Proper Breathing – Prāṇāyāma

Proper breathing, the second principle among the five basic principles of yoga, refers to pranayama practice. The discipline of breath control is used to gain control of prana or energy. Controlling one's prāṇā leads to controlling one's mind.

Breathing correctly connects the body to its battery, the Solar Plexus, which stores vast potential energy. Specific yoga breathing practices are used to release this energy for physical and mental renewal.

Anuloma Viloma (alternate nostril breathing) and Kapalabhati (fire breathing) exercises stimulate the neurological system, detoxify the cardiorespiratory system (by removing gaseous waste), and train us to maintain a calm and steady breath during times of physical or mental stress.

The majority of people take short breaths and suffer from oxygen deficiency, which causes exhaustion and poor energy levels. Prāṇāyāma increases energy levels by consciously controlling breathing.

When the breath is tranquil, so is the mind.