Why dedicate an article to the breath? After all, we breathe autonomously... Breathing is a physiological and psychic event. In fact, nature allows our psychic activities to express themselves through the breath, but we are not aware of it because everything happens in complete autonomy. Yet, the breath, silent and subtle, changes and adjusts according to the circumstances. For this reason, yoga gives importance and space to breathing, not only during the practice of asanas. Thanks to the various pranayama techniques, we learn to observe it, locate it, and direct it to the various parts of the body that need it. All this is done in order to control and manage it even in daily life.
It is also interesting and fascinating that yoga also takes into consideration sighs and yawns as forms of breathing, even considered "tension releases," as they are capable of decompressing muscle areas that are affected by psychic somatizations. We also remember that there are different types of breathing: abdominal (or diaphragmatic), thoracic, clavicular, and scapular. The complete breath is given by the sum of the first three. Furthermore, there are particular techniques such as Kapalabhati (which literally means "shine of the head") capable of achieving a complete exchange of air in the lungs, purifying the nasal passages, oxygenating the internal organs, and toning the abdominal area. Kumbhaka, or breath retentions, are fundamental in yoga as they release vital energy (Prana) which is distributed throughout the body.
From all this, it can be deduced that there is a close link between the body, breath, and mind. Therefore, starting from the breath, the body and consequently the mind can be calmed down. For this reason, we need to give the right importance and the right value to breathing, and it's always worth spending a few words about it to remember it... what do you think?
The prana… this unknown
This Sanskrit word still unknown to many, is actually our greatest ally, that is our life force that is supplied to us at birth and ends with our last breath. Therefore, since it is not unlimited, it would be better for us to make good use of it in our lifetime. Negative thoughts, for example, consume a part of the prana available to us while cultivating positive thoughts allows us to "recharge" our prana reserve.
We absorb prana by breathing, eating, listening to music, dancing, practicing yoga, etc. but one of the most effective ways to "refuel" is to practice pranayama. Some define it as "breath control" but in reality it is a practice often associated with yoga, which allows us to increase the amount of prana already existing in each of us.
These breathing exercises, which also include more or less long breath retentions (kumbhaka), aim to favor the transmission of prana which usually occurs consciously or unconsciously. Scientists have noticed that the human body's energy flows both inward and outward, and prana vidya techniques open one's awareness to the body's vast reservoirs of internal energy and teach how to manipulate them to improve one's life, own health and that of others.
This yoga technique allows you to awaken the consciousness by extracting the life force and sending it to the various parts of the body through internal channels (nadis). The benefits of this practice are perceived on a physical level, through an improvement in the functionality and vitality of the internal organs, the circulatory and respiratory systems, etc. and on a psychological level, generating mental clarity, awareness and the ability to cope with situations. It also implies a total awakening of the personality and leads to the realization of the Self.
The world of prana is vast and profound but it is worth discovering because it is in fact one of the most important aspects of our life.