Pranayama – Yoga Breathing

I have already noticed such great benefits with my everyday well being thanks to Pranayamas.  I enrolled myself in a Pranayama class, twice a week, with 1hr and 2hr classes.  Right after the exercises I feel like a million bucks. I feel awakened, exhilarated and restored. Imagine an hour of ‘breathing’ (my husband laughed at that one). Breathing exercises that is, along with meditation helps to calm the nervous system and restore your body’s inner equilibrium.

Here is some information about Pranayamas  as well as some health benefits that it brings along from P.P. Swami Ramdev Ji Maharaj. (Pranayama Guru)
Pranayam arouses the internal energy of a person and makes him healthy, balanced and active. The seven-step pranayam package is sufficient along with daily routine.

The whole process takes around 45 minutes and the duration can be increased up to two hours also. Morning time is ideal for its practice. Take bath and wear loose clothes. Sit straight; keep the neck and head absolutely straight. If a person cannot sit on floor due to some reasons then you can sit on chair. The body should be stable and spine should be straight. This seven-step pranayam package can be followed daily to maintain good health.

1. Bhastrika: Take deep breathes and fill the lungs with air and then exhale. Take deep breath but do not fill the air in the stomach. Air should be filled up to the diaphragm. Inhale deeply and exhale completely so that the lungs become free of air. Do not stop the breath. This is one step. Repeat in this manner several times. However, the patients of high blood pressure and heart patients should do it slowly. During this breathing exercise, imagine that you are throwing all the disorders present in your body. The mind is becoming pure and pious. Practice pranayam from three to five minutes.

2. Kapalbhati: Do not pay attention on inhaling and exhaling.Breathe in normally and let the air go inside and then exhale. Exhale the air filled in the stomach. Make the process fast and repeat it ten to 15 times. Imagine that the diseases and mental thoughts are being overcome.

3. Bahya pranayam: Keep the hands on the knees; bend the chin and try to touch the upper portion of the chest and the chest should be stretched. The stomach muscles should be pulled inside.

The muscles of groin area should also be pulled inside. Then breathe out completely like Kapalbhati. Imagine that the disorders are going out of the body while breathing out. The time taken for each repetition is 15 seconds and this should be done for at least three minutes.

4. Anulom-Vilom: Close the right nostril with the right thumb and breathe in from left nostril. Then close the left nostril with the little finger and ring finger and breathe out from right nostril. Breathe in and breathe out completely and deeply. Imagine that the divine energy is coming inside you and the disorders present in the body are going out of the body. Begin from five minutes and increase the duration up to 15 minutes.

5. Brahmari: Take a deep breathe.Press the inside edges of the eyes with the middle fingers and breathe in with the sound of a honeybee. Breathe out and chant Omkar. Breathe out and then breathe in and repeat the process with Omkar sound. Repeat this pranayam 11 times and increase it up to 21 times. Breathe in and breathe out and imagine that the divine energy is entering into the body.

6. Udgeet: In this pranayam one has to concentrate on inhaling and exhaling and try to concentrate the mind. Breathe normally and chant Aum. The breathing should be so simple that the sound of breath should not be heard and even cotton kept in front of the nose should not move. Chant Aum and visualize it while practicing this pranayam.

7. Meditative pose: Concentrate the mind on inhaling and exhaling and think of god. God has created our eyebrows, eyes, nose, ears, lips, heart etc. in Aum shape (Hindi word). Imagine the presence of god in every particle and meditate. Deeper the experience, deeper the physical, mental and spiritual energy. Pranayam overcomes the physical disorders, gives good health and the devotee proceeds on the path of spirituality.

Finish the pranayam exercises with a short contemplative meditation. Thank your God. Request the divine for a healthy, productive life. Then raise your hands, rub the palms to generate some heat and then place your palms on the face as slightly massage your face. Slowly open your eyes and bring your senses back.

Yoga Breathing exercises demonstrated on video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icNl-KZ0BZg

Get complete peace of mind, get back robust health, and get younger healthier looking with daily exercises. I strongly recommend these exercises as part of your lifestyle. I have only been doing them for 4 weeks but I see great results already. Anulom Vilom is my favourite exercise and I strongly recommend this one to people who need to calm their breathing and de-stress, not to mention all the health benefits too.

Here’s to Good Breathing!

– Ella