Most of you, who are far away from the discipline, may think that yoga is all about body contortions and twists. That is what half the population thinks. However, you will be bewildered to know, that yoga is much more than that. If you are one of those, who have attended some kind of yoga class, at any point in life, then you may have some idea. The local schools in the neighbourhood teach about yoga asanas and breathing. However, 90 percent of the classes revolve around physical exercises.
However, if you ever happen to attend a yoga teacher training course, then you will understand the true meaning of yoga. You practice one activity, on a daily basis. And that is, breathing. However, most people do it wrong. Let us delve into the multiple aspects that yoga is about.
Role of Breathing In Yoga
Modern life can be very hectic for a few people. Most are left with no time to relax. Work pressure, family commitment, and daily commute takes up a lot of time, for most individuals. At the end of the day, most people do just one thing, and that is having a fast meal and retiring for the night, to repeat the same cycle again. Again, there are side hustlers, who work on another job, even after office.
Here is why, you should make yoga a part of your life. Breathing is one of the most important aspects that most tend to overlook. Yoga is not just about inversions, splits, and bending the body. It is a lot more than that. You must breathe properly to utilize the myriad benefits of yoga. The yogis who teach yoga at some of the renowned yoga schools in India, will often tell you this. You must practice deep inhalation and exhalation, to get the true benefits of yoga. The ultimate objective of yoga is a proper supply of oxygen, to the entire body. The cells and tissues require the same, to stay healthy and operate at optimum levels. If you do not breathe properly, then the body becomes tired soon. You will also not be able to focus on the asanas, which aim at perfecting the physical posture. Breath synchronization with movements is important for all. Join the best yoga school in rishikesh, to understand this better and also learn the intricacies.
Benefits of Breathing In Yogic Practice
There are many benefits that you can avail yourself of, by integrating breathing with yoga practice. Read about them in complete detail here.
- It decreases the physiological stress on the body. When you engage in deep breathing, it has a lot of effect on the vagus nerve. It is the main part of the parasympathetic system. So, you will be able to stay calm and composed most of the time. The Vagus nerve also happens to control the activities related to some of the most important organs. It is responsible for regulating the blood pressure, muscle relaxation, and also facilitates the movement of brain impulses. When your physiological body is relaxed, it creates a positive impression on the brain.
- Proper and deep breathing has huge mental benefits as well. According to one of the top yoga centre in rishikesh, when you just focus on breathing properly, you actually focus on yourself and nothing else. You can also see your thoughts, when you practice deep breathing. Moreover, according to the yogis, you reach a state, where you are not judgmental any longer. You only observe what is going on, without getting affected. So, you gain more mental clarity and peace.
- Your mental as well as emotional stress also decreases manifold, when you practice proper breathing. Stress as well as fear affects the sympathetic nervous system. It is at that very moment, that your body starts secreting more hormones to face the damages. By breathing deeply, you can shut off the sympathetic part and awaken the parasympathetic part. Your emotions will change all of a sudden. And, you are bound to become happier.
- When you breath properly, the body and mind undergo detoxification. If you breathe shallow, the body is unable to eliminate all the carbon dioxide. And, fresh oxygen also does not enter properly. The other important organs have to work over time, to metabolize the excess CO2. So, you are actually putting extra burden on your physiological body.
- Coming to the astral body, which is not drawn in any biology book, it assumes a lot of importance in yoga and such other healing practice. Breathing can move the prana or life force. There are 72,000 nadis in the astral body, of which Ida, Sushumna, and Pingala are the most important. Ida dominates the left part of the body, and Pingala the right. Sushumna nadi carries the Prana and is located centrally. You can bring equilibrium to the Ida and Pingala, by balancing the Sushumna and regulating the Prana through it, without blocks.
Types of Yogic Breathing
- Ujjayi Breathing – It is one of the best breathing practices, which can help you to give your body and mind a boost. It is also called Victorious breath and Ocean’s breath. In this type of breathing, you have to constrict the throat while breathing. A low noise or vibration occurs that resembles the sounds of the sea. Additionally, the shoulders and chest expand when you do it, like a soldier. That is why, it is called Victorious breath.
- Alternate Nostril Breathing – It is another type of breathing, which is also called Nadi Shodhana. It helps to balance the Ida and the Pingala. You can cool yourself and also enter a meditative state of mind, through its practice. The idea is to breathe in and out through one nostril, at any given time. You must repeat the cycle 3-5 times, to ensure that the inhalation and exhalation are both of the same duration.
- Kumbhaka Breathing – It should be called retention, in the true sense of the word. Kumbhaka means retention of the breath. It also happens to be the single-most important technique in the realm of yogic breathing, that has curative powers. Moreover, there are two types of Kumbhaka. One is Antara Kumbhaka and the other is Bahir Kumbhaka. There is another kind as well, and it is called Keval Kumbhaka, which is a random breath retention activity. In Antara Kumbhaka, you retain the breath that you inhaled. Whereas in Bahir Kumbhaka, you maintain vacuum after exhalation.
When you deliberately stop the flow of oxygen within the body, the cells can identify more sources in the blood. The hormones responsible for producing RBCs also increase as a response. So, you can also utilize Kumbhaka to treat anaemia. Kumbhaka also helps the body fight against cancer. When your heart muscles sense that the oxygen levels are low, they start finding alternative ways to tackle the issue. New blood vessels also start forming to compensate for the low levels of external oxygen. This proves to be beneficial for the treatment of heart diseases, The immune system also gets affected because of the scarcity of oxygen, and is strengthened as a result.
So, these are a few types of breathing, which keeps one healthy and sound. Once you go for any yoga training in rishikesh, you will start understanding more about ‘breath’.
