Yoga And Breathing: Pranayama Notes, Stories And Articles From Flametree
Yoga and breathing: the short version
Last updated: 25 October 2026.
Notice your breath right now. Is it in your chest or your belly, through your nose or your mouth? Pranayama (yogic breath practice) starts with simply noticing, and this page gathers everything Flametree has written about yoga and breathing. Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is sometimes called modern classical yoga, and it’s the style we teach at Flametree. In the Iyengar tradition, breath practice is taught step by step, lying down first, then sitting.
Yoga and breathing in short form
- What it is: pranayama explained in plain words.
- Is it safe: our answer, and how we teach it.
- The techniques: Bhramari, Nadi Shodhana, Ujjayi and Viloma.
- Why it matters: breath, calm and the nervous system.
- Meditation: how breath practice leads into it.
- Classes: early morning pranayama, in the studio or LIVE online.
- First class free: for newcomers, plus a half price pass.
This page is one of the topic hubs in Yoga Notes From Flametree.
Why does Iyengar yoga teach the breath slowly?
Because a calm breath grows out of a settled body. In the Iyengar tradition you learn to lie still and watch the breath before you try to change it.
Mr Iyengar’s book Light on Pranayama sets out this careful order, from watching the breath to gently shaping it.
A firm, raised seat makes it easier to sit straight for breath practice.
How do we keep breath practice safe?
We teach traditional pranayama, gently and step by step. The pranayama safety article explains how we approach it, and what to watch for.
Tell your teacher about any health condition before you start.
Closing the eyes and ears turns attention inwards to the breath.
Start here: the main yoga and breathing articles
These are the owner pages. Each answers one main question in depth.
- What Is Pranayama? Breath And Sound Meditation Explained, the place to begin.
- Is Pranayama Safe? A Reply To The ABC’s Meditation Article.
- Bhramari Pranayama Benefits: Bumble Bee Breath, Nitric Oxide And Calm.
- Nadi Shodhana Benefits: How To Do Alternate Nostril Breathing.
- Ujjayi Pranayama Iyengar Style.
- Viloma pranayama meditation online.
- Stillness In Yoga: Why A Still Pose Is Never Just Holding On.
- How To Quiet The Mind: What Geeta Iyengar Taught About The Breath, The Pauses And The Vast Mind.
- Yoga, breath meditation and mindfulness.
- How breath meditation (pranayama) delivers several benefits.
- Why yogic breathing techniques are powerful.
- Yoga and pranayama reinforce each other.
- New research on how to breathe.
- The power of pranayama, with our mini course.
- Pranayama keeps me sane!
- From the drug culture to pranayama meditation.
Yoga Notes on yoga and breathing
More notes are being added. You can also browse every Yoga Note in one list.
Seated on blankets, Chris Lalor practises alternate nostril breathing, one of the pranayama notes on this page.
Classes for breath and pranayama
- Pranayama meditation classes, early morning, in the studio or LIVE online.
- Breathwork classes, the Iyengar way.
- The beginner timetable.
Start with yoga poses, then add breathing
We usually suggest starting with some yoga poses before breathwork. The poses quieten the mind, and a quieter mind finds the breathing techniques of pranayama much easier to learn. If you have done yoga before, or are coming back after a break, start with our half price non-beginner deal. If you are new, start with the half price beginner deal. Both include two free classes.
Try a breath class
Your first class is free if you’re new to Flametree. New students, and anyone who has been away three months or more, can also get a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both.
For the studio, check the beginner timetable and just come along. For a LIVE online class, go to our online class list, click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.
A bolster under the sitting bones lets the spine lift, so a seated twist or a breath practice stays comfortable.
Questions about this breathing page
What will I find on the Flametree breathing page?
You will find every Flametree article and Yoga Note on breathing, grouped so you can start with the main articles and then read the shorter notes. Each link goes to one page that answers one question, so you are not reading the same thing twice.
Which Flametree article on breathing should I read first?
Start with the article that explains what pranayama is, then read the safety article before trying any technique at home.
Are Flametree’s breathing notes only for people in Darwin?
No. They are written in Darwin, from our teaching at Woolner and Coolalinga, but the breath practices apply anywhere, and classes are also taught LIVE online, so you can join from anywhere in Australia.
How often are new breathing notes added?
New Yoga Notes are published in batches of about twenty, and this page is updated each time a note on this topic goes live. Older Flametree blog articles stay linked here too.
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in Darwin, at Woolner and Coolalinga, and LIVE online anywhere.
General information only, not medical advice. Check with your professional advisers before changing what you do.
