and kapha, this exercise is particularly balanced for pitta.

However, if there is an internal excess of the chilly quality or if the season is particularly cold, sheetali pranayama should be performed carefully.

It’s critical to assess whether sheetali is the best pranayama to use in these situations.

If so, you might want to balance sheetali with warming pranayama like bhastrika.

Important Pranayama Benefits

• reduces excessive pitta.
• reduces body temperature and removes more heat
• stokes the digestive fire and encourages the best possible digestion
• Reduces digestive tract hyperacidity
• Calms inflammatory skin diseases
• helps to reduce body-wide inflammation
• relaxes and calms the psyche, promoting mental peace
• Enhances the body’s prana flow and promotes contentment. It also lowers fever.
• Boosts immunity and eases colic pain
• reduces excessive hunger
• eliminates excessive thirst and lowers high blood pressure

Important Pranayama, Before You Start

Sheetali calls for the capacity to roll the tongue into a tube by curling the lateral edges upward. If you lack this skill, a different alteration of the cooling breath (known as sheetkari) is mentioned below.

Contraindications

Those with low blood pressure, respiratory conditions (such as bronchitis, excessive mucus production, or asthma), and persistent constipation should not take sheetali or sheetkari.

Individuals who have heart disease ought to practice without holding their breath.

This procedure shouldn’t be used in areas with high levels of environmental pollution because it calls for inhaling through the mouth, which has the same filtration abilities as the nasal passages.

How to Practice Sheetali and sheetkari:

They work best when performed on an empty abdomen. Choose a sitting position that is cozy.

It is ideal to sit on the floor cross-legged if you can, elevating your hips with a cushion or blanket for comfort.  As an alternative, you could decide to place your feet flat on the ground and sit on a chair that faces the front.

Lay the hands on the knees and lengthen the spine to create an open chest and abdomen as well as an upright back, neck, and head. Eyes should be gently closed while inhaling through the nose. Relax your whole body.

Start by taking a few complete yogic breaths to center your thoughts and gradually awaken the pranamaya kosha (the energetic body).

When you’re prepared to use the cooling breath, take a deep breath and roll your tongue as you inhale:

Roll your tongue if you can and take a breath with Sheetali

Make a tube with your tongue by sticking it out and rolling the lateral sides upward.

Breathe in through the tongue’s curled-up opening as though using a straw.

If you can’t roll your tongue, breathe in with Sheetkari.

The lips should only slightly separate and broaden, like when we grin. Merely flatten the tongue and softly catch it between the teeth.

Take a deep breath in, allowing it to travel through the corners of your mouth and over the edges of your tongue.

In any case, inhale deeply enough to completely fill your abdomen, ribs, and chest. Pay attention to how cool the air feels as it enters your body. For a few seconds, exactly as long as it seems comfortable, hold your breath while drawing your tongue in, closing your mouth, and not straining.

Initially, one or two seconds should be adequate.

You can swallow during the retention if you feel the need to do so because saliva has gathered.

Next, slowly let out air via your nostrils.

The first round of calming breaths is finished.

Repeat for seven rounds, gently holding the breath while holding the tongue curled (or between the teeth), shutting the mouth, and exhaling through the nose.

You can progressively increase to fifteen rounds of cooling breath if you want to practice for a longer period of time.

 Take one deep, relaxed breath in and out of your nose to signal the end of your exercise.

After that, as you continue to breathe through your nose, let your breathing return to normal.

Think about how you are feeling for a moment.

Take note of your bodily well-being.

Are you now cooler than when you first started?

What feelings come to mind?

Where in your body do you sense this practice’s effects?

Observe your thoughts and emotions in silence.

When you’re ready, slowly rise up and give the rest of your day your complete attention while keeping a portion of your awareness focused inward.

Advanced methods include muscular locks (bandhas), lengthier retentions (kumbhakas), and longer inhalations and exhalations incorporated into some sheetali and sheetkari versions.

The best way to learn these techniques is via a trained instructor.

