Yoga is a practice of physical postures that are native to India and dates back thousands of years. Proper breathing is fundamental to a good yoga practice. Full yogic breath, or pranayama in Sanskrit, is the ability to control the life force so that it fully benefits you. According to Health and Yoga, the practice of pranayama can help soothe the nervous system, calm the mind, and integrate a feeling of balance in your body.
Full Yogic Breath
Find a comfortable spot to lie down and close your eyes. Begin by observing your breath. Notice if any areas feel forced or tight. Relax the body as much as possible and begin to inhale into your abdomen. Allow your belly to expand out with each inhale, and try not to breathe into your chest. Exhale full while you allow your abdomen to fall. Notice the natural rise and fall that your breath has. Extend each inhale as fully as possible as your belly rises, lengthening and deepening with each inhale and exhale. Now focus your attention on your chest. Inhale and exhale the same way but notice your chest rise and fall. Let your rib cage expand full with each inhale and naturally return with each exhale. Now integrate the two forms for the full yogic breathing technique. Inhale allowing the belly to fill and rise, and it then lifts and expands the chest as the top of your inhale. Then exhale, first letting the chest release finishing off with the abdomen collapsing back to the body. Repeat this for 20 times.
Ujjayi Breath
In yoga, ujjayi means "to be victorious." It is also known as ocean breath, as a soft hissing sound is made at the back of the throat. Start by inhaling through your nose, and exhaling out with an open mouth. Make a long "ha" sound with each exhale. Repeat this several times and then close your mouth, directing the breathing to the back of the throat. Continue to make the soft hissing sounds with each round of breath. The Yoga Journal claims that this type of breathing helps to slow the breath down and help focus the mind.
Samavrtti Breath
Samavrtti means "same turning" in yoga. Put simply, it is when each length of inhale matches the length of each exhale. Sit in a comfortable position and allow your breath to become as smooth as possible, so that each inhale and exhale feels like one continuous rhythm. Try taking a pause at the top of each inhale and then allow your body to exhale down. Then try extending the length of each inhale, matching it with the length of each exhale.
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