The world has become competitive in every industry. You are always hustling to be at the top or be better than your co-workers.
With such intense competition, pranayam is a small light that provides calmness or peace of mind—a chance to forget worldliness and be with yourself.
In Sanskrit “prana” means life force and “ayama” means extending or stretching.
Breathing is the natural function of every living being, including plants or trees. But for us, breathing is more than just being alive.
Sometimes, you don’t realize you have taken so many breaths in one go. That’s not normal, you know.
It actually signifies that you are really stressed or anxious, and that’s why many people opt for yoga not just for asanas, but to feel relaxed.
If you are new to pranayama, here are different kinds of pranayama and the directions to perform the exercise.
Tony Briggs, a yoga teacher says, “Pranayama is meant to nurture a high level of bodily health and mental clarity, both of which are crucial steps on the path to self-knowledge and a wholesome, authentic life”.
5 Types of Pranayama You Must Start Doing
1. Ujjayi Pranayama
This type of pranayama is also called “victorious breath”. This is practiced by gently narrowing the opening of the throat to the passage of air. Pull the breath in by inhalation and gently breathe out against this resistance creating a soothing sound like that of the ocean waves. Do this practice 10-12 times a day.
2. Anulom-vilom Pranayama
This is the most common pranayama practice in yoga that one comes across even as a beginner. This helps normalize blood pressure, aids heart disease and purifies blood. For 2-5 minutes, close your eyes and sit in padmasana. Begin with your right thumb to close the right side of the nostril and inhale slowly through the left nostril. Breath in as much as you can to fill up your lungs. Hold for a minute and breath out from your right nostril. Repeat it from your left side of the nostril.
3. Bhramari Pranayama
This type of pranayama is also called as the bee breath and is named after the indian black bee, ‘Bhramari’. This is one of the pranayamas that you can do even at work for instant de-stressing. All you have to do is, find a quite spot and sit straight. With a smile on your face, close your eyes and observe your body. Place the thumb on the cartilage between cheeks and ears, and close the eyes with the rest of the fingers. Take a deep breath and breath out making a sound of the bee. Continue this couple of times. This pranayama help reduce anger, anxiety and hypertension. This also helps reduce migrains and builds confidence.
4. Bhastrika Pranayama
This is the forceful breathing exercise that clears up your respiratory system and sounds like the flame burning below the furnace. This helps cleansing kriya that clears nadi, nostrils, and sinuses. Whenever you feel dull or lifeless, try this exercise to energies your body instead of reaching to coffee. Choose a quite spot, sit in lotus position with the back straight. Take deep breath filling up your lungs. Breathe out in the same manner. Next step, begin to exhale quickly through the nose forcefully and remember your breath should come from the diaphragm making your stomach go in and out.
5. Kapalbathi Pranayama
This is the skull shining breathing technique, I’m sure you must have seen Baba Ramdev do this on multiple occasions. By performing this exercise for 2- 5minutes everyday, you can reduce belly fat, balance sugar levels, improve functioning of abdominal organs. This pranayama is a shat kriya that flushes out toxic air from the body. By sitting in sukasana and placing your palms on your knees, focus on your belly region. Inhale deeply through your nose, filling up your lungs. Pull in your stomach towards the spine, place your hand on the stomach and feel the muscles contracting. As you relax, exhale in short and quick burst. There will be a hissing sound and automatic inhalation.
By choosing any of these pranayamas, you can increase comfort, relaxation, pleasantness, vigor and alertness by reducing anxiety, depression, anger and confusion. When you practice pranayama, you will notice physical changes like your energy levels, temperature of the body or even the emotional state of your mind.
