Position

• Sit as usual in a comfortable posture, keeping the head, neck and spine in a straight line.
• Let the left hand remain on the left knee and place the right hand next to the nose.

Steps

1. Concentrate your mind on the center of energy or the center of knowledge.
2. Breathe quickly and fast through both nostrils while forcefully contracting and expanding abdominal muscles.
3. Keep the shoulders and chest immobile.
4. After completing twenty to twenty five breaths, inhale deeply, retain for a while and exhale. Follow by another round of forceful breathing.
5. Increase the frequency with practice.

Time

Practice this exercise for three to five minutes.

Benefits

This exercise produces brightness, activeness and balance.

It purifies the nervous system, destroys all disease and increases heat and vital force.

Position

• Sit in a comfortable posture keeping the head, beck and spine erect.
• Place the right thumb against the right nostril but do not close it.

Steps

1. Inhale slowly and deeply through both nostrils.
2. Press the right nostril with the right thumbs.
3. Retain the breath for a while, then exhale touching the lungs throat area and larynx.
4. While inhaling and exhaling, concentrate the conscious mind on the throat and produce a humming sound like the buzzing of a bee.
5. Since this sound resembles that of a large bee, it is named Bhramari.

Time

Starting with nine times, increase up to twenty seven times.

Benefits

It makes the voice sweet and gently, and helps clarity of speech.

Breathing becomes deep and subtle.

It is useful for hypertension and depression and aids brain cells.

Position

• Sit straight in a comfortable posture.
• Let the left hand rest on the left knee and place the right hand next to the nose.

Steps

First Method

1. Bhastrika is a Sanskrit word meaning the bellows of a blacksmith.
2. Air is draw in drawn in and out forcefully like a bellows, so it is known as Bhastrika Pranayama.
3. For the first type of Bhastrika, inhale and exhale quickly in short and shallow breaths through both nostrils from four to ten times.
4. Then exhale completely, holding the breath for a while.
5. After this, inhale through the right nostril and retain the breath for a while
6. Again, inhale and exhale through the nostrils contracting the middle and lower portions of the abdomen

Time

Begin with three pranayamas, increasing one by one up to twenty-one.

Second Method

1. The second type of Bhastrika is practiced by breathing quick and fast through both nostrils making the sound of a bellows.
2. After inhaling and exhaling ten to twenty times, inhale deeply and retain it for a while.

Time

Continue this pranayama for three to five minutes.

Third Method

1. The third type of Bhastrika is practiced like Anuloma - Viloma with the right thumb against the right nostril and the ring finger against the left nostril.
2. Rest the remaining fingers between the eye browse.
3. Inhale through the exhale through the right nostril and inhale of inhalation and exhalation by expanding and contracting the abdominal muscles

Time

In the beginning, practice one pranayama and gradually increase this to eleven times.

Benefits

Bhastrika supplies a plentiful supply of oxygen to the lungs.

It produces heat in the body and increases appetite, destroys mucus, removes disorders of the respiratory system, improves efficiency of the nervous system, reduces fat in the abdominal region and enhances purity of consciousness.

Bhastrika is useful for digestive function, diabetes, sinus, etc.

Position

• Sit stayright in a comfortable posture, keeping the head, neck, and spine erect. Placa the hands in Gyana Mudra.

Steps

1. Open the lips and keep the teeth together
2. Lightly press the tip of the tongue against the lower front teeth.
3. Inhale through the mouth over the tongue with a kind of hissing sound like the sound of the letter 's'.
4. After filling the lungs completely, close the mouth and exhale through both nostrils without retention.

Time

Practice Shitakari for one to five minutes, increasing the time one minute each week.

Like Shitali, it should be practiced in the summer.

Although those who are subject to excess bile can do it in any season.

Benefits

It reduces heat, clears the complexion and helps in controlling thirst, hunger and sleep.

Position

• Sit in a comfortable posture, keeping the hands on the knees as a Gyana Mudra.
• Extend the tongue and roll up each side to make a channel like a bird's beak.

Steps

1. Suck the air over the tongue and the fill the lungs completely.
2. The pressures on the diaphragm should extend down to the navel.
3. Pressure the tongue and close the mouth.
4. Hold the breath for a while and then exhale gradually through the nostrils.

Time

Continue this practice from one to five minutes.

The duration can be increased to cool down the body due to overheat or disease.

The best time to perform this exercise is during the summer.

Benefits

Shitali Pranayama quenches thirst, improves the efficiency of the liver and reduces bile and high blood pressure.

Coolness, brightness and peacefulness increase.

