Pranayama Pranayama is the fourth limb of ashtanga yoga. Pranayama is a practice to regulate the breath; to control the prana. Prana is the vital force. Ayama means to extend. Pranayama means to extend this vital force. When we say breathing, we inhale and exhale the air. This air, the breath is the gross energy we are taking into our body from the atmosphere. When this gross energy enters our body, it changes into prana, the subtle force. Hatha Yoga Pradipika says, When this prana is controlled, the mind gets controlled. This prana, the subtle force is controlled by the regulation of the external breath, the gross force. The chief goal of pranayama is to awaken the Kundalini shakthi. Inhalation and exhalation are the two normal processes in our breathing. When we regulate and control this breath, we hold the breath in between our inhalation and exhalation. So, there are three stages in the control of the breath. They are 1. inhalation; 2. exhalation and 3. retention of the breath. Inhalation is known as svasha, puraka. Exhalation is known as prasvasha, rechaka. Retention is known as kumbhaka. The organ of respiration consists of two lungs, one on the either side of the chest. The lungs are spongy and porous. The tissues of the lungs are elastic. There are innumerable air-sacs in the lungs which contain the air. When we breathe in, the air is drawn into the lungs. When the diaphragm expands the outside air rushes in and the chest expands. The size of the lungs increases. When the diaphragm relaxes, the air is expelled from the lungs. The chest and the lungs are contracted. This is the normal way of respiration. If you need more information about respiration, refer to the concerned texts. 1
The number of respiration per minute is 15 according to the texts on yoga. Modern texts mention the number of respiration per minute as 16 or 18 per minute. When the individual is sick, the number of respiration per minute may increase. When the individual is relaxed and happy, the number of respiration may become less than fifteen per minute. The blood is purified in the lungs. There are two nostrils through which the air is taken into and thrown out of the body. The right nostril is called Pingala. The left nostril is called Ida. The text books on yoga say that the Sun moves in Pingala and the Moon moves in Ida. Ida and Pingala are called the nadis in yoga. There are many nadis in the human body. Pingala, the right nostril is the heating nadi. Ida, the left nostril is the cooling nadi. The breath flow through Pingala, the right nostril for certain period of time and in Ida, the left nostril for a certain period of time. When the breath flows through Ida and Pingala freely the individual gets engaged in the worldly activities. There is an important nadi by name Sushumna. Sushumna nadi is invisible and subtle. It is attached to the spinal column. Kundalini passes up along the Sushumna nadi. The practice of awakening Kundalini shakthi begins with the practice of pranayama. The practice of kumbhaka produces heat to stir the Kundalini and helps the Kundalini to pass upwards through Sushumna nadi. Hatha Yoga Pradipika says, One should practice pranayama after perfecting oneself in asana. When the breath is irregular, the mind is unsteady. When the breath becomes still, the mind too becomes still. When the breath is controlled, the yogi obtains the power of stillness. Life exists as long as there is breath in the body. When the breath departs from the body, there is no life. So, one should restrain the breath. When the nadis are full of impurities the breath cannot go into the Sushumna nadi. So, one should purify the nadis. The control of the breadth should be practiced daily with a pure thought. One should practice pranayama four times a day in the morning, midday, evening and midnight. 2
One should start with a minimum of five pranayama at a time and gradually increase it to eighty rounds each time. This becomes 320 rounds of pranayama a day. In the beginning stage of the practice of pranayama, one may perspire. In the second stage, one may experience the tremor throughout the body. In the highest stage, the prana, the vital force goes to the Brahmarandhra, in the crown of the head. The breath should be controlled slowly, just as one controls and tames the lion, the elephant, the tiger or the horse, slowly and gradually. Otherwise, there will be an adverse effect on the body and its various systems. When pranayama is practiced in a proper way, the body becomes free from all diseases. By wrong practice of pranayama, one may suffer from various complaints such as hiccup, pain in the head, pain in the ear, pain in the eyes, etc. So, one should inhale the breath slowly and gradually; one should exhale the breath slowly and gradually. One should restrain the breath slowly and gradually. By this, one acquires perfection in the control of the breath. When the nadis are purified, one feels the lightness and the brightness of the body. When the breath is restrained in the body, the mind becomes calm and steady; the vision is directed towards the goal. General instruction to do pranayama:- Sit down on a comfortable seat, facing east or north. The place you select to practice pranayama should be clean. Never practice pranayama sitting on a floor without any covering. Spread a proper mat on the floor and sit on that mat to practice pranayama. Practice pranayama in an empty stomach. If you have consumed any food, wait for the food to digest completely and then do pranayama. Do not practice pranayama when you are hungry. Moderate your diet. Eat what you relish. Avoid irritant food. Do not eat too much. Do not fast unnecessarily. Empty your bowel before you start your practice. Wear a Minimum Dress when you practice. Do not expose the body to the heat; to a breezy air or draught etc. You may sweat when you practice pranayama. Rub the sweat with your hands and dry it. Do not wipe the sweat with a towel. 3
