WHAT EXACTLY IS BREATHING?

The breathing process is a combination of the inhalation process which uses the ingressive (breathing in) air as well as the exhalation (breathing out) process which includes the egressive air.

Just think for a while. How many people really consciously bring about a synthesis between his physical activities and his mind? Very few! They do their day-to-day chores – breathing in and breathing out. This is because without breathing or without taking oxygen we cannot live.

But the moot point is: Do we control breathing?

No, we don’t!

The next poser: Can we at all control breathing?

Yes, we can!

The next natural queries should be: Why should we control breathing? Or for that matter, how do we control breathing?

CONTROLLING BREATHING

A yoga practitioner (yogi) of Pranayama has total control over his breathing process. What’s more, such a practitioner can use his breath to do wonders for his body. By performing the Pranayama tactics, he/she makes use of deliberate and conscious attempts to bring about a synthesis of the human body and the mind.

YOGA versus other exercises

Yoga pranayama tactics would appear to be certain physical movements or postures to the uninitiated. Hence, many erroneously assume that pranayama is akin to other physical exercises.

However, the fact remains that yoga is not merely gymnastics, nor is it simply a set of exercises to stretch the body. Yoga is a way of life, and Pranayama is the catalyst that makes the mind and body of the practitioner immune to attacks – psychologically as well as physically.

Pranayama is a set of age-old proven tactics to stimulate the body and mind of the Kundalini yoga practitioner.

The yoga techniques require total concentration of the yogi. Such dedication is brought about through controlled breathing and chanting of mantras to bring about a focal point.

WORD OF CAUTION

The yoga Pranayama asanas complement regular treatments. Yoga is not a substitute for any medical schedules.

To gain the maximum benefits from the regular practice of yoga, you must reveal to the yoga trainer or ‘guru’ the physical antecedents or the history of diseases in your family. Certain illnesses are hereditary. Hence you should take care.

The yoga asanas should be done only after you take the advice of an expert yogi practitioner.

None of the yoga asanas is a substitute for medical advice or care. It is important to remember this primarily because certain yoga postures are not meant for some people suffering from particular ailments.

Don’t we breathe daily? But, how many times do we try to take over the breathing process. Yoga helps you to be the master of your entire breathing mechanism. You’ll also be able to stop breathing for a few moments. Moreover, these breathing exercises will also enable you to hold on to your breath (after controlled inhalation) and also remain without breath (after exhalation). The best posture to do the Pranayama exercises is the Padmasana.

The following breathing exercise will purge your lungs of the toxic materials. The coordinated controlled breathing will also ensure better blood circulation.

THE THREE PRANAYAMA TYPES

The breathing controlling exercises are divided into three stages.

The first stage is that of normal breathing.

The second stage involves deep breathing and a series of inhalation and exhalation through the pouted mouth. This controlled inhalation and exhalation combined with the breath retention process is called Ujjayi Pranayama.

ADVANTAGES: Ujjayi Pranayama checks ailments of the throat, nose and ear. Regular practice of Ujjayi Pranayama clears the nasal passages. As a result, phlegm is removed from the throat. Our blood assimilates large quantities of blood. The capacity of the lungs is increased; hence the breath attains its natural rhythm.

The third stage is a series of six steps of definite controlled breathing exercises through the nostrils, one at a time. This stage involves the closing of the glottis or the epiglottis. The epiglottis is a thin leaf-like lamella of elastic fibro-cartilage. The epiglottis projects obliquely upwards. It is located at the root of the tongue and the body of the hyoid bone. It remains in front of the entrance of the larynx and between the free margins of thevocal cords.

This alternate nostril breathing is known as Anuloma Viloma. During this Pranayama (inhalation and exhalation) stage, we should not produce any sound. Moreover, we must take twice as long to exhale as to inhale.

The combination of Kapala Bhati and Ujjayi is known as Bhastrika or the ‘Bellows Breath’ process.

ADVANTAGES: Bhastrika expands the ribcage. The air filling the lungs ventilates them completely. Adequate quantities of oxygenated blood are absorbed by the nerve roots in the spinal regions as well as the brain.

The First Pranayama Stage

Assume the Padmasana meditative stage.

After opening the eyes, place your palms upside down on the respective knees.

Place the thumbs on the third line of the index fingers. Obviously, the index fingers and the thumbs will remain bent towards each other.

The other three fingers (middle, ring and little) will remain open and straight.

Close your eyes and mould your mind to start the breathing exercise.

