Techniques of Pranayama

The concept of Breathing & Pranayama has been already discussed in a separate article. This article is aimed at discussing various techniques of pranayama. Pranayama may be practised in Sukhasana, Ardha Padmasana, Pradmasana or Sidhasana. Brahmamuhurt or Amritavela (3.30 AM to 5.30 AM) is the best time for practicing Pranayama.  Pranayama has different forms such as Ujjayi, Nadi Shodhana, Kapalabhati, Sitali, Bhastrika, Anulom-velom, Udgeeth etc.
   
Basic Ingredients:

1. Sit in comfortable position preferably in meditative asanas.
2. The clothing worn should be light and loose.
3. The place of practice should be clean, quiet and properly ventilated.
4. The best time for practice is early in the morning after asanas and before meditation. One should practise at least half an hour before taking food and four hours after food.
5. Moderation in eating is essential.
6. Awareness on the mechanics of practice is an essential part of pranayama.
7. Practice of yogic breathing should be without any strain.
8. Do not hold the breath for longer than is comfortable.

 
Techniques Pranayama:

1. Nadi Shodhana –

It is the practice whereby pranic pathways are purified and decongested. The free flow of prana brings good health in the physical body. A single inhalation and exhalation are one round of prana shuddhi. There are several stages of Nadi Shodhana which need to be mastered before proceeding to the next. Succeeding stages of nadi shodhana aims to make inhalation, retention and exhalation longer and longer in duration. Maintain awareness of the breathing and counting. The successive stages are as under:

