Pranayam: Controlling Your Life-Force, Prolong Your Life
What is Pranayam?
From a yogic perspective, the breath (prana) is your life force. Yama translates to control. So controlling your breath is the true meaning of pranayam. So why would you want to control your breath? Isn’t it something that we do unconsciously to survive? I’ll answer that question in a bit.
Pranayam is one of the foundational concepts of yoga. It can be traced back to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which were written about 200 BC and were synthesized based on historic information. According to Wikipedia, "the eight limbs of yoga" is Patanjali's classification of classical yoga are defined as yamas (abstinences), niyama (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (absorption).” So pranayam has a very rich history and more importantly a proven track record of supporting vibrant well-being.
In Kundalini Yoga, we even have a mantra about the breath - Pavan, Pavan. The words describe the breath as a great teacher or guru. Observing the breath can give us insights into our state of mind at the moment. Are you taking short, shallow breaths? Do you catch yourself holding your breath when scared? When we breathe consciously, we take long deep breaths. And did you know that there is even a way to breathe to give you energy? Pranayam is not all about slowing down and affecting the parasympathetic nervous system. Lots to learn!
Pranayam is also an important part of the Bhagavad Gita, written around the 2nd century BC. The Bhagavad Gita is one of, if not the, best-known Hindu scripture. It is a beautifully written Sanskrit poem. According to Brittanica, the Gita has always been cherished by many Hindus for its spiritual guidance, but it achieved new prominence in the 19th century when the British in India lauded it as the Hindu equivalent of the New Testament. Pranayam is mentioned in the verses that focus on Pranayam from a devotional perspective to ultimately liberate the mind.
It should come as no surprise, that as shared in the Harvard Business Review, “When we are in a highly stressed state, our prefrontal cortex — the part of our brain responsible for rational thinking — is impaired, so logic seldom helps to regain control. This can make it hard to think straight or be emotionally intelligent with your team. But with breathing techniques, it is possible to gain some mastery over your mind. Research shows that different emotions are associated with different forms of breathing, so changing how we breathe can change how we feel. For example, when you feel joy, your breathing will be regular, deep, and slow. If you feel anxious or angry, your breathing will be irregular, short, fast, and shallow. When you follow breathing patterns associated with different emotions, you’ll actually begin to feel those corresponding emotions and develop the ability of emotional regulation.
Breathwork
Is Pranayam the same as breathwork? You may have heard the term breathwork. It has become a popular and important wellness topic. Pranayam is one of 3 types of breathwork. The other two types are holotropic and rebirthing.
In contrast to Pranayam, holotropic breathwork is a type of hyperventilation that is said to provide an altered state of consciousness used to support healing. Rebirthing is an applied rapid breath that is used to release childhood trauma. They are not techniques that you apply in your daily life. They are recommended to be used by a trained practitioner.
Benefits of Pranayam
The breath can be an amazing, zero-cost tool to support your well-being. Benefits include:
Calms the mind;
Reduces anxiety;
Increases focus
Boosts the immune system;
So how exactly does Pranayam affect your mind? According to MasterClass, the increased intake of oxygen through Pranayama breathing helps purge the body of carbon dioxide, which benefits the brain and nervous system. By giving yourself a calming focus, you can help clear your mind and reduce stress and anxiety, which can improve your cognitive brain function.
Stress is also the #1 cause of illness, so by reducing your stress level, you are supporting your immune system. Also, according to a 2018 study from the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and the Global Brain Health Institute, breathing can regulate levels of noradrenaline—a chemical released when you focus. Your body produces too much when you’re stressed and too little when you’re tired, but just the perfect amount when you slow your breath down and practice calming Pranayama. Researchers found that shallow breathing tends to keep the body in a cycle of stress, which can make you more prone to illness.
Research has also demonstrated that Pranayam can be useful for individuals with cardiovascular disease, including asthma and moderate to severe COPD. The balanced breath was even used to help 9/11 survivors suffering from the painful condition known as ground-glass lungs improve their lung function.
FUN FACT: According to separate studies conducted by Harvard University, the University of Buffalo, and the Congressionally-funded Framingham Study, lung capacity was determined to be the most significant indicator of your life span.
Unless you have been exposed to Pranayama techniques, our default tends to be shallow breathing. I will share a few different techniques and encourage you to explore them for yourself. Each can be applied to support you in different situations. Focusing on your breath not only brings you back to the present moment, but it is also a great way to connect more deeply with ourselves. It forces us to check in and sense our emotional and physical state. We can then apply a particular breathing technique to bring us back to balance and greater ease.
How is Pranayam Done?
There are many pranayam techniques. In Kundalini Yoga, we also combine these breathing techniques with postures, mantras, and/or mudras to target specific meridians. To start, learning a few simple breathing techniques can help you be more balanced in any situation.
Which Type of Pranayam is Best?
