Ujjayi Pranayama.....

Also known as: Hissing Breath, Victorious Breath

Benefits: Concentrates and directs the breath, giving asana practice extra power and focus.

This pranayama is most often used in association with the practice of yoga poses, especially in the vinyasa style. Vinyasa yoga is breath-synchronized movement, and the breath used is Ujjayi breath. Learn this breath while seated in a comfortable cross-legged position. Once you feel confident, begin to use it during asana practice.

1. Inhale and exhale deeply through the mouth.

2. On the exhales, begin to tone the back of the throat, slightly constricting the passage of air. Imagine that you are fogging up a pair of glasses.

3. Once you are comfortable with the exhale, begin to apply the same toning of the throat to the inhales. This is where the name of the breath comes from: it sounds like the ocean. (It also sounds like Darth Vadar.)

4. When you are able to control the throat on both the inhale and the exhale, close the mouth and begin breathing through the nose. Continue applying the same toning to the throat that you did when the mouth was open. The breath will still make a loud noise coming in and out of the nose. This is Ujjayi breath.

5. Now start to use this breath during your practice. If the teacher tells you to move on an inhale, make it an Ujjayi inhale. If you need a little something extra while holding a pose, remember this breath.

Another way to think about Ujjayi Breath is to visualize your throat as a garden hose, with the breath passing through like a trickle of water. If you put your thumb partially over the opening of the hose, you increase the power of the water that is coming through. This is the same thing you are doing with your throat during Ujjayi breathing. The air that comes in through your constricted throat is a powerful, directed breath that you can send into the parts of your body that need it during yoga.

ANULOM VILOM --- PRANAYAM - II

Yoga - Anuloma Viloma

What is Anuloma Viloma?

Anuloma Viloma is a breathing technique. In Sanskrit Anuloma means with the natural order and Viloma means going against. Thus it is called Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. In this Breathing Technique, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, and exhale through the other nostril. A healthy person breathes mainly through the left nostril that is the path of the ida nadi, and then through the right nostril, the path of the Pingala nadi. If you are really healthy, you will breathe through the Ida nostril about one hour and fifty minutes, then through the Pingala nostril.

But in many people, this natural rhythm is disturbed. Anuloma Viloma balances the rhythm of breathing and restores, equalizes flow of Prana in the body.

What is the technique of Anuloma Viloma?

There are six steps that form one round of Anuloma Viloma. First raise your right hand, curling your forefinger and middle finger into your palm, leaving thumb, fourth finger, and little finger extended. 1. Place your thumb on the right side of your nose and apply gentle pressure just under the bone, where the fleshy part of the nose begins. Inhale through the left nostril, to the count of four. 2. Hold the breath by closing both the nostrils, to the count of sixteen.

3.Then exhale through the right nostril, closing the left with the ring and little fingers, to the count of eight. 4. Inhale through the right nostril, keeping the left nostril closed with the ring and little fingers, to the count of four. 5. Hold the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen. 6. Exhale through the left nostril, keeping the right closed with the thumb, to the count of eight. Initially practice three rounds and gradually reach upto twenty rounds.

What are the benefits of practicing Anuloma Viloma?

Anuloma Viloma helps to balance and harmonize the functioning of the right and left hemispheres of the brain and ensures optimum creativity and optimum logical verbal activity. It is the best technique to soothe the nervous system and calms the mind. It encourages the removal of state air and toxins as the exhalations are longer than inhalation in this technique. (aRTICLE bASED oN http://www.india-shopping.net/Yoga/anuloma-viloma.htm....)

1. kAPAL bHATI pRANAYAMA.

Kapalbhati Pranayama is a type of breathing exercise that helps you rid of various ailments over a period of time.

"Kapal" means forehead and "bhati" means shining. Eventually, Kapabhati should bring about a glow on the face of the practitioner.

Kapalabhati is done in a sitting posture. Focus on "exhaling". Inhale as normal.

Exhale and simultaneously contract the abdomen muscles with each exhalation. Keep exhaling without consciously inhaling all the time. Exhale as long as you can.

Practice Kapalbhati pranayama for about 5 minutes. You can gradually increase this to a maximum of 10 minutes. You may take short breaks when you start out on this yogic breathing exercise.

Kapalabhati helps control obesity, diabetes, kidney and prostate diseases, heart, brain and lung problems and many other diseases.

