Yoga Breathing Techniques

Dirga Pranayama

Believe it or not, almost none of us use the full capacity of our respiratory organs



This is further aggravated by today’s sedentary lifestyles that subsequently lead to a number of complications popularly conveniently called – lifestyle disorders.

The first question that is – “How can one alter one’s natural breathing?” Astonishing as it may sound, it’s true. By training your body to breathe in a particular fashion, you re-program your involuntary system to adopt a new way of breathing. This breathing technique is called Dirga Pranayama “Full Yogic breath” or simply Yoga breathing

Dirga Pranayama Breathing techniques

First, lie down on your back, relaxed, with hands and legs outstretched and eyes looking up at the roof. Gently close your eyes and relax.

1. Abdominal breathing

If you observe your natural breath, you will notice that as you inhale, the abdomen rises and falls with exhalation



Watch this for a few moments and check the flow. Now slowly start to deepen, lengthen and extend the movement, i.e., when inhaling, let your abdomen rise to its limit and while exhaling let it fall completely. Keep your chest still during the entire process; just let your abdomen rise and fall. Continue with this for around 20 breaths and then rest.

2: Thoracic (chest) breathing

Again watch your normal breath But this time focus your attention on your chest. You will see your chest move slightly up during inhalation and down in exhalation. Again watch this pattern for a few moments and then start to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. This time, while inhaling, expand and lift your rib cage, filling your lungs completely On exhalation, let your lungs collapse totally, sinking to their limits. Make sure to keep your abdomen still, in this step, moving only your chest. Continue with this for 20 around breath cycles and then stop.

3: Full Yogic breathing

This combines the above mentioned steps this way:

First inhale, filling your abdomen and then continue to inhale as you expand and fill your chest. Next exhale, first from your chest, as it empties and falls Then continue to exhale from your abdomen as it draws inwards completely. This constitutes one round of the full Yogic breath; repeat it for 20 rounds.

Never forget the pattern… While inhaling – abdomen then chest; While exhaling – chest then abdomen.

Rules to remember for breathing techniques:

All the above steps must be done without the least strain or effort. The natural human tendency is to heave with effort. The proper way is to make it smooth and effortless; go slow and easy.