Different types Pranayama
There are many types of pranayama followed by yoga practitioners. Here are some of them
Ordinary Pranayama
Ordinary Pranayama
An Ordinary Pranayama is simple. A person inhales air, exhales it or retains it for sometime. While inhaling he takes the prana to the anus and unites it with apana. When he exhales, apana is drawn up by prana. In the process of retention, the activities of prana are made to centralise near the region.The last method causes the mind to be free from thought and the practitioner suceeds in meditation and samadhi.
Sukha Purvak
How to do : Sit cross-legged, be relaxed and keep the head, body and spine straight, with the right thumb on the right nostril, with the ring and little nostril with the right thumb, draw prana inside through the left nostril.
Close left nostril also and hold breath as long as you can. Thereafter remove the pressure on the right nostril and breathe out slowly throught the right nostril.
This practice can be continued with the air being drawn in throught the right nostril and breathe out throught the left nostril.
Initially this exercise can be done only five times but can be increased to 20 or 30 times a day.
Think positive consider you are drawing peace, joy, mercy into the body.
If you take 10 seconds in inhaling, retain the breath for about 40 seconds(4 times) and exhale it grauallly in 20 seconds.
Close left nostril also and hold breath as long as you can. Thereafter remove the pressure on the right nostril and breathe out slowly throught the right nostril.
This practice can be continued with the air being drawn in throught the right nostril and breathe out throught the left nostril.
Initially this exercise can be done only five times but can be increased to 20 or 30 times a day.
Think positive consider you are drawing peace, joy, mercy into the body.
If you take 10 seconds in inhaling, retain the breath for about 40 seconds(4 times) and exhale it grauallly in 20 seconds.
Gains : This exercise gives energy and causes the face to shine, develops attractive personality and abovbe all brings in mental peace.
Kapala Bhati
This exercise is undertaken to improve the respiratory system of the body. If performedregularly, this causes the skull to shine.
How to do: The person who has to perform this exercise should sit comfortably as in Padmasan, inhale small quality of air, then exhale quickly.This will cause the muscles of the abdomin to go back and forth.
As is in other cases, initially one should perform this practice ten times. Later he should retain the breath as long as is possible. Then exhale slowly.
Gains: If performed on a regular basis, this leads to purification of lungs and blood and tones up the nervous system.
Bhastrika Pranayama
Shitakari Pranayama
Instead of keeping the tongue out in a tube like shape as told in Shitali pranayama, it should be bent towards the p0alate and air suck with a hissing sound. Then close mouth and retain the breathe with comfort. Then exhale throught both nostrils. Repeat sit times and increase the number gradually.
Gain :This exercise purifies blood.
Surya Bheda Pranayama
In this exercise right nostril is used every time for inhalation and the left one for exhalation. It give rise to heat in the body.
How to do: Close the left nostril and inhale deeply through the right nostril. Press the chin against the chest and retain as long as you can. Concentrate on Ajna Chakra(between the eyebrows). Then exhale slowly throught the left nostril. Practice five times to start with and then increase the number.
Gains :It corrects the imbalance caused by wind and phlegm. Purifies the blood, enhances digestive power, and aids the awakening of Kundalini Shakti.
Ujjayi Pranayama
In this exercise air is inhaled by both the nostrils but taken out throught the left one. Inhaling and exhaling is done by a sound produced by contraction of the throat.
How to do : Sit in a comfortable pose. Breathe in throught both the nostrils( a sound is produced of a mind and uniform pitch) . Retain the breath as long as one can with comfort exhale slowly.
The execise can be done five times to start with and then gradually increased.
Gains:Diseases of the stomach, dyspepsia, enlargement of spleen and live are removed. Throat, mouth and the lungs are purified.
Bhramari Pranayama
In this a sound like that of the bumble-bee is produced while breathing in and breathing out by the throat.
How to do : Breathe in slowly. Without retention, exhale. Practice five times and then breath in deeply. Exhale slowly.
Gains : The sound produced thrills concentrations. It increases circulation of blood, cools the brain and gives immense joy.
Kundalini Pranayama-1
This Exercise requires special mental effort - a visualization.