Practice according to your ability. In the beginning, let the practice be for a short period. Increase the practice gradually. Before you start your pranayama practice, if you believe, salute to your Guru. You should select a comfortable asana to practice pranayama. You can change the position of this asana when you feel uncomfortable during the practice of asana. But practicing the entire pranayama in one asana without changing the position benefits the body and the mind. You will enjoy peace and calmness. If you are not used to sit in one asana for a long period, you can change to another asana and sit down comfortably. The asana, the posture, you adopt to practice pranayama should be straight. The neck, the chest and the waist should be held up and in a straight line. You should keep your mind pure. Padmasana is the best posture to practice pranayama. If it is difficult to sit down in padmasana, you can try sukhasana. Vajrasana is ideal for certain types of pranayama. Sitting on the floor is the right way to practice pranayama. If you cannot sit down on the floor, sit on a chair which helps you to keep your Do not have a soft cushion to sit if want to keep your The seat should be flat because you have to press the sit-bones and keep the If you are having a set of pranayama to practice, do not practice them continuously. Give a gap of 60 seconds between two pranayamas. The purpose of this gap is, when you practice a particular type of pranayama, the respiratory system will be functioning according to that pranayama. If you immediately change to another type of pranayama without giving a break and where the respiratory system may have to adjust to a different system, there may be pressure and discomfort. To avoid this, give a gap in the practice between two pranayamas, preferably 60 seconds or breathing normally for about ten rounds of respiration so that the respiratory system comes to the normal condition. The texts on yoga say that there are thousands of types of pranayama. Hatha Yoga Pradipika mentions eight pranayama, which are generally called the classic pranayama. There are many traditional pranayamas also. In this lesson, you will be studying/practicing a few traditional and a few classic pranayamas. There may be a pranayama which a few schools call by a particular name and some other schools call the same pranayama by a different name. There may be a pranayama which most of the schools may call by a name but they practice in different ways. 4
The students need not worry about these things. Neither should they have any confusion. The important thing is what one should observe and follow in the practice of that pranayama and not worry about the name. This understanding and observation hold well in all practices. Generally, the individuals breathe in an irregular way. They may not be observing whether they are breathing in and out in a uniform way; whether they have a lengthy breath. They do not know whether the breathing is profound or shallow. So, the first step in the practice of pranayama is to develop a correct habit of breathing. Kumbhaka, the holding of the breath increases the span of life. It improves the vigor, vitality and spiritual attitude. Pathanjali, the author of Yoga Sutras says, pranayama may be regulated by space/place, number and time, of brief or long duration. When you do a shallow breathing, you do not understand where the air you have inhaled in or exhaled out is reached. Even you may not notice the movement of the lungs. When you do a profound breathing, you notice the movement of the air inside the body. When you inhale, you can observe the air going into various places inside the body and when you exhale, you can observe the air coming out from that area or the space. This aspect of breathing is termed as the space of pranayama. Time is the duration of each puraka, rechaka and kumbhaka. This time is measured by a matra or a second. This time indicates how long one should be in puraka, rechaka and kumbhaka of a pranayama. Number refers to the number of times one should perform the pranayama. Inhalation is called puraka; exhalation is called rechaka and retention is called kumbhaka in pranayama. When you inhale the breath, you should breathe in slowly. The air you breathe in should reach muladhara. When you inhale the breath, you should imagine that you are filling the body with the Pure Consciousness and with the divine power. When you exhale the breath, you should breathe out slowly. The air you breathe out should come out right from muladhara. When you exhale the breath, you should imagine that you are throwing out all the impurities of your body and mind. During the exhalation, you should pull in all the abdomen muscles including the navel. 5
