How To Breathe Like A Yogi

Breathing is synonymous with life as it is the first thing that we do on entering this world and the last when we leave. Mind, body, and breath are intricately interconnected, thereby strongly influencing each other. And deep breathing, something that yogis do and recommend, positively impacts the same. Muscle relaxation, greater energy levels, less anxiety and despair, and lower blood pressure are some of the advantages of deep yogic breathing.

Below we have shared breathing techniques that have long been the prerogative of yogis. And because they aren't complex, you too can follow them rather easily:

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Sometimes when you are all worked up, you seek a quick fix to lessen your stress. And this is precisely what this yogic practice does. Alternative nostril breathing is pretty simple. You first need to inhale deeply via your left nostril while keeping the right one shut with one of your fingers. Once you have inhaled as much air as you possibly can, you need to block your left nostril and exhale deeply through the right one. You then need to inhale hard through your right nostril while keeping the left one closed and repeat this process of alternate nostril breathing for around 5 minutes. You must try to breathe effortlessly and focus on the entry and exit of the air.     

Ocean's Breath

Another highly effective variant of yogic breathing will allow you to calm yourself down when you are irritated or angry.  Inhale a little deeper and when it comes to exhaling, keep your mouth shut, tighten the muscles in your throat and release all the air through your nose. If you do it right, the sound that you emit will be akin to that of ocean waves. You can exhale through your mouth as well and try releasing the sound 'haaaaah'. As you slowly begin to master this technique, you can try emitting the same sound by having your mouth closed and constricting your throat while inhaling as well.       

Cooling Breath

For this, you must fold up your tongue and inhale as hard as you can through the fold. After this, you have to close your mouth, hold your breath till the count of eight and exhale via your nose. You must ideally repeat this process eight times and do it for a maximum of eight minutes.

True to its name, cooling breath cools down key areas of your body like the neck, head, and upper digestive tract. It is not recommended though for those suffering from serious constipation, bronchitis, and asthma.

Hissing Breath

The basic effects of Hissing Breath are similar to those of Cooling Breath. In this breathing technique, you need to inhale via your nose, remain still for 8 seconds, and then exhale via your mouth. What you must not forget to do is use your tongue to rest your teeth and emit the s-s-s sound. Besides reducing heat, hissing breath also cleanses the senses. The contraindications are no different from those that we mentioned above for cooling breath. It is advisable to follow only one kind of yogic breathing at a time.

Humming Breath

The inhalation is the same as that in Hissing Breath but when it comes to exhaling, you have to hum like a bee. The humming causes a resonating pulsation both in the head and the heart. As you close your ears while exhaling, the resonance effect and the ensuing benefits will be more pronounced. This breathing technique aids in balancing flow or circulation besides boosting mental and emotional awareness, albeit subtly.   

A word of caution – You must never practice this breathing technique while resting on your back. Instead, you need to sit in an upright position. 

Active Yogic Breathing

Now, this is different from all that we have discussed so far for Active Yogic Breathing is done in a state of motion. You are required to walk at a steady pace and take slow, deep, and long breaths through your nose. If you can take at least 10 steps while inhaling and exhaling, you will be doing a good job. This method has been introduced to create a healthy synergy between an active lifestyle and the soothing effects of breathing.  

Thinking and feeling are two activities that are both voluntary and involuntary in nature and respiration come in the same league. As you gain control over this all-important process through breath regulation, it will benefit the different systems of your body, improve blood circulation and boost the performance of your body organs.    

So, now you know how you can breathe like a yogi. For all the breathing techniques that we have discussed above, you do not even require expert guidance. As you become a little more inquisitive, you'll learn about some other useful techniques as well such as bellows breath, solar breath, lunar breath, and more.

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