Overview of Basics of Pranayama Yoga

Yoga is a group of ancient spiritual practices possibly originating in India around 3300 BCE for the purpose of cultivating a steady mind. A practitioner of Yoga is called a Yogi or Yogini (female). Yoga is derived from a Sanskrit word 'Yuj' which means to join or unite. In simple English, yoga is a way to unite ones body, mind and soul. Yoga exercises basically comprise of a number of 'asanas' to achieve the union of the body, mind and soul. These asanas are nothing but the practice of physical postures or poses that help our body stay healthy. Moreover, almost every yoga exercise includes stretching. However there is a lot more to yoga besides this. Through yoga practices, our bodies can develop strength and flexibility. The stretching exercises in yoga also help our body improve its balance. The nicest thing about yoga is that it can be performed by anyone of any race, caste, creed, sex, or age. 

'Pranayama' is a distinct branch of yoga dealing with breathing exercises. 'Pranayama' is a Sanskrit word which means pause in movement. 'Pranayama' is actually two words, 'prana' meaning breath and 'yama' meaning exercise. Western countries believe and focus on deep breathing whereas 'Pranayamas' believe in controlled breathing practices. To proceed further, one must understand the meaning of 'prana' and 'yama'. 'Prana' translates into 'life force energy' while 'yama' translates into 'control or mastery of'. Hence, in totality pranayama is used to control, cultivate, and modify the 'prana' in the body.

Process of Pranayama

'Pranayama' is all about breathing correctly. As we increase the amount of air we inhale, we increase the intake of 'prana.' All the 'pranayama' exercises (except kapalabhati) are performed by breathing slowly and steadily. While performing this exercise, you must sit in a relaxed position with your back straight and upright. You also need to remove all worldly thoughts from your mind and concentrate on breathing. Only then, can you achieve the true benefits of 'pranayama.' 


The period of exhalation should be twice as long as the period of inhalation. Initially, you may start the breathing exercise without a full pause between inhalation and exhalation. As you gain mastery, try to pause and hold your breath in between; according to your comfort level. As you gain practice, you will reach a point where you can manage to take pauses equal to the exhalation, or double that of inhalation. A trained yoga practitioner can take pauses which could extend to four times the duration of inhalation and double the duration of exhalation. By doing this, you can alleviate some ailments, improve respiration, and increase oxygen supply to aid cellular respiration. 


The sole purpose of pranayama is to increase the flow of freshly oxygenated blood such that it reaches your neck muscles, throat, tongue, nose, ear, eyes and brain, and the sensitive areas of the skull. This exercise helps combat common health problems such as: mild headaches, tiredness due to overwork, tension and sleeplessness.