When you inhale the breath, the chest should expand. When you exhale the breath, the stomach should go in. There should be no force or restriction when you inhale the breath or exhale the breath. The breathing should be natural, normal and simple. The ideal vision or dhrishti during the practice of pranayama is to close the eyes and gaze at your deity or at the light which you see in your mental eye. Not a percent of students can do asana in vinyasa. Ninety nine percent of the students can do asana. One hundred percent of people can do pranayama. Every one loses flexibility and the body reflex. This forces them to go for simple practice. You must adjust puraka, rechaka and kumbhaka in a comfortable way. Puraka, rechaka and kumbhaka should be smooth and uniform. You should never experience suffocation or discomfort during any stage of the practice. Do not unnecessarily prolong the duration of puraka, rechaka and kumbhaka. This disturbs the rhythm of the practice. Do the normal breathing after this pranayama for a few rounds this means you have to come back to the normal condition and get ready for the next pranayama. Before you start the practice it is always good to take some ayurvedic or siddha or unani preparations, if you can get, and throw out the accumulated toxins and the imbalance humors, that is, wind, bile and phlegm. Do not burn the incense sticks; do not use any unnatural aromatic products in the room/place where you practice pranayama. Avoid the chemical products which affect the room/place. Identify and take out the objects that disturb your breathings. Moderation of the diet is helpful in the beginning of the practice of pranayama. One should eat according to one s desire and the food should digest easily digestible, agreeable and cooling. The food should nourish the humors of the body. One should eat with pleasure enjoying the food. One should avoid hard and stale food, the food that is too hot or too cold should also be avoided. 6
The Practice of pranayama:- 01. Sit down in a comfortable asana, preferably in Padmasana. Do the normal breathing in this asana for five rounds. Focus your attention on your breath. Each round of breathing consists of an inhalation and an exhalation. In the beginning, the duration of both the inhalation and the exhalation should be same. Do not try to breathe in and out very long and stress yourself. Let the rate of breathing, that is the length of inhalation and exhalation be comfortable. Begin your practice with a short period, that is, two seconds to inhale and two seconds to exhale. Gradually, increase this time to three seconds, four seconds and so on. Normally, it is easy to inhale the breath. You can take the breath in comfortably and slowly. But when you exhale the breath, you may force it out very fast, taking lesser time than you inhale. That means, if you inhale for two seconds you may not be able to exhale for two seconds and you may force the air out in less than two seconds. If this happens, understand that your breathing is erratic and is not normal. First correct this erratic breathing. Perfect to inhale and to exhale the breath in a uniform way; use the same duration of time to inhale and to exhale. Start training to breathe in and out with a minimum duration to time of two seconds only. Use a watch with second s needle and you train yourself to do this regulation. When you reach the stage of comfortable breathing of two seconds inhalation and two seconds of exhalation, then, increase the duration. Before you increase this time duration, you should be able to do at least ten respirations, perfectly with ease and comfort where the time taken to inhale and to exhale the breath is same in all the ten respirations. Then, practice deep breathing. In this deep breathing, inhalation should be through the nose; inhalation should be very deep and full. Exhalation should be through the nose; deep and steady. Inhalation is called puraka; exhalation is called rechaka and retention is called kumbhaka in pranayama. At the end of kumbhaka, the retention of the breath, keep the mind free from objects. Inhalation, retention and exhalation are practiced in two ways. They are know by name 1) Sama vritti pranayama and 2) Vishama vritti pranayama 7
Sama means even. Vishama means uneven. Sama vritti pranayama the time taken to inhale, to hold and to exhale the breath is same and uniform. Vishama vritti pranayama the time taken to inhale, to hold and to exhale the breath is uneven. That is, the time taken to inhale the breath will be less; the time taken to hold the breath will be maximum; the time taken to exhale the breath is more than the time taken to inhale and less than the time taken to hold the breath. In the beginning, practice sama vritti pranayama. That is, the ratio of Puraka, kumbhaka and rechaka is 1:1:1. When you inhale for one second, hold for one second and exhale for one second. If you inhale for two seconds, hold for two seconds and exhale for two seconds. If you inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and exhale for 4 seconds. In this way increase the duration of the inhalation, retention and exhalation. Practice for a few months and then, slowly change to vishama vritti pranayama. That is, the ratio of Puraka, kumbhaka and rechaka is 1:4:2. Here in vishama vritti pranayama, if you inhale for one second, you have to the breath for four seconds and exhale for two seconds. If you inhale for two seconds, you have to hold the breath for eight seconds and exhale for four seconds. If you inhale for four seconds, you have to hold the breath for sixteen seconds and exhale for eight seconds. In this way increase the duration of the inhalation, retention and exhalation. When you practice pranayama, keep the eyes closed focusing inside your self. Do not have any other thought except the thought of the breath. 