What Is Pranayama Yoga?

Pranayama yoga is a type of yoga that focuses on the control of breathing. Through this control of breathing, practitioners are believed to gain a control of their internal life force. Whether practiced on its own or used to facilitate movements and meditations of other yogic forms, pranayama has a number of advantages that can help an individual reach enhanced enlightenment and internal health.

Benefits of Pranayama

As a technique, pranayama incorporates a number of breathing exercises, each of which is designed to yield a specific internal benefit. For example, some breathing exercises are used to shed toxins from the body. Others are intended to spur the flow of life force within the body. These types of exercises not only enhance mood, but can also provide beneficial health effects for internal organs and other body systems.

When incorporated into other arms of yoga, pranayama helps improve focus and meditation. Proper breathing techniques can assist in an individual's attempt to hold a yogic pose. It can also be used solely for the purpose of de-stressing and achieving internal harmony through meditation.

The Science of Pranayama

Though the benefits of pranayama have been in use for thousands of years, modern science is just now beginning to shed light on how breathing exercises actually improve health. However, simply looking at the mechanisms of breathing can do much to give credence to the benefits of pranayama. For example, when we exhale, the body is relieved of harmful chemicals such as carbon dioxide. When we inhale, our body receives nourishment that is used to power everything from our brains to our heart. The enhanced flow of oxygen – especially to the brain – helps increase function for enhanced thought and awareness.

Beginning Pranayama Yoga

If you are interested in learning pranayama, it is recommended that you start by taking a supervised beginner's class from an experienced yogi. This is because there are many pranayama techniques that can be harmful if performed incorrectly. Additionally, proper teaching from a knowledgeable instructor can result in tips that maximize breathing techniques so you can achieve the maximum amount of benefit from your pranayama routine.