5 PRANAYAMA | Types,Benefits and How to do?

Pranayama, the vital part of the yogic science can be called as the art of breathing for healthy living for the miraculous health benefits it proffers.

Pranayama refers to breathing exercises which clear the physical and emotional obstacles in our body to free the breath and so the flow of prana - life energy. Regular and sustained practice of Pranayama can supercharge your whole body!

The way that we move, think, act and especially breathe contributes to the flow and vitality of prana – the universal energy that runs through us and everything around us.

Why is the breath so important?

It’s the first thing and last thing we do in our lives. The one constant thing we all have. Without breath there is no life!

Daily stressors, tensions and physical habits can create physical and energetic obstacles in our bodies. Without even noticing it our breathing can become gradually more shallow or stilted. We can develop unconscious breathing patterns restricting the flow of breath and prana.

When we work on freeing the breath through pranayama (breathing exercises) we are also working on letting the life energy flow through the body. It has the effect of energizing, relaxing and healing the body, letting everything fall into place. It literally increases and balances the life energy in your system.

Five Basic Types of Pranayamas -

1. Bhastrika Pranayama-

In this pranayama, body gets the maximum amount of oxygen due to complete inhaling and exhaling.Bhastrika is a balancing technique, it helps in correcting any imbalances in the three doshas - vata, pitta and kapha.

How to do Bhastrika Pranayama?

Step 1 -

Sit comfortably on a flat ground.

Step 2 -

Take a deep breath through both nostrils and fill the lungs with air and then exhale completely with a hissing sound.

Step 3-

Repeat.

Benefits of Bhastrika pranayama-

• Good for people with depression and anxiety.

• It is good for brain oxygenation.

• Great for lungs and people who suffer from repetitive cough, flu, respiratory issues, allergies or breathlessness.

• It is great for energizing the body and the mind.

• It benefits the nervous and the motor system.

• It helps in treating fibrosis.

• Checks sleep apnea as well.

• Helps strengthen immunity.

2. Kapalbhati Pranayama -

This Pranayama is very effective in curing stomach disorder, obesity, digestive disorder and many problems related to stomach.

Kapal = forehead; bhati = shining; pranayama = breathing technique.

Here’s a very powerful breathing exercise that not just helps you lose weight but also brings your entire system into a perfect balance. 

When you do pranayama, 80% of the toxins in our body are released through the outgoing breath. Kapal Bhati literally translates to ‘the shining forehead,’ and this is precisely what happens with regular practice of this pranayama – a forehead that glows not just from outside, but also an intellect that becomes sharp and refined.

How to do kapalbharti pranayama?

Step 1-

Sit on a flat floor folding your legs, keeping the spine straight and close the eyes.

Step 2-

Keep the right palm on right knee and left palm on left knee.

Step 3-

Now take a deep breath and exhale with all your force so your stomach will go deep inside.

Step 4-

When you exhale with hissing sound try to think that your disorders are coming out of your nose.

Step 5-

Do not stress on inhaling. Inhalation should not involve any effort. Inhaling will be done automatically after each exhaling.

Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama-

•Energizes the nervous system and rejuvenates brain cells.

•Calms and uplifts the mind.

•Increases the metabolic rate and aids in weight loss.

•Improves blood circulation and adds radiance to the face.

•Clears the nadis (subtle energy channels).

•Stimulates abdominal organs and thus is extremely useful to those with diabetes.

•Improves digestive tract functioning, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients.

•Results in a taut and trimmed down belly.

3.Nadi Shodhana Pranayama-

This pranayama is one of the excellent breathing exercises which is also known as Anulom Vilom Pranayama. Regular practice offers an energy boost in the body and releases stress and anxiety. It should be practiced in the morning in fresh air with empty stomach.Nadi = subtle energy channel; Shodhan = cleaning, purification; Pranayama = breathing technique.

Nadis are subtle energy channels in the human body that can get blocked due to various reasons. The Nadi Shodhan pranayama is a breathing technique that helps clear these blocked energy channels, thus calming the mind. This technique is also known as Anulom Vilom pranayama.

How to do Nadi Shodhana Pranayama-

Step 1-

Sit comfortably on flat ground.

Step 2-

Now close right nostril with right thumb and breathe from left nostril. Then close left nostril with middle and ring finger and breathe out from right nostril.

Step 3-

Now closing in the left nostril breathe in deeply with right nostril and then close right nostril and breathe out deeply with left nostril. Do the repetition.

Benefits of Nadi Shodhan Pranayama -

•Excellent breathing technique to calm and center the mind.

