2. Ujjayi Pranayama
There are many forms of breathwork in yoga(Called
pranayama).
Prāṇāyāma is a Sanskrit word alternatively translated as
"extension of the prāṇa (breath or life force)" or "breath control."
Some are very active and stimulating, and there are times when
these pranayamas are beneficial. But to turn on the
parasympathetic nervous system, which is our rest-and digest
system, we need the slow, deep pranayama known as ujjayi.
Ujjayi means “victorious breath”, a poetic term for this is “Ocean
breathing”.
Also known as Hissing Breath, Victorious Breath, Darth Vader
Breath
3. Benefits
-Concentrates and directs the breath, giving asana practice extra power and
focus.
- Increases oxygen consumption.
-Enlivens and expands the lungs, dynamically pulling in the fresh air and expelling
stale air and stress.
-It calms the mind and can be very effective for processing grief.
4. Instructions
1. Sit up tall with your shoulders relaxed away from your ears and close your eyes. To prepare, become
aware of your breath without trying to control it at all. The begin to inhale and exhale through your mouth
if you have been breathing through your nose.
2. Bring your awareness to your throat. On your exhales, begin to tone the back of your throat (your glottis
or soft palate), slightly constricting the passage of air. Imagine that you are fogging up a pair of glasses.
You should hear a soft hissing sound.
3. Once you are comfortable with the exhale, begin to apply the same contraction of the throat to the
inhales. You should, once again, hear a soft hissing sound. This is where the name of the breath comes
from: it sounds like the ocean. (It also sounds like Darth Vader.)
5. Instructions
4. When you are able to control the throat on both the inhale and the exhale, close the mouth and begin
breathing through the nose. Continue applying the same toning to the throat that you did when the mouth
was open. The breath will still make a loud noise coming in and out of the nose. This is ujjayi breath.
5. Now start to use this breath during your practice. If the teacher tells you to move on an inhale, make it
an ujjayi inhale. If you need a little something extra to support you while holding a pose, remember this
breath and apply it.