There is no one best pranayam. Different pranayama offers different results. So instead of asking yourself which type of pranayam is best, become familiar with what the 3 top breathing exercises can do for you and how to apply them. So when you find yourself out of balance, you can easily apply the pranayam that can best support you at the moment.
BREATHING EXERCISE #1: BALANCED BREATH
Feeling an unbalanced high or low?
As a yogi, I have personally experienced the benefits of pranayam. That said, it is interesting to also learn about the research that has been done that underscores the wellness benefit of controlled breathing. According to James Nestor’s New York Times bestseller Breath, researchers have found that a balanced breath (5-6 second inhale through the nose and the same length exhale through the mouth), builds lung capacity, increases blood flow to the brain, and interestingly coordinates the circulatory and nervous systems to ideal efficiency.
It is so simple, yet so effective. I often apply it when I am driving. It benefits not only me but the other drivers on the road! Sit up nice and tall. Exhale completely with a slight contraction of the abdominals. Then begin your first inhale, counting from 1 to 5 allowing the belly to pooch slightly (a challenge for many of us as we are so self-conscience of our bellies), then sense the expansion of your diaphragm and then your lungs and ribcage all the way up to your collarbones. Shoulders are relaxed. Then simply control the exhale through the mouth as you count down from 5 to 1. A good tip is to sense that the breath is like a wave rolling to the shore. It is a slow and peaceful sensation. It ends with a slight contraction of the abdominal muscles. Take your next breath and continue for 5-10 minutes.
Want to also drop more deeply into your heart? Apply the breath while placing your hands in the center of your chest, one on top of the other.
So regardless of imbalance - lack or excess energy, the balanced breath brings your back to equilibrium. Start with 5 minutes/day and work your way up to 10 minutes/day.
BREATHING EXERCISE #2: BREATH OF FIRE
Need to get your motor started in the morning? Need an afternoon pick-me-up?
Breath of fire engages the navel point or point of chi. Think of your energetic body in terms of a hub and spoke system. The hub is your navel point/third chakra. The spokes radiate throughout your body. When you have a strong hub or engine, you increase your overall vibrancy as energy moves throughout the body. In Kundalini Yoga, we apply the breath with different postures depending on which meridians we want to support. If you have practiced stretch pose, which facilitates the movement of the energy throughout the body or ego eradicator, which focuses on the heart meridians, you are aware of the different effects of applying the same breath but with different postures and mudras.
The easiest way to apply this energizing breath is to start panting like a dog and focus on your navel. Then close your mouth, and focus on exhaling as you experience contraction of the navel. Note that you inhale and exhale through the nose. Apply it at your pace so that you can continue for 3 minutes. This pranayam stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Lucas Rockwood, yogi and TEDxSpeaker calls it your “Coffee breath”. Use it in the morning. Try it at 3 pm when you need a boost of energy.
BREATHING EXERCISE #3: ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING
Need to get your emotions out of your decision-making? Have trouble falling asleep?
Left nostril breathing is associated with the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). It is connected with lowering blood pressure and reducing anxiety. It also shifts blood flow to the right side of the prefrontal cortex, which is critical for decision-making.
Sit up nice and straight. If you are in your office chair, be sure that both feet are planted firmly on the ground. Rest your left hand on your left leg or knee. Exhale completely. Using your right thumb, close your right nostril and inhale long and deeply through your left nostril. Then cover the left nostril with a bent right pointer finger and exhale long and deeply. Continue inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right for 3 minutes. Cooling energy comes in through the left nostril (and warming energy through the right). This technique emphasizes only cooling energy coming into the body. Focusing on your breath also makes you more present. It’s an easy and effective technique to clear the mind and support a good night’s sleep.
Pranayam Testimonials
Curious to know what others experience when applying these breathing techniques? Check out below what people have shared. Try each for yourself and share your experience!
AFTER PRACTICING BALANCED BREATH:
“My anxiety instantly went away.”
AFTER PRACTICING BREATH OF FIRE:
“This really helped me to express my anger instead of yelling at someone.”
AFTER PRACTICING ALTERNATIVE NOSTRIL BREATHING:
“I’ve been dealing with anxiety for as long as I can remember. This works soooo well for me because it requires more concentration. I feel so calm and relaxed.”
Pranayam as a Teambuilding Activity
How much healthier and more productive would your team be if they were comfortable applying pranayam regularly? We know that stress is the #1 cause of illness and absenteeism. Teaching your employees how to apply simple and effective pranayam techniques for a different life and work situations is a smart investment to support vibrant well-being. We know the demands on our ability to focus and be productive are always increasing. Invest in your employees’ ability to be more mindful and focused. Consider including a pranayam session in your next wellness or team-building event. It can be customized to meet support your organizational goals and can be easily supported with regular virtual and/or in-person classes.
If you are interested in learning how to apply pranayam,
let’s connect on a complimentary consultation to discuss private or corporate classes!