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BREATHING & PRANAYAMA
Breathing and the Autonomic Control1
The breath is the only function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) that we can easily bring under
conscious control. If we can control one aspect of the ANS, then the rest of the functions will conform
to the same pattern. Therefore, we can learn to bring the entire ANS into balance simply by controlling
our breathing pattern. When the ANS is balanced, the body and mind enjoy a calm and alert state. Such
a state is essential for the successful practice of meditation. So by regulating our breathing properly, we
can create an inner environment that brings the mind naturally into a meditative mode. Every state of
mind, every emotion, has a correlating breathing and ANS pattern. By engaging the breathing patternthat corresponds with a calm and alert state, the mind and body will follow suit and likewise become
calm and alert.
How Not To Breathe
Scientists have identified specific breathing patterns that are correlated to emotional disruption
(disturbances in the mind and ANS). For example, rapid shallow chest breathing is synonymous with an
acute anxiety attack. It is common knowledge that sighing (pausing after an exhalation) is characteristic
of a depressed state and that one holds one’s breath after an inhalation when one is angry or anxious.
Jerks in the flow of breath indicate jerkiness in the thought process, as the mind hops distractedly from
one thing to another. Irregularities in the flow of breath also express irregularities in the stream of
thought. Pauses intensify emotional states, and shallow breathing de-energizes the organism, numbing
awareness. Imbalances in the inhalation/exhalation ratio imbalance the ANS (inhalation is correlated
with sympathetic NS response: exhalation with parasympathetic).
1 Dr. Arpita, Lecture: Breathing, Himalayan Institute, 1988.
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How to Breathe
The breathing should be deep, slow, constant, smooth, regular- with an inhalation/exhalation ratio of
1:1. Qualities: silent, nasal, diaphragmatic, natural, and gentle.
Such a breathing pattern is conducive to the calm alert state needed for meditation.
DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING2
The basic poses for developing diaphragmatic breathing are Makaranana or Crocodile and Shavasana or
Corpse. These are depicted below.
2 The Meditation Center Library, Mpls, MN, 612-379-2386, [email protected].
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Basic Anatomy of Diaphragmatic Breathing3
Components of Proper Breathing:
1.
Diaphragmatic and abdominal (chest is still)
2.
Smooth – no jerks or irregularities
3.
Constant- no pauses between inhalations and exhalations
4.
Exhalations are the same length as inhalations.
5.
Regular rhythm
6.
Nasal- lips and teeth are lightly touching.
7.
Deep (within lung capacity)8.
Slow
9.
Silent
10.
Gentle and natural
11.
Posture is straight, comfortable and steady.
3 The Meditation Center Library, Mpls, MN, 612-379-2386, [email protected].
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12.
Observe the flow of breath
Positions for practicing diaphragmatic breathing4
4 The Meditation Center Library, Mpls, MN, 612-379-2386, [email protected].
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BREATHING EXERCISES5
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Before you go to sleep and just after you wake up, place your right hand on your upper abdomen, with
the little finger directly above the navel and the fingers spread so that the thumb is almost touching thechest. Place your left hand on the upper chest with the little finger between the two breasts. As you
breathe, concentrate on the air moving down into the upper abdomen (as if you are filling your stomach
with breath). The right hand should rise with the inhalation and fall with the exhalation; the left hand
should not move. You should feel a slight motion in the lower portion of the chest cavity, but the upper
portion should remain still. Within a few moments you will become more rested and quiet. Do not try
to force the breath. Allow the motion to be gentle and effortless. Notice how easy it is to breathe
deeply and easily, without any effort.
Benefits: This will lead to autonomic balance and a relaxed state, generally. After some weeks,
depending on the individual, you will begin to notice subtle and gradual changes in your daily breathing
pattern. Its movement will be more relaxed and rhythmic. As was discussed earlier, this leads to a
greater efficiency of the pulmonary process and reduces the amount of work required for proper
ventilation perfusion.
2. Even Breathing
While practicing diaphragmatic breathing, concentrate on making the breath very smooth and even.
