PRANAYAMA

ABDOMINAL BREATHING

• Place the hands resting on the thighs in Cin Mudra. Inhale deeply slowly and continuously, the abdomen bulges out.
• Exhale, the abdomen is drawn inwards continuously and slowly. It should be smooth, continuous and relaxing.

THORACIC BREATHING

• Place the hands resting on the thighs in Cinmaya Mudra. While inhaling, expand the chest cage forwards. Outwards and upwards.

CLAVICULAR BREATHING

• Place the hands resting on thighs in Adi Mudra. While inhaling raise the collar bones and shoulders upwards and backwards.
• While inhaling raise the collar bones and shoulders upwards and backwards.
• While exhaling drop down the shoulders to the resting position.

FULL YOGIC BREATHING

• Combination of above 2,3,4.
  
  SINGLE NOSTRIL BREATHING( SUN PIERCING)
  
• Adopt Nasika mudra with your right hand.
• Close the left nostril with the little and ring figures of Nasika Mudra.
• Inhale and exhale slowly through the right nostril only.
• Keep the left nostril closed all the time during the practice.
• Once cycle of inhalation and exhalation forms one round.
• 
  Notes:
• Depression persons may practice this pranayama 4 times a day.

SINGLE NOSTRIL BREATHING( MOON PIERCING)

• Adopt Nasika mudra with your right hand.
• Close the right nostril with tip of the thumb.
• Inhale and exhale slowly through the left nostril.
• Keep the right nostril closed all the time during the practise
• Once cycle of inhalation and exhalation forms one round

Benefits:

Increasing nasal passages. Very useful for nasal allergy.

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING

• Adopt Nasika mudra.
• Close the right nostril with right thumb and exhale completely through the left nostril. Then Inhale deeply through the same left nostril.
• Close the left nostril with your ring and little finger release the right nostril. Exhale slowly and completely through the right nostril.
• Inhale deeply through the same nostril. Then close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.
• This is the one round.

Benefits:

• Beneficial for respiratory disorders such as asthma, nasal allergy, bronchitis.
  

BEAK TONGUE PRANAYAMA

• Stretch tongue forward partly out of the mouth and fold it so as to resemble the beak of a crow.
• Slowly suck in the air through the beak and feel the jet of cool air passing down the throat into the lungs.
• Slowly exhale through nostril , feeling the movement of warm air all the way up from the lungs through the throat and the nasal passages.
• Repeat nine rounds.

FOLDED UP TONGUE PRANAYAMA

• Fold the tip of the tongue inwards horizontally. The folded tongue slightly comes out between the two rows of the teeth and provides a narrow opening on both sides.
• Slowly suck the air in through the two sides of the tongue. Feel the cool stream of air diffusing throughout the mouth and throat into the lungs.
• Exhale slowly through both nostrils. Feel the warmth of the exhaled air.

SUCK THROUGH TEETH PRANAYAMA

• Let upper set of teeth touch the lower set of teeth.
• Keep the tip of the tongue just behind the teeth.
• Inhale though the crevices of the teeth and feel the cool air moving slowly and continuously into the mouth and passing down the throat into the lungs.
• The warm air is exhaled out slowly through both the nostrils. Feel the warms of the exhaled air.

BEETLE SOUNDING PRANAYAMA

Chant in the voice of humming sound of female honeybee with exhalation.

Breathing Exercises

HANDS IN AND OUT BREATHING:

• Stretch out your arms in front , in level with your shoulders and bring palms together
• Inhaling spread your arms sideways in horizontal plane
• While exhaling bring the arms forward with palms touching each other
• Repeat 5 times, making your arm movements, continuous and synchronizing with the breath flowing in and out rhythmically
• Relax in Tadasana. Feel the changes in the breath and the body especially the arms, shoulders and the back of the neck

