Pranayama (प्राणायामः)

Pranayama (Samskrit: प्राणायामः) is one of the eight elements in Ashtanga Yoga propounded by Maharshi Patanjali. It is the fourth step in the eightfold path of Yoga that culminates in Samadhi. Panayama is preceeded by Yamas, Niyamas, Asanas and is followed by Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. The article explores the meaning, types, objectives and benefits of Pranayama practice.

To read about Pranayama in Hindi, please visit this page - Pranayama (प्राणायाम)

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Prana means ‘energy’ and Ayama is ‘to regulate’. Pranayama essentially refers to the practice by which one can regulate the vital energy that is linked to one's mental, physical and spiritual health. Yoga conceives human existence in the form of sheaths or Koshas. The outermost sheath is called annamaya kosha, the physical body or sthula-sharira (the gross body). The next layer is called sheath of vitality or pranamaya kosha that, together with the following two layers, constitutes the subtle body or sukshma-sharira. And Pranayama or breathing exercises are the major ways to nourish and strengthen this sheath of vitality.

Furthermore, Pranayama helps in making breathing slow and rhythmic. And when the breath slows down, the mind also becomes calmer. Therefore, Pranayama as a practice uses breath to soothe the fluctuations of ‘chitta’ or the active thinking mind.

प्राणायामस्य प्रयोजनानि ॥ Benefits of Pranayama

• It improves blood circulation
• It relaxes the body and mind
• It improves concentration skills
• It releases anxiety
• It expands the lungs and improves lung capacity
• It increases respiratory stamina
• It relaxes chest muscles
• It raises energy levels

It causes over-all improvement in lung functions. It is even speculated that Pranayama influences the functional status of the autonomic nervous system through a neural reflex mechanism in the superior nasal meatus. More importantly, Pranayama helps develop the capacity and fitness for holding focus in the matter of practicing dharanas. Because mind and Prana are mutually agitative; mind's agitation agitates Prana while Prana's agitation agitates the mind. Thus, stabilizing the Prana facilitates mind's ability to concentrate.

Moreover, Pranayama is an important tool for treating psychological and emotional disorders. It is excellent to counter depression, release grief and attachment, and reduce stress and tension.

प्राणायामः प्राणाग्निश्च ॥ Pranayama and Pranagni

Each of the five koshas or encasements of human existence like Annamaya kosha, Pranamaya kosha, etc. as described earlier, have a different form of agni responsible for their development. The agni of the sheath of vitality or the Pranamaya kosha is the Pranagni that is responsible for the digestion of prana in the body.

Pranagni develops primarily through correct retention of the breath that follows deep inhalation. Inhaled oxygen is food for pranagni; exhaled carbon dioxide is its waste material. Just as fasting purifies the physical body, so breath retention purifies the subtle body. Thus, the practice of Panayama helps develop the Pranagni.

प्राणायामः पञ्चप्राणाश्च ॥ Pranayama and Pancha Pranas

One definition of Pranayama is "retention of breath" as retention of breath, when done correctly, is a powerful method to expand the vital force. In terms of the Panch Pranas, Pranayama is generally defined as balancing Prana and Apana. However, all the five Pranas are related to Pranayama.

Prana is related to inhalation. Both Samana and Vyana relate to retention while Udana and Apana relate to exhalation. Samana is the initial stage of retention in which the air is consolidated in the lungs, with oxygen absorbed through the lung tissue. Vyana is the second stage of retention in which the absorbed oxygen is taken into the blood and carried to the rest of the body. Udana is the first stage of exhalation that creates positive energy and effort, which allows for speech. Apana is the second stage of exhalation that pushes out the waste air and carbon dioxide. Thus, all the five Pranas can be balanced and regulated through Pranayama.

प्राणायामस्य प्रकाराः ॥ Types of Pranayama

There are basically four types of Pranayama viz.