The inhalation and exhalation should be of the same length and have the same pressure. Do not exhale
all the breath at the beginning of the exhalation. Concentrate on keeping the flow pressure even
throughout the entire cycle. Eliminate all pauses, stops and shakiness in the breath, including the pause
between inhalation and exhalation. Imagine that the breath is like a large wheel moving through thebody without any pauses or stops. It is often helpful to picture the breath flow a completely smooth,
even sine wave.
Benefits: The jerkier the breath, the more disruptive it is to the autonomic nervous system. When the
breath is smooth and even, autonomic balance is achieved.
3.
2:1 Breathing
After gaining control of diaphragmatic movement and establishing a smooth, even, rhythmic respiration,
gently slow down the rate of exhalation until you are breathing out for about twice as long as you are
inhaling. (It might be necessary to shorten the length of inhalation very slightly). You are simplychanging the rhythm of the breath. You are not trying to fill the lungs completely nor empty them
completely. You are altering the motion of the lungs in a very systematic way. You may count 6
exhalation and 3 inhalation, or 8 exhalation and 4 inhalation- or whatever is most comfortable for you.
5 Phil Nuernberger Ph.D., Yoga International magazine.
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Then, after you have established this gentle rhythm, stop the mental counting and focus on the
smoothness and evenness of the breath flow. Eliminate all jerks and pauses. Maintain 2:1
diaphragmatic breathing for as long as you wish.
Benefits: 2:1 breathing establishes a relaxed state in the body by very subtly stimulating the
parasympathetic system more than the sympathetic system. This leads to relaxation and reducesarousal in the body even if you do it only a few moments.
4. The Complete Breath
In this exercise, all three mechanisms of inhalation- diaphragmatic, thoracic and clavicles (collarbones)
are brought into use. Inhale first, using the diaphragm and expanding the belly; then continue the
inhalation by expanding the chest; then let the inhalation continue to the very top of the lungs at which
point a slight upward movement of the clavicles may be experienced. The exhalation is done in reverse
motion, letting the clavicles drop slightly, then letting the chest wall collapse slightly, then letting the
belly collapse as the diaphragm moves upward, pushing the air out of the lungs. The breath should be
slow and smooth, without any pauses or jerks.
Benefits: This complete breath is a very useful technique to use when you are sitting at your desk and
feel a lot of tension in your shoulders. A 5-minute practice will be very helpful in reducing not only
muscle tension but mental fatigue.
5. Sleep Exercise
Breathing is a key element in relaxation, and this exercise uses your breathing process to help you get to
sleep. It will also help you sleep more restfully. Follow these steps:
1.
All breathing is 2:1. Exhale for twice as long as you inhale.2.
Use a comfortable count such as 6:3 or 8:4. You are not trying to completely empty or fill the
lungs. The 2:1 ratio should be effortless.
3.
Pay close attention to your breath. There should be no stops, pauses or shakiness during either
the inhalation or the exhalation. Eliminate even the pauses between inhalation and exhalation.
The exercise goes as follows:
8 breaths lying on your back.
16 breaths lying on your right side.
32 breaths lying on your left side.
Very few people are able to finish this exercise.
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Nervous System Taste & Olfaction6
6 Wynn Kapit / Lawrence M. Elson: The anatomy coloring book, Harper & Row Publishers, New York, 1977, Plate
142
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WATER UP MY NOSE?7
The Nose Knows
After you’ve done it a time or two, it is hard to remember why it seemed so odd. Pouring warm water
(technically warm saline solution) first through one nostril and then the other is pleasant and somehow
comforting. Besides opening up the nasal passages so the breath flows more smoothly (you are
breathing through your nose, aren’t you?) It prevents most colds and other upper respiratory ailments
and shortens the life of those that find you anyways. It also helps banish sinus problems and has a
soothing effect on the optic nerve. But with high-profile physicians like Andrew Weil and Christiane
Northrup on the nasal wash bandwagon, you probably already knew that.
