Yoga: the use of conscious breathing

 

Yoga: the use of conscious breathing

Breathing is essential in the practice of yoga.

We breathe mechanically and unconsciously, absorbing the oxygen that is vital to us and releasing CO 2 . There are several ways to breathe:

• Abdominal breathing: mainly in the stomach;
• Costal breathing: is more at the level of the thorax;
• Clavicular or upper respiration.

Yoga and other forms of wellness therapy use mindful breathing which has multiple beneficial effects on body and mind.

Few clicks from breathing exercises

Consequences of poor breathing

When emotions overwhelm us or when we are stressed or anxious, we adopt bad breath, we are "short of breath". Poor breathing can have an impact on our general condition, causing:

• Nervous and physical fatigue,
• Poor resistance to stress,
• Digestive problems,
• Palpitations,
• Lack of concentration, etc.

Pranayama: the practice of breathing in yoga

Yoga considers breathing to be one of its basic principles.

Yoga exercises always combine breathing with practice. Each exercise is punctuated by breathing, which is done through the nose and not through the mouth.

We always start with an exhalation in order to completely free the lungs of excess air. Breathing allows vital energy to circulate and is therefore very important in terms of energy balance.

Pranayama is a Sanskrit term:

"Prana" means energy,

"Ayama" relates to vitality.

Yoga: the benefits of good breathing

Relaxation is often practiced with conscious breathing, at the level of the belly: it is enough to lie down and breathe deeply by placing your hands on the belly and concentrating on the inhale and the exhale.

It is important to breathe "deeply" and not superficially.

Proper breathing is essential for physical and mental health:

The benefits of yoga and breathing

On the physical level

• Eliminates toxins from the body
• Improves blood circulation 
• Slows down the heart rate
• Lowers blood pressure
• Regenerates the body
• Relaxes the body
• Promotes healing

On the mental level

• Makes the mind calmer and clearer,
• Allows you to have better self-confidence,
• Makes it easier to solve problems,
• Allows you to acquire more concentration and memory.

On an emotional level

• Allows you to free yourself from nervous tension, etc.

Different types of breathing in yoga

There are several types of breaths that will often be taught during yoga classes. Among these breaths:

• Full breathing: combines abdominal, rib and clavicular breathing and emphasizes the respiratory movement in the head.
• Solar respiration,
• Kapalabathi breathing or "cleaning" breathing,
• Alternate breathing, etc.

Yoga and breathing: a necessary learning

There is no point in doing yoga exercises with poor or insufficient breathing.

Before starting to practice alone, it is essential to have had a good teacher. This will correct our imperfections, both in terms of exercise and the way we use our breathing.

For a person who breathes badly, the fact of practicing yoga will allow him to learn to be aware of his way of breathing.

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