How to do : Breathe in throught the left nostril. Visualize that the Kundalini Shakti is ascending from Muladhara to Swadhishthana, from Swadhisthana to Manipura at the navel until it reaches the Sahasrara in the
How to do: The person who has to perform this exercise should sit comfortably as in Padmasan, inhale small quality of air, then exhale quickly.This will cause the muscles of the abdomin to go back and forth.
As is in other cases, initially one should perform this practice ten times. Later he should retain the breath as long as is possible. Then exhale slowly.
Gains: If performed on a regular basis, this leads to purification of lungs and blood and tones up the nervous system.
Bhastrika Pranayama
This is a combinatin of Kapalabhati and Suryabandana, in which 20 to 40 exhalations are made to preced each inhalations.
This kriya consists of rapid and successive forcible inhalations and exhalations. To start with ten inhalations and exhalations will do. There after one should breathe in deeply, reatin the air and exhale slowly. Three to four rounds will do. The number of times of inhalations and exhalations of each round should be increased slowly.
Gains : It not only removes astma and catarrh, but improves the condition of the throat. It awakens the Kundalini Shakti.
Shitali Pranayama
This kriya consists of rapid and successive forcible inhalations and exhalations. To start with ten inhalations and exhalations will do. There after one should breathe in deeply, reatin the air and exhale slowly. Three to four rounds will do. The number of times of inhalations and exhalations of each round should be increased slowly.
Gains : It not only removes astma and catarrh, but improves the condition of the throat. It awakens the Kundalini Shakti.
Shitali Pranayama
Shital means cooling.
How to do: Pull out the tongue and fold it like a tube. Breathe in air throught the mouth and retain as long as possible with comfort, keeping the mouth closed. Then exhale slowly throught the nostrils. Repeat six times.
Gains : Thirst and hunger goes. It purifies the blood and destroys chronic dysepsia and other diseases.
How to do: Pull out the tongue and fold it like a tube. Breathe in air throught the mouth and retain as long as possible with comfort, keeping the mouth closed. Then exhale slowly throught the nostrils. Repeat six times.
Gains : Thirst and hunger goes. It purifies the blood and destroys chronic dysepsia and other diseases.
Shitakari Pranayama
Instead of keeping the tongue out in a tube like shape as told in Shitali pranayama, it should be bent towards the p0alate and air suck with a hissing sound. Then close mouth and retain the breathe with comfort. Then exhale throught both nostrils. Repeat sit times and increase the number gradually.
Gain :This exercise purifies blood.
Surya Bheda Pranayama
In this exercise right nostril is used every time for inhalation and the left one for exhalation. It give rise to heat in the body.
How to do: Close the left nostril and inhale deeply through the right nostril. Press the chin against the chest and retain as long as you can. Concentrate on Ajna Chakra(between the eyebrows). Then exhale slowly throught the left nostril. Practice five times to start with and then increase the number.
Gains :It corrects the imbalance caused by wind and phlegm. Purifies the blood, enhances digestive power, and aids the awakening of Kundalini Shakti.
Ujjayi Pranayama
In this exercise air is inhaled by both the nostrils but taken out throught the left one. Inhaling and exhaling is done by a sound produced by contraction of the throat.
How to do : Sit in a comfortable pose. Breathe in throught both the nostrils( a sound is produced of a mind and uniform pitch) . Retain the breath as long as one can with comfort exhale slowly.
The execise can be done five times to start with and then gradually increased.
Gains:Diseases of the stomach, dyspepsia, enlargement of spleen and live are removed. Throat, mouth and the lungs are purified.
Bhramari Pranayama
In this a sound like that of the bumble-bee is produced while breathing in and breathing out by the throat.
How to do : Breathe in slowly. Without retention, exhale. Practice five times and then breath in deeply. Exhale slowly.
Gains : The sound produced thrills concentrations. It increases circulation of blood, cools the brain and gives immense joy.
Kundalini Pranayama-1
This Exercise requires special mental effort - a visualization.
