Ashtanga Yoga Sutra : 4. Pranayama

Prana means life force or the vital energy and Ayama means controll or restrain. Following the next step after Yama , Niyama , Asanas is Pranayama . It can be understood as controling our vital energy. As what we already know that there is sort of process going on in every breath that we inhale and exhale. We breathe in Oxygen which is very important to every cells in our body to live and exhaling Carbondioxide – the substance that we no longer need to which this substance will continue its cycle again becoming Oxygen.

I believe breathing is a simple exercise to longevity. By breathing mindfuly we maintain our inner peace which is the product of our spiritual work. See, inner peace and wellbeing are what seem so crucial for our life. Peace will help us to see things better , clarity and with a greater understanding. In case of problem solving action , a peaceful mind decides best.

A mindful breathing exercise contributes in relieving anxiety and bring up to the surface the unpleasant emotional loads we have tightly stored such as : disappointment , sadness , and anger while we having hard time by not knowing the right way to release without cause harm of others most certainly – ourselves.
Sigh it Out !!

To calm down our anxiety or whenever we feel nervous we tend to make a few deep breaths. And whenever we are in anger , it just feel so much on the inside we breathing faster. Our body makes synchronicity to the emotions and knows its right way to react or response in certain situation that need calm and quiet.

Practise breathing to :
– extend the patience
– feel more relaxed
– release the negativity
– have control

Even tough we could practise our breathing at anytime , the intended practise that have goal and focus set always success to bring greater pleasure for us. Include your Pranayama before or during meditation as well as during the yoga practise .
Synchronize your inhalation when you begin to take a pose – air goes through the lung down to the belly – belly inflate – belly deflate – air returns upward and exhale through the nostrils or mouth – end the pose.

There are several techniques are use to do breathing exercise during meditation , here are what you could try on your own :
– Long and deep breathing – It takes time for the air to reach the belly , and you just kind of observing the air goes down and up . Also observe the sensation along the spine. This breathing good to do if you want to prepare the mind where it won’t easily distracted by the thoughts appear.
– Fast deep breathing – when you feel like to unload the negativity from the core. It makes you look like kicking your belly with the breath. This breathing must do in a short time because it also gives strange sensation on the head which makes you pause to breath normaly .
– Natural breathing – I like to say effortless breathing which allow you to observe what is happening with your mind and body efortlessly. It is more to surrendering what you have.
– In case of cleansing and balancing the left and right air passage you can do this technique . Rest your left palm facing upward on your left knee on cross legged meditation position. With your right palm , index and middle fingers together touching the point of third eye – in between eyebrows. Ring finger is on the side of left nostril . And tumb is on the side of right nostril. You may try to exercise with one either left or right nostril only , then followed by left and right together. Close the right nostril with your tumb while inhaling from the left. Close the left nostril and exhale through the right. For couples of breath until you get used to.

We who like to have strong control in a good way of our mind , health and spirit will likely to give generous portion in exercising the breath. Because breathing mindfuly brings clarity which then allows us to put in a correct order kind of emotion and thoughts we’d like to have or that we’d like to express through our attitude.