02. Sit down in vajrasana and do normal breathing for five rounds. Focus your attention on your breath. Now, you are practicing four types of pranayama in a row. They are 1) Laghu bhastrika; 2) Agnisara; 3) Shvasa kriya ---Thoracic breathing and 4) Kapalabhati. These pranyamas warm up the body. They help to improve the blood circulation and also to throw out the mucous. The breathing becomes free and comfortable. When you are practicing four pranayamas, especially in the beginning of your learning and practice of pranayama at every stage you may feel that more mucous is coming out. If this happens, this is a good sign and your practicing is giving a positive result. Throw out the mucous; keep the respiratory passage clean and clear. 8
03. Laghu bhastrika:- Laghu means light, short; Bhastrika means bellows. Sit down in vajrasana. Breathe in and out rapidly and simultaneously bend forward slowly to keep the forehead on the floor. You should do the rapid breathing at least a minimum of twenty times in one round before keeping the fore- head on the floor. After keeping the fore-head on the floor, stay there and breathe in and out normal respirations for 3-5 rounds. Then, inhale slowly and raise the head up to sit in down vajrasana. Repeat this pranayama for three rounds. Now, keeps both the hands at the back, close to the feet and drop the head back. Breathe in and out for five respirations in this position. You can change the position from vajrasana and relax. 04. Agnisara:- Agni means fire; sara means essence. Sit down in vajrasana. Breathe in and out rapidly moving the abdomen for 20-25 times, in and out,in one round. Then do the normal breathing, inhale and exhale the breath for three rounds. Repeat this pranayama for three rounds. You can change the position from vajrasana and relax. 05. Shvasa kriya ---Thoracic breathing:- Shvasa means respiration; kriya means action. Sit down in vajrasana. Breathe in and out rapidly moving the chest area up and down for 20-25 times in and out, in one round. Keep the abdomen area tucked in when you do this, pushing the navel in. Then do the normal breathing, inhale and exhale the breath for three rounds. Repeat this pranayama for three rounds. 9
You can change the position from vajrasana and relax. 06. Kapalabhati:- Kapala means skull. Bhati means shine. Kapalabhati means the practice that shines the skull. In kapalabhati, the skull is cleaned. Sit down in vajrasana. Keep the head and the trunk erect. Do not curve the spine or bend the head down. Breathe in and out rapidly, forcing the air, in and out, through the nose. The inhalation and the exhalation should be rapid and like the bellow of a blacksmith. Breathe in and out rapidly moving the chest area up and down for 20-25 times in and out, in one round. Then do the normal breathing, inhale and exhale the breath for three rounds. Repeat this pranayama for three rounds. You can change the position from vajrasana and relax. When you do kapalabhati, you may sweat profusely. The entire face may become warm. In kapalabhati, puraka, the inhalation is mild. Rechaka, the exhalation is quicker. Kapalabhati cleans the nasal passage. The face glows when you practice kapalabhati regularly. Now onwards, you will be closing the nostril/s according to the pranayama. You should always close the right nostril with your right thumb and the close the left nostril with the right little and ring fingers. You should not use the left hand to close the nostrils. You can keep the left hand on the left knee or in any comfortable way. Close the nostril gently. Do not push the nose too much. 07. Dakshina Vama anuloma pranayama:- Dakshina means right; south. Vama means left; north. In dahskhina anuloma pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the right nostril and exhaling the breath through the right nostril. 10
a) Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Close the left nostril and open the right nostril. Breathe in through the right nostril. When you breathe in, the air should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. Exhale the breath out through the right nostril. When you breathe out, empty the air inside the body completely. This is dakshina anuloma pranayama. b) Close the right nostril and open the left nostril. Breathe in through the left nostril. When you breathe in, the air should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. Exhale the breath out through the left nostril. When you breathe out, empty the air in the body completely. This is vama anuloma pranayama. In vama anuloma pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the left nostril and exhaling the breath through the left nostril. c) Inhale the breath through the right nostril and exhale the breath through the left nostril. When you breathe in, the air should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. When you breathe out, empty the air inside the body completely. This is Dakshina Vama anuloma pranayama. Repeat this pranayama for five rounds. In pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the right nostril and exhaling the breath through the left nostril. d) Inhale the breath through the left nostril and exhale the breath through the right nostril. When you breathe in, the air should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. When you breathe out, empty the air inside the body completely. This is Vama Dakshina anuloma pranayama In pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the left nostril and exhaling the breath through the right nostril. 11