Stay in this position for about five seconds. Continue the normal breathing for approximately five seconds.

Get ready for the second breathing stage after an exhalation stage.

The Second Pranayama Stage

Slowly take a deep breath. Try to complete the inhalation process in not less than 10 seconds.

Ensure that you are thinking positive and believing that all your ailments are getting cured through the oxygenated air you are breathing in.

Hold on to the breath for about five seconds.

Pout your lips and then open them in an ‘O’ fashion.

Exhale through the lips. Complete the process in about 15 seconds.

Don’t inhale immediately. Wait without inhaling for two-three seconds.

Then again inhale slowly and deeply as mentioned above.

You can repeat the process three-five times. This forms a cycle.

After completing the cycle (according to your convenience), relax!

Continue normal breathing for about five seconds and prepare for the next breathing exercise

The Final Pranayama Stage

Don’t alter the Padmasana posture or the positions of the index fingers and the thumbs as well as the other fingers.

The Mudra

Keeping the right arms in the same position, arrange the fingers of the left hand in the following manner which is called a ‘Mudra’.

Bend the index and middle fingers to touch the raised fleshy mound just below the thumb.

The middle portion of your thumb will be touching the middle side of the bent index finger.

The ring and small fingers will remain straight. The ring finger will be in close alignment with the bent middle finger. You’ll have to keep your fingers in this fashion till you complete the cycle of three-five times.

Commencing the Third Breathing Stage

After an exhalation stage, bend your right elbow to your nose.

Press the side of your right nostril and block it with your thumb.

Slowly and deeply inhale through the right nostril. Complete the process in about 10 seconds.

Without breaking the mudra, use the joint ring and small fingers to press the side of the right nostril in order to close it. Hold on to the breath for about five seconds.

This is that crucial phase when you must think positive and believe that you have within yourself the power to cure all your ailments using the fresh oxygenated air you have just breathed in.

Hold on to the breath for about five seconds.

Now lift your right thumb from the right nostril to slowly exhale in about 15 seconds.

After completing the exhalation, stay put without inhaling for about five seconds.

Then slowly and deeply breathe in. The inhalation process has to be completed in approximately 10 seconds. This is one stage of a cycle.

Within the cycle, you can include six such stages.

The cycle will conclude in an exhalation stage. After that you can resume the normal breathing.

But, practise such controlled Pranayama (breathing) only after you gain expertise over the simple Pranayama stages!

Pranayama is the preparation stage for commencing the yogic asanas. Pranayama consists of the breathing exercises that not only warms up the body but also mentally prepares the mind to perform the yogic postures – all of which require the constant involvement of the mind.
METHODOLOGY
Paranayama or for that matter all the yogic postures makes it mandatory that you perform them in a positive state of mind. That’s precisely why the wee hours (after you perform the daily excretion process and refresh yourself) are recommended for the yogic postures. Moreover, that time of the day is also comparatively pollution free and remains quite serene.

Above all, during Pranayama you set the stage for the remaining moments you would be spending for doing the yogic postures. After all, this will also prepare you mentally and physically for the strenuous day ahead.

Mentionably, all the yogic postures requires you to circulate around you a positive stream of energy. That can be generated when you do not think of any extraneous matter. Your mind must be concentrating on only making your body and mind strong.

Here are the golden means:
JUST THINK POSITIVE;
KNOW THAT YOUR MIND IS THE ULTIMATE PANACEA FOR ALL DISEASES — PHYSICAL & PSYCHOLOGICAL!

SO BE THE MASTER OF YOUR MIND THROUGH PRANAYAMA, MEDITATION AS WELL AS THE OTHER YOGIC POSTURES.?

IF YOU SUFFER FROM ANY AILMENT, CONDITION YOUR MIND TO CURE THEM THROUGH THE MIND AND THE POSTURES.
THE PRANAYAMA TECHNIQUE
Prior to performing Pranayama, practise deep breathing through both the nostrils.

The deep breathing basically consists of inhalation and exhalation.

This form of deep breathing consists of slow, deep and rhythmical breathing.

It consists of inhalation and exhalation first through both the nostrils and then via the alternate nostrils at least for two months.?

Remember that exhalation should be completed in a longer time duration than inhalation.

In other words, if you inhale in 10 seconds, then exhale in 15 seconds.

Pranayama should be done always in a comfortable and a very slow manner

Once you can perform Pranayama through both the nostrils, the next stage is to practise Pranayama through the alternate nostrils.

Always keep the same ratio for inhalation and exhalation.