"Life is breath, and breath is life... Proper flow of breath gets interrupted through the different traumas and negative emotions that do not suit our spirit."
Have you ever thought that the first thing we do in order to survive when we come into this world is to breathe? Without breathing we cannot survive. Life is breath, and breath is life. If you have ever seen babies sleep, they breathe perfectly and sleep in pure bliss and peace. So how is it that our breath gets corrupted, and when we encounter hardships and stress, it seems as if we are lacking oxygen, and breathing sometimes becomes difficult? Many people suffer from respiratory problems, hyperventilation, or anxiety attacks when they encounter stress.
So how is it that our breath gets corrupted and can’t flow properly when these stressful circumstances occur? Proper flow of breath gets interrupted through the different traumas and negative emotions that do not suit our spirit. The trauma becomes an imprint on our being and creates a layer in our spirit and body. If the trauma is not resolved, it stays with the person, and multiple layers of different traumas can start to accumulate. Have you ever paid attention every time you cry, get angry, scared, or have fear? Your breathing changes, and new breathing patterns develop in the body. Improper breathing affects our bodily functions. In Ayurveda, there are different routines or dinachariyas. These routines keep the doshas in balance. One of these practices for the daily routine is pranayama, or breath work.
"Pranayama helps regulate the breath, controls the breath, and releases the breath."
In Pranayama, prana means life force, and ayama means to extend. Pranayama helps regulate the breath, controls the breath, and releases the breath. This technique consists of four steps: Inhalation, mindful pause at inhalation, release, and mindful pause after exhalation. There are different types of pranayama, and each one addresses different areas such as calming of the mind, energizing the body, improving circulation, reducing anger, reducing anxiety, and balancing the three doshas: vata, pitta and kapha. Following are the benefits of Pranayama:
Brings awareness
Calms the mind
Relieves stress and anxiety
Enhances circulation
Improves cardiovascular system
Improves mood
Clears skin
Regenerates the body
Strengthens the lungs
Removes toxins
Provides clarity of mind
Improves digestion
Cleanses the blood
Balances hormones
"Nadi Shodhana can calm the mind and help balance digestion; it is beneficial for any person of any age."
Pranayama is an amazing practice that can balance your body, mind and spirit. One type of pranayama breathing is called aulom vilom. Also known as nadi shodhana, this type of breathing consists of interchanging of the breath by breathing first with one nostril and then the other. This technique balances the masculine (right side) and feminine (left side) of the brain. Nadi Shodhana can calm the mind and help balance digestion; it is beneficial for any person of any age. The best time to practice pranayama is in the morning, but it can be done any time during the day. Here is a great article and video on nadi shodhana:
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