HANDS STRETCH BREATHING

• Stand erect with feet together relaxed by the side of the body
• Gently bring your hands in front of the chest
• Interlock the fingers and place the palms on the chest
• Collapse and relax yours shoulders
• Close your eyes Stage 1(Horizontal)
• While inhaling stretch the arms straight out in front of your body so that the arms at shoulder level.
• At the same time twist the hands so that the palms face outwards
• Fully stretch the arms but do not strain
• Now while exhaling reverse the process and bring the palms back on to the chest
• Collapse the shoulders again
• This is one round repeat 5 times Stage 2(135 Degree)
• Repeat the same movement now stretching the arms above the forehead at an angle of 135degree
• Repeat 5 times Stage 3(Vertical)
• Again repeat the same movements this time stretching the arms vertically above the head While moving up and down, move the palms close to the nose tip.
• Repeat 5 times
• Notes: Collapse the shoulders at the beginning and end of each cycle
• Maintain perfect awareness of the breathing
• Exhalation should be greater than inhalation
• If required it can be practiced sitting in chair too. Properly synchronize the breathing with hand movements3.

ANKLES STRETCH BREATHING

• Open the eyes and fix your gaze on a point on the wall ahead. place the palms on front of your thighs
• While inhaling raise your hands and stretch the ankles. Feel yourself growing taller and firm
• As you exhale, bring your hands and heels down
• Repeat 5 times keeping the movement of hands and ankles continuous, breathing in synchronization. Feel the stretch from your ankles up to finger tips as you reach upwards.
• Relax in standing position, hands by the side of the thighs. Observe your breath and enjoy the stability for a few seconds

TIGER BREATHING

• Come to Diamond posture
• Lean forward and place the hands flat on the floor in line with the shoulders with fingers pointing forward. Arms, thighs and heels should be about one shoulder width apart. The arms and thighs are perpendicular to the floor. �� While inhaling raise the head and look at the ceiling.
• At the same time depress the spine making it concave.
• While exhaling arch the spine upwards and bend the head downwards bringing the chin towards the chest.
• Thins continues one round of tiger breathing
• Repeat 5 rounds
• Notes: Before starting practice ensure that you are comfortable while standing on all fours
• Coordinate the movements of breathing
• Keep the eyes closed and practice with awareness
• Do not bend the arms or move the thighs forwards and backwards

SASANKASANA BREATHING( MOON POSTURE)

• Take the hands behind the back make a fist of the right hand and hold the right wrist with the left hand
• Relax the shoulders
• While inhaling bend backwards from the waist opening up the chest
• While exhaling slowly bend forward from the waist bringing the forehead on to the ground in front of the knees. Collapse the shoulders
• While inhaling slowly come up to the vertical position and then slightly lean back wards.
• This forms one round. continue 10 rounds Notes
• Keep the shoulders collapsed
• You can separate the knees as per your comfort to avoid unnecessary pressure on the abdomen and chest
• Synchronize breathing with movement
• Keep your eyes closed maintain breath awareness

STRAIGHT LEG RAISE BREATHING( Alternate Legs)

• While inhaling slowly raise the right leg without bending the knee, as far as comfortable
• While exhaling return the leg to the floor as slowly as possible
• Repeat the practice with left leg
• This is one round perform 10 times.
• Notes :If you need you can keep the arms by the side of your body with the palms facing the floor at any convenient position or at shoulder level
• Do not bend the knee through out practice
• Do not disturb the leg lying straight on the ground in order to be able to raise the other leg Even if you can, do not raise the leg beyond 90 degree.
• Perfectly synchronize the breathing with movements
• Maintain perfect breath awareness during practice

STRAIGHT LEG RAISE BREATHING ( Both Legs)

• As you get stronger, you can do the leg raising exercise with both legs. Avoid this exercise if you have low back pain
• Lie on the back with legs together, hands stretched out over the head, biceps touching the ears and palms facing the ceiling
• While inhaling slowly raise both the legs without bending at the knees as far as comfortable
• While exhaling return the legs to the floor as slowly as possible
• Perform 5 times
• Notes : In case of both legs, as you exhale and bring down the legs, there will be a tendency for them to fall down too rapidly as they come close to the floor. So use the strength and have control over the movement