The apply of pranayama or ‘breathwork’ because it’s additionally recognized, is an integral a part of yoga, and one thing that has really existed far longer than the bodily postures. Choose up a duplicate of the Hatha Yoga Pradipikaor Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha and also you’ll discover there’s much more consideration given to the specifics of respiration and motion of prana than there may be in most fashionable yoga books or lessons. The explanation? Prana means ‘life power’, simply as qi does within the Conventional Chinese language Medication context. The first yoga practices have been involved primarily with this move of power above all else. The whole lot we do from shifting to consuming, sleeping, socialising, and learning has an impact upon our life power. And with regards to respiration, it’s a strong method to work with prana.
While the UK Summer time generally is a little unpredictable, it’s seemingly we’ll all expertise a bout of steamy sizzling and humid days wherever you occur to reside. From an ayurvedic perspective, the summer season season holds the qualities of warmth, moisture, depth, transformation and keenness – all qualities of the Pitta dosha. This implies we’re all a little bit extra prone to really feel sizzling and bothered, intensely pushed and targeted, and customarily a little bit extra fiery than common. Utilising these particular pranayama practices not solely retains the physique bodily cool and balanced throughout sizzling climate, but it surely additionally cools and calms the thoughts. Whether or not you’re working or on trip, indoors or out, these three practices are easy to make use of whenever you want them.
1. Sitali breath
Sitali means ‘cooling’ or ‘soothing’, and is a technique that will look a little bit unusual, however is extremely efficient. Very like animals do, this pranayama approach works by passing the breath over the tongue and cooling the physique from the within.
To practise: Curl the tongue and inhale the breath as if you have been sucking air by a straw, maintain for a second then exhale slowly by the nostril. Proceed for a few minutes then drink a glass of cool water to boost the soothing results. In case you’re not capable of curl your tongue, merely stick it out and really feel the breath passing over the tongue as you inhale.
2. Chandra Bhedana
This ‘moon piercing’ or ‘moon activating’ breath works on the delicate power channel of ida, the female nadi to the left of the backbone. Chandra Bhedana is very soothing for the nervous system, and is nice to practise within the night earlier than mattress, or for those who’re feeling annoyed or irritable.
To practise: Shut off the best nostril and breathe out and in slowly by the left nostril for 3 minutes. To reinforce the apply, visualise a silver crescent moon reflecting over cool water.
3. Pranayama With Visualisation
Including visualisation to your breathwork practices is a useful method to domesticate a relaxed and quiet but targeted and artistic thoughts. If in case you have difficultly meditating, this will also be an efficient method to get began.
To practise: Lie in your again comfortably and breathe slowly out and in by the nostril. As you inhale, really feel a cool white mild travelling up the physique from the ft to the highest of the top. As you exhale, really feel the cool white mild journey again down the physique. With every spherical of respiration, think about the sensation of the cool white mild calming, soothing and cooling your physique and thoughts an increasing number of. Follow for 3-5 minutes and finish with the exhale returning to the ft to floor your self.
