The Healing Power of Breathwork: Techniques for Calm and Energy
When we enter this world and when we depart the very first and last thing that we do is breathe. Breathing is an essence of life and in between our bodies absorb nearly half a billion breaths. Apart from sustaining life, the body, mind and breath are so intimately connected that they highly influence each other. The way we inhale is influenced by our breathing. Deep breathing practices advocated in advanced yoga training will have a positive impact on both mind and body. Over a few decades, Ayurveda and Yoga will have employed breathing techniques (Pranayama) to balance, maintain and restore mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health. It will result in several physiological benefits that are achieved through the control of respiration.
Benefits of Deep Yoga and Breathing Practice:
Music Relaxation
Enhance energy levels
Stabilized Blood Pressure
Reduced Anxiety, stress and depression
Regulating Your Breath
The simple breathing exercise for calming both the nervous system and overworked mind is a timed way of breathing where the exhalation is longer than the flight inhalation. Also this will reduce the tone of your sympathetic nervous system ( fight or flight response). Since breathing in this way at least five minutes will bring a difference in overall mood. Anyone can perform this exercise.
Pranayama Techniques
Practicing simple deep breathing, ancient yogis have information on different types of rhythmic deep breathing techniques that will have differing effects on the mind and body. Each of these breathing techniques have specific effects on the mind-body continuum. Also keep in mind that learning breathing techniques from a qualified teacher will guide you to practice, how many times and over what period of time. In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika which is one of the oldest texts has said that “All the diseases are eradicated by the proper practice of pranayama and all diseases will arise through improper practice.
The heart, lungs and nerves are usually strong and gain strength with suitable pranayama but weakened with improper practice. By excessive and wrong practice one’s mental quirks and even nervous tics can become exaggerated. Each practice should be treated with caution and respect.
1. Nadi Shodhana or Alternate Nostril Breathing
A yoga practice that will instantly help you to feel better whenever you are feeling agitated and anxious. You can inhale deeply through your left nostril while holding your right thumb. At this culmination, switch nostrils by closing off your left nostril and continuing to exhale smoothly through your right nostril. After exhaling completely you can proceed to inhale through the right nostril again closing it off at the peak of your inhalation. Lift your finger off the left nostril and exhale fully. You can continue alternating your breathing through every nostril. After exhaling completely, you can proceed to inhale through the right nostril again, closing it off at the peak of your inhalation. Lift your finger off the left nostril and exhale fully. Continue alternating your breathing through every nostril and practice it for 3 to 5 minutes. Also make sure that your breathing is effortless and your mind gently focuses on the inflow and outflow of breath.
However, some of the advanced versions include regulated breathing on a particular count for inhalation and exhalation as well as breath retention. The Rajadhiraja system of pranayama is an advanced practice that blends alternate nostril breathing with focus on a particular chakra while repeating a mantra.
2. Ujjayi or Ocean’s Breath
A cooling pranayama will help in soothing and settle your mind when you feel irritated, angry or frustrated. Inhale slightly deeper than normal. Exhale through your nose with closed mouth and constricting your throat muscles. If it is done correctly, then this should sound like waves on the ocean. You can try this practice by exhaling your mouth open and making the sound. You can also try to make similar sounds with a closed mouth and with the outflow of air through the nasal passages. With some practice you can learn to use the same method while inhaling and even though Ujjayi can be practiced once, daily Ujjayi should be prescribed by the instructor. Since it is calming and has a heating effect stimulating the process of oxidation. It is contraindicated with low blood pressure. Different Pranayama techniques have different effects on every individual. However, with regular practice you will begin to breathe more effectively without making conscious effort.
3. Shiitali Kumbhaka or the cooling breath
Fold your tongue lengthwise and inhale deeply though the fold. Close your mouth, hold the breath on a count of eight breaths, sustain for a maximum of eight minutes. As you massage the diseased body. Benefits of this method will include reduced pitta in the regions of head,neck and upper digestive tract. It is contraindicated in bronchitis and asthma.
