The Benefits of Pranayama

Pranayama is made up of the words prana meaning ‘life force’ and ayama meaning ‘control’. Pranayama is the control of the breath and comes in many different breathing techniques which we may cover in class. I used the think of pranayama as a waste of time, but I don’t think I had the right teacher at the time. During my first month of yoga teacher training we were asked to do pranayama every day and keep a journal. I feel in love with a couple of techniques and continue to practice them daily. There are many benefits to pranayama and we’ll cover a few of them here.

Benefits of Pranayama

• When we focus on our breath we can increase feelings of stillness and mindfulness.
• Focusing on our breath activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which produces a sense of calm. This can help us slow down and identify what emotions are showing up. If you need a quick fix when emotions bubble up, do a pranayama exercise to slow down for a few minutes.
• Pranayama works on the muscles used in breathing. It can increase lung capacity and improve circulation.
• A regular practice of pranayama can help relieve stress and bring on relaxation. Research has shown that slow types of pranayama can lower stress hormones in the body.
• Fast types of pranayamas, like Kapalabhati, can give us more energy and reduce fatigue by boosting prana in the body.

Pranayama is a powerful practice that will take much time to master yet its benefits are felt almost immediately. I’ll be sharing a few pranayama techniques in my classes, specifically ones suitable for beginners.