Archive for the ‘Kundalini Yoga’ Category
Breathing Techniques for Balance and Harmony
Prana is the energy of life force that animates living beings. Regulating the breath (Pranayama) is a powerful mechanism to balance and harmonize life. The link between body, mind and spirit is breath. To nourish the physical body with sustenance, harmonize the spirit and quiet the mind; conscious and balanced breathing is necessary to achieve and maintain a balanced mind, body and spirit.
There are three main elements that make up regulated breathing: balanced breathing, breath of fire and deep breathing.
The steps to balanced breathing are: 1. Sit in a yoga position and cross your legs 2. Close both of your eyes. 3. With your right thumb shut off your right nostril and breath in through your left nostril. Take a long and deep breath, filling in your belly and holding in your breath without exertion and then exhale. Continue to breath in deeply and exhaling out via your left nostril. 3. Using the opposite hand close off your left nostril with your left thumb and breath in the same deep manner but this time breath in and exhale via your right nostril.
After completing the balanced breathing, begin the breath of fire, first with your mouth open and then with your mouth shut breath through your nostrils. The breath of fire is a powerful, fast-paced breathing technique done as follows: 1. Stick your tongue and begin panting like a dog while exhaling. There’s no need to actively inhale as inhalations take place automatically. Do this several times. 2. Switch to breathing through the nostrils in the same fast and vigorous breath of fire several times. Keep your focus on the exhalation and let your diaphragms automatically force the inhalations.
After completing the breath of fire, breath in long and deep. Hold in your breath for as long as you can without undue exertion and then slowly exhale. This final breathing circulates the vital energy in the system.
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