The sound shee or sheet is made during inhalation in this practice. The Sanskrit word kari means ‘that which produces’. Therefore, sheetcari can be translated as the pranayama that produces the sound ‘shee’. In English the practice is usually called ‘the hissing breath’.

Shape of mouth

1. Press the lower and upper teeth together.
2. Separate the lips as much as is comfortable.
3. Fold the tongue backwards into khechari mudra so that the lower surface gently presses the upper palate.
4. Inhale through the gaps in the teeth.

Technique

1. Sit in a comfortable asana.
2. Close the eyes.
3. Shape the mouth as described.
4. Breathe in slowly and deeply.… skaityti daugiau

The sanskrit word sheetali means ‘cooling’ or ‘relaxing’. This type of pranayama is so called because it cools down the body and relaxes the mind. In English it is usually called ‘the cooling pranayama’ or ‘cooling breath’.

Technique

Roll the tongue so that both sides curl upwards and inwards, with the edges almost meeting each other. Needles to say, the teeth should be separated. The end of the tongue should protrude outside the mouth, but without strain. The rolled tongue forms a tube through which one inhales.

1. Sit in a comfortable meditative asana.
2. Hold the back straight and head upright, but without strain.
3. Close the eyes and relax the whole body.… skaityti daugiau

Surya bheda pranayama is concerned with stimulating and awakening energy within the physical and pranic bodies. The practice can be described as a psychic supercharger. The word surya means ‘sun’ and bheda means ‘to pierce’, ‘to awaken’. The sun represents pingala nadi (the pranic pathway associated with energy in the human framework) and the flow of the breath through the right nostril.

There are various alternative methods, we will describe three. You can choose one of these practices according to your preference.

Technique 1

This is the method described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

1. Take a comfortable sitting position.
2. Hold the spine and head erect but without tension.
3.… skaityti daugiau

At this stage in your pranayama practice you should start to practice outer retention. That is it is time to supplement inhalation, exhalation and inner retention (antar kumbhaka) with retention of the breathing process when the lungs are deflated as much as is possible. In sanskrit, this stage is known as bahir kumbhaka, or sometimes bahiranga kumbhaka.

Bahir kumbhaka is a very important part of pranayama practices and will bestow many benefits. However, as we have already emphasized, you must slowly develop the capacity to retain the breath externally. Don’t try to hold the breath for too long in the beginning, even if at first it may seem easy. this applies particularly to outer retention, for this is a function that the lungs and associated nerves are rarely required to carry out.… skaityti daugiau

The inner retention of breath is callen many names in Sanskrit: it is known as antar, antaranga, abhyantara or poorna kumbhaka. We will adopt the name antar kumbhaka, where the word antar means ‘inner’ and kumbhaka means ‘breath retention’. In other words, antar kumbhaka is the practice where the breath is held inside the lungs.

Scriptural references

Kumbhaka is widely mentioned in the ancient yogic texts for it is a very important practice. The ancient text called the Hatha Yoga Pradipika in particular, discusses it a great length. The following are a few extracted quotations: “He who can do kumbhaka for some time will increase digestive fire and hear the internal cosmic sound (nada).… skaityti daugiau

This is an important practice and is mentioned in a large number of ancient yogic texts. The following from the Gheranda Samhita is the most direct reference: “Inhale through the ida (left nostril) and exhale through the pingala (right nostril). Then inhale through the pingala and exhale through the chandra (left nostril). The pooraka (inhalation) and the rechaka (exhalation) should be done without the slightest hurry. This practice will help to eliminate the problems of cough and cold.” (57 & 58)

Technique

Stage 2

1. Sit in a comfortable sitting position. Sukhasana or vajrasana are most suitable for this purpose, together with other meditative asanas.
2. Be calm and relax your whole body.… skaityti daugiau

The sanskrit word nadi means ‘psychic passage’ or ‘specific pathway’ through which prana flows throughout the body The word shodhana means ‘purification’. Thus this is a practice whereby the pranic pathways are purified and decongested. This allows the prana to flow freely throughout the body bringing the physical body into the best possible health and calming the mind. It is an excellent preparation for meditation techniques.

Nasagra mudra

The position of the fingers and hand is as follows:

1. Hold the right hand in front of the face (the left hand can also be used in which case the following instructions are reversed).

2. Place the tips of the second (index) and third fingers so that they rest on the forehead at the eyebrow centre.… skaityti daugiau

The Sanskrit word samaveta means ‘together’. Therefore samaveta pranayama is a practice where one breathes through both the nostrils. This might seem to be an obvious and inconsequential statement, but the practice is so named to distinguish it from other techniques of pranayama where the flow of air is directed in one nostril by physically or mentally preventing the flow in the other nostril.

Technique

1. Sit in a comfortable position, preferably in one of the meditative asanas. The essential thing is that the spine remains erect. If necessary wrap a blanket around you if the atmosphere is cold.
2. Close the eyes.
3. Start practise yogic breathing. Try to make the movement of the abdomen and the chest as rhythmical as possible, so that as you inhale there is a wavelike motion from the abdomen to the chest and as you exhale there is a wavelike motion from the chest to the abdomen.… skaityti daugiau

Ujjayi pranayama is the psychic breath. It is easy to learn and can be practised by all, young and old, at any time of the day or night. You can use whatever position you find most comfortable, as long as the spine, neck and head all form a straight line.

Techniques

1. Relax your whole body and adjust your position so that you don’t have to change it at all during the practice.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Be aware of the breath flowing in and out of the nostrils.
4. Move your awareness down to your throat.
5. Feel the breath in your throat.
6. Contract the glottis.
7. Breathe deeply and softly.… skaityti daugiau

Kapalabhati is a technique of pranayama, although some yogic scriptures regard it as one of the shatkarmas. It is an excellent practice that purifies the frontal portion of the brain, massages the abdominal organs and improves respiration. It is also a powerful method of waking up the mind. It can be used for energize the mind for mental work when you feel tired, and to remove sleepiness early in the morning. It is an ideal practice to do immediately before commencing meditation techniques.

The word kapala means ‘forehead’ or ‘frontal lobe of the brain’, bhati is ‘bellows’, the instrument used by a village blacksmith to create air drafts for his forge.… skaityti daugiau