Sundari Gibran - Pranayama: The Yoga Breath

PRANAYAMA

THE YOGA BREATH

HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE BY IMPROVING YOUR BREATHING TECHNIQUE

Sundari Gibran

Disclaimer

Although the author has made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author does not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

This book is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

Pranayama: The Yoga Breath

How to Transform Your Life by Improving Your Breathing Technique

Sundari Gibran, 2021

INTRODUCTION

N owadays, everyone is striving to feel fully alive even if it is only for a few moments. We want all our senses to be recharged after being exhausted for so long. For those who have experienced it, being numb is probably the worst feeling in the world.

It would be a long discussion if we start listing the reasons that led to people feeling so detached from themselves lately. But to explain it briefly, we can just say that we gradually kept drifting away from our spiritual selves for more materialistic gains.

Now, when we realize the damage done to our emotional health, we desperately want to go back to the simple ways of life. We wish to feel everything profoundly. True happiness, excitement, and all kinds of unfiltered emotions.

At the same time, we want to feel calm and peaceful too. We want to stop feeling anxious all the time. Throughout the day, were either worried about what would happen next or scared that something that went wrong in the past may happen again.

A single solution to all the aforementioned problems would be to spend a few minutes concentrating on yourself. That is, to set aside some time from the busy daily routine and just focus on your inner feelings. And the best way you can do that is by practicing yoga.

Yoga is an ancient technique used for physical and mental fitness. It involves many different positions and postures aimed at keeping your mind and body completely fit. Frankly, regular practice of yoga, if done in the right way, can eliminate many health-related issues from your life.

Although its not some kind of a substitute for medical science, the benefits it provides are almost equivalent to those of a health tonic. That is why you often see a yoga instructor having the ideal body shape and a calm demeanor that makes you want to try yoga for yourself immediately.

You may have heard the famous quote that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In the case of yoga, that first step you take also happens to be the most significant part of this technique. Before you can get to more difficult poses, you already feel the difference.

This text is about the foundation of all yoga poses, i.e. the yoga breath. Yoga breath, technically called pranayama is a deep breathing technique that helps calm your nerves. Along with stress-relief, it provides so many additional benefits that you will learn about later in the text.

The phenomenal effects of this breathing technique make it the need of the hour today. With such chaotic lifestyles, we all need a magical solution for our mental and physical health issues. In addition to providing that, yoga breath also helps you connect with nature more profoundly.

Overall, it wouldnt be wrong to say that simple practice helps improve the quality of your life significantly. It relieves the extra pressure from your mind and makes your body a lot more active. Since were all trying anything we can to survive in this tough environment, something as simple as pranayama is definitely worth a shot.

THE HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF YOGA

M any people have heard of yoga as a form of exercise. Some start doing it to lose weight while others consider it a method of staying active. In the modern world, it has become a rather cool part of an individuals lifestyle.

Yoga classes are now a form of social activity. Online interactions about the subject earn you more friends and admirers. Moreover, it has become a profitable business for those who know a significant deal about the technique.

But only true sages realize the real potential of this ancient practice. Every pose or asana has a deep impact on your mind and body. It seems like the saints must have mastered this art with a lot of contemplation and insight.

Lately, just like the real form of yoga, the idea of its teacher or guru has also been hijacked. In reality, a yoga guru isnt just someone passing instructions and explaining physical movements during a workout session. It is a coveted position held by the most devoted disciples of this technique.

The exercise, for the lack of a better word, is easy to learn but hard to master. It requires utmost dedication and determination. At the same time, it isnt something overly technical with a checklist to complete.

It is like a study with no defined curriculum but a clearly illuminated path. A yogi or yogini is well aware of the goals to follow as well as the mental and physical habits to steer clear of. He/she stays vigilant about the teachings not just while performing yoga but generally in life as well.

When we mention the word sage a thousand different images may appear in your mind. Some may perceive it as a person living away from the rest of the world at a secluded spot like a jungle or a cave. Others may know a sage to be someone with a disheveled appearance wandering here and there with no specific destination.

But these understandings have deviated far from the real meaning of the word. Actually, sage refers to an individual with immense wisdom. Sages are known for their sound judgments about different matters of life. People often seek advice from them whenever they are faced with a complicated challenge.

So, by that definition, an experienced yoga guru can be called a sage. Historically, it was the sages belonging to different philosophies who developed these poses. And anyone who becomes an expert in the yogic philosophy not only becomes a teacher of practicing yoga but attains the position of being a sage as well.