9. Surya Bhedi Pranayama

Also known as Sun Piercing breath, Surya Bhedana Pranayama, or Surya Nadi Pranayama.

This generates heat and energizes the Pingala Nadi (the Sun energy channel). This is a warming pranayama practiced in a seated meditation posture.

Important Pranayama Techniques:

Sit in any meditative asanas with your back and neck straight. You block the left nostril while making the Vishnu Mudra (hand gesture), inhale through the right nostril, hold your breath for as long as you can, and then block the right nostril to exhale through the left nostril. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t hold your breath if you’re uncomfortable. Hold your breath for as long as you feel comfortable.

Smooth (no jerks) and noiseless inhalation is preferred (no hissing or whizzing sound).

Fill the lungs with a deep breath. Simply hold your breath throughout the comfortable stage. Repeat the process for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Note: Skip breath retention if you have health issues that are exacerbated by breath retention i.e. hypertension or anxiety. Beginners may also skip breath retention and add it after a week of practice.

With the contraindications in mind, the pranayama can be practiced at any time of the day.

The best time of day is in the morning.

Avoid doing it after sunset because it may interfere with your ability to unwind before bed.

Safety and Precautions

Do not do

In hot weather, during indigestion, diarrhea, or acid reflux.

Illness and fever.

Hypertension or cardiovascular problems

Epilepsy

Anxiety

Besides, omit breath retention if you have hypertension, heart problems, and anxiety.

Surya Bhedana Benefits

Improves physical performance

Activates the sympathetic nervous system.

Heals Sinuses

Improvements in Cardiovascular Health

Reliefs Weight Loss

Adjusts the vata dosha

Helps in Kundalini Awaken

10. Chandra bhedi pranayama (Left nostril breath)

It is also called Chandra Nadi Pranayama. It literally means “moon-piercing breathing”.

Important Pranayama Benefits:

Chandra bhedana pranayama’s advantages stem from the way it stimulates the right hemisphere of the brain and the left side of the body.

The parasympathetic nervous system is activated when the right side of the brain is stimulated, which has a soothing and relaxing effect on the body.

It increases the coolness in the body because on inhalation, Ida Nadi’s cooling energy fills the air, and when you exhale, the right nostril also releases heat from your body.

Moon, also known as Chandra, is in charge of a person’s feminine and creative traits.

Chandra bhedana is therefore excellent when you’re under stress, in need of innovative thoughts, and lacking in creativity, excitement, and enthusiasm in your work.

Controls metabolic and immune responses

Overcomes anxiety and stress

Enhances Circulation of the Blood

Enhances Respiratory Performance

Makes Ida Nadi active

Coherent Brain Waves

Precautions and Contraindications

It should be avoided in a cool season, during asthma, low blood pressure cough, or any other respiratory disorders.

Practitioners should not eat right before and after the practice of this Pranayama.

It’s not recommended to practice Chandra Bhedana pranayama practice just after or before the Surya Bhedana Pranayama.

How to Do Chandra Bhedi Pranayama (Steps):

It is done in the same way as Surya Bhedi Pranayama, only the difference is- to inhale through the left nostril and exhale through the right.

Time of Practice

Chandra Bhedana should ideally be performed in the early morning or on Brahma Muhurta throughout the summer.

due to the fact that the summertime brings with it early sunrises and low-intensity sunshine.

Chandra bhedana pranayama can be practiced outdoors in the early morning hours throughout the winter, however, it may be challenging owing to the chilly weather.

In order to practice outside or when the sun rises, the practitioner can wait for the appropriate ambient circumstances.

11. Moorchha Pranayama

The advanced breathing method known as Moorchha Pranayama gives the practitioner a strong feeling of fainting. A floating sense and total relaxation are both connected to this sensation.

Steps of Moorchha Pranayama

Choose a comfortable position for sitting down.

Maintain a straight spine and neck.

Put your conscious attention at the third eye center.

With your mouth, inhale slowly and deeply.