1. Nasagra Mudra (Nose tip position) – Inhalation & exhalation through same nostril. Close the right nostril with thumb. Slowly inhale and exhale through the left nostril. Then close the left nostril and repeat the process through right nostril. Then mentally count the duration of inhalation & exhalation. The ratio of inhalation and exhalation try to be 1:2 respectively.
2. Anulom-Velom – Closing of right nostril with the thumb and inhaling from left nostril, then closing right nostril & exhaling from right nostril, and vice-versa. This helps to balance and harmonize the functioning of the right and left hemispheres of the brain. It has a soothing effect on the nervous system and calms the mind. Master the practice with ratio (Inhalation:Exhalation) - 1:2.
3. When comfortable at stage b, start retention of breath after inhalation for short period by closing both the nostrils. One cycle – inhalation through left nostril, retention, exhalation through right nostril, then inhalation through right nostril, retention of breath, exhalation through left nostril. The exhalation should not be in one gasp but must be controlled, the duration being twice that of inhalation. Retention of breath after inhalation (antar Kumbhaka) helps to eradicate impurities from the body. Kumbhaka allows one to gain some control over the mind. The ratio of duration of one round as follows: Inhalation: inner retention: exhalation: inhalation: inner retention: exhalation – 1:2:2: 1:2:2.
4. After mastering stage c, aim to eventually make the ratio of one round – Inhalation: inner retention: exhalation: inhalation: inner retention: exhalation - 1:4:2: 1:4:2, after mastering move to ratio – 1:6:4: 1:6:4, then to ratio - 1:8:6: 1:8:6.
5. Having mastered the stage d, one should proceed to the next ratio Inhalation (Pooraka) through left nostril: inner retention (antar Kumbhaka): exhalation (Rechaka) through right nostril: Retention externally (Bahir Kumbhaka): inhalation through right nostril: inner retention: exhalation through left nostril: retain externally - 1:8:6:1: 1:8:6:1, after mastering move to ratio - 1:8:6:2: 1:8:6:2.
6. Having mastered the stage e, one should proceed to combine the practice of Jalandhara bandha: Inhalation through left nostril (Pooraka): Jalandhara bandha, inner retention (antar Kumbhaka): exhalation through right nostril (Rechaka): Retention externally (Bahir Kumbhaka): inhalation through right nostril: Jalandhara bandha: inner retention: exhalation through left nostril: retain externally - 1: JB:8:6:2: 1: JB:8:6:2.
7. Practice of jalandhara Bandha in combined with Ashwani Mudra.
8. Uddiyana bandha is done during external breath retention only, combined with jalandhara bandha.
9. If mastered upto above stage, one incorporate maha bandha (all the three – Moolabandha, uddiyana bandha & Jalandhara bandha) during external breath retention only.
10. Samaveta Pranayama – The Sanskrit word Samaveta means ‘together’. It is a practice where one breathes through both the nostrils. Sit comfortably and hold the neck & head upright, movement of chest & abdomen as rhythmical as possible, deeply breathe, wave like motion in chest & abdomen, keep eyes closed, at the end of inhalation hold the breath, exhale as much air as possible and then inhale.
11. Ujjayi Pranayama (Psychic breath) – In this Pranayama, sit comfortably and hold the neck & head upright. Slightly contract the throat which shall also contract abdomen automatically. Breathe slowly and deeply through nose. As the air passes through a narrower air passage in the throat, one hears a continuous hissing or whispering sound in the region of throat and “haa” sound during exhalation. Ujjayi Pranayama applies slight pressure on carotid sinuses situated on each side of the main artery supplying blood to the brain. Carotid sinuses regulated the blood pressure. The pressure on Carotid sinuses during Ujjayi Pranayama causes lowering of blood pressure which relaxes the body & mind. Khechari mudra accentuates this pressure in throat region.  It refreshes brain, calms and stimulates vagus nerve and cranial muscles and enhances lung capacity.
12. Bhramari Pranayama – Bhramari means “bee”. In the practice, close the ears with thumb and the eyes with index & middle fingers and place ring & little fingers near your nostrils and below your lips. Breathe in slowly & deeply; while breathing out make a humming bee sound. The humming bee sound should be smooth and continuous. The exhalation should be slow & controlled and humming sound be for entire duration. Extend the exhalation as long as possible. One should hear the sound vibrating within the head. Bhramri helps to clear and strengthen the respiratory system and improve vocal resonance.
13. Bhastrika Pranayama – The Sanskrit word bhastrika means ‘bellows.’ Air is drawn forcefully and quickly in and out of the lungs. Inhalation and exhalation, both should be equal when it comes to duration. It increases the flow of air into the body, which produces inner heat, both gross and subtle. The heat burns up impurities including mental neuroses. Bhastrika is direct method of self-purification through tapas. Draw air in and out of the nostrils over and over again like blacksmiths bellows. Bhastrika should be practised after asanas and before meditation. One round is stage 1 to 3. One can do 3 to 10 rounds. It should not be done by people who suffers from high BP, any heart ailments, hernia and vertigo.

Stage – 1 - Forceful inhalation is induced by fully expanding the abdominal muscles and forceful exhalation is induced by firmly and quickly contracting the abdominal muscles only. It should be sufficiently fast so that the sniffing sound is heard in the nose as one breath in and out. The whole process of breathing should be rapid and rhythmical. After completing 10 rapid respirations, breathe in deeply through the left nostril; keep the right nostril closed, hold the breath, press the chin against the chest, contract the throat as done in jalandhara bandha, contract the perineum as in mooladhara bandha, hold the breath till comfortable, then raise head, breathe out slowly through left nostril.

Stage – 2 – repeat the whole process as stage 1 through right nostril.

Stage – 3 – Open both nostrils, breathe in and out deeply and rapidly 10 times through both nostrils together, then inhale deeply and slowly through both nostrils, close both nostrils, hold the breath, press the chin against the chest, contract both throat & mooladhara chakra, hold till comfortable, release the breath slowly through both nostrils.