08. Nadi shuddhi:- Nadi is a subtle tube that carries pranic currents. Shuddhi means purification. Yogic texts say that there are 72,000 nadis in the human body. Among them, Ida, Pingala and Sushumna nadis are the most important nadis. In nadi shuddhi pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the left nostril and exhaling the breath through the right nostril. Immediately you will be inhaling the breath through the right nostril and exhaling the breath through the left nostril. Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. Immediately inhale the breath through the left nostril and exhale the breath through the right nostril. When you breathe in, the air should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. When you breathe out, empty the air inside the body completely. The air we take in from the atmosphere is called the gross air. This gross air when enters the body becomes vital air, and this vayu called prana. Further this prana changes in to five major vayus and five minor vayus. Siva Samhita says, Prana lives in the heart with various desires and combined with egoism. Due to different modifications of the prana, this prana gets various names. The five major vayus are prana, apana, udana, samana and vyana. The five minor vayus are naga, kurma, krikara, devadatta and dhananjaya. Prana, apana, udana, samana and vyana are the principal vayus. They belong to the inner body. Naga, kurma, krikara, devadatta and dhananjaya belong to the outer body. Prana moves in the heart. Apana moves in the sphere of the anus. Udana moves in the throat. Samana moves in the navel region and Vyana pervades the whole body. 12
Naga performs the function of the eructation. Naga gives rise to consciousness. Kurma opens the eye lids. Kurma causes the vision. Krikara causes sneezing. Krikara causes hunger and thirst. Devadatta does yawning or gasping. Devadatta produces yawning. Dhananjaya pervades the whole body and does not leave the body even after the death. Dhanjaya produces the sound. 09. Vibhagiya pranayama (sectional breathing):- Vibhaga means section. The body, from the pelvis up to the throat, is divided into three levels a) adhama the low region; b) madhyama the middle and c) uttama high. Each of these three is further grouped into three sections front, side and back. Sit down in sukhasana or in any comfortable posture. Keep the In this pranayama, breathe in and out deeply and feel the movement of the air, which is known as prana vayu in yoga, in the area where you have placed the palm. Feel the circulation of the pranic energy in that area. Sit down in a comfortable asana and do 5 rounds of normal breathing. a) Low front:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the low front region, at the groin region and suggest the mind to breathe in an out in the low front region, that is, in the groin area. Feel the movement of the vital energy in the groin area. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the groin area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the groin area drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the groin are moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. b) Low side:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the low side region on the hip joints and breathe in an out in the low side region. 13
Feel the movement of the vital energy in the area. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the hip joints area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the hip joints area drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the hip joints area moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. c) Low back:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the low back region just at the hip region and breathe in an out in the low back region. Feel the movement of the vital energy in the hip area. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the hip area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the groin area drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the hip area moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. d) Middle front:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the middle front region, that is, in the navel region and breathe in an out in the navel region. Feel the movement of the vital energy in the navel area. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the navel area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the navel area drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the navel area moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. e) Middle side:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the middle side region and breathe in and out in this area. Feel the movement of the vital energy in the low-rib area. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the low-rib area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the groin area drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the low-rib area moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. 14
