YOGA ASSIGNMENT

ON
TYPES OF PRANAYAM
 PRANAYAM-AN
INTRODUCTION
Pranayama- Sanskrit word for ‘control of breath’
'Prana' means breath or life force and 'ayama' means to control
A meditative practice
We consciously control our breathing in pranayama, through
various breathing techniques
The rhythm of pranic energy can be controlled
through pranayama
THREE STAGES OF PRANAYAM
Regardless of the type of pranayama breathing technique
practiced, there are always three main stages:
Puraka (inhalation through nostrils)
Kumbhaka (retention)
Rechaka (exhalation)
MORE ABOUT PRANAYAM
The best time to perform pranayama is early morning on empty
stomach
Necessary to get fresh air while performing pranayama
Various types of pranas help in keeping mind and body healthy
Channelizes energy to the 72 nadis in our body
Helps in attaining peace and self awareness
Capable of treating asthma, stress-related disorder like anxiety
and depression
 HISTORY OF PRANAYAM
Counted as one of the most ancient disciplines
Famous Sage Patanjali mentioned in his Yoga Sutras
about pranayama as a foundational aspect of yoga
practice, its benefits and method of practice.
Researchers and experts of modern science support the
theories mentioned
TYPES OF PRANAYAM
 NADI SHODHANA:
ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING
Hatha yoga practice which purifies the energy channels of
the body
Innovative and specialized pranayam
Brings balance in all the three doshas of the human body-
the mind, body, and soul
Various benefits if practiced daily for 10-15 times
 BENEFITS
Helpful for easing racing thoughts, alleviating anxiety and
stress
Improves the ability to focus
Curbs the desire of smoking
 PROCEDURE

Sit in a comfortable, cross-legged position

Place your left hand on your left knee
Exhale completely
Use your right hand to close your right nostril
Inhale deeply with the left
Close the left nostril with your spare fingers
Open the right nostril, exhale completely
Inhale through the right nostril, then close
Open the left, exhale completely
This is one cycle; repeat 10 times
Done by rolling the tongue in an O shape and inhaling
through the mouth
SHITALI PRANAYAMA:
COOLING BREATH
 

A very refreshing breathing technique, hence the name

'cooling breath'.
Said to be the most refreshing breathing exercise
 BENEFITS
Cools down the body
Reduces anxiety
Mitigates pitta
Increases Kapha and Vata doshas.
 PROCEDURE

Sit in a comfortable, cross-legged position

Take a few deep inhales and exhales to prepare
Roll your tongue in an O shape, sticking it out through
your pursed lips
Slowly inhale through the mouth
Hold your breath and practice Jalandhar Band (chin lock)
Exhale through your nostrils after some time
Repeat until you have reached between 8 and 15 cycles
 UJJAYI PRANAYAMA:
OCEAN BREATH
 Involves mimicking the sound the ocean or waves by inhaling from your
nostrils and making sound from the throat
 Meant to recreate the sound of ocean waves, hence the name 'ocean breath'
 Technique to calm the sympathetic nervous system whilst boosting oxygen
consumption
 As one reduces the amount of air which passes through his throat, one
lengthens his breath cycle, so it is long, full, deep and controlled
 Highly powerful and can support a vigorous flow hence, used in Vinyasa
Flow yoga
 BENEFITS
Rhythmic sound helps to focus mind and movement using
breath
May feel awkward in the beginning but gives great relaxation.
Helps to reduce anxiety
Helps in throat related issues
Potential alternative treatment for both anxiety and PTSD
 PROCEDURE

Begin in a comfortable position

Breathe through your mouth
Constrict the back of your throat (imagine you are trying
to fog up a mirror)
Then close your mouth
Continue to breathe through the nose, keeping the throat
constricted
This is one cycle; continue for  five to ten cycles
 KAPALABHATI PRANAYAMA:
SKULL SHINING BREATH OR BREATH OF
FIRE
Deep inhalation and forceful exhalation of air in a yogic
position.
 Cycle of inhalation and exhalation should be done for few
minutes
Can be used for warm up instead of the Shitali Pranayama
for cooling down
A common practice within kundalini yoga
An advanced breathing exercise, where individuals can
become lightheaded if completed incorrectly so, should only
be done under the supervision of an experienced teacher
 BENEFITS
Done for warm up
Strengthens the diaphragm and abdominal muscles
Increases focus
Reduces anxiety
Burns calories
 PROCEDURE
Rest your hands on your knees, bringing awareness to your belly
Inhale through both nostrils deeply
Exhale forcefully (to start, you can use your hands to gently press
on your belly)
Inhalation should then happen naturally
Focus on exhalation, inhalation should be passive
To begin, aim for 65-70 cycles per minute, and if you are
comfortable doing so, you can work your way up to 95-105
cycles per minute
A cycle is an exhalation and inhalation together; to start with, try
this technique for just a couple of minutes
BHASTRIKA PRANAYAMA: BELLOWS BREATH
One needs to consistently inhale deeply and exhale
forcefully in such a way that the stomach goes inside
Inhaling and exhaling should be at a fast rate.
‘Bellows breath’ similar and easy as compared to the
’breath of fire’
Main difference is both the inhale and exhale are forceful
in this breathing technique
 BENEFITS
Helps in increasing the blood circulation in the body
Increases tolerance towards worry, anxiety and PTSD
Activates body channels
Aids in calming the mind
Asthma patients can practice it to remove inflammation of
the throat
 PROCEDURE