1. Vitalizing Pranayama like Kapalabhati
2. Balancing Pranayama like Nadi Shuddhi
3. Cooling Pranayama like Chandra Anuloma Viloma
4. Laya or Silencing Pranayama like Bhramari

Vitalizing Pranayama

Kapalabhati is one of the vitalizing pranayamas. 'Kapalabhati' literally means 'shining forehead' in Samskrit. It is made up of two words viz. 'Kapala' meaning 'skull' where skull includes all the organs under the skull too and 'bhati' meaning 'shining' or 'illuminating'. It is called so because the process influences the organs under the skull especially, the brain and the small brain in a good manner. The process of Kapalabhati involves exhaling with full force by squaring the stomach inwards after deep inspiration. This act throws the abdominal gas out with a jerk. Thus, it removes carbon-dioxide from the body and makes one feel fresh, oxygenated and vitalized.

Kapalabhati is an important part of Shatkarma or Shatkriya, the yogic system of body cleansing techniques. The speciality of Kapalabhati is that it cleanses both the body and the mind using just the breath. It is highly useful for mind detoxification and purification. Another interesting factor is that Kapalabhati reverses the normal course of breathing making expiration an active process and inspiration a passive process. This is believed to induce the reverse flow of nerve impulses to and from the brain facilitating the stimulation and awakening of the centers.

Balancing Pranayama

Also known as alternative nostril breathing, Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama is a balancing pranayama. It is derived from two Samskrit terms viz. 'Nadi' meaning 'channel' and 'Shuddhi' meaning 'cleansing' or 'purifying'. So, Nadi Shuddhi refers to cleansing of subtle channels through which vital life-force energy (Prana) travels in the body. It is easier to control the breath and make it longer or shorter in alternate nostril breathing than by regular nose or mouth breathing. Hence, it is said that there is no method better than alternate nostril breathing for gaining control of breath and purifying the channels.

The process of Nadi Shuddhi or Nadi Shodhana involves closing the right nostril with the right hand’s thumb, inhaling fresh air through the left nostril (puraka) and holding the breath for some time (kumbhaka), followed by exhalation through right nostril (rechaka) while closing the left nostril with the right hand’s index finger and then reversing the process. During the process, breathing is kept slow and rhythmic. This practice balances the flow of breath through both the right and left nostrils. Thus, Prana and Apana that are related to the right and left nostrils and their channels, ida and pingala can be balanced by balancing the flow through these two nostrils.

The general benefits of this Pranayama include,

• Deep breathing that enriches blood with oxygen.
• Strengthening of the respiratory system and balancing of the nervous system.
• Help in relieving nervousness and headaches.

Moreover, alternative nostril breathing has two forms. Inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left is known as right nostril breathing or solar breathing and has a heating effect while the reverse ie. inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right is known as left nostril breathing or lunar breathing that has a cooling effect. The Right nostril breathing is known to treat hypoactive conditions of the mind like sleepiness, dullness and fatigue while left nostril breathing is known to be useful in conditions of hyperactivity of the mind like insomnia, restlessness and nervous agitation.

Cooling Pranayama

Left nostril breathing exercise is also known as Chandra Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama or Chandra Anuloma Viloma Pranayama which means a heat dispelling or cooling liberating practice. It starts with closing the right nostril with the thumb of the right hand followed by exhalation through the left nostril and inhaling slowly through the same nostril.

It is an example of cooling Pranayama where both inhalation and exhalation is done through left nostril adopting Nasika Mudra. The benefits of this Pranayama are as follows:

• It helps in cooling down the body
• It is beneficial for anxiety and mental tension
• It will help to calm down the mind

However, it is not advisable to practice this Pranayama in winter.

Laya or Silencing Pranayama

Bhramari is a Laya or Silencing Pranayama. It helps to reduce stress and anger and brings calmness and silence within. The term 'Bhramari' is derived from the Samskrit word 'Bhramara' which means a 'black humming bee'. In this Pranayama, the practitioner makes makes a sound that resembles the buzzing sound of a black bee.Hence, the name.

