Breathwork for Healing: Your Guide to Practicing Pranayama in Memphis

Have you ever noticed how your breath gets faster and shallower when you’re anxious? Or how you might breathe more deeply and easily when you feel relaxed? Our breath is directly connected to our mental state — and that’s a two-way street! We can actually influence our mental state through our breath as well. 

Pranayama, the practice of controlling the breath — and the vital energy it contains — is a key part of any yoga practice. In this blog post, we breathe life into the benefits of pranayama, introduce you to some of the varieties of pranayama, and help you get started with your own pranayama practice. 

What is pranayama or breathwork?

“Prana” is a Sanskrit word that means vital life force. It’s the universal force that runs through us and everything around us, and the Yogic traditions say it’s delivered to us through our breath. Pranayama is the practice of controlling the flow of that energy through the breath, and it’s one of the key components to yoga, included in the Eight Limbs of Yoga that Patanjali defined in the Yoga Sutras. 

What’s called our normal “breath body” consists of three parts:

• The inhale, when you fill your lungs with air

• The exhale, when you empty your lungs of air

• The pause between, the natural vacuum created between these two states

Pranayama involves adjusting, or controlling, different parts of the breath body. For example, making either the inhale or the exhale more forceful than its counterpart, or lengthening a phase of the breath. We’ll talk more about different types of pranayama in a moment.

Through practicing different techniques of pranayama, we can observe how the breath can energize, soothe, detoxify, and even transform us. During a yoga class, the breath can also help us cultivate a mind-body connection, creating a link between our physical practice and that blissful and clear state known as samadhi that some people access during meditation or savasana. 

What are the benefits of pranayama?

There are many benefits to pranayama practice. A review of available research into the effects of pranayama techniques from the National Library of Medicine includes: 

• Strengthening respiratory muscles, like lung tissue and the muscles in your abdomen and diaphragm 

• Expanding your breath body/counteracting abnormal breathing patterns

• Reducing airway obstruction and inflammation and increase lung capacity and functioning

• Reducing perceived stress and improve mood

• Lowering cortisol levels, blood pressure, and other cardiovascular stress responses

• Helping the body shift from a state of sympathetic nervous system response (fight, flight, freeze) to parasympathetic nervous system response (rest and digest)

That last benefit is a key one. By helping our bodies shift into parasympathetic dominance, it’s thought that we get a host of benefits, including a reduction in anxiety and fatigue, which can help us show up better in the world. One study showed that whether the type of pranayama practiced included rapid or slow breathing, as long as an intention to relax was included, the brain was better able to block out external stimulus, resulting in that enhanced meditative mind state. 

Read more about the many benefits of a meditative state of mind.

What are some common breathwork techniques?

There are many different types of pranayama practiced in the yoga traditions. In this section, we’ll break down a few of the ones you’re most likely to encounter in your yoga practice.

Ujjayi Breath

Also known as victorious breath or ocean’s wave breath, ujjayi breath is one of the most commonly encountered pranayama techniques in yoga. In ujjayi breath, you focus on full inhales and exhales, breathing deeply and fully with a slight constriction in the back of your throat. The effect is almost like fogging a mirror with your mouth closed. You might feel the caress of the breath on the back of your throat, and you should hear your inhales and exhales sound like ocean waves lapping against the sand. This pranayama style is often linked to movement in vinyasa-style yoga classes and can help you find a place to rest your awareness and senses as you go deeper into your body during your yoga practice. 

Sama Vritti Breath

Also known as box breath, sama vritti involves equalizing the different parts of the breath. For example, you might use a four count and it would look like:

1. Inhale to the count of four

2. Hold the breath in to the count of four

3. Exhale to the count of four

4. Hold the breath out to the count of four

This is a simple breathing technique that you might have encountered outside of yoga classes as well. It’s often suggested for people as a way to calm their nerves. Try it the next time you feel stressed before a big meeting or any time you feel your nervous system jump into gear. You can adjust the count up or down to fit your needs, just make sure that each part is equal.

Kapalabhati Breath

Also known as skull-shining breath or breath of fire, kapalabhati breath is a pranayama technique often encountered in kundalini yoga classes. This is an energizing breathing technique that purifies the internal energetic pathways. It involves emphasizing the exhale and letting the inhale happen without effort. Breathing is done in and out through the nostrils, and each exhale is done forcefully, as you pump your abdomen in toward your spine, really emptying the breath on each exhale. The vacuum created by forcefully emptying the breath allows the inhale to happen automatically. 

This technique can take some getting used to as in our normal breathing pattern, the inhale is usually of greater focus. When first learning this technique, many yogis make the mistake of exhaling from their chest instead of their abdomen. As much as you can, bring that focus to pumping the abdomen in order to forcefully clear the breath and help to awaken the kundalini, that primordial creative energy that resides at the base of the spine. 

Nadi Shodhana Breath

Also known as alternate-nostril breathing, nadi shodhana is another pranayama technique you’ll almost certainly encounter in your yoga classes. The nadis are energy channels that run along either side of the spine and connect to our nostrils. The left nadi is said to encompass the feminine, intuitive, or lunar aspect of the self, and the right nadi is the masculine, action-oriented, or solar aspect. 

In our natural breathing, we switch which nostril (and thus nadi) we primarily inhale through several times a day. Nadi shodhana encourages us to balance those two sides with intention. Many people find this a very calming breathing technique, as it brings our energy channels into balance. 