f) Middle back:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the middle back region and breathe in and out in this area. Feel the movement of the vital energy in the middle back area. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the middle back area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the area drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the middle back area moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. g) High front:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the high front region and breathe in and out in this area. Feel the movement of the vital energy in the chest area, and near the collar- bones. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the groin area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the chest area, and near the collar-bones drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the chest area, and near the collar-bones area moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. h) High side:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the high side region just inside the arm-pit and breathe in and out in this area. When you breath out, draw the stomach as much in as you can. Feel the movement of the vital energy in the arm-pit area. You will notice the chest expanding when you inhale the breath and contracting when you exhale the breath. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the chest area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the arm-pit/chest area drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the arm-pit area moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. 15
i) High back:- Place the palms keeping the thumb and the fingers together, in the high back region, on the shoulder blade region and breathe in and out in this area. Feel the movement of the vital energy in the shoulder blade region area. When you inhale the breath, you fee, the movement of the shoulder blade region area and expanding. When you exhale the breath, the shoulder blade region area drops back; contracts. Breathe in and out gradually. Let the breathing be slow and deep so that the shoulder blade region are moves in and out to a maximum. Do this pranayama for five rounds. 10. Mudras:- The term mudra, usually translated as 'seal', gesture. One that pleases is mudra. It is believed that mudras seal the relationship between the individual and the Absolute. Mudra is a gesture of non-verbal communication. Gestures have a powerful and immediate impact. Mudras are the most popular techniques of the expression of the relationship; the inner feelings and intentions. Sit down in vajrasana or in any comfortable asana and do five rounds of normal breathing. a) Chin mudra:- Chin = cit means consciousness. Keep the tip of the thumb and fore-finger together and the other three fingers straight and pointed. This is chin mudra. Keep this chin mudra at the front of the respective hip joint. Then, breathe in and out for ten rounds in and around the lower abdomen area. b) Chinmaya mudra:- Chinmaya generally means full of consciousness. 16
Keep the tip of the thumb and fore-finger together as in chin mudra and fold the other three fingers in. This is chinmaya mudra. Keep this chinmaya mudra at the front of the respective hip joint. Then, breathe in and out for ten rounds in and around the navel and the abdomen area. c) Adimudra:- adi means the beginning. Keep the tip of the thumb at the root of the ring finger and fold the four fingers to cover the thumb making a fist. This is adimudra. Keep this adimudra at the front of the respective hip joint. Then, breathe in and out for ten rounds in the thoracic area. d) Brahma mudra:- Brahma is the creator. Do adimudra. Then keep the knuckles of the two hands together with adimudra. This is brahma mudra. Keep this brahma mudra close to the navel. Then, breathe in and out for ten rounds from the lower abdomen area up to the thoracic area. The bandhas: Bandha means lock, check. In pranayama, when a bandha is applied the free flow of the air inside the body is checked. The vital force is controlled and stored inside the body in the desired way. If the air is not properly held and allowed to escape easily from the body, the body becomes weak due to loss of the vital energy. There are three bandhas most used in the practice of pranayama. 1) mula bandha; 2) uddiyana bandha and 3) jalandhara bandha. By applying the bandha, the breath becomes motionless. 17
