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How to Do Ocean Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama) in Yoga Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

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  Also Known As: Hissing Breath, Victorious Breath, Darth Vader Breath Targets: Breathing Level: Beginner Ocean Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama) is most often used in support of yoga postures, especially in the vinyasa style. In this breathing technique, you constrict the back of the throat to support lengthening each breath cycle. Each inhalation and exhalation is long, full, deep, and controlled. You can learn this breath while seated in a comfortable cross-legged position. Once you get the hang of it, begin to use it during your yoga practice. Benefits Ocean Breath concentrates and directs the breath, giving asana practice extra power and focus. It increases oxygen consumption. For instance, a clinical study from the Department of Neurophysiology at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Bangalore, India found ujjayi pranayama can increase your oxygen consumption during practice by about 50%.1 Practicing this breathing pattern also calms your body’s flight-or-flight r
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How to Do Cooling Breath or Sitali Pranayama

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  In yoga, we talk a lot about stoking the internal fire (agni) through vigorous movements and directed breathing. But breathwork can also be used for the opposite effect: to calm and cool the body down. Though the exact origins of this technique are unknown, it is popular in  Kundalini yoga  and is regularly makes appearances in other types of yoga classes during the summer months. Sitali is also frequently prescribed in Ayurvedic medicine for people with fiery pitta constitutions.  While any long, slow, deep breathing helps to engage the parasympathetic nervous system and counter the effects of stress, sitali pranayama is particularly effective for cooling and soothing the body. To do sitali breath, you slowly sip air through a rolled tongue (or pursed lips for those who can't roll their tongues thanks to genetics). At the end of a vigorous, sweaty yoga session, it's just the thing to counter all that internal heat and bring your body back into balance.  On a hot day, it'
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How to Do Alternate Nostril Breathing or Nadi Sodhana

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  Alternate nostril breathing may sound foreign to some but once you know how accessible it can be to incorporate this breathing technique into your routine you will reap the benefits of its calming effects. So how can you breathe out of one nostril at a time and why would you want to? By using your fingers to block off one nostril at a time as you breathe through the other, alternating your breath between nostrils in a regular pattern is balancing, relaxing, and calming, making nadi sodhana a very popular pranayama exercise. This method is traditionally thought to balance the two sides of your brain and to clear the nadis, which are energy channels that run along the base of the spine to the crown of the head. Western research is catching up with Eastern science and has confirmed this belief by showing that this breath can reduce blood pressure. If you are a little congested, expect this pranayama to move the mucus out so have some tissues handy. However, if you are too stuffed up to
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How to Do Lion's Breath (Simha Pranayama) in Yoga

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  Lion's breath relieves tension and stress by stretching your entire face, including the jaw and tongue. Lion's breath will feel silly; it will introduce some ease and remind you not to take yoga too seriously. If you are getting overheated, try this breath to blow off some steam. Pranayama is a yogic practice that revolves around different breathing exercises. For all the time we spend stretching every other part of the body in yoga, it's remarkably rare to spend much time on the face, as lion's breath does. Also Known As: Simha pranayama, simhasana Targets: Face, throat, jaw, lungs Equipment Needed: None Level: Beginner Benefits of Lion's Breath All pranayamas help to relieve stress; some help to energize or calm the body. Studies suggest that regular practice of pranayama can actually help to relieve some of the symptoms of asthma, depression, and anxiety.1 You can practice lion's breath first thing in the morning to warm you up and increase your energy. Thi
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Sama Vritti Pranayama for Reducing Stress

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  According to the California College of Ayurveda, "Pranayama, the yogic art of breathing, comes from the Sanskrit root words prana and ayama. Prana means 'life force' and ayama means 'expansion, manifestation, or prolongation.' The practice of pranayama, therefore, is the practice of expanding our own prana so that it harmonizes with the universal prana." There are many forms of pranayama, including single nostril breathing, lion's breath, and breath of fire. Some of these techniques are quite advanced. Sama vritti, however, is a straightforward practice that anyone can learn. It focuses on the idea of "equal" breaths, meaning that inhalation lasts for the same amount of time as exhalation. Why Sama Vritti Is Calming Yoga has been studied from a medical perspective for many years. Studies find that breath-related yoga practices can calm your autonomic nervous system, naturally reducing stress hormones in the body. It also helps focus your mind a
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How to Do Three-Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama) in Yoga Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

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Targets: Breathing, focus Level: Beginner Three-Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama) is one of the most calming, grounding breathing exercises you can do. It really works to help focus your attention on the present moment and get in tune with the sensations of your physical body.1 For these reasons, it's often taught at the beginning of yoga classes as a way to transition students from their workaday lives into the time they have set aside for yoga. If you practice at home, it can work the same way. Do this pranayama when you first get on your mat to shake off your day and prepare yourself for practice. Benefits Deep breathing will help oxygenate your blood, nourishing your entire body. When you are under stress, your breath may be quick and shallow. Intentional breathing as in this practice will help calm you. Greater oxygen flow to the brain will help you become more focused and alert. This technique is taught to relieve stress and even to address panic attacks.2 You can use it throug
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Breathing exercise

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