What you may not know is that yogis call it jala neti or neti
kriya, and they have been doing it for centuries. They regard
the nose as one of the most sensitive parts of our anatomy
and they make bold claims for the benefits of the nasal wash:
cleaning the nose helps overcome addictions – especially to
tobacco and alcohol; it has a positive effect on the two master
glands (the pituitary and pineal); and it is as effective as nadi
shodhanam for curbing mood swings. They even go so far as
to say that as one of the six yogic cleansing practices, jala neti
washes away at least one-sixth of human complaints. Quite a
claim- but it pales in comparison to what the scriptures say
about this practice.
So what does it all mean? Why would the yogis and the
scriptures make such extravagant claims? Is there any basis
to them? The only way to find out is to lay your nose on the
line. Get a neti pot and start conducting experiments like a
true yogi.
7 David Coulter: For clarity of mind, Yoga International Reprint Series: Simply Breathing
What the Scriptures Say
Old age never comes to one (who does
the nasal wash) and decrepitude never
disfigures such a one. The body
becomes healthy, elastic, and disorders
due to phlegm are destroyed.
The Gheranda Samhita
Neti cleanses the cranium and bestows
clairvoyance. It also destroys all diseases
that manifest above the throat.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika
One who regularly drinks water through
the nose in the early morning becomes
intelligent, develops the eyesight of an
eagle, suffers no graying of the hair or
wrinkling of the skin, and is freed from
all diseases Yoga Ratmakara
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THREE WAYS OF BREATHING8
8 David Coulter: For clarity of mind, Yoga International Reprint Series: Simply Breathing
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Summary Of Changes That Occur With Diaphragmatic and Thoracic Respiration9
ABDOMINAL-DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING THORACIC, UPPER-CHEST BREATHING
Slow, rhythmic respiration:
8 -12 breaths per minute
Rapid, irregular respiration:
16 – 24 breaths per minute.
PHYSICAL EFFECTS:Raises CO2 in body. Lowers CO2 in body.
Increases parasympathetic dominance &
relaxation.
Increases sympathetic dominance & flight-fight.
Decreases heart rate, cardiac output, pulmonary
stress.
Increases heart rate, cardiac output, pulmonary
stress.
Decreases metabolic rate and blood sugar levels. Increases metabolic rate and blood sugar levels.
Decreases muscle tension, fatigue and need for
sleep.
Increases muscle tension, fatigue and need for
sleep.
Dilates brain/coronary arteries.
Increases blood and O2 to the brain & heart.
Constricts brain/coronary arteries.
Increases blood and O2 to the brain & heart.
Increases transfer of O2 from blood to tissues. Inhibits transfer of O2 from blood to tissues.
Increases lymphatic flow and venous return. Decreases lymphatic flow and venous return.
Decreases cardiovascular risk. Is an indicator of
health.
Increases cardiovascular risk. Is an indicator of
risk.
Associated with normal blood pressure. Associated with high blood pressure and Type A
behaviour.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS:
Increases ego strength and emotional stability. Decreases ego strength and emotional stability.
Increases confidence. Increases fearfulness and shyness.
Increases physical and intellectual alertness. Increases passive behaviour.
Increases perceived control over environment. Decreases perceived control over environment.
Decreases perceived objective stressors. Increases perceived objective stressors.
Calms. Decreases perception of pain. Excites. Increases perception of pain.Reduces anxiety, phobias, and psychosomatic. Increases anxiety, neurosis, depression, phobic,
and psychotic behaviour, and psychosomatic
symptoms.
9 David Coulter: For clarity of mind, Yoga International Reprint Series: Simply Breathing
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The Torso10
10 Wynn Kapit / Lawrence M. Elson: The Anatomy Coloring Book, Harper&Row Publishers, New York, 1977 Plate29
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THE TRUNK11
The diaphragm is the primary muscle of the respiration. It is shaped like a large dome at the inferior end
of the thoracic cage, and divides the thorax from the abdomen. The right side of the dome is slightly
higher than the left because of the presence of the liver just below it. The level of the top of the dome
varies from the 4th intercostal space (during expiration) to the 6th intercostal space (during inspiration).
