Breathing Techniques

Yoga breathing also improves brain function (intelligence and memory), as well as increasing the elimination of toxins from the system. The total effect of Yoga Asanas and breathing is to produce a state of high vitality and rejuvenation. It also enhances concentration, focus, cardiovascular health and reduces tension, stress and stiffness. Life Energy is called prana (prah-nah). In sanskrit, the word for breath is the same as the word for life – prana.

The first thing you do as you enter this world is to inhale. Your last act in this life is to exhale. When prana leaves the body, we die. The breath is a metaphor for life energy. In yoga, we want to sustain and augment the life force as much as possible, absorbing as much prana through breath, visual surroundings, sound, food and all our senses as much as possible. The most significant way of doing this is through the practice of pranayama (prah-nah-yah-mah), breathing techniques or breath control. Yama (yah-mah) is translated as control, discipline, regulation or mastery. Hence, as "breath control." Ayama (ah-yah-mah) is expansion, growth or magnification. Hence, another translation is "expansion of the life force." Both are somewhat translated as "breath control".