Pranayama Pt. 1
Pranayama in yoga is the process or ability to expand our energetic life force by cultivating and developing control of our breath. The yogis call our divine life-giving force prana, while in the Chinese tradition it is called Qi. Yama means ‘control’ or the science of control, so pranayama translates as learning to control our energy through the nurturing of our breath. In yoga, the breath is viewed as the bridge between the body and mind; by controlling the breath, we can learn to guide our minds to a more peaceful, relaxed and focused state of being.
There are many things in world that we cannot control, and our inherent inability to affect these outside circumstances causes us tremendous stress, fear and worry. Chronic stress directly affects blood flow to the heart muscle, and is incredibly toxic to our body. It increases our risk for heart disease and other ailments, impairs our immune system, and can do significant harm to the functioning of the brain, shrinking the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for learning, problem solving, impulse-control, mental focus, and memory.
When we are in states of emotional distress or severe anxiety, our sympathetic nervous system is activated. This is the “fight or flight” response, which increases our alertness, blood pressure, breathing rate, heart rate and creates discordant energy in our mind and body. Sometimes when we are in an extreme emotional state we stop breathing much, and our energy becomes stuck in our bodies, depleting our brain of the oxygen we need to make effective decisions and sound life choices. In addition, our collective attention span is narrowing due to the overabundance of information and imagery presented to us through technology and social media. All of these elements contribute to a lack of sustained focus and diminished human health, and ultimately create problems in our personal life and within society at large.
What is vital to remember is that our breath is the one thing we can control. It is an essential and sacred life task, and the more we develop a proactive relationship with our breathing on a consistent basis (through frequent pranayama practice), the easier we can calm ourselves and connect to a state of relaxed yet mindful awareness when we truly need it.
Consistent mindful practice of breathing increases our resilience to stress, and beneficially changes the brain by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, our “rest and restore” response. By activating the PNS we can reduce our blood pressure, breathing and heart rate, and create a harmonious state of being that assists with finding inner calmness, relaxation, improved digestion and a more peaceful existence.
For those who suffer from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), learning basic breathing exercises can help immensely when one is experiencing an emotionally traumatic event or flashback. In the midst of this terrible pandemic and all of the personal and collective grief we are experiencing as a global community now, we could all explore breathing techniques to work through our personal struggles and come into a greater union with the body. If we start by improving the basic elements of our body, we can better actualize a more positive life experience for ourselves, our family, and those whose lives we touch.