To practice, come to a cross-legged position. Bring the left hand into gyan mudra, with the index finger and thumb pads touching and the other three fingers laying straight out, and rest the hand palm-up on your left knee. You’ll use the thumb and ring finger on your right hand to alternately close your nostrils. The index and middle finger of your right hand can either close into your palm, or they can point up and rest in front of the middle of your brow. To begin:

• Close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left nostril

• Close the left nostril with your ring finger; open right nostril and exhale through the right

• Inhale through the right nostril; close right nostril, open left and exhale through the left nostril

• Inhale left, exhale right

• Inhale right, exhale left

• Continue, switching nostrils after each inhale

• To end, exhale through your left nostril and then return to your natural breath

Holotropic or healing breathwork

Unlike the other forms of pranayama we’ve talked about here, holotropic breathwork is usually its own class and won’t be found as part of a physical yoga class. This form of pranayama involves rapid, controlled breathwork that helps practitioners attain an alternate form of consciousness with the goal of transformation or healing. Classes are taught by trained professionals who lay the groundwork for what to expect, set a mood for the practice with the use of music, scent, and sound, and guide you through the journey. Classes vary based on the teacher and the technique they are trained in. At Delta Groove, we also offer private breathwork classes for yourself or your small group, where you can have a personalized and private experience. 

How do I start practicing pranayama?

You can experiment with some of these pranayama techniques on your own. For example, sama vritti is an accessible breathwork style that can be done almost anytime anywhere. To get started, choose a place where you can sit comfortably and try it out without interruption for a few minutes. Start small as you begin your pranayama practice. Many practitioners see benefits of breathwork after just three minutes. As you get comfortable, you can work your way up to longer sessions. 

A common challenge for those new to pranayama is a wandering mind. A thought comes by, and it’s all too easy to jump on the train and go for a ride. Resist that urge by keeping your awareness focused on your breath. Again, sama vritti is helpful in this regard because you have a number to count to for each part of the breath. You can take this method of giving your mind something to focus on into other pranayama techniques as well.

• Use visualization: In ujjayi breath, visualize the waves going in and out with your inhales and exhales.

• Count your breaths: Inhale is 1. Exhale is 2. Inhale is 3. Exhale is 4. Keep counting until you get to 10, then start over. Another way to do this is with a mantra. You can use the syllables involved in Kirtan Kriya, for example. Inhale is “sa,” exhale is “ta,” inhale is “na,” exhale is “ma.” “Sa ta na ma” represents the cycles of life: infinity, birth, transformation, rebirth. 

• Trace the breath with your senses: See what you feel inside your body by tracing the path of each breath in through your nose, into your lungs and abdomen and then back out. Notice things like how your ribs expand or the temperature of the breath on your nose as it goes in and comes out.

• Use mantra: Try using a saying that resonates with you. For example, as you breathe in, mentally say, “I breathe in peace.” As you exhale, mentally say, “I release stress.” 

One thing to remember during breathwork is that you are in control. If you start feeling anxious for any reason, return to your normal breathing. If you have high blood pressure or are pregnant, consult your doctor before beginning a pranayama program. 

With some of the other breathing techniques, like kapalabhati and, certainly, holotropic breathwork, practitioners might benefit from the help of a teacher. Luckily, we know just the place. 😉

Learn breathwork in Memphis at Delta Groove

At Delta Groove Yoga in Midtown Memphis, we incorporate breathwork into all of our yoga classes. Pranayama is an integral part of yoga, so if you attend a yoga class at Delta Groove, odds are, you’ll encounter one or more of these breathing techniques. 

Check out our class descriptions to find the right class for you. 

In addition to our kundalini, vinyasa, ashtanga, and gentle yoga classes, we also offer class styles that focus more explicitly on pranayama:

Meditation, Mantra, and Pranayama

This is a class to develop your meditation practice using Kundalini Yoga Meditations, Mantras, and Pranayama. Using specific seated postures, angles, and breathing sequences, you’ll cultivate energy balance to create inner peace so as to project outer peace. This class is suitable for students of any experience level and any mobility. 

Breathwork Class

Breathwork starts with a guided meditation/relaxation followed by a transformative breathwork journey. The class then moves into a guided visualization where you can connect with different versions of you, your guides, past loved ones or any messages you might receive. This class includes optional sharing at the end, and participants are encouraged to bring a journal if they’d like to take notes. Sound, essential oils, and sacred circle work are all a part of this class.

Breathwork and Sound Healing

In this class, breath is used to heal, release, connect with ourselves and reach higher states of consciousness. Breathwork starts with a guided meditation/relaxation followed by a transformative breathwork journey. To end, the facilitator adds a beautiful layer of sound healing to ground you back into your body and being. Sound, essential oils, and sacred circle work are all a part of this class. Dress comfortably and bring your journal to take notes if you’d like. 

Private Breathwork

In private breathwork sessions through our Healing Arts Center, breathwork is used as an active meditation that gets you out of your head and into your body and heart. Each session is individualized and tailored to your personal needs. Using the Ancient Eastern breathing techniques, music, and essential oils, you will be guided through a somatic journey of emotional release and healing. The breathwork technique used is a two-part pranayama breath done through the mouth while laying down. You will travel through stages of active breath moving energy in the body followed by a reflective rest period to intuitively integrate your session. Find out more and book your session.

Check out our full class schedule to find the right yoga, meditation, or breathwork session that feels right for you. See you on the mat!