Pranayama Tradition
We have now made it to the fourth limb of Patanjali’s 8 Limbs of Yoga, pranayama. Pranayama in its literal translation means “life force extension”, which in all honesty is sort of vague. It is practiced in the 8 Limbs of Yoga is through breathwork. The practice of yoga ascertains that through practiced and intentional breakwork (and believe me it is work) one can both rejuvenate the body, calm the mind, and extend the longevity of one’s life span.
Different breath work creates different results and sends signals to the body. When we breathe slowly in and out of the nose we trigger the parasympathetic nervous system letting it know that we are in a safe space to rest and digest and to disengage from our fight or flight response. In modern society we live in a perpetual state of fight or flight that leaves us physically and emotionally drained and fatigued. This righteous work of consciously breathing can drastically improve ones quality of life. This type of breathing goes well with gentle or restorative yoga classes.
In contrast if one were wanting to raise their energy levels breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth would engage the sympathetic nervous system. The faster and shorter the breaths will elevate ones energy rapidly and should be avoided or done cautiously if one is feeling dizzy. Personally I have low blood pressure and tend towards anxiety and so I must exercise caution when using breaths that engage the flight or flight response. These are ideal for vigorous yoga practiced such as a Vinyasa practice or a Power Yoga Flow.
I intentionally include pranayama in all of my yoga classes. I thoughtfully choose a particular breath based off the kind of class I am leading. In fact Mindful Tradition classes generally include 3 of these first four limbs as the contain a theme that is linked to either the Yammas or Niyamas, Pranayama, and Asana.
These first four Limbs of Yoga are preparatory work for the last four Limbs. They are focused on personal work, mastery of the body, and cultivating an awareness of one’s energy body. These are the foundations and building blocks necessary to progress along the devoted path of yoga and self mastery. They are also at the founding principles of Mindful Tradition and all the different spheres of work that I do. If this is the kind of thing that intrigues or inspires you please reach out and we can start you Pranayama Tradition today. Together we can cultivate a practice that will help you on your own path of personal development so that you can intentionally cultivate both the body and soul.
