Breath Awareness / Pranayama

You can think of prana as “life force.” In yoga, the word “prana” is used, but the same concept is present in many forms of philosophy, religion and medicine that arose in the Far East. In Chinese medicine, it’s called “chi” or “qi.” In some forms of Buddhism, it’s translated as “energy wind” or “inner wind.” Regardless of what it’s called, moving, strengthening and cleansing our prana is one of the primary goals, if not the primary goal, of yoga, not to mention the goal of Tai Chi, Qigong, acupuncture, Reiki, certain forms of massage and certain meditative practices.

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In an ideal world, the idea of practicing Yoga solicits feelings of calm equipoise, energy and vibrant health. However, for many people the idea of practicing Yoga in the context of a structured class can bring up feelings of apprehension and fear. There may be any number of reasons for this apprehension. Some of these reasons include being physically or emotionally fragile. This sense of being physically fragile can come from being injured or in the process of healing from a surgical procedure.

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To look at pranayama simply: We inhale and exhale for a specific ratio, getting valuable oxygen and stress reduction. This is often enough for most people, who barely realize that their breathing has been altered by situations, which naturally occur during the course of a day. However, serious Yoga practitioners may wish to go deeper into pranayama itself. For these practitioners, it is essential to find good and reliable information. Pranayama, while very beneficial, can be harmful if practiced improperly. Some of the dynamic pranayama techniques can cause hyperventilation, which may do more harm than good. Through gaining control of the breath, one gains control of one’s inner self by truly connecting the mind and body.

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These types of kramas or Yoga asana sequences certainly do help to boost students’ metabolisms, burn calories and expedite weight loss. However, it is also important to balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems of your students through a regular practice of pranayama exercises, in order to facilitate mental well-being and hormonal balance.

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The end of class is another beautiful space to teach the technique to feel the belly lift and fill, and collapse and empty. Again, use the hands on the stomach and/or one on the belly and one on the heart, to allow the practitioners to fully feel what their body does during the full breath – new and veteran yogis both. With the earth underneath the body as complete support, the breath feels much different than it did in the standing tree exercise above.

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