प्राणायाम
Prāṇāyāma
Thirty minutes of breath and attention, sitting still, with almost no movement at all.
- Intensity
- 1 of 5
- Level
- All levels
- Length
- 30 min
- Props
- A cushion or chair
What Prāṇāyāma actually is
Prāṇāyāma is the regulation of breath — lengthening the exhale, evening out the rhythm, and in some practices holding the breath briefly. It is the part of yoga most directly connected to the nervous system, and the part most often skipped.
Because it asks nothing physical, it is the easiest practice to keep daily and the one whose effects show up fastest in sleep, blood pressure and concentration.
30 min, minute by minute
0—6 min
Sitting, posture, observing the breath
6—18 min
Two practices, taught and repeated
18—27 min
Silent sitting
27—30 min
Closing, and how to take it into the day
Shapes you will meet
Even breath
Sama Vṛtti
Alternate nostril
Nāḍī Śodhana
Victorious breath
Ujjāyī
Bee breath
Bhrāmarī
Easy seat
Sukhāsana
Online or in studio
Practise Prāṇāyāma with Dr. Sharma
Classes are arranged around when you are free — live online from anywhere, or in the studio. Your first one is free.
Questions
- Can I do this at my desk?
- Several of the practices, yes. That is largely the point of teaching them.
- Is thirty minutes long enough?
- For breathwork, yes. Daily beats long here more clearly than in any other tradition.
- Do I need to sit cross-legged?
- No. A chair with both feet on the floor is a perfectly good seat.
Still not sure Prāṇāyāma is yours?
Nine questions, ninety seconds, an honest answer.