Pranayama Resources
Yoga is a light, which once lit, will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter the flame.
—B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga Horizons is grateful to our friend Kathleen Wright for leading two special class series focused on the practice of pranayama. During these sessions, questions have been posed and answered and resources offered that we wanted to collect and share for everyone’s benefit below.
HOMEWORK
For Week 4: Please see Light on Pranayama:
See and study plates 119 – 132. See especially plate 129.
Notice that plate 130 shows incorrect placement of finger tips.
Read Chapter 28 paragraphs 1 – 17. In my copies of LoP these pages are 238 -
239 but it is possible that some of the editions may vary.
For Week 2:
We will approach the seated practice and digital for pranayama in week two. To work with pranayama mudra, if you would like to do digital pranayama in the class, please see that your fingernails are cut short.
Please see Light on Pranayama:
Chapter 4: It is a long chapter. Especially see paragraph 17 and 18, and figures 6 through 10.
Chapter 22: See and familiarize yourself with the generous photographs our Guruji has given us. They are extremely helpful in learning the formation of pranayama mudra and placement of the fingers for digital pranayama. Please do not worry about memorizing anything, please don’t worry about anything at all! Through karma, prayer and practice Divine grace is with us.
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RESOURCES
Some Notes on Pranayama (by Kathleen Wright) in conjunction with the winter 2024 five-class series:
The diaphragm is an unpaired, dome shaped skeletal muscle that is located in the torso. It separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities from each other by closing the inferior thoracic aperture. The diaphragm is the primary muscle that is active in inspiration. Contraction of the muscle facilitates expansion of the thoracic cavity. This increases volume of the cavity, which in turn decreases the intrathoracic pressure allowing the lungs to expand and inspiration to occur. Expiration. Expiration (exhalation) is the process of letting air out of the lungs during the breathing cycle. During expiration, the relaxation of the diaphragm and elastic recoil of tissue decreases the thoracic volume and increases the interalveolar pressure. Expiration pushes air out of the lungs. This animation shows an anatomical movement of the diaphragm muscle. Our yogic practices show us that the possibilities or working with the diaphragm are greater than outlined in the video.
Respiration is the uptake of oxygen and the removal of carbon dioxide from the body.
This job is performed by the lungs.
Breathing is achieved by contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm and rib muscles.
The respiratory system is the network of organs and tissues that help you breathe. It includes your airways, lungs and blood vessels. The muscles that power your lungs are also part of the respiratory system. These parts work together to move oxygen throughout the body and clean out waste gases like carbon dioxide.
Please continue for the week to place the awareness at the “origin” of exhalation and “origin” of inhalation. This practice provides us to begin inner awareness of the movement of the breath. Remember to accept the breath as a gift rather than forcing anything. Keep the sense organs soft and receptive.
In the hints and cautions portion of our first class I did not mention that one should practice on a completely empty stomach. For this reason, it is easier for some to practice first thing in the morning. Also, it was brought up that I did not mention that the breathing in pranayama is done through the nose.
Books with pranayama sections:
Light on Pranayama by BKS Iyengar
Yoga a Gem for Woman by Dr Geeta Iyengar
Yoga the Iyengar Way by Mira Mehta
Yoga the Path to Holistic Heath by BKS Iyengar
Articles:
An intervew with Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar on the subject of pranayama by Lois Steinberg:
https://iyengaryogalondon.co.uk/geeta-iyengar-pranayama/
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QUESTIONS (from students) & RESPONSES by Kathleen Wright
1. Question: Is there a big difference between pranayama and meditation?
In Patanjali’s codification of the 8 limbed system of Yoga he lists an order of “progression”
Yama
Niyama
Asana
Pranayama
Pratyahara
Dharana
Dyana
Samadhi
The first 4 limbs are something we can practice or do. The following limbs require more receptivity to the possibilities of discovering the vast inner world and spiritual life. Guruji Iyengar gives the definition of Pranayama as a conscious prolongation of inhalation, retention, and exhalation. We learn this in a methodical way. Starting with observation of the body, mind, sense complex and the normal breath itself. Guruji Iyengar then gives the definition of meditation as absorption where the body, breath, mind, intelligence, and ego are absorbed into a peace that has no opposite.
2. Question: A few years ago I took lessons on Mindful Meditation, and we often focused on our breathing while meditating. It seems that in both pranayama and meditation we try to look inwards, and the breathing action is used to focus our attention. To a beginner they look very similar.
I believe you are asking if mindfulness meditation and pranayama are the same practice. Mindfulness meditation is a Buddhist practice (learned and modified from the Vedic and Yoga texts) that was brought to the United States in the early 1990s and combined western medicine, psychology. Although breath awareness is used as an introductory stage of Pranayama, they are definitely different practices with different goals and stages of practice.
3. Question: The second question is related to something I've asked you before: belly breathing versus chest breathing. You made no direct mention of which one to use during our session, but several times you mentioned the opening of the chest, so I assume that you were implying chest breathing. For some reason (unknown to me) it seems that my breathing naturally happens to be mostly through my belly. Should I try to change that? (if it is possible...) Or maybe I should be working on belly opening :-)
I will listen to the recording. my recollection is that towards the end of the session we began to look at the retention of the navel area on exhalation and inhalation. Moving on to beginning to focus on the expansion of the lower ribs and intercostal muscles. Please remember that belly breathing simply means we do not control the movement of the diaphragm. Naturally “belly expands on inhalation as the dome of the diaphragm moves down. The internet can show you computer drawings of this movement of the diaphragm and effects.
