Pranayama : Understand this Deep Yogic Concept!

We rarely give any thought to the breathing process of ours as it occurs automatically without our awareness and yet most of us do it incorrectly. Now if breathing is a natural spontaneous process in our body, than how can we do it incorrectly? The answer is that due to continuously breathing in incorrect patterns, our respiratory muscles have become lazy and inefficient.

Life and breath are intimately connected. An average person can live few months without food, few days without water but how long can he live without breath? Probably, a few minutes!

There is a belief in yoga that every person has a fixed number of breaths allocated to him. If a person breaths slowly, he will live longer and if one breaths rapidly, he will use up his number of breaths quickly resulting in a shorter life span.

Even if you do not accept this idea, there is a great deal of truth in it. A fast breathing patterns indicates tension, fear, worry etc which leads to bad health, unhappiness and of course a shorter life. On the other hand, a slow breathing pattern is associated with calmness and peace resulting in longevity of life.

Shallow breathing associated with fast breathing process has many negative repercussions in our lives. Shallow breathing allows germs to settle in lower parts of the lungs as the sufficient air does not reach there and whatever air is present, remains stagnant there. One of the functions of the breathing process is to massage the abdominal organs via diaphragm which keeps the abdominal organs including stomach, liver etc in good working condition. Shallow breathing does not provide this massage which leads to many diseases associated with these parts of the body.

Shallow breathing leads to insufficient oxygen in the blood which in turns leads to many functional disturbances, diseases in the nervous system since the efficiency of this system is associated with healthy and well nourished nerves which requires proper oxygen amount.

For more benefits of slow breathing in comparison to Fast breathing. Read Slow Breath vs. Fast Breath

It is a yogic practice that corrects the breathing patterns bringing it to the state of perfection. But it is not only limited to that, it is much more than that!

The word "Paranayama" is made by joining two Sanskrit words "Prana" (Life Force) and "Ayama" (Expansion). And the word is literal in its meaning i.e. It leads to the expansion of the life force movement in our body.

Prana refers to that subtle energy which is present everywhere in and around us and which is the basis of this universe. Every living and non-living matter and every type of energy is the manifestation of Prana.

Prana is closely associated with the breath and oxygen, but it is more subtle in existence. Pranayama helps in regulating the flow of Prana in the subtle nadis and hence helps in maintaining the perfect state of human consciousness.

The practices of Pranayama provides such techniques that can activate and regulate the life force and the human consciousness can move beyond its present limits and achieve the higher states of its existence.

Four Phases of Pranayama:

1. Inhalation or "Poorak" (in Hindi)2. Exhalation or "Rechak"3. Inner retention of Breath or "Antarkumbhak"4. Outer retention of Breath or "Bahirkumbhak"

There are many techniques in different practices in which one uses these four phases. There is one other kind of Pranayama which refers to "Complete retention of Breath" or "Complete stop of Breath flow". It is a higher phase of Pranayama which is achieved during the state of Meditation and higher "Samadhis". In this state, one experiences the more subtle phase of one's existence and realizes the true self.

In fact, the most important phase of any practice is the "Retention of Breath" i.e. Kumbhak. But in order to successfully perform retention of breath, the continuous development of control over the breathing process is necessary. That is why, in order to master the retention of breath, more emphasis is laid on breathing practices in the initial stages of Pranayama practices.

Pranayama Practices leads to purification of Nadis and regulates the proper flow of Prana in them which leads more emotional, mental and physical stability.

What are nadis?? Click here to Know about Nadis!