The Hathayoga Pradipika explains Bhramari Pranayama as a procedure in which one breathes in quickly, making a reverberating sound like the male black bee and exhales slowly while softly making the sound of the female black bee. This sound vibration can effectively be felt at the jaws, throat and face. Elaborating on the procedure of Bhramari Pranayama it is said,

The Purvakrama involves sitting in any comfortable Sukhasana position with an erect spine and stable mind and relaxing the body. It is advised to keep the eyes closed throughout the practice to cut off external inputs of sound and sight to internalize the consciousness. The Pradhanakarma involves the practice of Puraka (inhalation) and Rechaka (exhalation). It should be practised with the Shanmukhi mudra. Meaning, the ears shoud be closed with the thumb, index fingers should be placed on the forehead, middle fingers on the eyes, ring fingers on the nostrils and little fingers above the lips. The process includes slow and deep inhalation through both nostrils while listening to the sound of the breath followed by Kumbhaka (retension) with mouth closed. Then exhalation should be done gently, making a pleasant, slow-pitch humming sound like a Bumblebee. Finally, as part of Pashchatkarma, normal Puraka and Rechaka for relaxation is performed.

Bhramari Pranayama is different from other Pranayamas in the fact that in this Pranayama acoustic vibration is produced by the humming sound along with Yogic body posture. This causes the whole brain to vibrate sending impulses to the hypothalamus causing a resonance in the mind which relieves stress and produces calmness and happiness in the whole body. Thus, Bhramari Pranayama helps to improve our mental health. Infact, the vibrations produced during the procedure are believed to have various good effects on different systems of the body. It has been reported that Bhramari Pranayama practice is effective for correcting hormonal imbalance conditions and other disorders like hypertension, anxiety, and depression. The benefits of this Pranayama are plentiful.

• It is one of the best breathing exercises to release the mind of agitation, frustration or anxiety and get rid of anger.
• It is very effective in instantly calming the mind down.
• It relieves stress and reduces blood pressure.
• It has good results in improving insomnia.
• It helps in increasing the healing capacity of the body.
• It helps in improving the functions of hypothalamus, pituitary gland and parasympathetic nervous system.
• It has the capacity to improve and strengthen voice quality as the exhalation clears and vibrates the throat.

Bhramari Pranayama is ultimately a method of harmonizing the mind and directing awareness inwards and can act as a beneficial agent to achieve the state of total health.

प्राणायामस्य अभ्युत्थानम् ॥ Evolution in Pranayama Practice

It is said that,

• Mastery over the Asana is a prerequisite for not just Pranayama but also all the subsequent angas like Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
• Pranayama should become as relaxed and easeful as the posture itself.
• Thus relaxed and eased, the Shvasa (in-breath) and Prashvasa (out-breath) would flow smoothly and not with the more common uncontrolled rhythms.
• When the smooth rhythmic flow of inhalation and exhalation has been accomplished, then retension may be practised.

• Initially, Puraka (in-breath), rechaka (out-breath) and Kumbhaka (retention) together constitute Pranayama.

The Yoga Sutra states,

बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिः देशकालसंख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः ॥५०॥ bāhyābhyantarastambhavr̥ttiḥ deśakālasaṁkhyābhiḥ paridr̥ṣṭo dīrghasūkṣmaḥ ॥50॥

Meaning that Pranayama is threefold and the term 'vrtti' in the sutra applies to all the three sub-divisions of Pranayama viz. Bahya-vrtti, Abhyantara-vrtti and Stambha-vrtti ie. operative externally, internally and in the way of suspension. Otherwise known as Rechaka, Puraka and Kumbhaka.

• At a more advanced stage, retention alone becomes Pranayama. Vyasa, the commentator on Yoga Sutras explains the transition from the threefold Pranayama to the state of retension as Pranayama with the help of an analogy. He says,

यथा तप्ते न्यस्तमुपले जलं सर्वतः सङ्कोचमापद्यते, तथा द्वयोर्युगपद्भवत्यभाव इति । yathā tapte nyastamupale jalaṁ sarvataḥ saṅkocamāpadyate, tathā dvayoryugapadbhavatyabhāva iti ।

Meaning: As the water dropped on a heated rock shrinks from all directions, the breath activity also 'shrinks' simultaneously ie. there is simultaneous cessation of movement from both the exterior and interior direction. And this cessation of movement leads to suspension or retension.

Furthermore, this kumbhaka is mentioned to be of two kinds. Namely,

1. Sahita or Mishra
2. Shuddha or Kevala

While both refer to cessation of movement, in the former the cessation is preceeded by either exhalation or inhalation. That is the difference between the two. It is suggested that one whose practise is not advanced enough should practise Sahita form until the energy channels are purified. Because only when the impurities have been eliminated, does Kevala become possible.