Pranayama keeps me sane!

Pranayama breathing: why it keeps me sane

On the days I miss my pranayama practice, I know I am more irritable, less patient and far less compassionate towards others. That is Chris Lalor’s way of saying what pranayama breathing does for her. She has practised it for decades, and it has never stopped surprising her. It is also called breath meditation. This is her story of why it was so hard at first, how learning it lying down helped, and what it gives her now. It is one teacher’s experience, not a promise.

This note in short form

• The first years: hard going, with a closed chest and a stiff diaphragm.
• The turn: practising lying down, the Iyengar way.
• The surprise: a short out-breath, and two instructions that felt impossible.
• Now: a quieter mind, more energy and a steadier mood, in her experience.
• Learning: a book helps, and a teacher helps more.
• Care: tell your teacher about blood pressure, pregnancy, heart or lung conditions.
• Next step: try a breath meditation class in Darwin or LIVE online.

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.

This page sits in our breath and pranayama notes. If you want the bigger picture first, read what is pranayama.

What made the first years of pranayama so hard?

Pushing too hard, with a body that was not ready. Most people find pranayama difficult, and Chris certainly did. It took her a very long time to feel content with each practice.

She never found it boring, but she found it hard to understand the internal logic of the practice. At first she pushed herself beyond her capacity. Her chest was quite closed, and her diaphragm (the dome-shaped breathing muscle under the lungs) did not have the elasticity to let her lungs expand. She would become irritable and dispirited, and wonder whether it was worth the effort.

Why does Iyengar yoga teach pranayama lying down?

Because lying down takes away the effort of sitting upright, so you can feel the breath. Chris started to practise pranayama lying down, as is recommended and taught in Iyengar yoga. She had enjoyed Savasana (relaxation pose), and found she could mostly talk her body into relaxing. Some days were better than others.

Over time she got to the point where she could sink into relaxation without fidgeting and wondering when it would end. She also found that her earlier yoga practice had expanded and strengthened her chest, which prepared her for the breath work. That is her experience. Iyengar teachers use a blanket fold under the chest to lift it, and you can also sit in a straight-backed chair.

What was it like to lengthen the out-breath?

It was a shock. When Chris first came to lengthen the exhalation in supported Savasana, she remembers being totally shocked at how difficult it was. Her exhalation seemed so short. She could not understand the mechanism for lengthening her inhalation either.

Her teacher told her to “breathe into the bottom side ribs” and to keep the abdomen passive. Both instructions seemed impossible. Over a few months of regular classes she got the hang of it.

What does pranayama breathing give her now?

A friend that keeps her honest. “I am pleased that I kept practising,” she says, “because my breath has become my friend and, like a good friend, has kept me honest.” Mindfulness on her breath has helped her understand herself better, and she says it lets her feel connected to the wider universe.

She says the breathing practices give her energy, and she feels energised after them. Most of all, she loves how they quieten her mind, help her relax and keep her humble. In the Iyengar tradition, teachers describe pranayama as drawing energy up from the base of the spine. This is known from practice, and is taught in Light on Pranayama by Mr BKS Iyengar.

Is a book enough to learn pranayama?

A book helps, and a teacher helps more. Chris learnt a great deal from Light on Pranayama, the key book by Mr BKS Iyengar, and from a few other books. But she was also fortunate to have a good teacher, and she found she learnt faster with coaching along the way. Many people do not find books a fast way to learn.

She also learnt Alternate Nostril breathing from Mr Iyengar’s Light on Yoga, with the help of a teacher. As she steadily practised mindfulness, she also found it easier to eat mindfully. Her mindful eating story is in her note on mindful eating.

What should you check before you start pranayama?

Ask your teacher, and see your doctor if you have a health condition that affects breathing or blood pressure. That means high blood pressure, heart or lung conditions, pregnancy, and anxiety or panic. Practise slowly, stop if you feel strained or dizzy, and breathe normally. Our note is pranayama safe goes into this in more detail.

Related reading: our breath and pranayama notes, Ujjayi pranayama, Bhramari, the bumble bee breath and Viloma, the staircase breath.

Practise this at Flametree

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in the studio at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin, and LIVE online.

• New to Flametree? Your first class is free. In the studio, just come along. Online, go to our online class list, click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.
• Beginners: new students, and anyone who has been away three months or more, can get a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both. See the beginner half price pass.
• Already practising yoga? The same half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, for new students and for anyone away three months or more, is also available as the non-beginner half price pass.
• See every class time, including online classes, on the timetable.

Can’t make a class? Practise at home with our video courses.

Pranayama breathing: frequently asked questions

Why does my out-breath feel so short in pranayama?

This is common. Chris found her exhalation seemed very short when she first tried to lengthen it lying down. It improved over a few months of regular classes. Do not force it. Ask your teacher to check your set-up.

Why is pranayama practised lying down in Iyengar yoga?

Lying over a bolster or folded blankets lifts the chest and removes the effort of sitting upright, so you can feel the breath. Iyengar teachers recommend learning it this way first.

What does breathe into the bottom side ribs mean?

It was Chris’s teacher’s instruction to feel the breath widen the lower ribs at the sides while the belly stays passive. Both parts seemed impossible to Chris at first, and a teacher can show you how it feels.

Is it normal to feel irritable or discouraged when pranayama is hard?

It can be. Chris became irritable and dispirited when she pushed beyond her capacity. Easing back, practising lying down, and asking a teacher for help can make it easier.

Can I do pranayama in a chair?

Yes. You can sit in a straight-backed chair, or lie on the floor with blanket support. You do not need to sit cross-legged.

Does pranayama get easier with time?

In Chris’s experience, yes. Over a few months of regular classes she got the hang of lengthening the exhalation. It took her much longer to feel content with each practice.

Who should check with a doctor before pranayama?

Anyone with high blood pressure, a heart or lung condition, pregnancy, or anxiety or panic should talk to their doctor and tell their teacher first. Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy or strained.

Where can I learn pranayama in Darwin?

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches pranayama (breath meditation) in Darwin and LIVE online. Your first class is free if you are new to Flametree (in the studio, if you have lived in the NT for three months or more; online, anyone new).

Come and say hello on the Flametree Yoga Facebook page, where we share news from our classes.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Pranayama does not treat any condition. Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin and LIVE online.

Sources: Chris Lalor’s own experience and teaching. BKS Iyengar, Light on Pranayama and Light on Yoga.