Allow your conscious mind to integrate with this intuitive focal point.

Touch your chin firmly to your throat cavity or jugular notch.

Jalandhara Bandha should be relaxed before slowly exhaling.

Similar to fainting, this results in a pleasant sensation of total relaxation and nonexistence.

As many times as you find comfortable, repeat this breathing rhythm.

You can perform this roughly nine times to start, increasing to fifteen as you become more accustomed to it.

Note:

Keep in mind that Moorchha Pranayama is an advanced form of pranayama at this point.

This indicates that not everyone would benefit from using it.

You must first have total mastery over all the other types of pranayama if you want to execute this pranayama.

How Important Pranayama works:

Moorchha Pranayama, one of the most effective breathing exercises, can help you increase the spiritual awareness of your inner being. This breathing rhythm produces the alleged fainting sensation, which induces a strong sense of nonexistence. As a result, you begin to float and lose awareness of your body’s physical limitations. You experience exquisite joy and an almost unnatural sense of pleasure as a result, something you never get to enjoy in your normal day-to-day life.  You can maintain this deep state of relaxation throughout the day with consistent practice.

In our everyday lives, we frequently use the concepts of separation and ego consciousness to define our existence. These two concepts are interconnected. Yet, by letting go of boundaries, Moorchha Pranayama practice can assist you in moving past that and experiencing a sense of peace. You attempt to imitate the sensation when you are awake because it is similar to sleeping. You begin to identify with your ego and material reality when you give your attention to the outside world. But when you go within, you begin to identify with a spiritual truth that is inherently global. Also, it results in the death of the ego and a union with greater awareness. Moorchha Pranayama is therefore highly advised for anyone seeking to increase their spiritual consciousness. It is also incredibly effective when you desire to awaken your Kundalini Energy. When you want to activate Kundalini Energy, the Moorchha Pranayama can provide you with efficient results. Kundalini Energy must be awakened with care and patience.

Benefits of Moorchha Pranayama

Gives inner bliss and maintains happiness for a long time. It is a sort of pranayama that is also useful for getting rid of lusty emotions.

This pranayama can be used to burn body fat.

Increases capacity to focus inward.

Treats headaches and muscle weakness.

Provide the user with a powerful yet mellow sense of euphoria.

Aid in boosting general mental energy.

Enables the mind’s thought processes to end, which in turn results in a perception of absolute nonexistence.

Generates a great deal of power over their ideas and emotions, enabling them to control and master the

Moorchha Pranayama precautions

Moorchha pranayama is not advised for people with heart disorders, uncontrolled hypertension or high blood pressure, brain aneurysms, or mental health issues.

By developing the inner ability to perform Moorchha Pranayama correctly, you can attain various benefits for your mind, body, and soul.

Start practicing this pranayama consistently to experience a degree of inner calm and joy that has never been experienced before.

12. Udgeeth Pranayama (Chanting breath)

The term “Udgeeth” means “deep and rhythmic chant” or “mastery of breath and energy. It describes the deep rhythmic chanting of the sound of Om combined with the conscious control of the breath as the most powerful way to use the mantra. This pranayama is an ancient breathing technique that uses the sound and vibration of the Om/Aum mantra as its focus. This is basic and simplest yet powerful practice helps to clear your mind.

Benefits of Udgeeth pranayama

There are several physical and spiritual benefits of udgeeth pranayama.

• It helps strengthen concentration and focus, especially where there are external noises to distract you.
• It also helps clear out negative thoughts and emotions like guilt, fear, anger, and sadness,
• diminishes stress
• improves sleep quality,
• increases energy levels,
• checks blood pressure, improves breathing
• boosts the immune system
• enhances weight loss and strengthen the lungs by improving pulmonary function
• ameliorates attention and creates positive attitude
• cultivates a sense of social cohesion,
• Spiritually, udgeeth pranayama can bring about a state of trance-like awareness and create a sense of unity between us and the universe.

Udgeeth pranayama Technique:

Sit steadily and comfortably, keeping your spine long and straight.