11. Preparing for the bandhas:- Before you start the practice of the bandhas, empty the bowels. a) Inhale the breath slowly and observe the sacral area in your mental eyes. Exhale the breath slowly and relax the sacral area. b) Inhale the breath slowly and observe the rectum muscle area in your mental eyes. Exhale the breath slowly and relax the rectum muscle area. c) Mula bandha :- Mula means root; base. Press the perineum with the heel; contract the anus and pull it while inhaling the breath, drawing the apana, that is, the air in the anus area, up towards the thorax. This is mula bandha. Inhale the breath slowly and apply mula bandha. Exhale the breath and relax the mula bandha. When you apply mula bandha, fix your attention in between the anus and the genital area. Mula bandha checks the flow of the air through the anus. The air in the anus area is called apana. This apana vayu has a down ward movement. Apana vayu is forced to move upwards by contracting and drawing the anus upwards. In the beginning of the practice of mula bandha, the body becomes hot and there may be constipation. Then, one should consume good quality food that cools the body. One should avoid spicy food. 18
d) Uddiyana bandha :- refer HYP Uddiyana bandha is the best among all the bandhas. Uddiyana means flying. Prana is the bird. This prana flies through Sushumna when one applies uddiyana bandha. Inhale the breath slowly expanding the chest. (the thorax should move up) Exhale the breath completely; further expanding the chest and tucking the abdomen. Draw in the muscles above and below the navel area against your back. This is uddiyana bandha. Inhale the breath slowly and apply mula bandha. Exhale the breath and apply uddiyana bandha. e) Jalandhara bandha:- Jala means network. Jalandhara bandha constricts the network of the nadis. Jalandhara bandha arrests the downward flow of the ambrosia from the cavity of the palate. The nectar does not fall into the gastric fire. Inhale the breath slowly and hold the breath. Stretch your neck, contracting the throat and press the chin firmly against the chest. This is jalandhara bandha. Lower the head to apply jalandhara bandha. Raise the head and release jalandhara bandha. Mulabandha should be practiced at the beginning of the inhalation. Jalandhara bandha should be practiced at the close of the inhalation. Uddiyana bandha should be practiced at the end of the retention and before the start of exhalation. 12. Suryaanuloma pranayama:- I method In Suryaanuloma pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the right nostril and exhaling the breath through the left nostril. 19
Surya means sun; right nostril. Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Close the left nostril and open the right nostril. Inhale the breath slowly through the right nostril and apply mulabandha while you inhale the breath. The air you breathe in should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. Maintain mulabandha through out the pranayama. Hold the breath for a few seconds and apply jalandhara bandha. (About five seconds.) Release jalandnahra bandha and exhale the breath slowly through the right nostril applying uddiyana bandha. 13. Chandraanuloma pranayama:- I method Chandra means moon; the left nostril. In Chandraanuloma pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the left nostril and exhaling the breath through the right nostril. Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Close the right nostril and open the left nostril. Inhale slowly through the left nostril and apply mulabandha while you inhale. The air you breathe in should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. Maintain mulabandha through out the pranayama. Hold the breath for a few seconds. (About five seconds.) Release jalandnahra bandha and exhale the breath slowly through the right nostril applying uddiyana bandha. 14. Anuloma viloma pranayama:- I method In Anuloma viloma pranayama, in the first round, you will be inhaling the breath through both the nostril and exhaling the breath through the right nostril. 20
In the second round, you will be inhaling the breath through both the nostril and exhaling the breath through the left nostril. a) Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Inhale slowly through both the nostril and apply mulabandha while you inhale the breath. The air you breathe in should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. Maintain mulabandha through out the pranayama. Hold the breath and apply jalandhara bandha for a few seconds. (About five seconds.) Release jalandhara bandha and exhale the breath slowly through the right nostril applying uddiyana bandha. b) Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Inhale slowly through both the nostril and apply mulabandha while you inhale the breath. The air you breathe in should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. Maintain mulabandha through out the pranayama. Hold the breath and apply jalandhara bandha for a few seconds. (About five seconds.) Release jalandhara bandha and exhale the breath slowly through the left nostril applying uddiyana bandha. 15. Suryabhedana pranayama:- Surya means sun; right nostril. Bhedana means to pierce and enter. In Surya bhedhana pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the right nostril and exhaling the breath through the left nostril. Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Close the left nostril and open the right nostril. 21