•Our mind has a tendency to keep regretting or glorifying the past and getting anxious about the future. Nadi Shodhan pranayama helps to bring the mind back to the present moment.

•Works therapeutically for most circulatory and respiratory problems.

•Releases accumulated stress in the mind and body effectively and helps to relax.

•Helps harmonize the left and right hemispheres of the brain, which correlates to the logical and emotional sides of our personality.

•Helps purify and balance the nadis - the subtle energy channels, thereby ensuring a smooth flow of prana (life force) through the body.

•Maintains body temperature.

4. Bhramari Pranayama -

Bhramari pranayama is the excellent breathing exercise which plays an important role in releasing agitation, frustration and anger. It is the best breathing exercise in calming your mind.

The Bhramari pranayama breathing technique derives its name from the black Indian bee called Bhramari. Bhramari pranayama is effective in instantly calming down the mind. It is one of the best breathing exercises to free the mind of agitation, frustration or anxiety and get rid of anger to a great extent. A simple technique, it can be practiced anywhere - at work or home and is an instant option to de-stress yourself.

It works on calming the nerves and soothes them especially around the brain and forehead. The humming sound vibrations have a natural calming effect.

How to do Bharamari Pranayama-

Step 1 -

Sit comfortably on a flat ground.

Step 2-

Place your index fingers on the forehead and with the remaining fingers close your eyes.

Step 3-

Start inhaling through both the nostril deeply and slowly.

Step 4-

By keeping mouth close, exhale by making a humming sound like “hmmmm”. While making humming sound say ‘Om’ in soft humming sound.

Step 5-

Repeat.

Benefits of Bhramari pranayama-

•Gives relief if you're feeling hot or have a slight headache.

•Pranayama benefits in Improving concentration and memory.

•Pranayama benefits in reducing blood pressure.

•Gives instant relief from tension, anger and anxiety. It is a very effective breathing technique for people suffering from hypertension as it calms down the agitated mind.

•Builds confidence.

•Helps mitigate migraines.

•Helps calm the mind in preparation for meditation.

5.Sheetali Pranayama -

Sheetali Pranayama, also known as Cooling Breath, is a breathing practice that very effectively cools the body, the mind, and the emotions. Sheetali comes from the Sanskrit root sheet, which means “cold” or “frigid.”1 Sheetal translates roughly as ‘that which is calm, passionless, and soothing’.1 Sheetali pranayama calms and soothes the mind-body organism by activating a powerful evaporative cooling mechanism on the inhalation, delivering a gently cooling energy to the deep tissues of the body. Remarkably, this pranayama also enkindles the digestive fire—just as a live coal covered in ash might begin to glow under the influence of a cold wind.

Sheeta means cooling, which is exactly the effect of this pranayama. It’s a great pranayama pose for stress, anxiety and tension.

The practice of sheetali pranayama can be indispensible in cases of hot weather, intense physical exertion, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, hot flashes, heated emotional situations, and other heat-inducing circumstances. This practice is very balancing for pitta and is neutral toward vata and kapha.2 Nevertheless, sheetali pranayama should be practiced with care if there is an internal excess of the cold quality, or if the season is especially cold. In these cases, it is important to determine whether sheetali is really the right pranayama to be practicing. If it is, consider balancing sheetali with a more heating pranayama, like bhastrika.

How to do Sheetali Pranayama?

Step 1-

Sit in a comfortable position with the back and head erect, hands on the knees in Jnana mudra and eyes closed.

Step 2-

Make a puckered circle with your mouth then stick out your tongue and curl the edges inwards to form a tube.

Step 3-

Inhale slowly and deeply through the tube as if sucking air through a straw to the count of 4. 

Step 4-

Fill up your abdomen and chest to full capacity.

Step 5-

Retain the breath.

Step 6-

Straighten your head and exhale through the nostrils until all air is expelled.

Step 7-

Repeat.

Benefits of Sheetali Pranayama-

•Reduces blood pressure.

•Enhances immunity.

•Balances excess pitta.

•Bolsters the flow of prana throughout the body 

•Soothes inflammatory skin conditions.

•Cools the body and clears excess heat.

•Kindles the digestive fire and promotes optimal digestion.

•Mitigates hyper acidity in the digestive tract.

•Helps to calm inflammation throughout the body.

•Reduces fever.

•Soothes colicky pain.

•Alleviates excess hunger.

•Quells excess thirst.

•Fosters a sense of satisfaction.

•Calms and soothes the mind, supporting mental tranquility.