Yogic BreathingSave PDF
Pranayama
PRAHN-AH-YAHM-ah
Strengthens respiratory muscles
Improves digestion, improves lymphatic drainage and circulation
Develops breath control, calms nerves
How to perform Yogic Breathing
- Sit in a comfortable position. Lengthen your spine.
- Place your right hand over your belly and your left hand over your chest. Close your eyes.
- Inhale into your belly, slowly and deeply. Feel your belly expand. As you continue the inhalation, feel your ribs expand next and then the base of your throat.
- As you exhale, relax the upper chest, feel the ribs contract next and lastly the belly.
- Each breath should flow naturally without tension. Repeat 5 to 10 rounds of this breath.
Alignment cues
- Inhale and feel the belly, then chest, then throat expand
- Exhale and feel first throat, then chest and lastly belly contract
- Lengthen spine
- Keep chin parallel to floor
Modification: Place a firm cushion or rolled mat under your bottom to bring more length to your spine.
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More yoga poses to discover
Bellow’s Breath · Bhastrika Pranayama
Shining Skull / Frontal Brain Cleansing Breath · Kapalabhati Pranayama
Breath of Fire · Agni Pran
Yogic Breathing (Pranayama in Sanskrit) is a beginner yoga pose that belongs to the breathing exercises category. This asana targets abs and chest. Yogic breathing improves digestion, improves lymphatic drainage and circulation; strengthens respiratory muscles and also develops breath control, calms nerves. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!
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Discover our best-selling Yoga Cards – professional study, class sequencing and practice guide for beginners and beyond.
Studying to be a yoga teacher? Learn the essential yoga poses the easy way with Yoga Stacks app!
New to yoga? Our Yoga for Beginners pack covers everything you need to know to get started with your practice.
Personal trainer? Try Train - our beautifully simple training platform you and your clients will love.
