Benefits of Practicing Pranayama

From Stress Relief to Clarity: Benefits of Practicing Pranayama

by Pranayama

Majority of the people across the globe are struggling with the issue of depleting health and stress. If you are also struggling with this issue and want to learn the best technique to relieve stress, then this blog is a great find for you. 

In this blog, we will be sharing how to stress relief with Pranayama and obtain a life without stress. With increasing cases and mental issues, this blog will help each one of the readers with a healthy technique that has been used for centuries and till now it is effective in curing the issues. 

So without any further delay, let’s directly look deeper into the practices, benefits, ideal techniques and audience who can use this approach to cure stress. 

What is Pranayama? 

Pranayama is an ancient Ayurvedic practice where practitioners learn to control their breathing using a variety of techniques. The practitioners with Pranayama learn to master the breathing using timing, frequency and duration of every breath. The practice of Pranayama is aimed to help with better alignment of body and mind. 

Pranayama is a Sanskrit word which denotes the combination of Prana and ayama. Prana means breath and ayama means control. With the practice of Pranayama, it is believed that practitioners can control the mind through the breath. 

The practice of Pranayama involves three phases: 

  • Puraka (Inhalation)
  • Kumbhaka (Retention)
  • Rechaka (Exhalation)

Types of Pranayama

Pranayama techniques involve both slow and fast variations which can be used for cleansing and calming the mind. Based on the choices practitioners can perform the type of Pranayama. Though there are many different variations in the practice, some of the popular ones are: 

  • Bhastrika Pranayama
  • KapalBhati Pranayama
  • Nadi Shodhan Pranayama
  • Bhramari Pranayama

Who can do Pranayama? 

Pranayama is a practice derived from ancient times. The vast offering of these techniques ensures that every age group can easily perform and maintain a stress-free healthy routine for their body and mind. Irrespective of your age, you can start practicing the golden technique of Pranayama and start witnessing changes in your body each day. 

In today’s time where kids are stressed about their studies, teens are stressed about the future, parents are stressed about their family and elders are worried about their health. All the age group is stressed about something or the other which is not a good sign for a healthy mind and body. However, the practice of Pranayam can be great for everyone to avoid and cure stress. In the next section, we have briefly shared how Pranayama helps with stress relief. 

How to stress Relief with Pranayama? 

Pranayama is a great practice for stress relief. It has been followed since ancient times and even centuries. It is still the most effective technique to cure stress and anxiety-like issues. With a majority of studies on the practice and its effects, science has also proved how effective the practice of Pranayama is. 

With regular practice of Pranayama, the practitioners focus on different breathing techniques which eliminates all the negative and positive thoughts from the mind and helps in concentrating only on the breath work. With a concentrated session, the practitioners will be able to control the mind and relax the stress molecules. 

Scientifically, during a stressful or panic situation the human heart starts to beat fast and the supply of oxygen is reduced which causes brain fog and inefficiency in decision-making. However, with the practice of breathing in Pranayama, practitioners will provide the mind and body with the required amount of oxygen for maintaining calm. While in some techniques, practitioners train the mind to stay calm even in the worst of situations using the different variations of inhaling, holding and exhaling breath. 

Where can Pranayama be learned? 

The true and authentic practice of Pranayama can only be learned under expert teachers who have mastered the art. To deliver authentic and pure learning, Gurukul Yogashala offers a variety of options where practitioners or students can experience a yogic lifestyle and get trained under expert teachers. 

We offer certification courses as well as a short-term retreat program. Based on the preferences, students or practitioners can choose. Being the traditional yoga school in Rishikesh, we ensure authenticity and traditional learning with each of our courses. 

Conclusion

Pranayama is a great ancient technique of Yoga where practitioners use a variety of variations in breathing to control their minds. Unlike other exercises or techniques, it is ideal for all age groups and based on the level of expertise practitioners can choose between the slow and fast techniques of Pranayama. With the depleting health and concern of mental health issues, Pranayama can be a lifesaver if added to the daily routine. The practice can help with mental health issues like stress, anxiety and depression. 

It would be a strong recommendation from our side, to adopt the healthy habit and cure the issue of today’s routine. Thanks for reading this one, for more such informative and health-related blogs, keep reading at Gurukul Yogashala.

Benefits of Pranayama

The Healing Benefits of Pranayama: How Breathing Techniques Can Transform Your Practice

by PranayamaYoga

If you ask an experienced yogi, you will find out that ‘Pranayama’ is one of the most important Kriyas in the realm of yoga. Even if you are unable to practice the physical poses, and just practice deep breathing, then you can gain all the health benefits. Joining the best yoga teacher training in Rishikesh will open numerous pathways for you, in this arena. 

Pranayama is an ancient breath manipulation technique, which incorporates breathing in different styles. Additionally, you may practice the various phases, like inhalation, exhalation, retention after inhalation, and retention after exhalation, to get the main benefits. Such practices have gained a lot of importance in recent times, owing to the benefits that showed up amidst the pandemic. There are different categories of breath manipulation in this realm, and several types underneath. Let us find out more about Pranayama before we move on to the categories and types. 

