03/11/2025
Pranayama
(Sanskrit: प्राणायाम) is a yogic practice of controlling and regulating the breath in order to harness the prana, or vital life force energy, within the body.
The word pranayama is a Sanskrit compound made of two roots:
Prana means "life force" or "vital energy" (often associated with the breath, but considered a more subtle, pervasive energy).
Ayama is generally translated as "extension" or "expansion". An alternative, less common translation is yama, meaning "control" or "restraint".
Therefore, pranayama means the extension or expansion of the life force through conscious, deliberate breathing techniques.
Core Components of Pranayama
The practice involves a cycle of three main stages of breathing:
Puraka (Inhalation): Controlled and deep breathing in.
Kumbhaka (Retention): Holding the breath (either after inhalation or exhalation).
Rechaka (Exhalation): Controlled and complete breathing out.
Purpose and Benefits
Calm and stabilize the mind.
Purify the body's energy channels (nadis).
Improve lung and cardiac health.
Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
Increase vitality and overall energy levels.
Pranayama encompasses a variety of techniques, such as Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), Ujjayi (victorious breath), and Bhastrika (bellows breath), each with specific physiological and psychological effects.