1. Kapalbhati Pranayama (frontal brain bellowing) – In this process, exhalation is active and inhalation is passive. Exhalation is done forcefully with sharp ‘puffing’ sound by drawing abdomen in. It purifies the frontal portion of brain, balances chemicals and fluids, energizes all systems, builds muscle and bone mass, and increases stem cells in bone marrow and

Process – Sit in comfortable asana, hold the back upright, close the eyes, awareness at chidakasha, abdominal muscles to expand passively during inhalation, exhale with forceful contraction of abdominal muscles, repeat number of times till comfortable (60 – 100), then take one deep & slow inhalation, breathe out as much as possible, do maha bandha, end of first round, repeat rounds (3-10). People suffering from high BP, vertigo, hernia and so forth should not practice this pranayama.

1. Sheetali pranayama – In Sanskrit the word Sheetali means cooling or relaxing. Inhalation is done deeply through the mouth allowing the air to pass through the tube of folded tongue and then mouth is closed. Exhalation is done through both nostrils. It reduces heat, cools the brain, eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin, purifies blood and air passages, quenches thirst and appeases hunger. Sheetali pranayama alleviates diseases of the spleen and other large organs of the body, and helps to remove fever, indigestion and bilious problems. It also eradicates all poisons from the body. Process – sit in comfortable meditative asana, hold back & head upright without strain, close the eyes & relax, be aware of breathing, roll the tongue, slowly inhale through the tube-like tongue, breathe in deeply, withdraw the tongue and hold the breath, do jalandhara bandha, after a few seconds release the jalandhara bandha, exhale slowly through the nose, be aware of exhalation, first round complete.
2. Sheetkari pranayama (Hissing breath) – Inhalation produce ‘shee’ sound. Process – sit in comfortable meditative asana, press the lower & upper teeth together and separate the lips as much as possible, hold back & head upright without strain, close the eyes & relax, breathe in slowly & deeply, at the end of inhalation close the mouth, do khechari mudra, hold the breath, do jalandhara bandha, after a few seconds release the jalandhara bandha, release the bandha & raise the head, exhale slowly through the nose, be aware of exhalation, first round complete. Do more rounds. The practice cools the body & mind, soothe away mental tension, useful for alleviating psychosomatic diseases such as high BP. It also purifies blood and improve digestion.
3. Kaki mudra (Crow’s beak) – sit in comfortable asana, place the hands on the lap or on the knees, keep the eyes open throughout, do nasikagra dristi, inhale through mouth shaped like a crow’s beak, at the end close the mouth, exhale through nose, first round complete, repeat. The practice cools the body & mind, soothe away mental tension, useful for alleviating psychosomatic diseases such as high BP. It also purifies blood and improve digestion.
4. Udgeeth - Inhale deeply via your nose as your diaphragm gets full with air and then exhale. While you are exhaling, make the sound of “o” and little less than half-way, make the sound of “m”. Make sure that the sound of “o” is much longer than “m.”
5. Moorchha Pranayama (The fainting pranayama) – It is a very powerful practice to induce pratyahara especially if it is done with extended kumbhaka. People suffering from vertigo, brain haemorrhage, high BP should not do. One should stop the practice when he feels a fainting sensation.
6. Technique 1 – Sit in any comfortable asana, hold spine & head upright, fold tongue in khechari mudra, do shambhavi mudra, inhale deeply & slowly in ujjayi pranayama and simultaneously bend head backward so that the movement of head is synchronized with the inhalation, at the end of inhalation head should not be completely backwards, straighten the arms, lock the elbows & press the knees with the hands, continue khechari mudra, hold kumbhaka till comfortable, fix the awareness on the eyebrow centre, then bend the arms, slowly exhale with ujjayi pranayama as the head face forwards, eyes completely closed, relax, breathe normally, end of first round, repeat.
7. Technique 2 – as technique 1 except instead of head moved backward practise jalandhara bandha – khechari -> Shambhavi->Ujjayi->Jalandhara -> continue khechari & Shambhavi.  
   1. Surya Bheda Pranayama (piercing sun or Pingala nadi) – It is concerned with stimulating and awakening energy within physical and pranic bodies. The awakening of pranic pathway: Pingala nadi. Surya bheda pranayama purifies the frontal part of the brain, remove all kinds of wind problems and eradicate bacteria within the body. It transforms lethargy into dynamism.