How to do : Breathe in throught the left nostril. Visualize that the Kundalini Shakti is ascending from Muladhara to Swadhishthana, from Swadhisthana to Manipura at the navel until it reaches the Sahasrara in the
crown of the head. Then bring the energy in the space between the eyebrows. Close both nostrils and retain the breath, keeping the mind focused on Ajna Chakra, mentally repeating Om. After retention breathe out throught the right nostril visualizing that the Kundalini retraces from Ajna Chakra to Sahasrara in the crown of the head, form Sahasrara again to Ajna chakra from behind the head, from Ajna Chakra to Vishudi Chakra, Fom Vishudi Chakra at the throat to the centre in the heart, from heart to navel, from navel to Swadhishtrana Chakra and from Swadhishthana Chakra to the Muladhara at the anus.
This can be done five times to start with and then gradually increased.
Gain : This awakens the mystic Kundalini and bestows various psychic powers.
Kundalini Pranayama-2
How to do: Sit comfortably. Breathe in air throught the mouth, visualize the movement of Kundalini from the Muladhara Chakra to the Sahasrar and from Sahasrara to the ajna Chakra. With out retaining , exhale througg the mouth. Visualize the retracing of the Kundalini Pracice five time to start with and then gradually increase the number.
This cleanses Sushumna and awakens the Kundalini Shakti.
Kevala Kumbhaka
In this, there is no inhalation or exhalation. It is pure retention. When a yogi advances in the practice of pranayma, he can hold the breath by his mere will suspendin inhalation and exhalation. With the control of subtle Prana the breath stops. A yogi conserves abundance of energy throught this.
Kevela Kumbhaka is not retention with force, but spontaneous retention of breathing due to mastery over the subtle prana.
Nadi-shodhana Pranayama
This for the purification of the naids or the astral nerves through which the subtle Pranas flow. Without the purification of the nadis one cannot acquire success in Kundalini yoga.
How to do : Inhale throught the left nostrtil, mentally repeating the Bijakshara(root-letter)LAM of the earth element and fixing the mind on Muladhara Chakra at the base of the spine. Repeat it eight times. Then close both the nostrils and mentally repeat LAm thirty two times.Exhale repeating the Bijakshara sixteen times. Then inhale throught the right nostril and practice the same. Repeat Vam at Swadhisthana chakra, Ram at Manipura, Yam at anahat, HAm at Vishudi and Om at Ajna Chakra.
The nadis are also purified by selfless service of humanity, cultivation of divine virtues, development of devotion to God and by deep enquiry pertaining to the nature of the Self.
All these modes of Pranayama aim at one common goal and that is of bringing the mind under one's control. The Physiological effects that go with these varities, however, show some variations.
This can be done five times to start with and then gradually increased.
Gain : This awakens the mystic Kundalini and bestows various psychic powers.
Kundalini Pranayama-2
How to do: Sit comfortably. Breathe in air throught the mouth, visualize the movement of Kundalini from the Muladhara Chakra to the Sahasrar and from Sahasrara to the ajna Chakra. With out retaining , exhale througg the mouth. Visualize the retracing of the Kundalini Pracice five time to start with and then gradually increase the number.
This cleanses Sushumna and awakens the Kundalini Shakti.
Kevala Kumbhaka
In this, there is no inhalation or exhalation. It is pure retention. When a yogi advances in the practice of pranayma, he can hold the breath by his mere will suspendin inhalation and exhalation. With the control of subtle Prana the breath stops. A yogi conserves abundance of energy throught this.
Kevela Kumbhaka is not retention with force, but spontaneous retention of breathing due to mastery over the subtle prana.
Nadi-shodhana Pranayama
This for the purification of the naids or the astral nerves through which the subtle Pranas flow. Without the purification of the nadis one cannot acquire success in Kundalini yoga.
How to do : Inhale throught the left nostrtil, mentally repeating the Bijakshara(root-letter)LAM of the earth element and fixing the mind on Muladhara Chakra at the base of the spine. Repeat it eight times. Then close both the nostrils and mentally repeat LAm thirty two times.Exhale repeating the Bijakshara sixteen times. Then inhale throught the right nostril and practice the same. Repeat Vam at Swadhisthana chakra, Ram at Manipura, Yam at anahat, HAm at Vishudi and Om at Ajna Chakra.
The nadis are also purified by selfless service of humanity, cultivation of divine virtues, development of devotion to God and by deep enquiry pertaining to the nature of the Self.
All these modes of Pranayama aim at one common goal and that is of bringing the mind under one's control. The Physiological effects that go with these varities, however, show some variations.
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