Pranayama (Yogic Breathing)

Without the Breath It’s Not Yoga

From an outward perspective, the practice of yoga seems very physical. An often continual progression of movements, yoga is rightly considered to be a physical exercise. But there is one element of the practice that sets it apart from other exercises—the breath. In... Read More

Yogic Breathing 101

  Proper breathing is what makes yoga, well, yoga. Paying attention to our breath is what transforms mere exercises into a dynamic practice that helps us to understand our true nature. Our breath is the gauge that we use to know if we’ve gone to far and the... Read More

Let Your Breath Lead Your Movement

If you have been practicing yoga for a while, you are familiar with the relationship between breath and movement. You understand that certain movements correspond to either an in breath or an out breath, each complimenting and facilitating the other. Over time the... Read More

Your Breath is Your Gauge

  To find steadiness and ease in your yoga practice, the best place to begin is with your breath. The breath acts like a gauge of your practice. When the breath is labored —quick and shallow— this is a sign that you are pushing too hard, or not letting go enough,... Read More

cool your nerves with sitali

Continuing our Pranayama focus this month, we move to the cooling breath, or Sitali Pranayama. The Sanskrit word sita means “cool,” describing the refreshing effect of Sitali. Usually this breath is practiced in the summertime as a way to cool the body, but during the... Read More