The Fourth Limb – As Mentioned in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras 

Pranayama happens to be the fourth limb, as mentioned in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. It states that one can control the mind, by controlling the breath. The word Pranayama can be broken down into ‘breath’ and ‘expansion’. So, it translates into the expansion of breath. This practice helps in controlling the flow of energy through the body channels, called ‘nadis’. As the energy flows through the different chakras, it empowers the body in totality. You will be able to learn all the nuances about Pranayama in the best 200 hours yoga teacher training course at Gurukul Yogashala. 

Pranayama consists of breath manipulation techniques that heat the body, cool the body, and a third one, that equalizes. Under each category, there are different sets of practices. No matter which Pranayama practice you are engaging in, there will be phases like Puraka, Kumbhaka, and Rechaka. 

Benefits Of Breathing Practices In Yoga 

Breathing practices or Pranayama play a very important role in yoga. If you incorporate such practices, then you can garner huge benefits. When focusing on breathing along with practicing the asanas, you can draw in the proper quantity of air, and also expel the right amount. Moreover, the correct practice of Pranayama also improves your lung capacity. Deep breathing always enhances the body’s oxygen reserves. When you practice such breathing techniques under the guidance of the learned teachers at the best school of yoga in Rishikesh, Gurukul Yogashala, you can heal yourself and others. 

Conscious breathing can also calm your mind, and heal mental stress. When you focus your attention on your breathing, you will feel your worries and anxiety melting away. Some breathing practices can also help in balancing the autonomic nervous system, which controls physiological processes like digestion, breathing, and excretion. This promotes overall wellness. Abdominal breathing is also especially useful in promoting the movement of food through the digestive system. If you include breathing techniques in your yoga regimen, it will help in enhancing your physical as well as mental wellbeing. So, now you can read about some of the breathing techniques taught at Gurukul Yogashala, as a part of the yoga teacher training certification. 

Breathing Techniques That You Can Incorporate In Your Yoga Practice 

  • Bhastrika Pranayama – This happens to be one of the most popular breathing techniques. Also called Bellow’s breath, it is a heating breathing practice that involves filling the abdomen and lungs and emptying them out as well, completely. It mainly stimulates the inner fire. Great for balancing Kapha and Vata, you must learn it under a proper yoga school in Rishikesh and then practice, for maximum efficacy. You can sit in a cross-legged position, and make fists, folding your arms, and placing them near the shoulders. Inhale and raise the hands straight up, and open the fists. Thereafter, exhale slightly and bring the arms down, closing the fists. You can do this for 20 breaths. Relax, by breathing normally. 
  • Kapal Bhati Pranayama – This is a Pranayama and a Shatkarma Kriya as well. This breathing technique activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The abdominal muscles work very fast in this breathing technique. However, the effects that this warm-up motion has on the nervous system is cooling. You are supposed to take a proper position, as with any other Pranayama. Inhale deeply and slowly, while filling up the entire abdomen with fresh air, then quickly contract the abdominal muscles, forcing all the air out. Your navel should be touching the spine in this case. The exhalation is more active than the inhalation in Kapal Bhati pranayama. 
  • Bhramari Pranayama – This is a simple breathing practice that anyone can do. You have the option of doing it with the Shanmukhi mudra, or without it.  The breathing technique mainly involves inhalation through the nose and exhalation, while emitting a buzzing sound, deep down from the throat. This Pranayama technique is described as one of the most popular breathing techniques in the international yoga certification course in Rishikesh. The teachers at Gurukul Yogashala will give a proper demonstration of the technique, so that you can practice it later independently. 
  • Alternate Nostril Breathing – There are two types of alternate breathing, like Anulom Vilom and Nadi Shodhana Pranayama. These techniques involve inhalation through one nostril and exhalation through the other, one at a time. You are also supposed to retain the breath in these processes. You can practice this for several rounds. It provides deep results, even if you practice it for 10-15 minutes each day. You will get several benefits if you practice this Pranayama technique regularly. Then involve getting more oxygen supply, reduction in stress, detoxification, gaining mental clarity and so on. 

You can incorporate Pranayama as a part of the yogic schedule. It is less vigorous than asanas, however, the benefits are immense. You can practice Pranayama after the asana practice is over, separately as well. Pranayama purifies the energy channels of the body, also called ‘nadis’. In the systematic Hatha Yoga practice, the main idea is to activate the Prana inside the body through asanas. Thereafter, you can practice Pranayama to drive the ‘Prana’ through the body’s energy channels. After you are done, you can also do mudras, to make a more subtle impact. You can learn more such intricacies only under the best yoga school in Rishikesh, as a part of their 200 hour yoga teacher training. Join Gurukul Yogashala for complete knowledge of the process. 

Final Words

Thus, you can very well understand how Pranayama can change the direction of your yoga practice. You will be able to incorporate more healing into the practice on a mental and spiritual level, through these breathing techniques. Joining a good yoga school in Rishikesh, like Gurukul Yogashala will help you to practice with more finesse and also learn the tricks to teach others. The 200 hour yoga teacher training course in Rishikesh will surely transform your health for the better.