Ujjayi Pranayama

UjjayiPranayama
www.pranamay.co.uk&www.avani-yoga.co.uk
DebbieAvani
Index
TheBreath……………………………………………………………………………………………………………1
UnderstandingtheNatureofthebreath……………………………………………………………….2
Sympathetic&Parasympatheticnervoussystem………………………………………………...2
SamaVrittiPranayama(samelengthbreath)………………………………………………..........2
UjjayiPranayama………………………………………………………………………………………………….3
BenefitsofUjjayiPranayama………………………………………………………………………………..3
AnyQuestions……………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
TheBreath
Thebreathisintimatelyconnectedtoourlives,butmanyofusdon’tnoticethis
connectionduetoourcrazybusyschedules–howmanytimesdowesaythingslike
‘wowthattookmybreathaway’.
Haveyouevernoticedhowthatdeepsighweoftentakewhenweneedtoletoffabitof
steamactuallymakesusfeel?
Thebreathistryingtotellyousomething…
Itissaying,“Ihavethepowertochangeyourlife”.
•
Theancientyogisrealisedandstudiedtheintimateconnectionbetweenthe
breathandthemind.Theyfoundthatwheneverthemindisagitatedthereisan
immediateeffectonthebreath.
•
Theyalsofoundthatwhenthebreathiscontrolledandmadetofollowapattern,
themindcalmsdown.
FromfurtherstudyandanalysistheYogisdevelopedmanybreathingtechniqueslike
Ujjayi,Bhastrika,KapalbhatiandNadiSodhanaPranayama(moretutorialsforallthese
practices)-whichareverypowerfulandeffectiveinbringingcalmandpeacetoour
innerselfandbringingamajortransformationinallaspectsofourlivesfor.
Breathingistheonlymajorlifeprocessinyourbodythatiscontrolledthrough
boththecentralandautonomicnervoussystems.
Thisstatementhasenormousimplications.Sincethebreathhasonefootinthe
consciousandoneinthesub-conscious-controlofthebreathhasanimmediateeffect
onthesub-conscious.
Thereisnoneedtopracticecomplicatedbreathingpracticestoexperienceprofound
benefits-someverysimpleonescanprovideinstantchangetoboostyourimmune
systemandalsotohelpalleviatethestressesofdailyliving.
Aregulardailypracticeofdeepbreathingisoneofthebesttoolsforimprovingyour
healthandwell-being.PerformingUjjayipranayamatwicedailyforonlythreetofive
minutescanproducelong-termbenefits.Youcanalsousethispractcieanytimeyouare
feelingstressedornoticethatyourbreathinghasbecomeconstricted.Bytrainingyour
bodywitharegularpracticeofdeepbreathing,youwillbegintobreathemore
effectivelyevenwithoutconcentratingonit.
“Whenyouownyourbreath,nobodycanstealyourpeace.”~unknown….
Whenthebreathwandersthemindalsoisunsteady.Butwhenthebreathiscalmedthe
mindtoowillbestill,andtheyogiachieveslonglife.Therefore,oneshouldlearntocontrol
thebreath.~Svatmarama,HathaYogaPradipika
Understandingthenatureofthebreath
TheINHALATIONhelpstokeepourbodyalert-islinkedtothesympatheticnervous
systemandourfight/flightresponse(adrenalin).
•
•
•
Creativeforce
Givesrisetogrowth–expansion–energy–extension–fullness
Allowsustoembracelifefully–toreach–achieve
TheEXHALATIONhelpstorelaxthebody–islinkedtotheParasympatheticnervous
system–andthereleaseofendorphins/dopamine
•
•
•
Dissolvingforce
Allowsustoletgo–explore–torelease–surrender–tobow
Encouragesgrounding–stability
What'sthedifferencebetweenthesympatheticandparasympatheticnervoussystems?
Theautonomicnervoussystem(ANS)controlstheactivitiesoforgans,glands,andvarious
involuntarymuscles,suchascardiacandsmoothmuscles.
TheANSconsistsoftwodivisions:
•
Thesympatheticnervoussystemisinvolvedinthestimulationofactivitiesthatprepare
thebodyforaction,suchasincreasingtheheartrate,increasingthereleaseofsugarfrom
theliverintotheblood,andothergenerallyconsideredasfight-or-flightresponses
(responsesthatservetofightofforretreatfromdanger).