Process –

1. Technique 1 - sit comfortably, hold spine & head erect without strain, place the hands on the knees, close the eyes, relax the whole body, raise right hand in front of the face, place the index and middle fingers on forehead, ring finger and thumb on either side of the nose, close the left nostril, inhale slowly & deeply through right nostril, at the end of inhalation close both nostrils, hold the breath till comfortable, exhale through left nostril, do many rounds. 
2. Technique 2 – similar to technique 1 except – during inhalation imagine that the breath is being drawn up from the reservoir of energy in the naval region, it is recharging full body, during retention of breath (Kumbhaka), do jalandhara bandha.
3. Technique 3 - similar to technique 1 except – during retention of breath (Kumbhaka), do jalandhara & mooladhara bandhas.
   1. Ujjayi Pranayama with Aum – the practice calms the nervous system and removes all worries and troubles from the mind. It helps in reducing high BP and heartbeat. Process – the practice can be done in any comfortable posture. However, shavasana is recommended. Be aware of the breath flowing in & out, close the eyes, move the awareness down to the throat, feel the breath in the throat, contract glottis, breathe deeply & softly (it shall produce light sound like snoring), feel the breathing being done through the throat only, mentally chant aum while inhaling & exhaling.
   2. Chaturtha pranayama - It is both a pranayama and a meditative practice. It is combination of breathing, mantra and chakra awareness. It is a very powerful technique. Chaturtha means four, it is fourth pranayama, other three are – inhalation (Pooraka), exhalation (Rechaka), retention (Kumbhaka). This pranayama induces fourth state i.e., turiya, the transcendental state where words and definitions fail to reach, the state of super-consciousness. For chaturtha pranayama, locations of chakras must be known. The ‘O’ sound should be synchronized with inhalation and the ‘m’ sound with exhalation. This practice soothes away tensions in the mind and perception introspective, sharp and one-pointed. It can lead to dhyana. Process – the process has five stages:

Stage 1 – Breathing exercise – sit comfortably, close the eyes, hold back straight, breathe deeply in & out without retention (one round), do as many rounds as possible (at least 20), let the breath become deeper and more subtle. Fix awareness on the rhythmical flow of breath. Proceed to stage 2.
Stage 2 – Synchronization of breathing with Om – continue deep breathing, mentally synchronize the mantra “Om” with the breath. O with inhalation & m with exhalation. Breathe through the nose. Continue this mantra with awareness of breath.  
Stage 3 – Individual chakra awareness – continue stage 2. Simultaneously fix the attention on any one of the chakras, at the eye brow centre (bhrumadhya). Feel that you are breathing in with the mental sound ‘O’ at that centre. Feel that you are breathing out with the mental sound ‘M-M-M-M’ at that centre. Continue in this manner with the awareness of breath, mantra and psychic centre.
Stage 4 – Chakra piercing – fix the attention at sahsrara. With inhalation and the sound ‘O’ feel that all the chakras are being pierced in turn in the following order, starting from sahasrara-ajna-vishuddhi-anahata-manipura-swadhisthana-mooladhara. Feel the breath and ‘O’ sound moving downwards through the spine. Then with exhalation and the sound ‘M-M-M-M’ feel the chakras being pierced in turn from mooladhara upwards to Saharara. Feel the breath and ‘M’ sound moving upwards through the spine. Round one complete. Do as many rounds as possible.
Stage 5 – Subtle Japa – Again chose any one chakra (eyebrow centre). Continue mental repetition of Om synchronized with the breath, but now no need to be aware of breath. Feel the ‘O’ and the ‘M’ sound at the chosen centre. Continue as long as possible. This will lead to deep introspection and relaxation of the mind. This is the end of practice.
Reference: A systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya – by Swami Satyananda Saraswati