4. Siitkari Kumbhaka or the hissing breath
This practice has the same basic effects as the shiitali method. You can inhale through the nose, hold your breath for eight seconds and exhale through your mouth, while resting your teeth on the tongue and produce the sound with the tongue like s-s-s. However, reducing pitta benefits includes purification of the senses. The contraindications are the same as for shiitali. The practice of Siitkari and Shiitali should be avoided for the period of one hour before and after the practice of pranayama technique at a time.
5. Brahmari or the humming breath
The inhalation is similar to Ujjayi and during exhalation one has to hum like a bee. The humming results in a resonating vibration in the head and heart. Proceed to take ten deep breaths in the manner and then another ten deep Brahmari breaths while closing both ears in the exhale process. Also, it will help in increasing the resonance effect and resultant benefits. This method will help in balancing vata in circulation or flow. In addition, it can also be practiced together with yoni mudra. It is recommended that by notably enhancing the resonance effect and resultant benefits. In addition, it is also practiced together with yoni mudra. But it should never be practiced while lying on your back and it has to be practiced in the upright position.
6. Bhastrika or the bellows breath
This exercise should be performed by closing the right nostril and inhaling twenty rapid bellows like breaths through the left nostril. You can repeat with twenty more bellows breaths through the right nostril while keeping the left nostril closed. You can proceed to take twenty bellows breaths through both nostrils. Also this method will help in drawing prana which is the life force into the mind and body thus clearing out mental, emotional and physical blocks.
7. Surya Bhedana or the solar breath
Just similar to the Nadi Shodhana, the inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left.You can also repeat this for a minimum of six breaths and a maximum of ten minutes. Also the benefits include heating and warming breaths that will help in balancing vata in the body. It is contraindicated in the case of cardiac disease, epilepsy, hypertension, peptic ulcer and acidity
8. Chandra Bhedana or the lunar breath
Inhale through the left nostril and exhale through the right for a minimum of six breaths and sustain for a maximum of ten minutes.However, this cooling breath process will help in reducing pitta. It should not be practiced by people who suffer from depression, who have mental disturbances, excess mucus and a sluggish digestion.
9. Active Yogic Breathing
You can practice slow, long and deep breaths in and out through the nose as you walk at a moderate pace. You can also try to extend your inhalations and exhalations as you will walk. Keep the count of steps in each full inhale and exhale. Also you can aim to take ten steps or more on each inhale and exhale. Also, you can practice slow, long and deep breaths in and out through the nose as you walk at a moderate pace. You can also try to extend your inhalations and exhalations as you walk. You can keep the count of steps in each full inhale and exhale. You can also aim to take ten steps or more for every inhale and exhale. This method will work in combining the calming effect of breathing with an active lifestyle. This process of thinking and emotions that are both voluntary and involuntary is the act of respiration. Pranayama which is a control of the respiration process. Advanced yogic breathing practices will bring several benefits to the several systems of the body by improving the circulation and thus enhancing the performance of several organs.
Practice long, slow and deep breaths in and out through the nose as you walk at a moderate pace. Try to extend your inhalations and exhalations as you walk. Keep the count of steps during each full inhale and exhale. Aim to take ten steps or more for each inhale and exhale. This method works to combine the calming effect of breathing with an active lifestyle.
The process of thinking and emotions are both voluntary and involuntary as is the act of respiration. Pranayama (control of the vital life force) can be achieved through the control of the respiration process. Advanced yogic breathing practices bring benefits to the various systems of the body, by improving circulation and thus enhancing the performance of the various organs.
Final Thought
Breathwork itself is not just a wellness resource; more than that, it serves as a reminder for us to consider that we have some degree of innate power to change ourselves when it comes to creating balance, peace, and even vitality within ourselves. This conscious breathing allows for decreased activity within the mind as well as reduced levels of stress for us while bringing greater energy and clarity into our daily lives- whether that would be making us relaxed, healed, or more focused, breathing would really give us a sense of taking a pause and readjusting with the present moment. For people rushing from one thing to the next almost all the time, something as simple as mindful breathing really helps make changes for both body and soul.