Prana translates to breath, the life-force energy sustaining the body. Pranayama is the practice of working with the breath. By guiding the rhythms of prana, we can cultivate a healthy mind and body. Without pranayama, the physical practice of yoga (asana) can actually cause more harm than good.
Are you holding your breath?
You’ve probably been there: you are finally holding the pose you’ve been working toward for so long, and then, bam, you realize you’re holding your breath. Becoming a witness to the moments when we hold or shorten our breath lets us step back, accept where we are and make positive changes. With practice and patience, we become more aware of our breath, and we can even use it as a tool to bring us back to the present moment.
Slow the breath, slow the mind
As we slow down our breathing, we slow down the mind chatter, chitta vritti. It is easy to get lost in the thoughts clouding the mind: worrying about the future or being stuck in the past. This is when pranayama can be used off the mat. In troubling times, we have to acknowledge that we have only so much control over what happens around us. What we do control is how we react, and how much we let it affect our state of being.
Breath and anxiety
For years I battled anxiety without realizing it was tied to my breath, which was shallow and quick. Anxiety activates the fight-or-flight response, and the body releases adrenaline. Shallow breathing is one of the most important things to address when you are feeling anxious.
So take that slow, deliberate breath. Feel your shoulders sink down and your hips soften. Feel prana flow through your nostrils, into your chest and deep down into your diaphragm. Even hearing the word “breath” makes you want to take a deeper, longer inhale and exhale, doesn’t it? In that moment you start to feel soft and light, yet grounded at the same time.
I am forever grateful to have been given tools like pranayama to help keep a healthy mind, body and soul.