Inhale the breath slowly through the right nostril and apply mulabandha while you inhale the breath. The air you breathe in should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body. Maintain mulabandha through out the pranayama. Hold the breath for a few seconds (for about five seconds) applying the jalandhara bandha. Release jalandnahra bandha and exhale the breath slowly through the right nostril applying uddiyana bandha. 16. Chandrabhedana pranayama:- In Chandrabhedana pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the left nostril and exhaling the breath through the right nostril. Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Close the right nostril and open the left nostril. Inhale the breath slowly through the left nostril and apply mulabandha while you inhale the breath. The air you breathe in should reach the muladhara area while filling the entire body with this inhaled air. Maintain mulabandha through out the pranayama. Hold the breath for a few seconds. (About five seconds.) Release jalandnahra bandha and exhale the breath slowly through the right nostril applying uddiyana bandha. 17. Sukah puraka or nadi shodhana pranayama:- In pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the nostril and exhaling the breath through the nostril. Sit down in padmasana or sukhasana or in any comfortable posture. Keep the Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Inhale the breath through the left nostril and apply mulabandha while you inhale. Maintain mulabandha through out the pranayama. Hold the breath for a few seconds applying jalandhara bandha. 22
Release jalandhara bandha and exhale the breath slowly through the right nostril applying uddiyana bandha. Immediately inhale through the right nostril and hold the breath for a few seconds applying jalandhara bandha. Release jalandhara bandha and exhale the breath slowly through the right nostril applying uddiyana bandha. 18. Ujjayi pranayama:- ut means up, top, higher level. Jaya means victory. In ujjayi prarnayama, the lungs expand maximum. The chest becomes broad. In ujjayi pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the nostril and exhaling the breath through the nostril. Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Inhale the breath and apply mulabandha and exhale the breath to apply uddiyana bandha. Maintain both the bandhas through out the pranayama. Inhale the breath slowly through both the nostril and fill the entire thoracic area only. Hold the breath for a few seconds applying jalandhara bandha. Exhale the breath through the left nostril. When you inhale the breath, do not blow the lower abdomen out. Repeat this pranayama for five rounds. Some schools/teachers advocate to exhale the breath through both the nostrils. You can practice in both ways according to your convenience and time. 19. Bhastrika pranayama:- Bhastrika means bellows. Bhastrika pranayama is a combination of kapalabhati pranayama and ujjayi pranayama. Exhale the breath through the left nostril. Inhale and exhale fast and brisk through both the nostrils, as you do in kapalabhathi for 10-23
15 rounds. Then, inhale the breath through both the nostrils and hold the breath applying jalandhara bandha and mulabandha, for a few seconds. After retaining the breath for a few seconds, raise the head to release jalandhara bandha. Exhale the breath through the left nostril, simultaneously applying uddiyana bandha. Now, do normal breathing for 2-3 rounds. This completes one round of bhastrika. Hatha Yoga Pradipika says, Bhastrika raises kundalini quickly. Bhastrika pranayama is purifying, pleasant and beneficial; removes the obstruction caused by the phlegm. 20. Sitkari pranayama:- In pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the mouth and exhaling the breath through the left nostril. Keep the lips slightly apart. Keeping the tongue flat, let the tip of the tongue protrude slightly in between the two rows of the teeth. Now, slowly inhale the breath through the mouth and fill the entire lungs with the air. Draw the air in with a hissing noise. Pull the tongue back and close the mouth. Hold the breath, applying jalandhara bandha and mulabandha, for a few seconds. Release jalandhara bandha and raise the head. Exhale the breath through the left nostril, simultaneously applying uddiyana bandha. Shitkari pranayama improves the vigor of the body; Controls the thirst and hunger; Cools the body. 21. Shitali pranayama:- In pranayama, you will be inhaling the breath through the mouth and exhaling the breath through the left nostril. Stretch the tongue out protruding away from the lips. Fold the tongue like the beak of a crow. 24
Keep the tongue wet; let there be a little saliva on the tongue. Draw the air in through this beaked tongue slowly. When you are inhaling the breath there should be a sound similar to sh. Fill the entire lungs with the air you thus breathe in. Pull the tongue back and close the mouth. Hold the breath applying jalandhara bandha and mulabandha, for a few seconds. Release jalandhara bandha. Raise the head and exhale the breath through the left nostril, simultaneously applying uddiyana bandha. Shitali pranayama cools the system; cures the fever and bilious disorders; relieves the thirst. While you re practicing pranayama, you may sweat. If you rub the body with this sweat gently with your hands the skin glows. After practicing the pranayama, leave a few minutes of gap for the body to come to normal condition. Wait for a few minutes to drink or eat. Revised on DISCLAIMER: This information contained in this document supersedes all similarly published information and is also subject to change at any time. For further inquiries, or to report errors or omissions, please write directly to yogamasterji@gmail.com 25