Pranayama - The Art of Yoga Breathing (Pranayama Can Change Lives. Pranayama help you to stay youthful, supple, slim and full of vital energy. Pranayama results in better mind control. The more you increase your supply of prana/ oxygen, the greater will be your sense of well-being. Pranayama lays the foundation for practice of asanas, relaxation, concentration and meditation.)

When the Breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the Breath is still, so is the mind still." - Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Breathing is life. It is one of our most vital functions. One of the Five Principles of Yoga is Pranayama or Breathing Exercise which promotes proper breathing. In a Yogic point of view, proper breathing is to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control Prana or the vital life energy. Pranayama Yoga also goes hand in hand with the Asanas. The union of these two Yogic Principles is considered as the highest form of purification and self-discipline, covering both mind and body. Know more about Pranayama techniques in the following sections:

Pranayama - What is Yoga Breathing?

One of the Five Principles of Yoga is Pranayama or the science of breath control. This is an overview of what Pranayama is and the Breathing Exercises practiced in Yoga.

Pranayama - Importance of Breathing

Breathing is the only means of supplying our bodies and its various organs with oxygen which is vital for our survival. Learn the importance of proper breathing in this section.

How to do pranayama – A simple pranayama technique

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)

Pranayama is one of the usual suggestions that I give to patients, for a variety of health conditions. But often it is seen that the people do not get time to go to a Yoga teacher and learn the technique (though it is highly recommended). That gives way for a simplified version of Pranayama. But please remember, it only is the second choice to Pranayama learnt from a Yoga master.

Why there is a need to simplify Pranayama –

The regular Pranayama mentioned in Yogas is for totally healthy people.

It has yoga prerequisites namely –Yama, Niyama and Asana. It means, the regular Pranayama would require one to follow dietary & mind restrictions and to have proper training in the Asanas. As Swamy Vivekananda used to say, a fit body is prerequisite of a fit mind.

Inhaling and exhaling through single nostrils alternatively is quite confusing for the beginners.

If strained excessively while doing Pranayama, it causes giddiness and difficulty in breathing.

How to do a simple Pranayama?