Just as its name suggests, Pranayama, or deep yogic breathing, is a life and energy-giving source. Doing the Pranayama regularly can cure almost every physical ailment.
We all know that deep breathing is beneficial. However, deep breathing
doesn't just mean a deep inhalation, but it also means a complete
exhalation. Remember to give equal importance to exhaling, and make
sure all the breath is completely expelled from your body, because only then will your body be able to accept the fresh air drawn in.
These exercises should not be done immediately after meals. Wait at least three hours after a meal. The best time to do Pranayama is early in the morning, before breakfast.
Be sure you keep your spine straight all the time, or the Pranayama will not be as beneficial.
Take a deep breath, and as you inhale, expand your stomach as far as is comfortable. (The natural response may be to pull in the stomach while inhaling.) Feel the breath enter your abdomen.
Pull in your stomach while exhaling, expelling all the breath from deep within.
Breathe silently with your nose, not your mouth.
Don't overdo it. Take around 15 breaths in this manner.
During regular breathing we tend to exercise only the upper part of our lungs. During abdominal breathing
however, the larger, lower part of the lungs expand leading to greater
air intake and, consequently, greater oxygen intake. Circulation is
enhanced and the abdominal organs get massaged.
After you have completed 15 breaths, go on to the next exercise.
Ribcage breathing
In this exercise you will attempt to feel your rib cage expand with each breath.
Place your hands a little above your waist, on your ribs, with four of your fingers resting on your ribcage facing the fingers of the
opposite hand, and the thumb, resting on the sides.
Contract your stomach muscles, so the air does not escape into the stomach. As you develop more practice you will not need to contract your stomach muscles, but it makes sense to contract them in the initial stages.
Inhale and feel your rib cage expand to the sides and to the front. Exhale, and feel the cage collapse. Do this exercise 15 times, and
try and breathe silently through the exercise. Although you should concentrate on your breathing, you should not hear yourself
breathe.
High breathing
This breathing technique involves the raising of the collarbones.
Place the fingers of each hand on the corresponding shoulder.
Keep your stomach muscles immobilized or contracted, as you did in the previous exercise.
Now, take a breath, attempting to raise your collarbones slightly. Do not raise your shoulders, although you may move them slightly backwards with each inhalation.
This form of breathing essentially comes naturally to most people,
and is a shallow form of breathing. On a daily basis, attempt to
breathe more deeply. This form of breathing however is good when
incorporated in pranayam.
As the final exercise, attempt to combine all forms of
breathing in one breath. First, expand your stomach, then ribs, and
then, finally, raise your collarbones. Your body
is now full of air. Exhale, first collapsing the collarbones, then the
ribcage and finally, contracting your stomach. Do this exercise 15
times.
Name:
shree
Country: India
can u please suggest me the asanas that are helpful to cure uterus problems.
Name:
rohit
Country: India
no it is not adviced to do pranayama during pregnency
Name:
new mom
Country: usa
r these exercises safe during pregnancy
Name:
lekha
Country: india
are these exercises safe during pregnancy
Name:
Kaveri
Country: India
are all the three exercises part of pranayama?
Name:
keshav
Country: India
pranayama, though seemingly simple breathing techniques, actually involves very potent exercises that should only be learnt under accomplished teachers.
doing them wrong can be more hazardous than many people like to think.
Name:
neeraja
Country: India
if there are images explaining each step it would be much useful and more practical!!!
