If you have been following our blog, you would have read our earlier article titled “The 5 Most Common Mistakes of a Yoga Beginner”. If you would have read that article, you would have come across item number 3: “Wrong breathing sequence”. Now, God didn’t invent the word “why?” for nothing. “Why?” was meant to fulfil our inquisitive mind and this is why we have decided to explore the importance of correct breathing sequence when practising hatha yoga.
Why is breathing so important during hatha yoga practise?
Yoga means to unite the body, mind and soul. The aim is to create a balanced / harmonious integration of the body systems. Yoga makes the body elastic, cleanses the entire physical system, and makes the mind joyous and the body free from ailments. The link between the mind, body and soul is BREATH.
How does incorrect breathing affect my hatha yoga practise?
Improper breathing restricts the flow of oxygen to your red blood cells. The red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to the body tissues. When your body tissues are not getting the oxygen they need, this results in you not being able to hold your posture, find balance and focus. Many people will attribute this to physical, physiological and muscular imbalance. Some even attribute it to mental blockages. However, the simple truth is that a body starved of oxygen will not behave how we want it to behave. It will rebel.
How do I breathe correctly?
First thing you need to remember is to INHALE & EXHALE through your NOSTRILS only. When breathe is inhaled through the nostrils, the inhaled air is filtered and warmed. This protects your lungs and throat. Secondly, take in slow and steady breathes. Don’t gulp in the air. This only creates strain and doesn’t allow you to fill your lungs fully with air. Don’t worry, there’s lots of air too go around!
How will correct breathing help me?
Breathing correctly will have the following benefits:
• Focus and concentrate on maintaining those tough balancing postures.
• Improves your body’s ability to eliminate toxins and waste.
• Helps calm your emotions.
• Helps calm your mind to better enjoy the stillness of meditation.
• Improves coordination and control over your body.
• Improves and promotes the flow of oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.
I’m so confused, I can’t remember if I have to breathe in/out?
It’s normal to be confused about the breathing sequence. Even the best of us forget! As a rule of thumb, you breathe OUT for any posture that requires you to CONTRACT your stomach. Therefore, postures such as the Cat Stretch, Spinal Twist, Forward Bend, Triangle, Standing Side Bends, Eagle, Canoe I (on your back), Gas Expelling, Half Mountain, Head to Knee, Tortoise, Back Stretching, Lion’s, Foetus and Frog will require you to breathe out at the start.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to keep a notebook handy and write it down. However, to be able to truly master the breathing sequences to each posture, you must PRACTISE, PRACTISE and PRACTISE.
As Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois says “Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory”
