Pranayama
The breath comes first
Five breathing practices from A Light From Within. Before the first pose and after the last, the breath is the thread that carries the practice. Learn each one here, then weave it into your own class.
Before any breath practice
- Clear the nasal passages before beginning.
- Best performed on an empty stomach.
- Dirgha and Ujjayi are easiest to learn reclining or supported; Bhramari should never be practiced lying down.
- At first, simply observe the breath without controlling it, then regulate gradually.
- In seated practice, support the spine with bolsters or blankets so it stays tall and strain-free.
- If the exhalation ever feels choppy or strained, stop and return to the natural rhythm of the breath.