Close your eyes and breath deeply through your nose.

Bring your focus to your breath while allowing your body to unwind.

Check to see if your face, neck, or shoulders are tense.

To ensure that just the belly rises and falls with the breath, concentrate on diaphragmatic breathing.

While you breathe out, start saying the mantra Om.

Practice holding your breath for as long as you can without straining.

Permit the sound to be produced by the breath.

Concentrate on the sound’s vibration and the feel of your breath while you chant Om.

Try adjusting the volume so that you can maintain your concentration on the exercise.

Keep your breathing slow and your mind concentrated while you recite the mantra.

To help you process your experience, pause after the practice.

You can practice this pranayama for 2-10 minutes, 1-2 times per day.

Important Pranayama Breathing practice advices

Exercises to improve breathing should always be done gently and without exertion.

Stop and relax if you start to feel weary or lightheaded.

It’s important to start off slowly and progressively increase the amount of time spent practicing each week when engaging in any form of breathwork.

If you’re concerned or stressed out, it’s advised that you avoid forcing yourself to breathe deeply.

Instead, concentrate on unwinding your body and mind before starting your session.

While deep breathing exercises can help with stress and anxiety reduction, they cannot take the place of treatment or medicine.

It is best to talk to your doctor before beginning any kind of yoga or breathing practice if you have a medical condition.

13. The Floating Breath: Plavini Pranayama

The Sanskrit word “plu,” which means “to float,” is the source of the word Plavini.

Pranayama can be done while seated, lying back, or even standing if it’s comfortable.

It is a very unusual and sophisticated degree of classical pranayama.

It requires abdominal breathing because this technique calls for expanding the belly with air before taking in more air through the nose.

This practice reduces the effect of gravity on the body. It is said that, one who mastered the Plavini pranayama has the ability to float in water for several hours.

One should be made aware before performing this Pranayama that it is a difficult level of Pranayama, needs intense practice, and should always be carried out under the supervision of a guru or teacher.

It must also be carried out in the evening or early morning, at least five hours after a meal or on an empty stomach.

Steps to Do the Plavini Pranayama

Start off in a relaxed position.

It can be practiced while in Savashana or Asana for beginners.

A practitioner can perform this Pranayama in a different position once they have mastered it.

Relax your entire body.

Focus on the space between the brows while keeping your eyes closed.

Inhale into your stomach gradually through your nose.

The stomach ought to swell at this.

If tapped, the protruding stomach ought to produce a resonant sound.

At the top of the breath or during kumbhaka, let your body relax and allow the air to circulate through your abdomen.

Exhale while keeping your muscles at a relaxed state.

Wait until you experience a spark-like sensation in your stomach.

The navel chakra is telling the body to take a breath.

Hold the breath motionless for a moment and forcefully exhale to let all the air out.

The Benefits of Plavini Pranayama

• Improves blood flow.
• The immune system will be strengthened.
• By calming the body and mind, it assists in reducing tension and anxiety.
• The body’s stress reaction is turned off.
• Controlling the body’s airflow while in a calm condition also lowers heart rate and efficiently lowers mental strain, helping to improve mental wellness.
• Many issues with the intestines, liver, stomach, pancreas, and kidneys as well as other organs housed within the abdominal cavity can be effectively cured.
• By releasing abdominal parasites and polluted air that is held in the abdomen, it helps to enhance digestion.

14. Bhramari (Humming bee breath)

This pranayama is very effective for spiritual growth and self-realization. If you integrate this pranayama before meditation, you can deepen more into meditation. It gives a good vibration

Important Pranayama Procedures:

• Sit down in a comfortable pose
• Close your ears with thumbs and keep your fingers facing towards forehead and nose. You can keep fingers gently on your eyes.
• Inhale deeply through nostrils. Then you can hold breath inside for a few moments if you are comfortable. But you should not retain the breath if you have heart issues or high blood pressure.
• Exhale with humming sound. The sound can also be only heard by you or companion next to you.
• Do it for about 11 times.
• At the end, simply listen to the inner sound with closed ears and eyes for about 1 minute.

