Pranayama Explained + 5 Techniques to Get You Started

Pranayama is the art of conscious, controlled breathing—it is controlling your breath to alter your current state. When you slow your breath, you slow your thoughts, balance your emotions and settle the mind.

by Dawn Yager

How does pranayama affect our body and emotions? Pranayama has a wonderful affect on our autonomic nervous system which controls our heartbeat, respiration, digestion and more. The autonomic nervous system contains two parts: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). These systems are responsible for our flight-or-fight response as well as our resting response. Pranayama helps keep these systems balanced.

How do we begin a pranayama practice? Each day, commit to at least a few minutes of a pranayama practice. Start small and stay positive. Pranayama teaches you to become present and aware of what is going on mentally and emotionally.

When you feel your emotions are out of check, remind yourself to stop and breathe. Nothing too technical at first – just learn to notice what is happening in your body and how your breath can help.

Notice your current breathing patterns. A great way to begin a pranayama practice is to examine your current breathing habits. Do you breathe through your nose or your mouth? When you inhale, do you fill up your chest or your belly? When you exhale, do you relax or remain tense? Once you have spent some time exploring your patterns, you will know what needs attention:

If you discover you breathe through your mouth, try to switch to nostril breathing. It will help calm your body and regulate oxygen flow.

If you find you breathe into your chest, try to focus on deep belly breathing. Breathing only into the chest is called ‘upside down breathing’ and can actually create or increase anxiety.

When you exhale, be more aware of your body’s response. Give your body the opportunity to let go of tension through the breath.

Practice positive breathing An easy pranayama technique with big results is called ‘positive breathing,’ and I practice this daily. Just a few minutes of positive breathing a day can completely change your outlook.

Our thoughts greatly impact our attitude and viewpoints, so setting aside just a few minutes to invite positivity into your life will greatly change your entire perspective.

Let’s try it

— Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed and take a few slow, deep breaths

— Using your right hand, find the Vishnu Mudra by curling down the pointer and middle fingers, keeping the ring, thumb and pinky fingers extended

— Place your ring finger on your left nostril and gently close it

— Begin to breathe out of only your right nostril for a count of four

— Make sure the inhales and exhales are the same length

— Try this technique for 3- 5 minutes, slowly working your way up to 20 minutes over time

— A great addition to this practice is to think of something positive on each inhale (a word, a person, an event, etc.)

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Dawn Yager, affectionately known as Swami (ordained in 2012 in the Kriya yoga lineage), has been teaching for over 16 years. Dawn teaches at her own studio in Myrtle beach while traveling the east coast to teach workshops. She also helps to run a domestic abuse shelter for women and children in
the suburbs of Detroit.  Learn more about her at dawnyageryoga.com