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The 3 Breathing Stages of pranayama

"Prana is the life-force which permeates both the individual as well as the universe at all levels. It is at once physical, sexual, mental, intellectual, spiritual, and cosmic. Prana, the breath, and the mind are inextricably linked to each other. " - B. K. S. Iyengar

When we practice pranayama we guide the breath beyond its normal limit: speeding it up, slowing it down, and retaining it in order to experience a wide range of respiration on both the deep and subtle levels.


THE 3 BREATHING STAGES:

Inhalation or inspiration

Puraka (filling up)

Exhalation or expiration

Rechaka (emptying the lungs)

Retention or holding the breath A state where there is no inhalation or exhalation

Kumbhaka (that holds two states: antara kumbhaka and bãhya kumbhaka)

THE TWO STAGES OF KUMBHAKA:

Antara kumbhaka

Where the breath is held after a full inhalation (the lungs being completely filled with air)

Bãhya kumbhaka

​When the breath is held after full exhalation (the lungs being emptied of all noxious air)

Kumbhaka

Held or restraint of breath – a state without inhalation and exhalation

Puraka

Filling up

Rechaka

Emptying the lungs

Antara

Inner

Bãhya

Outer

In the work of pranayama, the back is the blackboard, the air comes to write, and the mind holds the chalk. - B. K. S. Iyengar

When we breathe we use 3 main mechanisms:

  1. Abdominal or diaphragmatic;

  2. Thoracic or chest;

  3. Clavicular or shoulder breathing.

  • In abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing, the action of the diaphragm increases, and the size of the thoracic cavity decreases.

  • On the other hand, thoracic or chest breathing is attained through the expansion and contraction of the ribcage.

  • The clavicular or shoulder breath is the normal breathing of an average person and is a combination of thoracic and clavicular breathing.

The combination of all three is known as full yogic breathing.

Source: MindfulBodyNow1@MindfulBodyNow1

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