Breathwork & Pranyama

Since before I can remember I have been interested in how when we slow down our breath and have the time to be still and quiet that we feel better.

I can remember being about the age of 7 lying in bed on a summer evening, listening to the sound of the birds and having a strong focus on the feeling of my breath at the tips of my nose and in the belly. It made me feel calm and very present. I was taken back to the same feeling at the end of yoga classes, where the focus had been driven by the breath.

My yoga teaching is very breath focused and I have completed training with Laurent Roure a breathwork specialist and a teacher who resonates with me very much. He says, ‘Breath is the bridge between the body and the mind and has a profound effect on both.’

Now I am starting my yoga therapy teacher training @orangeyoga the importance of how and why breathing affects us physically and mentally seems ever the more prevalent to share.

Before doing yoga, I wouldn’t have known what pranayama was! Pranayama is a way of controlling our energy through using breathing techniques to affect the body in different ways. Different techniques run through history throughout the world. They were and are still used the enhance physical, mental and spiritual healing.  Prana means life force and Yama means constraint.

 Breathwork on the other hand is a more therapeutic way of promoting our health and wellbeing. So, through doing this we are also enhancing the physical and mental healing.

Some Science – When we breath there is much more going on than just the up down moving of the diaphragm.

 Breathing affects everything: -

·         Digestion

·         Heart Rate

·         Mood

James Nestors’ book Breath -The New Science of a Lost Art is a great read to understand more about the why breathing is important.

These are the breathing exercises/pranayama that are subtle in movement, and I believe have a medicinal effect when practiced.

What’s your experience?

Before and after practice?

Box Breathing You might hear it called square breathing, or 4×4 breathing. 

Box breathing is a deep breathing technique that can help with relaxation, anxiety and stress management. 

How to practice box breathing:

·         Sit, stand, or lie down in a comfortable position 

·         Close your eyes if you'd like 

·         Relax your shoulders and jaw 

·         Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4 or 5 or 6

·         Hold your breath for a count of 4 or 5 or 6

·         Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 4 or 5 or 6

·         Hold your breath again for a count of 4 or 5 or 6

·         Repeat steps 1–7 as many times as you like 

I often visualize a box with four sides or find a square whilst doing the exercise, with each count representing one side. You can also try placing your hands on your belly to feel it expand as you inhale. 

You can use box breathing whenever you need to relax, feel more grounded, or reset. It's a relatively new technique, so there isn't much research specifically on it, but there is research on breathing exercises in general

3 Part Breath or      

A breathing technique to sensitise the mind about where the breath is present in different parts of the body but particularly the lungs. Research suggests that it can help stimulate the vagus nerve which connects the brain to vital organs.

 The three parts to breath into include: -

·         Diaphragmatic breathing or abdominal breathing which uses the muscles in the abdominal walls the pelvic floor and the hips. To begin place your hands lightly over the lower belly and ribs and notice how it feels in this space. When practiced the effects are extremely relaxing because its stimulating parasympathetic nervous responses.

·         Thoracic breathing which is in our midsection this uses our intercostal muscles and serratus anterior and oxygenates our heart and lungs. After focusing on your breath in the diaphragm move the back of your hands to your side ribs to the area that your bra strap would be if you were wearing one and notice the subtly of movement and breath in that space. This is a more dynamic breath and has an awakening effect on the body. Notice the difference to the breath in the diaphragm.

·         Clavicular breathing. Uses muscles in the upper pectoralis ribs and trapezius muscles as well as the upper part of the lungs. Fingertips for this should be placed to start with lightly on the collar bones and bring the breath attention to that space. This, when done deliberately stimulates blood flow to the head and brain and affects the lymphatic system and brain cells.

Here's how to practice the three-part breath: 

·         Sit upright in a chair or cross-legged on the floor with a tall spine or be comfortable lying down.

·         Inhale through your nose, filling your belly first, then your rib cage, and finally your upper chest. 

·         Exhale through your nose, emptying your chest first, then your rib cage, and finally your belly. 

·         Repeat a few times, and then return to your natural breathing rhythm. 

Nadi Shodhana or Alternate nostril breathing that involves breathing in through one nostril at a time.

Nostril breathing techniques are about regulating, balancing purifying and calming our breathing and our mind and therefore our body and our nervous system follows suit. Our breathing is naturally uneven through each nostril and the only time that breath actually flows evenly through both nostrils is when we are in a state of relaxation or meditation.

·         How to practice

Sit comfortably with a straight but relaxed back, then use your fingers to close off one nostril at a time while breathing in and out. Repeat the process for as long as you like. 

·         Benefits

Regular practice may help with stress, anxiety, heart rate, blood pressure, lung function, and feelings of wellbeing. It may also help regulate the nervous system, strengthen lung muscles, and help you breathe better. Research found (thanks James Nestor) that over one month of practice, people had better oxygen flow and could exhale more oxygen. People who can exhale high amounts have healthier lungs. Alternate-nostril breathing can make your lung muscles stronger.

·         No risks

There don't appear to be any risks associated with alternate nostril breathing. 

Here are some tips for practicing alternate nostril breathing: 

• You can use whichever hand you feel most comfortable with to control your airways. 

• You can rest your fingers just above your nostrils.

• You can try inhaling for 3 or 4 or …, holding for 1, and exhaling for 6.