Pryma (Sanskrit: pr yma) is a Sanskrit word alternatively translated

as "extension of the pr a (breath or life force)" or "breath control." The word is

composed from two Sanskrit words: praa meaning life force (noted particularly as
the breath), and either yama (to restrain or control the prana, implying a set of
breathing techniques where the breath is intentionally altered in order to produce
specific results) or the negative form ayma, meaning to extend or draw out (as in
extension of the life force). It is a yogic discipline with origins in ancient India.
Pranayama is the fourth "limb" of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga mentioned in
verse 2.29 in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.[14][15] Patanjali, a Hindu Rishi, discusses
his specific approach to pranayama in verses 2.49 through 2.51, and devotes verses
2.52 and 2.53 to explaining the benefits of the practice. [16] Patanjali does not fully
elucidate the nature of prana, and the theory and practice of pranayama seem to
have undergone significant development after him. [17] He presents pranayama as
essentially an exercise that is preliminary to concentration, as do the earlier Buddhist
texts.
Forms[edit]
Prnyma techniques and forms include:[19][20]

Agni-prasana or Agni Prana ("Breath of Fire") like kapalabhati.[21]

Agnisar prnyma - an abdominal breath.

Anuloma prnyma - a form of alternate nostril breath (distinct from nadi

shodhana).

Bhastrika prnyma ("bellows breath") - fast and forceful inhales and

exhales driven by diaphragmatic breathing. Bhastrika is a cleansing kriya to clear
the nadis, nostrils, and sinuses for prnyma.

Bhramari prnyma ("bee breath") - making a humming sound while

breathing.

Chandra Bhastrika prnyma.

Chandra bheden prnyma.

Kapalabhati prnyma ("skull shining breath") - similar to bhastrika, but with

a passive inhale and a forceful exhale, powered mainly by the diaphragm and
the external andinternal obliques.

Kumbhaka prnyma ("Breath retention") - controlling both atara (holding

in) and bahya (holding out).

Lom Anulom Vilom prnyma.

Murchha prnyma.

Nadi Shodan prnyma.

Pratiloma prnyma - the inverse of anuloma: the inhale is drawn through

one nostril (alternating sides each time) and the exhale is released through
both nostrils.

Sama vr tti prnyma ("Even breathing") - the inhale and exhale are of equal
size and duration. The opposite of visama vr tti.

Shitali prnyma ("Cooling breath") - Inhalation is drawn over the curled and
extended tongue.

Shitkari prnyma - Similar to shitali but the tongue is held between the
teeth.

Surya Bhastrika prnyma.

Surya bhedana prnyma and Chandra bhedana prnyma - Channeling

breath in one side and out the other without alternating, meant to energize ida
or pingala nadi. The right nostril is associated with the sun (surya) and left
nostril with the moon (ida).

Surya Chandra Bhastrika prnyma.

Udgeeth prnyma ("Chanting prnyma") - often done with the chanting

of the Om mantra.

Viloma prnyma - "the air is inhaled with pauses and exhaled as one breath
or vice-versa, usually with added kumbhaka".[22]

Visama vr tti - "Uneven breathing" where specific ratios (e.g. 1:4:2) are
maintained between inhale, retention, and exhale.

STEPS
Method1-Bhastrika Pranayam: Bellows Breath
1
Breathe i deeply through your ostrils. First, feel the diaphragm move down,
allowing the lungs to expand and forcing the abdomen out; then feel your chest
expand with your collar bones rising last.
2
Breath out quickly through your ostrils. Feel your collar bones dropping, chest
deflating, and abdomen shrinking as the lungs collapse. This process of exhaling
should be much faster than the process of inhaling -- almost like a rapid deflation.
3

Repeat the process. When correctly done, your chest will expand when you breathe
in and deflate when you breathe out. Continue doing this for 5 minutes.
4
With practice, speed up your breathig. Beginners should always start slowly to
avoid hyperventilating, but eventually it will be possible to turn this into a rapid
breathing technique.
Method2-Kapalbhati Pranayam: Shining Forehead Breath
1
Ihale through your ostrils ormally util your lugs are full. Keep your
inhalation slow but unforced. First, feel the diaphragm move down, allowing the
lungs to expand and forcing the abdomen out; then feel your chest expand with your
collar bones rising last.
2
Exhale through both ostrils forcefully. This places the emphasis of the breath on
the exhale rather than the (natural) inhale. Assist your exhalation by pulling in your
stomach muscles to expel air. Exhaling should take much less time than it took to
inhale.
Forced exhalation means that the contraction of your stomach muscles helps push
the air out of your body. It does ot mean that the exhalation should be
uncomfortable for you in any way.
3
Repeat breaths for 15 miutes. You may take a minute's rest after every five
minutes.
Method3-Anulom Vilom Pranayam: Alternate Nostril Breath

1
Close your eyes. Focus your attention on your breathing.
2
Close the right ostril with the right thumb. Simply press the thumb against your
nostril to block it
3
Ihale slowly through the left ostril. Fill your lungs with air. First, feel the
diaphragm move down, allowing the lungs to expand and forcing the abdomen out;
then feel your chest expand with your collar bones rising last.
4
Remove your thumb from your right ostril. Keep your right hand by your nose
and your lungs full of air.
5
Use your rig ad middle figer to close your left ostril. Most people find it
easier to continue using the same hand to block either nostril, but youre welcome to
switch hands depending on which nostril youre blocking.
You can also switch if your arm gets tired.

