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The Science of Breathing

Pranayama means the control of life energy through the breath. Breath is life. When breathing stops, life stops…

Traditionally there are said to be 72 000 pranayama techniques. We need not concern ourselves with all of these (it would be quite impossible) and simply learning basic and deep breathing is often sufficient practice for many Westeners.

But what is this energy that the yogis call prana and the Polynesians call mana? It has been interpreted as life force or cosmic energy. It is the vital force of the universe which permeates all things and joins us together in the ocean of life. Through the daily practice of pranayama we learn to harness this subtle energy and so increase our own life force – so that we become totally alive and totally aware. Confusion of the mind disappears and we get clarity of thought.

Intake of breath is intake of energy. During retention, this energy is distributed throughout the body and, on exhalation, we relax the muscles and nerves. Prana is vibrating energy which vibrates to the same octaves as music. We live in a universe of vibrations and sounds. Scientists now say that even the earth breathes  – it expands with the incoming breath and contracts with the outgoing breath.

The Ins and Outs of Breathing
Our rhythm of breathing reflects our physical, mental and emotional conditions. Poor posture results in poor breathing. Shallow breathing shows a disturbed mental and emotional state. When you are afraid, your breathing is shallow and jerky. When you are happy, your breathing is deep. One of the reasons for exhaustion and disease is nervous paralysis which is caused by lack of oxygen to the nerve fibres. When you are enjoying what you are doing, you do not become tired because you are breathing deeply. When you dislike what you are doing, you become tired quickly, because your breathing is shallow and jerky. Some people do not enjoy anything – they are always depressed and tense. Their breathing is therefore always shallow and jerky.

In the same way that we have positive and negative thoughts, we also have positive and negative electrical currents and so the electromagnetic field of the body is positive and negative too. Both are necessary to create balance. Prana is the positive current and apana is the negative current. Pranayama is necessary to keep the balance of these two currents. Where there is an imbalance of the electrical energy of the body, there is also a chemical and hormonal imbalance in the body.

A calm, peaceful and joyous mind is important. If the muscles are tense, the lungs cannot do their work properly, so the muscles should be soft, neither tense nor tight. If the shoulders are stooped forward and the chest sunken in, the lungs cannot open. Bad nutrition also affects the oxygen supply.

Inhalation also creates tension. If we deliberately want to create tension, we repeat inhalations. Exhalation creates relaxation. If we deliberately want to relax, we repeat exhalations (Viloma Pranayama). Laughing is a good example of exhalation; sobbing is a good example of inhalation. If inhalation is always stronger than exhalation, you can never relax; if exhalation is always longer than inhalation, you feel sleepy. So, we can change our bodies’ and minds’ by controlling our breathing. You can change your habitual emotional state by changing the rhythm of your breath. Improved posture improves breathing.

PRACTICE

Awareness of Breath
Lie on your back with your body in a straight line – nose in line with the navel – with your heels together, toes apart and let your shins drop out towards the floor. Close your eyes making the facial expression serene and look towards your heart. The upper eyelids are relaxed and gently press on the eyeballs. Now move your eyebrows towards your temples, opening and relaxing the temples. Raise the hairline and relax the scalp. Palms are turned upwards.

Now, breathing through the nose only, watch the breath. Become aware of your breathing. Become aware of the inhalation and exhalation and watch the point where the breath turns from inhalation to exhalation; from exhalation to inhalation. Do nothing at all to control the breath or alter the rhythm. Become aware of how you breathe normally. Are you pushing your stomach or chest out unnaturally? Are you making harsh noises with your breath? Are you jerking the diaphragm?

Follow the passage of the air into your body and out again with total awareness. Listen to the sound, keeping the ears alert. The mind should be silent, but watchful.

After observing your breathing for a while, try to detect if your breathing is shallow or deep. Is the flow of air soft, or is the breathing forced? Now, time the inhalation and exhalation, counting it in seconds, and trying not to change your natural breathing rhythm. Count the turning of the breath. Do this for some time. Is there a difference in the timing of the inhalation and exhalation? Do you hold your breath unconsciously? Watching the breath will tell you about yourself – whether you are tense or relaxed. Continue to watch the breath for a while, not doing anything to change your natural rhythm.

Now, start to synchronise the duration of the inhalation and exhalation – again counting the breath if you cannot be sure of the psychological timing. Once the timing of the duration of the inhalations and exhalations are the same, you are ready to start some deep yoga breathing.

Deep Breathing
Start the cycle of breathing by exhaling, emptying the lungs completely, then concentrating below the navel breathing in slowly, deeply and evenly through the nose making the sound “SA” in your throat. Pause for a few seconds with full lungs, then exhale through the nose making the sound “HA” in your throat. Listen to the sound of your breathing, keeping the ears sharp and alert, keeping the mind alert, but silent. Do not allow the body to tense. The body should be kept relaxed and passive.

The breath should make a hissing noise. Continue to breathe like this for a while, listening to the sound of breath in the throat. When you start to feel any strain or the mind begins to wander, finish your cycle by taking a deep inhalation. Then just breathe softly for a while with soundless sound and slowly get up and that is enough for the day.

Learn to know your own natural rhythm of breathing. Become one with your breath and let it become your best friend. Throughout the day, watch your breathing, observing whether it has become shallow, rapid or jerky or whether you are unconsciously holding your breath. Learn to breathe with you whole body – not just your lungs. Learn to breathe with the universe by breathing in rhythm with your own heartbeat.  Feel how deep breathing increases your energy and improves your health.

Effects of Incorrect Breathing
There can be no ionisation of the blood without oxygen. Ionisation stimulates the flow of electrical impulses along the nerves. Collar Bone Breathers are prone to heart trouble and abdominal problems. Stomach Breathers tend towards obesity, respiratory and circulation problems, as well as spinal trouble. Both types of incorrect breathing create a physical, and consequent mental and emotional imbalance causing chronic tension and erratic behaviour.

Pranayama Techniques for Beginners
Each type of pranayama technique brings about a different result. With beginners, all that is necessary is to learn the art of pranayama by:

1.         Choosing a basic technique and

2.         Working on that technique with regularity

When the practice seems to offer an ever-new understanding of the technique, other techniques can be chosen. With pranayama, as is with yoga, not much can be learned from books. Books give an intellectual knowledge but not the experience. To gain the experience is to do the practice for oneself.

Samavritti Pranayama – The Square Breath
Here, all four phases of breathing, namely: inhalation, retention of breath, exhalation and retention of emptiness, are included in a rhythmic form.
Lying down in your relaxed position:

1.         Breath in to a count of 5

2.         Retain your breath for a count of 5

3.         Exhale for a count of 5

4.         Remain without breath for a count of 5

Then go into it straight away once more. Repeat this breathing cycle for five minutes.

Viloma Pranayama – The Interrupted Breath
Lying down comfortably:

1.         Breathe in for a count of 6

2.         Exhale partially for a count of 3

3.         Pause for 2 counts

4.         Exhale fully for a count of 3

5. Repeat

By Lyn Dorfling; Additonal Text: Durgana Inglethorpe and Jenny Pengelly