Benefits: cleansing, invigorating, warming, prevents illness and allergies

This breath consists of rapid, forced exhales followed by passive inhales. It is best done at the beginning of a yoga session. In Kundalini practice, Kapalabhati breath is sometimes done while holding poses.

1. Come to sit in a comfortable crosslegged position.

2. Take two or three deep inhales and exhales through the nose to prepare.

3. Inhale to a comfortable level, and then exhale sharply and forcefully through the nose, drawing the belly in as you exhale.

4. Let the inhale happen passively, and continue this cycle of forceful exhales and passive inhales at a fast pace, so that the belly is pumping continuously.

5. Do three rounds of thirty breaths each, coming back to deep inhales and exhales between each round.

6. Come back to normal breathing if you feel lightheaded at any time.

Pranayama........ Be Healthy Be Happy....

The Art of Pranayama

Pranayama is both the science and art of purifying the nadis in the Pranamaya Kosha. Through regulated breathing i.e. altering the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation, it is possible to control the prana, vital force in the body. Pranayama is the process by which such conscious control is achieved through synchronized breathing. Purifying the channels along which the life stream of ‘prana’ flows, helps prevent and even cure a variety of physical and mental ailments. In the process, it also increases one’s overall immunity and resistance to disease.

The best position to be assumed for these practices is sukhasana or the easy pose it also happens to be the most comfortable. The critical thing to bear in mind, however, is posture. The back, neck and head should be kept erect, i.e. in a straight line. And yet, the body should not be stiff. It should be in its natural relaxed condition. You can prepare for this by practicing shavasan, the corpse pose, for a few minutes. To prepare for pranayama it is first better to breathe relaxed in the abovementioned ratio. Do this a few rounds, for a few days. The next step is to learn the knack of full yogic breathing. This is also called Dirga Pranayama the three part breath. Known as the "complete" or "three-part" breath, Dirga Pranayama teaches you how to fill the three regions of the body with Oxygen.

• The first is the belly (on top of or just below the navel),

• The second is the chest (the thorax or rib cage), and

• The third is the clavicular region (or upper chest, near the sternum).

Technique

1. Sit in sukhasana or any other comfortable position with back, spine, and neck erect. Alternately you may even lie down on your back. Start by taking slow, long, and deep nasal breaths.

2. As you inhale, let your abdomen fill with air. As you exhale, let your belly deflate like a balloon. Repeat the exercise a few times, keeping your breath smooth and relaxed. Never strain.

3. Breathe into your belly as in Step 2, but also inflate your thoracic region by letting your rib cage open up. Exhale and repeat the exercise a few times.

4. Follow steps 2 and 3 and continue inhaling by opening the clavicle region or upper chest. Exhale and repeat the exercise a few times.

5. Combine all three steps into one continuous or complete flow.

Once you have got a good feel for this style of breathing, start practicing without the aid of your hands. Finally, relax and breathe in the three positions quietly feeling the waves of breath move in and out, up and down the body.

Benefits:

The practice of Dirga Pranayama inculcates correct diaphragmatic breathing, relaxes the mind and body, optimally oxygenates the blood and cleanses the lungs of residual toxins.

For all Pranayama the right fingers and thumb should be used to control the right and left nostrils, unless one is otherwise naturally left-handed. A ratio of two to one is generally maintained, that is, the inhalation time should be half that of exhalation. For example, if inhalation takes 5 seconds, exhalation should take 10 seconds. Breathing should be slow and steady, in and out of the nose, unless otherwise advised.

Please Note: Not all Pranamayas can or should be mastered in a day or week or month. The process may and should take a few months. Even after that, it is not necessary to do all 8 Pranamayas daily. The daily mandatory Pranamayas are Kapalabhati and Anuloma Viloma. The rest may be done at one’s own convenience

The 8 Pranamayas are:

1. Kapalabhati

2. Anuloma Viloma

3. Ujjayi

4. Bhastrika

5. Shitali

6. Sitkari

7. Suryabhedana

8. Bhramari

Take into consideration your own time and convenience but see that all 8 Pranayamas are covered in a week. The same goes for asanas.

But remember, even though Kapalabhati is not a Pranayama, yet it is a vital part of the program. As the name suggests, it is a cleansing technique in preparation for Pranayama and should be done everyday, without fail. For complete, step by step details of how it should be done, kindly refer our section – Cleansing Techniques.