•
Theparasympatheticnervoussystemactivatestranquilfunctions,suchasstimulatingthe
secretionofsalivaordigestiveenzymesintothestomach.
SamaVrittiPranayama–samelengthbreath
UjjayiPranayamabalancesandregulatestheinteractionbetweenthesympatheticand
parasympatheticnervoussystemsbringingthebodyintoasenseofcompleteharmony.
Wecancontrolthisinteractionbyregulatingthebreath.
•
ThisiscalledSAMAVRITTIPRANAYAMA.
•
Wecanpracticethisquitesimplybykeepingtheinhalationandtheexhalationat
thesamelength…
Ujjayipranayamapracticedinthiswayhelpsyoutoconnectwiththeinnerflowof
energywithinthebody.ItslowlydissolvestheseparationbetweenyouandanyYoga
postureyoumaybepracticingandindeedlifeitself.
Itbalancestheeffectofexpansionandcontraction,pushandyield,willandsurrender,
extensionandrelease–andensuresourpracticedoesn’tbecomeoverlyintrovertingor
extroverting.Itbringscompleteharmonyandbalancethroughmindfulaction…
UjjayiPranayama-(pronouncedoo-jai)
UJJAYIiscommonlytranslatedas“victoriousbreath,”andhasbeenusedforthousands
ofyearstoenhancehathayogapractice.Itissaidtobethebreaththatbringsvictory
overalldualities–overthemindandallthatbindsus!Alsocommonlyreferredtoas
the“oceanbreath,”thesoundthatUJJAYIprovideshelpsustosynchronizebreathwith
movementsduringYogapractice,makingtheentirepracticemorefluidandconsidered.
Itsheatingqualitiesmeanthebodybecomessupplerandbecausewehaveaninner
focuswhilstwearepracticingitisincrediblycalmingforthemind.Italsohelpskeep
theabdomentonedandaliveduringourpracticeasittakesmoreeffortinthisareato
expelthebreathwiththeincreasedresistanceinthethroat.
WhenwefirstbegintopracticeUJJAYItheremaybealoudoutersound–butaswe
deepenourunderstanding&practicethesoundwillbecomesubtler.
BenefitsofUjjayiBreathing
UJJAYIhasabalancinginfluenceontheentirecardiorespiratorysystem,releases
feelingsofirritationandfrustration,andhelpscalmthemindandbody.WithUJJAYI,
therearesomanybenefits,providinggoodvalueforasimplepractice.
HereareafewofthemanybenefitsyoumayenjoyasaresultofpracticingtheUJJAYI
breath:
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Increasestheamountofoxygenintheblood
•
Regulatesbloodpressure
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Buildsenergy
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Detoxifiesmindandbody
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Buildsinternalbodyheatallowingthebodytostretchsafely
•
AfocusedUjjayibreathcanreleasetensionandtightareasofthebody.
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Improvesconcentrationinthephysicalpractice.BecomingabsorbedinUjjayi
allowsthepractitionertoremaininposesforlongerperiodsoftime.
•
Itdiminishesdistractionsandallowsthepractitionertoremainselfaware,
presentandgroundedduringpractice.
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Ujjayitellsuswhenweneedtosurrenderintoarestingposture,asthebreath
shouldremainasevenandsmoothintheposturesaswhenwerest.Itallowsus
topracticehonestyinourpractice,takingastepbacktoletgoofourego.
•
Allowsustopracticefulldeepbreathsduringthechallengesofaphysical
practice.Therefore,wecanstayjustasequanimouswhenfacedwiththe
challengesofourdailylives.
•
Ujjayipranayamaoffersreliefofsinuspressure,decreaseinphlegm,and
strengthensthenervousanddigestivesystems.
Whenlistenedto,ourbreathcanbeourtrueteacher,guidingusinamyriadofways.
Theancientyogisrealizedtheintimateconnectionbetweenthebreathandthemind
andnoticedthatwhenthebreathbecamecalmthemindfollowed.Evenmorereasonto
practiceUjjayiBreathing.
Enjoy!!
AnyQuestions?
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutyourpracticepleasedonothesitatetocontactmyinthe
commentsboxonthewebsitebelowthetutorialoremailme-debbie@avani-yoga.co.uk
YoursinYoga–DebbieAvani
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