Pranayama

Pranayama

Your nose is intended for breathing - your mouth is intended for eating. Your nose acts as an important filter for the breath that is entering the body. All basic breathing practice should be done with your mouth closed unless otherwise instructed. Keep your teeth un-clenched, your lips un-pursed, and your jaw relaxed. As you practice, you may discover that you become dry in the throat or that your face is getting tired. Relax your jaw and allow the mouth to open a bit. Continue practicing - inhale always through your nose, and exhale through your mouth until you feel less tired. Then close your mouth and continue.

Buddhist/Post-Birth Breathing

Sit in a chair with your feet on the floor or lie on your back on the floor (not in bed)
Place one hand on your abdomen
As you breathe in, gently push outward with your abdomen so that your hand moves away from you
As you breathe out, contract your abdomen inward, pushing the exhale out from deep within your body
As you get used to the body's motion working with the breath, release your hand from your abdomen and continue

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Ujjayi Breathing

Ujjayi breath (pronounced "oo-jai") is often called the "whisper" or the "ocean" breath. We breathe in long, slow breaths and contract the back of the throat.

To help you become comfortable with Ujjayi, practice this technique:

Place your palm facing your open lips, as if you were holding a mirror there
Exhale through your mouth, as if you are trying to fog the mirror
Inhale through your mouth, as if you are trying to remove the fog
Don't force the breath! Just breath easily, feeling what is going on in your throat.
Listen to the sounds in the back of your throat. They sound something like what you hear when you place a conch shell against your ear, or like the sound of a whisper. This is why Ujjayi has these nicknames!
Breathe 10 breaths this way.
Close your mouth and continue.
This is Ujjayi.

It's nice to take a very brief pause between the inhalation and the exhalation. It provides a sense of centering and focus.

Whatever your pace, allow the breaths to be smooth and even, without force or tension.

Notice subtle physical reactions. For example, you may frown while you are initially practicing, because you are thinking about what you are doing. Don't judge yourself! Enjoy this breathing.

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