Pranayama Benefits:

It effectively relieves stress, tension.

It cultivates inner tranquility, which leads to self-healing.

Blood pressure is lowered with the Bhramari Pranayama, which relieves hypertension.

It calms the nerves down.

Promotes better sleep

The pineal and pituitary glands gain from bhramari pranayama since it stimulates and supports their       healthy activity.

Bhramari Pranayama is a technique for calming anger.

It guards against heart obstructions.

Improves brain functions

15. Sama Vriti  Pranayama

Sama Vritti Pranayama is a yogic breathing practice where ‘Sama’ means equal and Vriti means ‘mental fluctuations’. It is also known as equal breath or box breathing.  The term “equal mental fluctuation breathing” (Sama Vritti Pranayama) refers to breathing.

Samavritti pranayama is a ratio breathing technique that makes use of predetermined intervals of equal breath inhales, exhales and retentions.

This method’s main objective is to lessen distractions and mental chatter.

Important Pranayama Step-by-step instructions for practice:

1. Sit down in a comfortable pose with the back and neck straight; hands in Jnana Mudra. Make sure that your entire body is not tense, and pay particular attention to having your shoulders relaxed. If sitting on the floor is not comfortable for you, you can use a chair as long as the back is straight and the feet can rest flat on the ground. You can also do this while lying on your back, possibly with your legs propped up on a bolster.
2. Close your mouth and breathe slowly, evenly, and continuously through your nose. Make use of a diaphragmatic breath to cause the chest to move very little or not at all when the belly rises and falls.
3. Breathe more slowly and deeply than is comfortable. Most importantly, take your time breathing in and out of your body. Reduce the number of counts and length if you start to have difficulty.
4. Generally durations of inhalation- retention- exhalation- retention is the same.
5. You can repeat it up to 10 times.

Important Pranayama Practice tips

1. You can upgrade your method by including ujjayi breathing. This will enhance the ambiance and aid in reducing external sound.
2. You can extend inhalation-retention-exhalation duration to intensify and challenge yourself with this breathing exercise.
3. It is advised to practice pranayama every day in order to acquire this method rapidly and get its many advantages.
4. Most essential, avoid switching to uneven ratio breathing as this would degrade the efficacy and advantages of pranayama practice.
5. It is advisable to stop, take a few breaths to relax, and then try again if you are unable to maintain an equal ration.

The benefits of Sama Vritti Pranayama

1. The main advantage is to balance, harmonize, and even out the flow of prana through the body’s energy pathways, or nadis.
2. Magical effects to reduce mental stress, anxiety, and worry.
3. Individuals who regularly practice this yoga breathing method will discover they are more absorbed and are adept to enter into deep, restorative states of relaxation.
4. Sama Vritti can lower blood pressure and improve brain oxygenation.

Kumbhaka (breath retention)

Holding the breath after an intake and an exhale is a crucial component of the Sama Vritti Pranayama. The Sanskrit word kumbhaka means “breath retention” in English. Kumbhaka is something we do to improve our breathing, quiet the mind, energize the body, settle our senses, and increase our inner awareness. It’s crucial to only hold your breath until it becomes uncomfortable. For a more challenging practice, advanced yoga practitioners might combine one or more bandas with kumbhaka.

Important Pranayama Cautions and contraindications

The retention of breath should not be held by pregnant women or those with high blood pressure, or lung, heart, eye, or ear problems. Simply focus on bringing the lengths of the inhalation and exhalation into balance. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop immediately and resume your regular, relaxed breathing rhythm.

When to Use Sama Vritti Pranayama

Sama Vritti Although pranayama can be practiced at any moment of the day, the optimal time is when you need to develop inner calm, balance, and grounding. To properly focus and tune into your breath, try to find a calm area free of interruptions. As it will aid in preparing the body and mind for yoga asana practice, meditation, and other types of pranayama, it is advised to do it before other practices. This method can be used to sharpen your focus while performing yoga poses.

