2 Inhale for 5 seconds. Pay attention to how your hands rise and your fingers draw apart as your abdomen expands.
Pranayama (energy control through breathing) is one of the three key aspects of yoga. Practice the breathing exercises on the following pages at the beginning of each session.
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
• Improves movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body.
• Relaxes and recharges the nervous system.
This technique is important for pranayama as it draws air into the lowest (and largest) part of the lungs. Completely relax your abdominal muscles so your diaphragm can move freely.
1 Lie on your back, palms on your abdomen and fingers apart. As you breathe, feel the movement between your first rib, your navel, and your hips.
2 Inhale for 5 seconds. Pay attention to how your hands rise and your fingers draw apart as your abdomen expands.
3 Exhale for 5 seconds. Your hands will move down and your fingers will come together. Repeat these steps for 2 minutes.
This technique uses all of your respiratory muscles, improving your muscle strength when moving into, holding, and releasing asanas. Performing it between asanas quickly replenishes the oxygen levels in the blood—you might want to try a few full yogic breaths at work to boost your energy levels.
1 Sit in a comfortable, cross-legged position. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. As you inhale, gradually expand your abdomen, raise and open your rib cage, and lift your collar bones.
2 Start exhaling by relaxing the abdomen, then lower the rib cage, and, finally, slightly contract the abdomen to empty the lungs. Repeat the steps for about 2 minutes.
THE SOLAR PLEXUS
This network of nerves located behind the stomach, the solar plexus, is said to function without voluntary control. However, the yogis have discovered that conscious, slow, rhythmical abdominal breathing does have a direct effect on the solar plexus, helping it to balance its three major functions:
• When stimulated, the solar plexus brings sensory awareness to the entire abdominal area. This sensitivity can be used to discover hidden tensions in the body.
• Abdominal breathing generates a natural defence against stress, especially when it is combined with alternate nostril breathing or lung purification.
• Finally, nerve impulses created in the solar plexus by slow abdominal exhalations during breathing, asanas, and relaxation exercises stimulate “rest and repair” throughout the body.
EXPERIENCE FOR VATA
The smaller vata rib cage and sensitive nervous system both benefit from the expansion provided by abdominal breathing.
EXPERIENCE FOR PITTA
The greater sensory awareness provided by abdominal breathing is beneficial for balancing the overachieving pitta nature.
EXPERIENCE FOR KAPHA
The compact kapha frame will enjoy the free abdominal movement without any physical or mental restrictions.