Position

• Sit in a comfortable posture, keeping the head, neck and spine in a straight line.
• Place the right thumb on the right nostril, the right index finger between the eyebrows and rest the middle finger against the left nostril.

Steps

First Method

1. Close the left nostril and slowly inhale through the right nostril, filling the lungs completely.
2. Retain the breath for a few seconds, and then, closing right nostril, exhale completely through the left nostril, pausing momentarily before repeating the process, repeat nine times.

Second Method

1. inhale through the right nostril, retain it, then exhale through the same nostril, pausing without retention or pause.

Time

Start with three pranayama, extending this to twenty-seven; nine in the morning, nine at noon and nine in the evening per day.

Caution

It enhances heat, so it should not be practice it to pacify these conditions, but those laden with bile should practice this exercise in moderation.

Benefits

It reduces wind and mucus and increases bile and digestive power.

It helps in gastric fire, cold and asthma.

Position

• Sit in a comfortable posture, keeping the head, neck and spine in a straight line.
• Place the right thumb on the right nostril, the right index finger between the eyebrows and rest the middle finger against the left nostril.

Steps

First Method

1. Inhale through the right nostril in winter and exhale through the other nostril.
2. Again inhale through the same nostril, depending on the season and exhale through the other.
3. This completes one round of Anuloma-Viloma Pranayama.
4. It can sometimes be practiced with retention in and out during inhalation and exhalation respectively.
5. With practice, you should reach a ratio of 1:4:2, which means breath should be retained four times longer than inhalation and exhale two times longer than inhalation.
6. Repeat this practice nine times in the morning at noon, and in the evening.

Time

Start with three pranayamas, extending this to twenty-seven;nine in the morning, nine at noon and nine in the evening per day.

Benefits

This practice will bring about profound benefits.

It will remove tension, fear, and worry and will make the mind calm, poised and serene.

It will purify the nervous system in a period of approximately three months.

It increases Satwa (purity and illumination) and weakens Rajas (desire), and Tamas (delusion, ignorance, sloth and sleep).

Through the practice of this Pranayama, happiness, health, vigour and melodious voice can be attained.

Purification of Nadis

Position

• Sit down in Padmasana or Siddhasana

Steps

1. Close your right nostril with your right hands thumb and inhale through left nostril as long as you can easily inhale.
2. When your lungs are full, close both the nostrils and hold the breath for some time.
3. Then slowly exhale through the right nostril closing the left (use your ring and little finger).
4. Thereafter close your left nostril and inhale through the right nostril and then closing both the nostril holds the breath in your body and ultimately exhale the breath through your left nostril.
5. Thus you finish one cycle of veins purifying Pranayama.

Time

Practice three or four Avartanas/cycle daily and increase this practice slowly. Once practiced well, practice this Pranayama in the ratio of 1:2:2, That is inhale for four seconds; hold the breath for eight seconds and then exhale the breath in eight seconds. Increase this ratio slowly upto a ratio of 5:20:10.

Benefits

It's an excellent method to perform Pranayama that does away with the lungs diseases.

Through this Pranayama, the blood gets an increased amount of life giving oxygen that thoroughly cleans and purifies it, calms the mind, soothes anxiety and stress, balances left and right hemispheres, promotes clear thinking . It also purifies the Arteries and veins, through which the blood flows in the body.

Types

• The most subtle sound - it influences the vital force and consciousness. This sound is a type of Naad, which exists in various sounds. It is a sound that can be experienced in deep state of meditation.
• The Subtle Sound - it influences both the brain as well as the mind. This subtle sound can be experienced remaining silent at the end of gross pronunciation of Mahapran dhvani.
• The Gross Sound - it balances the environment and thoughts. This is practiced prior to meditation.

Steps

1. Inhale slowly through nostrils
2. Concentrate on your vocal cord
3. While exhaling, produce the sound of Mm. Mm. Mm... 'like buzzing of a bee with your vocal cord
4. When the humming sound becomes slow and subtle, remain silent for a while and feel the sound inside your brain
5. Take a long breath
6. Repeat the above steps for nine times

Benefits

It rejuvenates soul with vital force and consciousness and balances throughts

Bandh literally means bandhna, to hold downward energy. If your energy flows outside purposelessly then you can never be free from disease. This pranayam gives you a technique how to hold out flowing or downward energy (prana) inside. Actually this technique is taken from horse. If it is done properly and genuinely then one may easily get the power of horse.

Mool bandh is the contraction of certain muscles in the pelvic floor. In the female it contracts uterus and rectum or intestinal area. And in men it contracts anus and testes. Mool bandh is effective exercise for improving the dullness of organs (bladder and intestinal).