Pranayama
Breath practices, their effect on the doshas, and the conditions under which each should not be attempted.
Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breath
Quiet low breathing into the belly alone — the simplest entry point to pranayama and the base of every longer practice.
Alternate-nostril breathing
Alternate-nostril breath that balances the two channels and settles an agitated, vata-driven mind.
Anulom Vilom
Alternate-nostril breathing without retention — a gentle daily balancer.
Bellows Breath
Forceful equal inhale-exhale that builds heat and energy — practise gently.
Box Breath (equal breathing)
Equal-count breathing (and optional holds) to steady the mind and nerves.
Chanting breath (Om)
A long exhalation carried on the chant of 'Om' — a simple, calming pranayama-meditation.
Cooling Breath
Inhaling through a curled tongue to cool pitta, thirst and heat.
Crow's-beak breath
Inhaling through pursed 'crow-beak' lips for a cooling, calming effect, drawn from the Gheranda Samhita's kaki mudra.
Deliberate retention
Breath-retention held 'together with' inhalation and exhalation — the foundation of all kumbhaka.
Extended-exhale breath
Lengthening the exhalation until it is roughly twice the inhalation — the most reliable way to shift the body toward rest.
External retention
Holding the breath out after a full exhalation, often with the three locks (bandhas), to steady prana.
Fire-essence churning
Rapidly drawing in and releasing the abdomen on external retention to kindle the digestive fire (a kriya).
Floating breath
An advanced Hatha practice of filling the belly with air so the body feels light enough to 'float.'
Hissing Breath
A cooling breath drawn through the teeth — an alternative to sheetali.
Humming-bee breath
A soft humming exhale whose vibration quiets the mind quickly — excellent for stress and sleep.
Internal retention
Holding the breath in after a full inhalation to absorb and steady prana.
Interrupted breath
Breathing in (or out) in several paused stages, 'against the grain,' to build breath capacity and control.
Left-Nostril Breath
Inhaling through the left (lunar) nostril to cool and calm.
Left-nostril breathing
Breathing in and out through the left nostril only — a cooling, pitta-pacifying alternative to chandra bhedana with no nostril switching.
Lion's breath
A wide-mouthed roaring exhale with the tongue extended — releases held tension in the jaw, throat and face.
Ocean Breath
A softly constricted-throat breath that warms, focuses and steadies the mind.
Right-Nostril Breath
Inhaling through the right (solar) nostril to warm and energise.
Right-nostril breathing
Breathing in and out through the right nostril only — warming and activating, the solar counterpart to left-nostril breathing.
Root lock with the breath
A light, precise lift of the pelvic floor coordinated with the breath — grounding for vata and strengthening for the pelvic region.
Sealing the six gates
Closing ears, eyes, nose and mouth with the fingers while breathing quietly — a bridge from breath practice into sense-withdrawal.
Skull-shining breath
Short, active exhalations that kindle agni and clear kapha — energising and warming (use gently).
Skull-Shining Breath
Active sharp exhalations that kindle agni and clear the head (also a kriya).
So-ham breath awareness
Following the natural breath with the silent sound 'so' on the inhale and 'ham' on the exhale — the effortless, unrepeated repetition.
Spontaneous retention
The effortless, spontaneous retention that arises when pranayama matures — the breath suspends on its own.
Swooning breath
A retention breath with chin lock and soft inner gaze that brings a swoon-like, blissful stillness of mind (advanced).
The fourth pranayama
Patanjali's 'fourth' pranayama that transcends deliberate control of inhalation, exhalation and retention — the breath is stilled effortlessly.
Three-Part Breath
Full yogic breath filling belly, ribs and chest — grounding and calming.
Ujjayi inhale, alternate-nostril exhale
A refined combination breath — inhale through both nostrils with a soft ujjayi throat, exhale slowly through one nostril at a time.
Unequal-ratio breath
Pranayama using an unequal ratio among inhalation, retention and exhalation (e.g. 1:4:2) to deepen its effect.
Upward abdominal lock
Drawing the emptied abdomen up and back under the ribcage on an external retention — a strong stimulus to agni and elimination.
Educational information about Ayurveda, Siddha and Yoga — not a medical diagnosis or treatment. Consult a qualified professional before starting any herb, supplement, or therapy.