6
Exhale slowly ad completely with the right ostril. Feel the collar bones
dropping, chest deflating, and abdomen shrinking as the lungs collapse. When
you've finished exhaling, keep your left nostril closed.
7
Ihale through the right ostril. Fill your lungs.
8
Close the right ostril ad ope the left.
9
Breathe out slowly through the left ostril. This process is one round of Anulom
Vilom Pranayam.
10
Cotiue for 15 miutes. You may take a minute's rest after every five minutes of
exercise.
Method4-Bahya Pranayam: External Breath
1
Ihale deeply through your ose. First, feel the diaphragm move down, allowing
the lungs to expand and forcing the abdomen out; then feel your chest expand with
your collar bones rising last.
2
Exhale forcefully. Use your stomach and diaphragm to push the air from your body.
Forced exhalation means that the contraction of your stomach muscles helps push
the air out of your body. It does ot mean that the exhalation should be
uncomfortable for you in any way.
3
Touch your chi to your chest ad suck i your stomach completely. The goal
is to leave a hollow below your ribcage, making it look like the front muscle wall of
your abdomen is pressed against the back. Hold this position -- and your breath -- for
as long as is comfortable.
4
Lift your chi ad breathe i slowly. Allow your lungs to completely fill with air.
5
Repeat 3 to 5 times.
Method5-Bhramari Pranayam: Bee Breath
1
Close your eyes. Focus on your breathing.
2
Place your thumbs i your ears, your idex figers above your eyebrows, ad
your remaiig alog the sides of your ose. Keep each pinky finger near a
nostril.
3

Breath i deeply through the ose. First, feel the diaphragm move down, allowing
the lungs to expand and forcing the abdomen out; then feel your chest expand with
your collar bones rising last.
4
Use your pikies to partially close each ostril. Keep your lungs filled.
5
Breathe out through the ose while hummig. Note that the humming sound
should originate in your throat, not as a result of your partially-blocked nostrils.
6
Repeat three times.
Method6-Udgeeth Pranayam: Chanting Breath
1
Breathe i deeply through the ose. First, feel the diaphragm move down,
allowing the lungs to expand and forcing the abdomen out; then feel your chest
expand with your collar bones rising last.
2
Exhale very slowly while sayig Om. Allow the syllable to draw out as slowly as
you can. Make sure to keep the O long and the M short. (OOOOOOm.)
3
Repeat 3 times.
Benefits Of Pranayama
Reduced Breathig Rate
With yoga breathing you can train yourself to breathe more slowly and more deeply.
You can reduce your breathing rate from about fifteen breaths a minute to 5-6
breaths a minute, which amounts to reducing the breathing rate by one third.
Reduced breathing rate leads to:

Slowing down the heart rate as more oxygen can be pumped even with less
number of breaths. Follow the ration of 1:2 for inhalation:exhalation.

Reduced wear and tear of internal organs.

Lowering of blood pressure, relaxation of body tensions and quieter nerves.

Praayama Practice Icreases Life

As per yoga philosophy, longevity depends on your breathing rate. Lowering of
breathing rate is likely to increase your life. For example, a tortoise takes four to five
breaths in a minute and it lives up to 200 years or more.

Blood Circulatio Improves

As a result of breathing, the freshly oxygenated blood (during inhalation) travels from
lungs to the heart. The heart pumps it via arteries and blood vessels to every part of
the body, where in turn it seeps into every tissue and cell. This improves the blood
circulation and more oxygen/ prana or cosmic energy reaches all parts of your body.
Praayama For Healthy Heart
Our heart is the most industrious organ of our body. The heart beats 100,000 times a
day. It is pumping blood day in and day out non-stop all your life. The health of your
heart determines your life expectancy and quality of life in old age. More oxygen in
the blood means more oxygen to muscles of the heart.
Beefits Of Praayama For Fuctioig Of Body Orgas

Better functioning of autonomic system improves the working of lungs, heart,

diaphragm, abdomen, intestines, kidneys and pancreas.

Digestive system improves and diseases pertaining to digestive organs are

cured.

General irritability due to lethargy/ fatigue vanishes.

By pranayama practice all body organs gets more oxygen, toxins are removed
from body, therefore onset of various diseases is prevented. Pranayama
strengthens the immune system.

Better Metal Health

Pranayama practice provides freedom from negative and harmful mental

conditions like anger, depression, lasciviousness, greed for money, arrogance
etc.

With pranayama fluctuations of mind are controlled and it prepares the mind
for meditation. With practice of pranayama, you will start experiencing
lightness of body, feeling of inner peace, better sleep, better memory and
better concentration whereby improving the spiritual powers/ skills.

Better Breathig Improves Quality Of Life I Old Age

As a person with sedentary lifestyle reaches middle age, lung tissues tend to grow
less and less elastic and lung capacity decreases. Pranayama can help to reduce
the effects of following old age problems:

Loss of vitality.

Accumulation of uric acid in the blood stream which often leads to frequent
joint pains and discomfort.

Backaches, headaches, rheumatism, stiffening muscles and joints.

Proper circulation of blood is impeded by a sluggish diaphragm or hardening

arteries.