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Yoga according to dosha- Vata, Pitta and Kapha

by Tirtha Acharya | Aug 6, 2023 | Yoga

Yoga According to Dosha – Vata, Pitta and Kapha

Ayurveda is based on three dosha (predominant qualities of a person) i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These three type of personalities have unique way of yoga practice. They are in charge of movement, transformation, and stability in the body and principally symbolize the wind, fire, and water elements. Similar to nutrition, lifestyle, and herbal recommendations, asana advice is also offered to a person based on their dominant dosha. Ayurveda guides us in selecting the asana practice that best complements our natural tendencies. It encourages the idea that each person has a distinct physical make-up and mental temperament.  As a result, everyone will have distinct requirements. No one diet or way of living or practice can be equally suitable to everyone.

Yoga According to Dosha – How to Practice Yoga for Vata Constitution

Yoga According to Dosha – Vata’s tendency toward dryness causes arthritis and tight joints. They therefore require greater asana practice than any other dosha type. People of Vata nature tend to be stiff in the mornings and in the winter, therefore they should warm themselves well to enhance circulation and mobility.

Overly active asana practices like Vinyasa should be avoided. They could pick a grounded yoga style instead, one that emphasizes holding poses and moving through them carefully and mindfully.

Vata has a propensity to build up in the colon. They should perform various varieties of spinal motions, including twisting and side bending, to release it.

Forward-bending poses, such as the Head-to-Knee Pose-restorative Variation (Janu Sirshasana) and the Standing Forward Bend Pose (Uttanasana), are very calming for the mind and can help reduce vata.

Even inversions assist in releasing too much vata.

Standing balance poses that encourage stability and mental equilibrium, such as Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Tree Pose (Vrksasana) (pictured below), and Fierce Posture (Utkatasana), are excellent for balancing vata.

Advanced balancing poses, such as Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana), are especially beneficial for Vata individuals because they make them concentrate and focus their attention at one location rather than scattering their thoughts.

Time and place:  Vata requires warmth, therefore they should practice in a cozy space that is not damp or cold. In the early hours of the morning, their physique might be overly rigid. The hours between dawn and ten in the morning are ideal for practice.

Vata types should concentrate on gaining muscle and strength. Their joints tend to be hypermobile and more susceptible to damage because air (Vata) is light and mobile by nature. They should mostly take it easy and savor each moment.

How to Practice Yoga for Pitta Constitution

Pitta contains some water but primarily represents the fire element.

For instance, because it is “fire in a liquid form,” the hydrochloric acid in our stomach is a pitta product.

Fire produces heat and light, which warms us, digests our food, improves our mental clarity, and heightens our perception.

When pitta is overactive, it can cause fever, inflammation, or ulcers in the body.

We become more prone to emotional issues like irritability and anger.

Pitta people have a propensity for being extremely focused and passionate about their work, which makes them fierce competitors.

Pitta personalities frequently perspire due to interior heat.

They must therefore calm down their practice by taking frequent rests.

Pitta is competitive, thus they must restrain their desire to outperform everyone at asanas. Yoga asanas with a partner might be very advantageous to them.

They must take care to prevent their practice from turning into an Ironman exercise since they are aggressive. People should be aware of their tendency to be self-critical.

The large intestine and the midsection of our bodies are home to fire. Cobra Position (Bhujangasana), Bow Pose (Dhanurasana), and Camel Pose (Ustrasana), which have a cooling effect as we come out of them, are examples of gentle backbends that are not held for very long.

In moderation, intense backbends are beneficial but can aggravate pitta. Thus it’s best to repeat them a few times than to hold them for too long.

The majority of seated poses, such as Bent Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana) (shown below), Completed Posture (Siddhasana), and Hero’s Pose (Virasana), reduce pitta.

Yoga Seal (Yogamudrasana), in particular, is particularly effective at calming the fire element. All forward bends are.

