5 Pranayama Yoga Breathing Exercises for Beginners

5 Pranayama Yoga Breathing Exercises for Beginners

Breathing is something we all do. Every day. All the time.

From the first breath at birth till the last breath at death, breathing is something we do without even thinking about it.

Breathing is living. It’s a vital function of life.

In the yoga tradition, breath is where a person’s life force resides, and it is referred to as pranayama.

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What is Pranayama ?

The term Pranayama comes from Sanskrit, where Prana means ‘life force’ or “vital energy” and ayama means ‘to extend or draw out.’.

In other words, Pranayama is the conscious awareness of breath.It is the life force that energizes, relaxes and extends the body.

Pranayama is an important part of yoga. Bringing awareness and controlling the breath enables the rhythm of asanas all while relaxing the mind for meditation.

Breathing might be something we do without even realizing but learning to work with the breath can have many benefits such as decreasing the effects of stress on the body as well as increasing overall physical and mental health.

You know how sometimes taking one deep breath can be so relaxing ?

There exist many breathing exercises and techniques that offer a variety of benefits to the body and soul.

Here’s an overview of how the breath impacts your life and 5 easy pranayama breathing exercises you can use to bring awareness to your breath.

Why is the Breath so Important ?

Breathing affects your respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, muscular, and psychic system sand also has a general effect on your sleep, your memory, your energy level, and your concentration.

Everything you do, the pace you keep, the feelings you have, and the choices you make are influenced by the rhythmic metronome of your breath.

From the first to your last breath, breathing is at the core of your life. Think about it. You can survive a few months without eating and a few days without water. But you’ll only last a few moments without breathing. Without breath, there is no life.

However important the breath is, it can easily be affected by your surroundings and environment. Every day stressors, tensions and physical habits (like posture) affect your breath. Without even realizing, your breath can slowly become shallow and superficial, creating unconscious breathing patterns and restricting the free flow of prana in your body.

For this reason, working the breath through breathing exercises, is so important.By learning different breathing exercises and techniques, you’ll slowly bring back awareness to your breath, undo bad breathing patterns and allow for the free flow of life force through the body.

When done right, breathing can have an energizing, relaxing and healing effect on the body and that is why practicing pranayama is so important.

The Benefits of Pranayama

There are many benefits from having a regular Pranayama practice. For example, Pranayama is known to:

• Reduces anxiety and depression

• Lower and/or stabilized blood pressure

• Lower heart rate to relieve tension

• Purify the body’s channels, so that prana, or life force energy, can travel more easily

• Increases energy levels

• Promotes muscle relaxation

• Decreases feelings of stress and overwhelm

• Reduces the signs of oxidative stress in the body

• Etc.

The effects of these breathing exercises on the body and mind can be profound, creating balance and shifting the energy noticeably. 

Helpful Tips for Getting Started

Use Precaution

If you are pregnant, or suffer from diabetes, high or low blood pressure, heart conditions, epilepsy, vertigo or any other health problem, please consult your health care provider before performing any of these breathing exercises.

Listen to yourself

As for anything, listen to yourself, and know your limits. If you feel any discomfort, stop your breathing exercise immediately and slowly return to a normal breathing pattern.

Patience and Practice

Breathing exercises might feel strange and uncomfortable in the beginning. But, with patience and practice you will get better. Your lung capacity will increase and exercises you once found hard will begin to be easier.

Be gentle with yourself

As with everything, listen to your body and be gentle with yourself. Your body will always tell you if you’re pushing too much. Breathing exercises are good for you but it’s no reason to compromise the quality of your breath. Stay focused, bring awareness to your breath, but don’t push it. With time, you will get better and will start seeing all the benefits of the practice.

5 Pranayama Yoga Breathing Exercises for Beginners

Exercise #1 - Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate nostril breathing is a powerful breathing exercises that is great for beginners as well as seasoned yogis.

Alternate Nostril Breathing or Nadi Shodhana, is thought in Ayurvedic medicine and yoga to harmonize the left and right hemispheres of the brain creating a balance in your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Here is a guided video teaching you how to alternate nostril breathing

Exercise #2 - Breath of Fire

Breath of fire is a breathing technique that is rooted in Kundalini Yoga.

It’s done by bringing your navel towards your spine as you exhale sharply and releasing it as you inhale.

This breathing exercise can be quite challenging especially at the beginning but as you start mastering the Breath of Fire, you will feel like you can go on indefinitely.

Caution: If you start feeling dizzy or light-headed, slow down your pace and make sure that you inhale and exhale equally. This breathing exercise shouldn’t be done by women menstruating, pregnant woman, people struggling with vertigo, people having high blood pressure or children.

Try it now !

Exercise #3 - Ujjayi Breathing

Ujjayi is pronounced oo-jai which can be translated as “victorious breath”.

This is an ancient yogic breathing technique that will simultaneously relax and energize your mind and body all while empowering your Hatha Yoga practice.

The sound your breath will be doing will help you to synchronize your breath with movements during your yoga practice and help make it more rhythmic.

Ancient yogis knew all about the strong connection between breath, mind and body.

Discover this pranayama breathing exercise and add it to your yoga practice !

Exercise #4 - Lion's Breath

Now, Lion’s breath is quite something.

To perform this breathing technique, you will have to get into simhasana, or lion pose and do forceful exhalations. You’ll have to put your best fierce lion-like expression on and try not to giggle. Trust me, this might be a challenge at first.

Lion’s breath is well known by yogis to reduce stress and anger.

Try this pranayama now !

Exercise #5 - Sitali

Translated from Sanskrit, Sitali means “soothing” or “cooling”.

While most pranayamas intend to warm the body, Sitali is used to cool and sooth the body.

In this breathing exercise, you will roll your tongue like a straw (or taco) and breath through it.

Give this pranayama a try by clicking the video below

Want to learn more ?

If you want to learn more about pranayama then I strongly recommend you check out B.K.S. Iyengar’s classic book Light on Pranayama. This book is an incredible resource for anyone that is interested in learning more about breathing exercises. You’ll get to discover a variety of practices that are taught in easy steps to help beginners as well as seasoned yogis.

Check it out here » »

That's it for now !

Integrating pranayama into your personal practice can be an amazing addition to yogis of any level. These breathing exercises can empower you, give you a better mood, facilitated your meditation, reduce your stress levels, and so much more !

And since these exercises are focused on your breath, you can do them pretty much anywhere.

Honestly, if you plan on doing Lion’s Breath in public, please send me a pic ! I’d love to see that ! and please please tag me on instagram! @thepathprovides

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