Basic
Ujjayi Breath
On each long, slow, continuous inhale:
a) First, fill your belly trying to work from the bottom up
b) Then, fill your ribcage in the same manner
Don’t push your belly outward like in Abdominal Breath. It
will move a little outward, but try to focus the movement upward.
Let your whole torso lift upwards: front, back, sides, lower, middle
and upper.
On each exhale, empty first the upper ribcage, and work gradually
downward, emptying and contracting. Continue all the way down to
the lower reaches of your belly and low back. Empty and contract
on one long, slow exhale. Then inhale again, filling slowly from
the bottom up.
Chin Lock – Jalandhara Bhanda
To facilitate the lengthening of the torso in Ujjayi Breath we
employ Jalandhara Bhanda, also known as the Chin Lock. Practicing
Jalandhara Bhanda helps to open your airway and enhances your ability
to feel the breath in your throat. This awareness is a critical
step towards improving control and fullness of your breath. Imagine
how helpful this would be for meditation and relaxation practices.
Jalandhara Bhanda can be held in place throughout the practice of
Ujjayi Breath.
Step-by-step Instructions for Jalandhara Bhanda:
- In any comfortable sitting position first scoot your sit-bones
back about an inch or so on each side.
- This will help allow you to extend your belly and low back up
from your hips. Try to allow your lumbar spine (lower spine) to
come into a gentle, forward arch.
- Extend the rest of your spine and your ribcage upwards as well.
Don’t just extend the front of the chest; do so all the
way around.
- Relax your arms and shoulders at your sides, and rest your hands
palms down on your thighs with thumbs joining forefingers.
- Lengthen the back of your neck straight up-and-down, a.k.a.
perpendicular to the ground. You may want to massage the muscles
along the back of your neck from bottom to top, which feels good
and helps extend your neck.
- Now, tip your chin in toward your throat, while lifting the
crown of your head slightly taller and maintaining the straight
up-and-down position of your neck.
- Breathe slowly and deeply through your nose. You will probably
notice a snoring, breeze-like or rumbling sound to your breath.
This is normal, and even desirable. It’s just that your
glottis is partially closed, so it vibrates a little. This vibration
assists in bringing you into awareness of your breath in your
throat.
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Putting the Two Together
Jalandhara Bhanda is a big step towards the practice of Ujjayi
Breath. Now, we just combine the directions for Basic Ujjayi Breath
with those for Jalandhara Bhanda. Let your breath be loud and resonant
in your throat, and work on lengthening each cycle of breath. Try
to inhale to a slow four count and exhale to a slow eight count.
As with Abdominal Breath use Ujjayi Breath whenever you need to
relax and focus. Eventually, one or two breath cycles will calm
and center you even in difficult circumstances.
Ujjayi Breath with a Mantra and Breath Retention
Traditionally, Ujjayi Breath is practiced with a slow four count
on inhale and a slow eight count on exhale. You can try this with
a mantra. As you inhale, slowly, silently intone “Sa Ta Na
Ma.” As you exhale, slowly, silently intone “Sa Ta Na
Ma Sa Ta Na Ma.” Maintain the same slow rhythm throughout
the breath.
Sa Ta Na Ma is the root, or seed, form of the mantra Sat Nam. This
means "truth is oneness." It’s much more than the
truth of telling the truth, though. It’s the truth of deep
knowing — intuitive knowledge, knowledge before thought. It’s
the truth of yoga, of union.
If you would like to take this exercise further, you can also add
the mantra while holding with and without breath. Start with a four
count on each holding, Sa Ta Na Ma. As you are able, add slow four
counts to each.
The traditional practice is:
- four count on inhale
- eight count holding with breath
- eight count on exhale
- sixteen count holding without breath
Take care in builing to these counts. Do what you are able.
Caution: Be sure you have read the
opening section on Pranayama and the articles on the Bhandas and
Women’s Health (if that applies) before working with bhandas
with breath retention. Pay particular attention to the medical warnings
for those with high blood pressure, heart trouble and hernias.
Breath Retention:
Throughout the practice of Ujjayi Breath you can have eye lock,
tongue lock, chin lock and heart lock in place. Adding to these:
- while holding with breath you can add mula bhanda, contracting
the perineum
- while holding without breath you can add mula bhanda and uddiyana
bhanda, which altogether forms majabhanda, the great lock
Again, take care in building to this traditional practice, and
enjoy! It can even become a simple meditation.
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