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ISBN: 978-1-64611-739-0 | eBook 978-1-64611-740-6
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To all of my students, who continue to inspire me in their dedication and growth
Contents
I fell into the practice of yoga purely by chance. As a college sophomore, I worked a full-time labor-intensive job and had a full course load. I was stressed out and burned out, trying to balance work, school, homework, and a small semblance of a social life. Little did I know that when I stepped into my first yoga class on a snowy January night in 2006 (with a coupon for a free class), I was starting on a journey that would culminate in thousands of hours of formal training, various assistantships, tens of thousands of hours spent teaching people of all ages and backgrounds, adventures teaching around the world, and now the compilation of teachings of pranayama in this book.
Pranayama is a key aspect of the teachings of yoga, and I use these techniques on a daily basis, both in my personal practice and in my teachings. I continue to personally reap the benefits of these practices, and I see my students flourish with their use as well. Many people enter into their yoga practice understanding only its physical benefits. They want to be flexible. They want to stand on their heads. They want to be toned. What they find as they deepen into their practice is that through the manipulation of their breath, the physical benefits are enhanced, along with a vast array of energetic, psychological, and spiritual benefits that they might not have expected. All of a sudden, they find that they are calmer in postures, they are less reactive to stress, and they are more emotionally and psychologically resilient.
Since 2008, I have been leading students and seekers through these pranayama techniques and helping them build lifestyles that improve their overall well-being. When I first started teaching, my main audience was college students (a life from which I had just recently graduated). Like me in college, many of my students were overwhelmed, anxious, uncertain, fearful, and looking for answers on how to be in the world. They wanted to suffer less. They came to me seeking to regulate the restless fluctuations of their lives and minds. They needed to learn how to calm down when they were stressed or anxious. They needed to know how to get more energy when they were lethargic, depressed, or burning out. With many of the techniques in this book, they built resiliency and learned to regulate themselves to become calmer, more vital, and overall healthier.
My hope for you, dear reader, is the same as it is for all of the students that I have had the pleasure of teaching. I would like you to learn pranayama , add it to your wellness tool belt, and incorporate these ancient breathing techniques into your daily life. Let these practices empower you to shift your energetic state and to find balance within yourself.
This handy and easy-to-use book will take you on a journey through the spectrum of pranayama, from its rich history to techniques and sequences for practitioners of all levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). In , we will get creative and combine various techniques from the previous three chapters into sequences, helping you enhance the effects of the techniques and take your pranayama practice to the next level. Well even discuss how you can make your own unique sequences to best suit your individual practice.
It is with great pleasure that I pass these teachings along to you. Take your time, be patient with yourself, and, most of all, just breathe.
Namaste,
Jerry Givens
The breath is a fascinating function of human life. Without trying, we breathe as we sleep, work, and live, but there is more to breathing than just staying alive. In fact, through the breathing practices of pranayama, you can improve your overall wellness. In this first chapter, Ill introduce the history of these techniques, their general functions, and how they work to help your nervous system, body, and mind. You dont have to be an expert to practice pranayama, as Ill describe techniques that are perfect for beginners and advanced practitioners alike, including some tips to help you at each stage along the way.