Sit in Padamasana(Lotus) position with eyes closed and spine straight

Inhale deeply through your nostrils
Then exhale forcefully through your nostrils, using the diaphragm to
'pump'
Inhale and exhale forcibly about 10 times (or whatever feels
comfortable)
Then take a deep inhale
Hold the breath in for as long as you can
Slowly release the breath with a deep exhalation
After completing this cycle, you can rest with normal breathing, then
continue for another three to five cycles
BHRAMARI PRANAYAMA: HUMMING BEE BREATH
Involves mimicking the sound of a bee
Done by closing the ears with the thumb and eyes with
the help of fingers and after a deep breath and air is
exhaled slowly making a buzzing sound like that of a bee
 BENEFITS
Humming sound and vibrations naturally calm the mind
and body
 Helps in increasing concentration and alertness
Memory improvement
Relieves stress
 PROCEDURE
Find a comfortable position
Close your ears and eyes with your fingers and thumbs
Inhale deeply
Then exhale slowly, making a buzzing sound like a bee
You can also make the sound ‘Om' if this is easier to
imagine
Once you’ve finished the breath, you’ve completed a
cycle
Continue for 5-10 minutes
 ANULOMA & VILOMA PRANAYAMA
An alternate breathing exercise
Involves pausing of breathing at regular intervals and is divided
into two stages called as paused inhalation and paused exhalation
Viloma pranayama: Lie down in a comfortable position and relax
your body and mind. Now inhale for 2 to 3 seconds and pause,
then again restart inhalation and pause after 2 seconds. Repeat the
process until the lungs feel full of air. Exhale slowly
Anuloma pranayama is breathing nostrils in an alternative way
 Both are almost same and help in relaxing, reducing stress and
anxiety and cleansing of nasal passages
PROCEDURE FOR PAUSED INHALATION
Lie down in a comfortable position and relax
Inhale for two to three seconds and then pause
Restart inhalation after a pause of two seconds
Repeat the process until your lungs are full
Exhale slowly
That's the cycle complete; repeat for three to five minutes
PROCEDURE FOR PAUSED EXHALATION
Lie down in a comfortable position and relax
First, inhale slowly
Then exhale for two to three seconds and pause
Restart exhalation after a pause of two seconds
Repeat the process until your lungs are full
Inhale slowly
That's the cycle complete; repeat for three to five minutes
 DIRGA PRANAYAMA:
THREE PART BREATH
Involves active breathing into three different parts of the
abdomen
Probably is the best pranayama for beginners, as it gets
one used to filling up of lungs and meditatively breathing
 PROCEDURE
Lay down on your back, in a comfortable position
Breathe into the belly, watching it expand with the breath
Just when you think it’s full, draw even more breath to fill
the rib cage
Then let a tiny bit more in and fill the chest
Begin to exhale slowly, starting with your upper chest
Then release from the rib cage
And lastly, let the air go from the belly
After completing one cycle, continue for another 10-20
breaths
 LION’S BREATH: SIMHASANA PRANAYAMA
Performed by lowering the jaw to open the mouth wide,
stretching the tongue out and curling it down as you forcefully
exhale
Ideal for relieving tension and stress in the body through
stretching your entire face, giving flow through your mind and
body
Powerful exhalation is beneficial for releasing negative
emotions such as anger and resentment which are often held
inside the body
OVERALL BENFITS OF PRANAYAM
Strengthens abdominal muscles
Reduces cholesterol
Beneficial for sinus issues
Reduces stress
Increases alertness
Increases lung function and capacity
Improves cardiovascular health
Improves concentration
Manages blood pressure