For optimum benefits, yoga practices should be coupled with a balanced diet, Naturopathy, Ayurveda and Aromatherapy.

MAYURASANA.....

Holding the ground with both the palms, supporting the (corresponding) sides of the navel by both the elbows and raising oneself like a horizontal stick, in the air, this is called Mayurasana.

Note:-'Mayur' means Peacock in Sanskrit. One has to hold his whole body like a stick on both his elbows, as shown in the picture. We assume the shape of a Peacock hence it is called Mayurasana.

Technique :-

1. Sit on both your upper scales. Knees should be plitced on the ground.
   
   
2. Stretch out fingers of your hands and place the palms on the ground, fingers will remain stretched pointing backward.
   
   
3. Place elbows gently on either side of the navel.
   
   
4. Slowly stretching both legs together, come little forward very cautiously, and then raise the upper part of the body.
   
   
5. If the upper part of the body is raised up, then straighten your legs also like a stick (horizontal) an keep straight your chest, neck and head also.
   
   
6. Maintain it for sometime then return to the origin position, slowly fold your legs and place the knees on the gorund.
   
   
7. Now raising your hands from the ground sit on the soles.

Remember :-

1. This is a very important balancing pose.
   
   
2. Full weight of your body remains on navel and it is possible to lose the balance at any moment, hence practise it with care.
   
   
3. Jerk should be avoided at any stage.
   
   
4. If during practice you feel like coughing or sneezing then return and start practising again.
   

Benefits and Limitations :-

1. This Asana is a very good measure against visceroptosis and dyspepsia.
   
   
2. It is useful in diabetes also.
   
   
3. Those suffering from cervical spondilitis should not practise it.

Dhanurasana

Other Names
Bow Posture, Bow pose, Dhanur Asana, Bowposture

Description
This asana actually looks a lot like an archer’s bow when you are in full pose. This is a pose best done after a little warm-up with other poses. It may be difficult for beginners. Bhujangasana, or cobra pose, is a nice pose to start building up the strength required in bow posture.

How to reach the stretch
Lie down on your stomach.
Bend your knees and hold the ankles.
Inhale and pull your hands and push with your legs, knees together, till the trunk forms an arc shape with only the stomach on the ground.
Look up and remain in the position for a while.

How to release the stretch
Retain breath and then exhale and lie flat.
After releasing, lie in shavasan for a while.

Benefits
It reduces abdominal fat.
The compressing of the spinal column, pressing the nerves with the scapulae (The winged bones at the back attached to the arms) minimizes blood circulation while in the asan.
When the pose is released a greater supply of blood is endured to those very regions increasing spinal flexibility and definitely raising the vitality.
Good for gastrointestinal, constipation, upset stomach, sluggish liver.

Caution

Not for persons suffering from peptic ulcer, hernia, or cases of thyroid or endocrine gland disorders.
Do not try to stay in position if you are feeling too much pain.

sirshasana.....

STEP 1: Stand on your knees on your Yoga Mat. Twine your hands together and keep some distance between the hand palms as if you are holding a tennis ball in the basin of both hands.
	STEP 2: The shoulders will form the basis of the Head Stand. Try to let your upper arms "interlock" with the shoulder blades so that they support the shoulders. Let your upper back sink down and stretch your neck out from the crown. Raise your knees.
	STEP 3: Support yourself on your lower arms and walk inwards until you have your back straight.
	STEP 4: Step in with one leg and bring your crown to the floor and jump up one leg at a time. Push your wrists against the floor. There is hardly any weight on your elbows and as much weight as possible on your crown.
	STEP 5: Stand perpendicular on your head and try to place your hips, chest and your legs in such a way that your upper back does not form a bump and your neck does not get sunken. Also, see to it that you do not let the center of gravity fall in your lower back instead of your upper back with the result that you clench the muscles of your lower back.
	STEP 6: Focus on a point in front of you. Breathe in and out quietly and try to get completely still and experience the exercise in a meditative way.

Without the correct way of jumping up, it is practically impossible to stand in the Headstand in the right way. Likewise, when you jump up correctly, you will get the most out of this exercise. The neck is sensitive and when you are aligned incorrectly in the Headstand, you can easily get injured. Build up this exercise quietly and, if possible, practice the exercise a few times under the supervision of an experienced Yoga teacher. A safe alternative for this pose is standing on your head on a special Yoga Head Stand stool.