Pranayama

Pranayama

प्राणायाम, prāṇāyāma

The term consists of two words: prāṇa – breath, life, energy of life and ayāma – expansion, stretching, control, stopping, restraint. Therefore, pranayama is the practice of controlling vital energy, prana, a method of refining and increasing it. This is an important part of the yogic sadhana.

Usually, pranayama begins with observing one's breathing and with certain breathing exercises. In addition, lifestyle is important, following Yama and Niyama, control of sensual pleasures, as all this also affects the quantity and quality of prana.

Any pranayama (as a breathing technique) consists of inhalation (puraka), exhalation (rechaka) and delay between them (kumbhaka). Sometimes pranayama can be understood simply as slow, prolonged breathing with a gradual increase in the time of kumbhaka.

Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras (II, 49-51) says about pranayama as following:

49. When staying in it, pranayama is [practiced], that is, stopping the movement of inhaled and exhaled [air].

50. [It] manifests itself as external, internal [or as] retention [of breath], is regulated by place, time and number [and through practice becomes] long and subtle.

51. The fourth [type of pranayama] transcends the inner and outer spheres.

The following pranayamas are usually described in Nath texts (sometimes they are called kumbhakas):

• Nadi-shodhana (and anuloma-viloma as its simplified version)
• Surya-bheda
• Ujjayi 
• Sitkari
• Shitali
• Bhastrika
• Bhramari
• Murchha 

There is also a division into amantraka, samantraka-pranayama, sahita, and kevala.

It can be said that pranayama means the transformation of vital energy from its gross state into a more subtle one, which allows us to transfer consciousness to a qualitatively higher level of functioning.

The flow of exhaled air and the level of consciousness are interrelated. For example, breathing, which comes out of the nostril to the upper lip during exhalation, is a criterion that a person has yoga consciousness and a very high level of awareness, he can control his mind. If the breath reaches the throat area, then a person has philosopher consciousness, if the breath reaches even lower, the consciousness is rougher. Thus the level of control of prana and mind is measured, these levels are associated with tattvas, therefore it is recommended to visualize light points with a tint of one or another tattva when breathing.

Working with the breathing reflex is one of the most common means in hatha-yoga and tantra, which helps to be aware of prana and to some extent control it. Many superpowers (siddhis) that yogis develop in the process of sadhana are often revealed through pranayama. This is a kind of connecting link between hatha-yoga and raja-yoga.

When a practitioner worships Deity in the ritual (puja), the rules of reading texts and mantras imply such a recitation, in which mantras are recited on exhalation, in one breath, which automatically turns on the state of pranayama. In pujas, nadi-shodhana pranayama is often used, which helps to energetically cleanse oneself before performing the ritual. Such pranayama is mainly used in tantrism, because unlike yoga, in tantra, psychophysical purification is additionally achieved through complex forms of Deity worship.

Pranayama also helps to achieve the aim of raja-yoga through prananirodhi, pranasamrodhi or pranasamyama and gain samadhi, because prana and chitta are interconnected. With the help of prana control, one can learn to control svaras (energy flows), or prana emanating from the nostrils, which will make all your actions effective.