Pranayama, Breathing Practices & Light
"The regular practice of pranayama reduces the obstacles that inhibit clear perception." Patanjali's Yoga Sutras
Spiritual Yoga
Pranayama Breathing Practices
Complete
Yogic Breath
Ujjayi Pranayama
Nadi Shodhana Light
Visualization
Pranayama and breathing practices are very important in Spiritual Yoga sadhana. Many people are drawn to yoga as a practice to relieve the stress and tension that we all feel in our daily lives. Yoga practice should emphasize the importance of pranayama as a technique to regain the centering, clarity and balance we all seek. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika place as much emphasis on pranayama practice as on asana practice.
Prana is the life force or energy that animates all life. We absorb prana from the air through breathing, and also from food, water and natural light. Pranayama is the control or mastery of the life force by various techniques including breathing practices. These breathing practices increase the absorption of oxygen and prana to energize the body. They also regulate the flow of prana within the body to clear and quiet the mind, to calm the emotions and to increase concentration.
Prana or energy is absorbed and flows through the nadis. The nadis are an energy network that corresponds to the nerve channels in the physical body. The main nadi corresponds to the spinal cord and is known as the sushumna. Chakras are centers of energy and consciousness and seven major chakras lie along the sushumna. These are the root (Muladhara), abdominal (Svadhisthana), solar plexus (Manipura), heart (Anahata), throat (Vishuddha), third eye (Ajna) and crown (Sahasrara) chakras. There are many additional chakras in the complete energy network.
In Spiritual Yoga practice our attention focuses on the higher chakras: the heart chakra to open the heart; the throat chakra to speak our truth and our intentions; the third eye or seat of wisdom chakra to open to eternal truth, wisdom and reality; and the crown chakra to merge our consciousness with higher spiritual consciousness. Pranayama and breathing practices channel prana and energy to help activate these higher chakras.
To successfully practice yoga it is important to consciously link breath and bodily movement. Every movement should be lead by the breath. During asana practice the focus should be on the pattern of breathing until it is coordinated automatically with your posture flow. There is a natural rhythm in moving the body with the breath. When you expand the body as in back bends you inhale. When you contract the body as in forward bends you exhale.
The three breathing practices used in Spiritual Yoga practice are the Complete Yogic Breath, Ujjayi Pranayama and Nadi Shodhana. The Complete Yogic Breath is the breathing technique used throughout the asana practice and Ujjayi Pranayama is used in some postures as indicated in the routine. Nadi Shodhana and other pranayama techniques are done after asanas or separately at another time.
In all three and in most pranayama techniques, breath inhalation should be through the nose and not the mouth. The nasal passages have more nerve endings than the mouth, and therefore more prana is absorbed during nasal breathing which also has a balancing effect on the nervous system. Breath is also normally exhaled through the nose although exhalation through the mouth is done in some techniques and in conjunction with certain asanas.
Exhalation is as important in correct breathing as inhalation. Breathing techniques begin with a complete exhalation so toxins can be removed from the body before inhalation of fresh air and prana. In addition to exhalation and inhalation some breathing techniques and asanas require internal retention of the breath and external retention without breath.
Breathing in Spiritual Yoga practice must be smooth and calm. Never force the breath or hold the breath unnaturally. Expand the lungs and abdomen gently. In time and with practice the breath will normally lengthen and deepen and short pauses or holds after inhalation or exhalation will become an automatic pattern in your breathing during certain yoga asanas.
By practicing the Complete Yogic Breath we establish a new pattern of deep, full and rhythmic breathing. In the Complete Breath we fill the abdomen, the lower lungs, the middle lungs and the upper lungs with a wave of breath.
Relax your body. Exhale completely and then inhale deeply through the nose. As you inhale allow your abdomen to expand gently as the downward movement of your diaphragm pushes your stomach outward. The next step is to to allow the breath to completely but gently fill the lungs. As you continue to inhale, the breath will expand your lower lungs, middle lungs and then your upper lungs. Gently expand your stomach, rib cage, chest, back and shoulders to accommodate the rising breath.
Exhale slowly from the top to the bottom of the lungs. The stomach and abdomen will contract as the diaphragm rises during the complete exhalation.
Repeat and focus on making your breathing rhythmic. With practice the Complete Breath will become your natural breathing pattern.
Ujjayi is a breathing technique that makes the rhythmic wave of your breath audible. It is sometimes called the "ocean sounding breath" because the sound resembles the ebb and flow of the ocean. The mind becomes absorbed and focused by this sound which produces deep relaxation of the body and mind and increases concentration on rhythmic breathing to enhance the benefits of your yoga practice. The root word "jaya" actually means victory or success.
The mouth stays closed and the throat stays slightly constricted throughout Ujjayi breathing. Contracting the throat allows you to regulate the flow of breath to coordinate with the postures during yoga practice.
Relax and exhale. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose as you contract your throat slightly, narrowing the air passage. This contraction produces a slight hissing sound similar to "sa" at the back of the throat as the air passes over the windpipe. Keep the sound low, smooth and even as you continue the slow inhalation, letting your body relax and expand in the Complete Yogic Breath.
With mouth closed and throat slightly constricted, exhale slowly and steadily through the nose until the lungs are empty. The exhaling air should be felt on the roof of the palate and should make a sound similar to "ha." Repeat.
Shodhana means cleansing or purification and Nadi Shodhana is a breathing technique to calm, strengthen and balance the nervous system. Nadi Shodhana is very effective as a preparation for sitting meditation because it immediately centers and calms the body, mind and emotions. In Spiritual Yoga sadhana Nadi Shodhana is practiced after the asana series as a bridge to meditation.
Sit in a comfortable position with your spine erect and your eyes closed. Focus your attention on your third eye (Ajna) chakra. Form the fingers of your right hand into Vishnu Mudra by curling your index and middle fingers into your palm. Use your right thumb to close your right nostril and gently exhale and then inhale through the left nostril. Then close the left nostril with the ring and fifth fingers of your right hand. Exhale and then inhale through the right nostril. Repeat by closing the right nostril with your right thumb and exhaling and then inhaling through the left nostril. Continue this smooth, deep breathing through alternating nostrils. There is no holding of the breath in this practice.
"By controlling the force which governs the prana, the yogi can surround himself with light." Patanjali's Yoga Sutras
The Complete Yogic Breath and Ujjayi Pranayama can be practiced with the visualization of prana or energy as light. Yoga has always been known as the path of illumination and enlightenment and light is a symbol for higher consciousness and samadhi.
When I started practicing pranayama I began visualizing the prana energy and my breath as a stream of white light. I soon realized through my daily practice that visualizing the prana as white light helped me concentrate and made it easier to regulate the rhythm and depth of my breathing. It helped me focus on bringing more prana into my body and sending prana through each chakra in the sushumna channel.
This is the technique I use to practice the Complete Yogic Breath and Ujjayi Pranayama with the visualization of prana and breath as light:
I repeat this visualization with each breath in several asanas and affirmations in the Spiritual Yoga sadhana routine.