Pranayama Handout

What does this mean?

Breathing is not something that we think about, it is a natural automatic function that we do not need to think about. If we did not breathe we would not be alive. However, there is a correct way to breathe and when we do this we gain many benefits to the health of our whole body. Bad living habits (using cars, sugar, smoking, not exercising etc), stress, pollution and society have affected most of us westerners resulting in a race of poor shallow breathers, using approximately 15% of our total lung capacity.

What can we do about this?

Yoga teaches us to be aware of our body and breath. This also means that we are to learn how to take conscious control of them in order to breathe better. By following the directions to better breathing we can increase our lung capacity. How then do we breathe? Breathing is one of the functions that is deeply ingrained in our evolutionary make-up. It is a process that was learnt in the reptile era some 300 million years ago and since our brains have evolved from these ancient life forms, this ingrained function can found at the very centre of our brains.

So what determines our breath?

The respiratory centre in our brain controls our breathing. It creates motor impulses that send nerve impulses down the spinal chord that in turn tell your lungs when to breathe in and when to breathe out. How should we breathe? Firstly we should make sure that we are breathing through our nose. The nose is a filter mechanism for the body, little hairs help prevent dust particles from entering our airways.

What about are lungs?

When we breathe in our lungs, ribcage and chest expand and our diaphragm lowers. When we breathe out the reverse happens. When we breathe in, oxygen and energy is transferred from our lungs into our bloodstream, which then gets dispersed around the body feeding our whole system. By breathing properly we enable this process to be more efficient and effective. Also by circulating more oxygenated blood into the system we help slow down the ageing process.

What about breathing properly?

Breathing practices are called Pranayama. Prana is energy and yama means restraint. So Pranayama is to control energy in the body. This is available to us all. We just have to become conscious of our breath and learn how to breathe. This takes practise and time. If you look at babies you will see that they breathe properly - into the abdomen. They have not yet had life 'happen' to them.

Your lungs...

Your Blood Circulation...

The Lungs

The right lung is split into 3 segments (seen on the left side of the upper image) and due to the heart, the left lung is split into 2 segments. However, regardless of this we are able to breathe into 3 separate areas of both of the lungs. By breathing into these separate areas the blood and energy is circulated around the body in three different ways, see diagram. The Upper Lung circulates the fresh blood and energy into the head and neck. The Middle Lung governs our arms, our torso and all the organs contained within it and The Lower lung governs our lower pelvis and our legs. By breathing properly into all of these areas we assist better health into the appropriate areas

Guidelines for Pranayama...

Before you start you should make sure you are warm and comfortable. You should have a window cracked so that there is fresh air not stale air. All breathing exercises should be done from Vajra Asana. Sitting on your heels with your heels as close together as possible and a straight back. If this is uncomfortable for you then sit on the edge of a chair making sure your spine is erect. You should also be free from distractions.

Starting to breathe...

Before we learn to breathe into all of the sections of the lungs (Vibhaga Pranayama) we first need to gain some control of our breath. Lets start with an easy 'Sukha' breath . To a count of six seconds slowly breathe in so that when you reach the 6 count the lungs are full. No filling up by anything less than 6. Then do the same on the out breath, slowly breathing out so that is it controlled and the lungs are empty on the count of 6. The breath should come and go easily, no forcing and no raising of the shoulders. Complete 9 rounds in a sitting.

Sukha Purvaka Pranayama

When you have mastered the easy breath you can move onto this one. Breathe in for 6, swallow and hold in for 6, breathe out for 6 and swallow and hold out for 6. Again 9 rounds should be done. These Pranayamas help open up the parts of the lungs that have not been in use. Vibhaga Pranayama Sectional or Lobular breathing. Without physical control of the 3 sections of the lungs, real control of breath does not exist. However, as well as having 3 sections of the lungs there are 3 areas to 'each' lung. Front, Side and back. So with a low, mid and high section in both of the lungs, breathing into front, side and back of each of these means that there are 18 separate areas to breathe into. This can be done; it just takes awareness and plenty of practise. Do 3 to 6 rounds of each of the following...

Adham Pranayama - Abdominal Breathing

Hand onto the abdomen, just above the belly button. Breathing deeply into the abdomen enabling it to move, along with the hand, outward.
Put the hands on your sides, fingers pointing forwards, at the bottom of the ribcage. Breathing deeply into the sides of our lower lung. Your ribcage should expand sideways.
Turn your hands round so that your fingers are going towards your spine. Now breathe into the back of your lungs. Concentrating the breath into this section.

Madhyam Pranayama - Mid-lobular Breathing

One hand onto the chest between the breasts. Breathing deeply the hand raises.
Hands either side of your ribs as high as possible. Breathing in and the ribcage expands like an accordion.
Fingers facing your spine, hands as high as you can get them. Breathing into the back of the mid-chest.

Adhyam Pranayama - Upper Lung Breathing

Hand just below your collar bone. Gentle deep breathing, very slight movement.
Hands onto the waist, elbows out side-ways. Breathing into the space inside the armpits, concentrating to fill the sides of the upper lobes.
Raising arms over shoulders placing both hands onto the top of the back. Breathing into the back of the upper lungs.

Mahat Yoga Pranayama

This is a full deep breath, using the whole of your lungs. It is the only breathing worthy of being called a deep breath. The breath is controlled so when you breathe in, you firstly breathe into the abdominal area, then into the mid-chest area and then finally the high clavicular area. You hold the breath in momentarily and then the breath is let out in the same order. Low, then mid, then high. To aid the movement of air you can place a hand onto the appropriate area that is to be filled with air.

Breathing Instructions

All breathing should be done easily to a controlled 6 second count.
The in and the out breath should be the same length.
In the case of Mahat Yoga Pranayama you would employ a 2 second count into each of the three sections.
You may also notice that where the lungs fill up in the front first, then side and then back, when you breathe out the air leaves in the order back, side, front.

Benefits of Abdominal Breathing

Abdominal breathing governs the flow of energy below the navel so if this form of breathing is faulty all kinds of problems can occur. For example, painful, heavy, scanty and irregular periods; haemorrhoids, and varicose veins; oedema or water retention in the knees and ankles; phlebitis or inflammation of the lining of the veins and cold feet due to faulty circulation. All of these could be helped by better abdominal breathing. Men are normally better at breathing into this area than women.

Benefits of Intercostal Breathing

Ladies are generally better at breathing into the mid-chest than men, because of this, men generally have more heart conditions than women. The action of the breath diminishes fat around the heart which accumulates through faulty breathing in this area. This is an excellent way to prevent any heart diseases/problems and to keep our organs in good condition.

Benefits of Clavicular Breathing

Very few people breathe into the upper lobes of the lungs which attributes to the tragic number of asthma and sinus problem sufferers. The energy directed into the upper lungs by Adhyam Pranayama controls all sorts of breathing difficulties as well as allergies and headaches. The brain also receives benefit from this correction.