The apply of pranayama or ‘breathwork’ because it’s additionally identified, is an integral a part of yoga, and one thing that has really existed far longer than the bodily postures. Decide up a duplicate of the Hatha Yoga Pradipikaor Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha and also you’ll discover there’s much more consideration given to the specifics of respiratory and motion of prana than there’s in most trendy yoga books or lessons. The rationale? Prana means ‘life power’, simply as qi does within the Conventional Chinese language Medication context. The first yoga practices had been involved primarily with this move of vitality above all else. Every little thing we do from transferring to consuming, sleeping, socialising, and finding out has an impact upon our life power. And relating to respiratory, it’s a robust option to work with prana.
While the UK Summer time could be a little unpredictable, it’s seemingly we’ll all expertise a bout of steamy scorching and humid days wherever you occur to stay. From an ayurvedic perspective, the summer time season holds the qualities of warmth, moisture, depth, transformation and keenness – all qualities of the Pitta dosha. This implies we’re all a bit extra more likely to really feel scorching and bothered, intensely pushed and centered, and customarily a bit extra fiery than typical. Utilising these particular pranayama practices not solely retains the physique bodily cool and balanced throughout scorching climate, nevertheless it additionally cools and calms the thoughts. Whether or not you’re working or on trip, indoors or out, these three practices are easy to make use of while you want them.
1. Sitali breath
Sitali means ‘cooling’ or ‘soothing’, and is a technique which will look a bit unusual, however is extremely efficient. Very like animals do, this pranayama approach works by passing the breath over the tongue and cooling the physique from the within.
To practise: Curl the tongue and inhale the breath as if you had been sucking air by a straw, maintain for a second then exhale slowly by the nostril. Proceed for a few minutes then drink a glass of cool water to reinforce the soothing results. In case you’re not in a position to curl your tongue, merely stick it out and really feel the breath passing over the tongue as you inhale.
2. Chandra Bhedana
This ‘moon piercing’ or ‘moon activating’ breath works on the refined vitality channel of ida, the female nadi to the left of the backbone. Chandra Bhedana is very soothing for the nervous system, and is nice to practise within the night earlier than mattress, or in the event you’re feeling pissed off or irritable.
To practise: Shut off the correct nostril and breathe out and in slowly by the left nostril for 3 minutes. To reinforce the apply, visualise a silver crescent moon reflecting over cool water.
3. Pranayama With Visualisation
Including visualisation to your breathwork practices is a worthwhile option to domesticate a relaxed and quiet but centered and artistic thoughts. If in case you have difficultly meditating, this will also be an efficient option to get began.
To practise: Lie in your again comfortably and breathe slowly out and in by the nostril. As you inhale, really feel a cool white gentle travelling up the physique from the ft to the highest of the top. As you exhale, really feel the cool white gentle journey again down the physique. With every spherical of respiratory, think about the sensation of the cool white gentle calming, soothing and cooling your physique and thoughts increasingly more. Apply for 3-5 minutes and finish with the exhale returning to the ft to floor your self.