Pitta benefits from nurturing and cooling practices like Sitali pranayama as well as inversions like Plow Pose (Halasana).

Yet, due to their extra pitta and already high levels of irritability, headstand pose (Sirsasana) is not advised for them.

Time: When the sun is at its strongest, people with pitta constitutions shouldn’t practice. The finest times are in the cool morning and evening.

A pitta-reducing practice should be evenly spaced out with regular rest and deep breathing breaks. Keep in mind that pitta causes excessive perspiration, which can lead to electrolyte loss or dehydration. Pitta personalities should practice moderation and concentrate on cooling off.

How to Practice Yoga for Kapha Constitution

The cohesion or putting objects together attribute of Kapha is represented by the water and earth elements. It stands for steadiness, weight, and cold. Our organs’ mucous membrane contains it, and it even lubricates our joints. In terms of our physical health, it nourishes us and keeps us alive. It produces mental peace and warmth on an emotional level. However, when consumed in excess, it might result in weight gain. physical indolence, a propensity for becoming overly attached, and narrow-mindedness. Because of their stability and well-established joints, kaphas benefit from alignment-based therapies.

Their strong bones also indicate that they should move extremely slowly and refrain from forcing themselves into difficult postures. They should not strive to be thin or agile like Vata types, but rather accept the weight of the earth and the water.

Kapha types can practice the vigorous vinyasa styles, but they must progressively and steadily increase their ability. Sudden, intense workouts can be harmful for Kapha because of their propensity for obstruction and heart problems.

Their cold nature also requires warmth. As a result, they must incorporate vigorous exercises that raise internal temperature. But they need to exercise caution and patience. The thighs and midsection are where Kapha tends to congregate. If there is no cardiac problem, they do well with vinyasa yoga or Nauli Kriya. It’s okay to practice forward bends in moderation. They also have a propensity for being lazy. With continual movement during a yoga practice, Kapha can overcome this. Maintaining their attention and interest can be achieved by interspersing complex poses.

Most backbends, including Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), Warrior III Pose (Virabhadrasana III), Headstand and Forearm Stand Pose (Pincha Mayurasana), and One-Legged King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana), are excellent for lowering Kapha. Kapha types can hold their backbends for a longer period of time than pitta types can.

Time: For them, morning and evening practices are appropriate. But because they take their time getting up, the sooner they begin, the better. To get going, they could require a cup of coffee or tea and one or more obnoxious alarm clocks.

Kapha types should focus on improving their mobility and stamina. The extra earth element causes them to move less and regularly solidify their commitment to their current way of life. They find change to be challenging. During practice, they can modify by often altering their posture.

The most intense or dynamic variations of Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskara) are advised for Kapha-type people. However, kids need to practice often and gradually increase their endurance. Sun Salutations should be performed slowly and steadily by vata and pitta. Pitta must watch their workload and make sure to take appropriate breaks. Vata types should make sure they hold the position longer than they go in and out of it.

How To Practice Yoga With The Seasons

Additionally, we must keep in mind that the doshas are never static and that their impact on us is constantly shifting. The body and mind are always interacting with each other and reacting to changes in our surroundings, the seasons, our way of life, and any illnesses or maladies. For instance, a Kapha-reducing practice can help us, regardless of our constitution, if we have a cold and congestion. Or we shouldn’t take a vinyasa class that emphasizes constant movement if we’ve been traveling and in the air for many hours. We won’t get anywhere but more lost.

Listen To Your Body

The fact that these ideas are so simple to understand is a plus. All we have to do is pay attention to our bodies and our intuition. Problems arise when we persistently push our bodies against their wants and desires in one direction. Injury, exhaustion, boredom, and poor performance are all indicators that we are acting contrary to our innate nature or constitution. Determine what makes you feel happy, energized, and relaxed and adhere to it regularly rather than following the crowd or the newest fad. In order to achieve a balance between the body and mind by attending to the specific requirements of our individual temperament on a given day, that is exactly how Ayurveda approaches yoga.

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