(The following were posted Feb 6, 2024)
4. Question: I would be most interested in the resources/information you mentioned during Thursday’s class to help alleviate dry eyes.
In pranayama precautions the eyes should not burn or feel dry. If, however, this is the current condition it should not increase during the practice of pranayama or due to the practice. Please refer to your doctor and Ayurvedic practitioner for further information concerning dry eyes.
5. Question: I do have a question about bhastrika and kapalabhati pranayama. I have been taking Iyengar classes since the early 2000s and I have never had an Iyengar instructor do this energizing breath. It seems in Iyengar pranayama classes the emphasis is on soothing the nervous system with controlled, slow, soft breathing. However, Ch. 23 in Light on Pranayama does address both of these. My question is whether we should be practicing these, as well. Why are they left out? I realize there is a certain vigor that comes from this practice so there are contraindications.
The purpose of all yoga practices is to still the mind: as stated in the first chapter of the yoga sutras of Patanjali Sutra 1.2 states: “Yogas citta vritti nirodhah,” which can be translated to, “Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.”
With this cessation we can begin to know the true self. Through abhyasa and vairagya, sutra 1:12 , study of sacred texts, grace of our teachers and the Divine we can observe a state of benevolence that has no opposite. Our Guruji Iyengar says “In pranayama we begin to see how the “Divine” comes out to meet the body and how the body comes to meet the “Divine.”
As we go through this course there are many areas of understanding to experience. We must become familiar with the movement of the breath and the thoracic diaphragm and how to regulate the diaphragm to understand how to regulate volume and velocity during the movement of inhalation and exhalation.
In my years of practicing with the Iyengar family and my teacher Ramanand Patel I have encountered only twice the teaching of bhastrika and kapalabati pranayama. In Pune Geetaji gave us bhastrika as a preparation to pranayama as a cleansing for the nostrils and airways due to pollution there.
These two pranayama practices require stability and firmness in the upright seated practice. A knowledge of one’s own anatomy including the spine, thoracic diaphragm, brain diaphragm, ashwini mudra, mula bandha and more.
Here is a video of Geeta teaching these practices that you are interested in:
(The following were posted Feb 12, 2024)
6. Question: In class 3 the question was posed “why do pranayama?”
We all have personal reasons for the exploration of pranayama. Yet the yogis of old have given us a clear direction of how to lead a life of Yoga leading to samadhi and to moksha. According to the Yoga sutras of Patanjali we follow the steps or 8 limbs of Yoga:
-Yama: Right rules of living
-Niyama: Right rules of living
-Asana: is given to train the mind/body to be strong, and stable to be able to sit
for
-Pranayama: is given to train the mind. in order to “train” the mind we must follow the preceding steps especially adhering to ahimsa-nonviolence.
-Pratyahara: is a receptive state, The sense organs are introverted, quiet, receptive to allow the senses to recede. Here we begin to let go of the doership, our minds begin to become more sattvic.
-Dharana: often described as concentration is not a hardening of the body, mind sense complex. It is a gradual understanding of directing the mind to a steady state. It is letting go of the idea of doership. Doership being the mistaken idea that this body, mind, sense complex is the origin of the action. For not a leaf could turn without the Divine.
-Dyana: mediation is a something language cannot quiet convey.
-Samadhi: absorption into pure consciousness
7. Question: I realize counting breaths, inhale and exhale is not the way to do this, but how do you count the breaths without counting?
Answer: The breath cannot be counted and not counted at the same time. Do not count in the practice of pranayama. It is a distraction to your practice, in pranayama the mind should be sensitively aware of the temperature, quality, velocity, volume and location of the breath and the effects therein. Become more familiar with these aspects of your breath. To force in the practice is a misuse of the ego and is not desirable. You may set a timer to see how long you are doing a natural practice and increase the time very gradually. You must learn to exhale when the brain diaphragm begins its natural movement toward inhalation and use this also for a guide to inhalation.
8. Question: I have heard that when you do the Nadi Shodana I have been taught that you start with the right, inhale, exhale inhale, exhale and then they did after three times. They did inhale left and exhale right three times. I’ve never heard of this before at all. Is that true? I guess it is because I was taught that from the meditation center in Minneapolis.
Answer: I cannot answer this question as I was not present at the session.
9. Question: Is it correct to do nadi shodana starting on the right and then move to starting on the left side?
Answer: We will address nadi shodana pranayama in sessions 4 and 5
10. Question: Two issues I have encountered when concentrating on my breath:
A. Sometimes I salivate more than usual and feel the need to swallow. It can be
tricky to break the cycle once started.
Answer: I would first address the comfort and placement of the head and neck in reclining and seated practice. The neck must feels supported well in order for the throat and mouth relaxed and passive. As the nadi that reaches the mouth is located near the base of the pelvis please carefully adjust there for support and comfort of the physical body. Excess salivation is not uncommon in pranayama practice. Having anxiety however, about the occurrence makes it worse. Please swallow saliva after inhalation and continue to relax the
throat.
Question
B. Often there is a thick mucus or a nasal “clump” in the upper back part of my throat that I try to swallow away. It is also difficult to stop once it starts. Both are interruptive of the breathing practice. I do neti pot every morning. Any thoughts?
Answer: I would consult with a heath practitioner for this sinus issue. Neti pot or any neti practices are meant to cleanse the nasal passages only to clear away debris and protentional intruders. Neti using saline solution should always be followed with Nasya Oil or ghee. Nasya oil is a herb-infused nasal oil for your sinuses. It is used to nourish the nasal passages during travel, after neti pot use, and to support seasonal allergies and sinus discomfort.