Types of Pranayama

When to Perform Pranayama?

Pranayama yoga must be performed in empty stomach. The best time for practice is the early morning, preferably before sunrise when the pollution is at its lowest level, and the body and brain are still free. However, if morning is unsuitable, pranayama may be practiced after sunset, when the air is cool and pleasant. The place suitable for all kinds of Yoga must be clean and calm.

Where to Perform Pranayama yoga?

Pranayama techniques are best practiced while sitting on the floor on a folded blanket. This form of practice is applicable to padmasana also. However; any other posture will do provided the back is kept erect from the base of the spine to the neck and perpendicular to the floor. Bad and poorly performed posture will lead to shallow breathing and low endurance. One must empty the bladder and bowels before starting pranayama yoga.

Major Types of Pranayama and Instructions:

Ujjayi Pranayama

It involves making of sound from throat. Some experts opine that it lowers blood pressure. Some say, that it is useful in treating diseases of ear, nose ad throat. From an Ayurvedic point of view, it stimulates Udana type of Vata, which controls functions like speech, memory, immunity and enthusiasm.

How to Perform Ujjayi Pranayama

• Sit in any meditative pose like Padmasana (Lotus pose) with eye closed and try to keep your spine erect.
• Take a long, deep breath slowly from both the nostril (inhale or breath in).
• While breath in trying to contract the throat and feel the touch of air in your throat.

• Remember one thing air should not touch inside the nose.
• As air touches the throat a peculiar sound is produced.
• Enable the breath to be light and relaxed as you slightly contract the rear of your throat, making a gentle hissing sound as you inhale and out. The sound isn’t forced; however, it ought to be loud enough so if somebody came near you they’d hear it.
• Now breath out by closing your right nostril and exhale from the left nostril. Try to produce the sound ‘HHHHHAAAA’ while exhaling.

Anuloma Viloma Pranayama

It is a derivative of Nadi Shodhana, excluding the breath holding phase. It balances Tridosha.

Steps of Anulom Vilom Pranayama

• Anulom Vilom Pranayama is very easy to do, first of all, close your eyes and sit in Padmasana and rest your hands on your knees.
• Close the right nostril with the right thumb. Inhale slowly through the left nostril, inhale the oxygen as much as you can, this will fill your lungs with air.

• Remove your thumb from your right nostril, as you remove your thumb from right nostril just exhale.
• When you exhale use your middle finger to close your left nostril then inhale with our right nostril and remove thumb from the right nostril then exhale. Repeat this process for 5 minutes.
• Be focused and concentrate on your breathing.

Kapal Bhati

·    Here, the air from lungs is forcefully exhaled. But inhalation is made involuntarily. Many use this Pranayama in the initial phase of meditation. It helps to improve alertness and concentration. Kapha is related to obesity, and this Pranayama strengthens abdominal muscles and helps to burn calories. Hence, it is beneficial for Kapha balance.

Steps of Kapalbhati Pranayama

• First, sit on the Padmasana and close your eyes and keep the spine straight.
• Now take a deep breath (inhale deeply) through your both nostrils until your lungs are full with air.
• Now Exhale through both nostrils forcefully, so your stomach will go deep inside. As you exhale you feel some pressure in your stomach.

• While the process of exhaling there is a hissing sound, at this point try to think that your disorders are coming out of your nose.
• Repeat this process for 5 minutes.

Agnisara Pranayama

The air is exhaled out and at that point, abdominal muscles are fanned. This improves digestion power. Hence, it increases Pitta at the level of stomach and intestines. It also activates Vata in large intestines, due to increased abdominal pressure, during this Pranayama.

Steps of Agnisara Pranayama

• First stand in an erect position.
• Make a distance between your legs ranging from 1 to 1 & ½ feet.
• Place both your hands on the respective knees.
• Slowly exhale completely.
• Now as we retain our breath out in Uddiyana, follow the same pattern here.

• Without inhaling, try to blow out like a balloon your stomach, which has gone in due to complete exhalation. Maintain it for two seconds.
• Then take the stomach in and again blow it out. Do the same 4 to 6 times.
• Now inhale. This completes one round of Agnisara. Practice it for four to five times.

Bhramari Pranayama

It is more targeted towards mind and spirituality than the body. It balances all the three Doshas. I have heard from a Spiritual Yogi that this makes you “think before you talk” – Based on this explanation, it can be said that it helps to control Vata in mind and in speech. It also increases Kapha to a minor extent.

Steps of Bhramari Pranayama

• This is the best method to achieve concentration of mind.
• It opens the blockage and gives a feeling of happiness to mind and brain.
• Beneficial in relieving from hypertension.
• It relaxes the mind and lowers stress.

• Helps in High blood pressure and heart problems.
• With the help of this, mind becomes steady, lower mental tension, agitation etc.
• Helpful in curing Paralysis and migraines.
• All ages people can try this breathing exercise including pregnant women.
• In the time period of pregnancy, it helps to maintain and regulate the functioning of the Endocrine system and provide easy child birth.
• It is very good for Alzheimer’s disease.
• Most effective Pranayama for awakening the Kundalini

Sheetkari and Sheetali Pranayama

It is a coolant breathing exercises. Mitigates Pitta and increases Kapha and Vata Doshas.

Steps of Sheetali Pranayama

• Set comfortably in any meditative pose like Padmasana, Swastikasana e.t.c.
• Keep your both hands on knees.
• Now bring your tongue all the way out and fold both sides of tongue like a tube or straw.

• Take a long, deep inhalation through the tube in the tongue which is formed by folding the both sides of tongue.
• After Inhalation close your mouth and exhale with both nostrils.
• Repeat this about 8 to 10 times.

Surya Bhedana Pranayama

It generates heat. It increases Pitta Dosha and decreases Kapha Dosha.

Steps of Surya Bhedana Pranayama

• Sit comfortably in Padmasana or Siddhasana.
• Keep your head and spine erect with eye closed.
• Shut your left nostril with your ring finger and little finger.
• Now breathe in (inhale) slowly and deeply through your right nadi.

• After that, shut your right nadi with the thumb of your right hand.
• Then exhale through your left nostril, along with keeping your right nostril closed.
• This is one cycle is completed.
• Repeat this process around 5 – 10 times.

Bhastrika Pranayama

It is meant to increase blood circulation and to activate body channels. It increases Vata to a great extent, and Pitta to a lesser extent.

Steps of Bhastrika Pranayama

• Sit on the Padmasana (Lotus Pose) with eye closed.
• Take a deep breath in (inhale), filling the lungs with air.
• After that gently breathe out.
• In this inhaling and exhaling should take the same length of time-2.5 seconds to breathe in and 2.5 seconds to breathe out.
• While you breathe in (inhale) assume that you are taking in positive energy and vibrations and that you are being energized by them.
• During breathe out (exhale), imagine that you are taking out all the toxins from our body and find. (feel that during breathing out all the toxins comes out through your breath)