11 Blandine Calais-Germaine: Anatomy of Movement, Eastland Press, Seattle, WA, USA, pg. 88
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The Organs positioned around the Diaphragm12
12 Phil Nuernberger, Ph. D.: Freedom from Stress, Himalayan International Institute Publishers, 1981,
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Posterior-Anterior Bronchogram Of Chest
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Lungs and the Breath13
13 Phil Nuernberger, Ph. D.: Freedom from Stress, Himalayan International Institute Publishers, 1981, page 175.
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Autonomic Nervous System14
14 Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine, M.D., Alan Hymes, M.D.: Science of Breath, Himalayan International Institute ,
Honedale Pensylvania, USA, 1979, pg. 77.
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Energetic System: Seven Major Chakras15
15 Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine, M.D., Alan Hymes, M.D.: Science of Breath, Himalayan International Institute ,
Honedale Pensylvania, USA, 1979, pg. 81.
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UJJAYI FOR MEDITATION AND THERAPY16
Ujjayi is used in meditation practice, kriya yoga and yoga nidra because it helps relax the physical body
and the mind, and develops awareness of the subtle body and psychic sensitivity. Ujjayi promotes
internalization of the senses and pratyahara.
Simple ujjayi is done with japa or repetition of soham. As you breathe in and feel the breath move up
the spine, mentally repeat so, and as you exhale and feel the breath move down the spine, mentally
repeat ham. This form of breathing can also be incorporated with asana practice for specific therapeutic
purposes, e.g., when practicing makarasana (crocodile pose) for sciatic or spinal spondylitis, or
shashankasana (moon or child’s pose) for menstrual tension, insomnia, or emotional disturbance. It can
also be incorporated into asana practice purely to increase the awareness and to stimulate sushumna.
Ujjayi is especially recommended for people who have insomnia and mental tension. The simple form,
without retention, is a must in the yogic management of heart disease. However, anyone with low
blood pressure must first correct their condition before taking up the practice.
16 Swami Muktibodhananda Saraswati’s commentary on the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, published by the Bihar School
of Yoga, Munger, Bihar, India.
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FITTING BHRAMARI INTO YOUR PRACTICE17
If you’ve collected a few breathing techniques, you’re probably facing the problem of fitting them into a
cohesive, workable routine.
One strategy is to practice the more robust, energizing techniques first and finish with the more calming
practices. Because kapalabhati and bhastrika require forceful abdominal expulsions, they are
invigorating and should be done first. If you don’t feel inclined to do both of these vigorous practices,
do kapalabhati because it cleanses the respiratory system and prepares it for further practice.
A Sample Routine
(15 –
20 Minutes)
3 rounds of kapalabhati
3 rounds of bhastrika
3 complete breaths
3 rounds of nadi shodhanam
2 to 3 minutes of bhramari
Breath awareness
17 Michael Grady: Sound of the Bee, Yoga International magazine, Jan/Feb. 1993.
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WHICH ACTIVITIES WITH WHICH NOSTRILS?18
The right nostril is associated with the sun, thepingala nadi, warming active energy, and
The left nostril is associated with the moon, the idanadi, cooling, receptive energy, and
Intellectual pursuits Imaginative pursuits
Deductive, rational reasoning Intuitive, holistic thinking
Attention to detail Subjective decisions
Eating and digesting food Drinking fluids
Hunting and fighting Playing music and singing
Expending energy in a vigorous way Expending energy in a slow, sustained way
CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH NOSTRIL DOMINANCE
Right Nostril Dominance Left Nostril Dominance
Active Receptive
Increased body heat Body coolness
Strength Elimination of toxins
Hunger Thirst
Eating; digesting food Drinking liquids
Short-term, intense effort Long-term, sustained effort
Expending energy Nourishing
Aggressive, negative acts Reciting mantras; playing music; singing
Initiating, sustaining relationships
18 Kevin Hoffman: Moving with the current, Yoga International Reprint
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YOGA SUTRA II.50 and II.51
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The fourth pranayama is that which surpasses the ones that operate in theexterior and the interior realms.
19
19 Swami Veda Bharati: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Vol. II, Motilal Banarsidas Press, delhi, India, 2001, page 598.