Whether you have taken a Heated Yoga class with us or in your own community, you have most likely been cued to breathe your “Ujjayi breath.” Ujjayi breath is considered a type of pranayama. Pranayama is a controlled breath typically used in yoga & meditation. There are several pranayama variations. In today's blog, we are going to discuss how to begin breathing Ujjayi breath or how to deepen your existing Ujjayi breathing technique! What does Ujjayi mean? Ujjayi is pronounced as: oo-jai-ee. Ujjayi originates from the yogic language of Sanskrit. In the simplest manner, Ujjayi translates as “Victorious Breath.” This breath is used to become victorious or gain mastery in alignment with the asana (yoga) practice. When performed correctly, the sound of the Ujjayi breath has been compared to the sound of the ocean, desert wind, & even Darth Vader! Why is it important to practice Ujjayi breath during yoga? Ujjayi breath works to heat the body from the inside out. Creating internal heat using Ujjayi breath helps open & warm up the body in a more efficient & controlled manner. The breath also serves to create a meditative quality in your yoga practice. That oceanic sound of the breath is quite audible, when performed correctly, & can aid in keeping your focus on your practice as you listen to the soothing sound of your breath. This breath also slows down the entry & exit speed of inhalations & exhalations from the body. Ujjayi is performed with a constriction of the muscles at the back of the throat. This narrows the physical passageway the breath is allowed to come in & out of. The slower speed of the Ujjayi breath develops a mental state of “tend & befriend” versus “flight, fight, or freeze.” How do I create Ujjayi breath in my body? We’ll begin with some practices breaths first. Our practice Ujjayi breath will work non-traditionally as the inhales will arrive through the nose & the exhales will exit through the mouth. The open mouth exhales will help create an exaggerated sound of Ujjayi breath & also create the throat constriction we are looking to develop. As you exhale, imagine you are fogging a handheld mirror or lenses on a pair of glasses. Really use your throat muscles to create an audible exhale. This action will help you understand how to constrict your throat muscles. Now, practice the inhales and exhales through the nostrils only. You will continue to practice that throat constriction you just tried out with the open mouth exhales. With the breath only entering & exiting through the nostrils while you are constricting the muscles at the back of the throat you should be able to hear that ocean/desert wind/Darth Vader sound. This is your Ujjayi breath! Try it out, whether you’re brand new to Ujjayi breath or are ready to try on a new perspective with it. We look forward to seeing you (& hearing you!) next time you’re at the studio. Sources cited: https://chopra.com/.../learn-the-ujjayi-breath-an-ancient-yogic-breathing-technique https://www.mindbodygreen.com/.../8-Reasons-Why-We-Use-Ujjayi-Breath-in-Yoga When coming out of a great yoga practice you can’t help but feel incredible. Ever wonder why? We’ve done some research and found the mental benefits of yoga, how yoga decreases pain perception, & why heated yoga leaves your body feeling oh-so-good! Mental Benefits of Yoga There are growing bodies of research on yoga’s many mental health benefits. Yoga is known to relieve stress, strengthen attention & concentration, & calm & center the nervous system. It has the ability to improve the symptoms of depression, attention deficit and hyperactivity, and sleep disorders. Some of our CCYOGA students have shared with us how yoga has improved their lives. Many noticed that sleep improved with a dedicated yoga practice. Another CCYOGA community member has noticed an improvement in her memory over the years through devoted yoga practice & the addition of meditation! Pain Relief & Yoga Yoga can prove to be an excellent pain relief tool. When most people are expecting pain it triggers the “fight-or-flight" response of the sympathetic nervous system. When yogis anticipate pain, their parasympathetic nervous system activates. This cultivates a "tend-and-befriend" response instead of "fight-or-flight." Over time, the mental practice of creating calm will help decrease the sensation of pain. As always, consult your doctor first when contemplating pain relief practices and perhaps ask your doctor how yoga could possibly aid you in your pain relief. Heated Yoga Benefits At CCYOGA we practice mainly Heated Yoga with the offering of Restorative Yoga (unheated) on the class schedule, too. Practicing yoga in a heated room can increase your pulse rate & metabolism. With the increase of these two the body is able to burn calories in an efficient manner. Research has shown that Heated Yoga has a higher potential to aid the body in releasing fat over other types of yoga. Heated Yoga has a higher capacity to build muscle tone as the challenge of flowing & sweating creates a fair amount of strength. It can also improve the lymphatic system which aids in flushing the internal systems. Heated Yoga is known to reduce muscle tension, strain, and inflammation. As you may already know, Colorado has a reputation for having a very active population! Try out Heated Yoga at CCYOGA as a great complement to the muscles soreness that can come on after a steep hike or solid bike ride. The benefits of yoga stretch much further than the topics covered in today’s blog. If you’re curious about many more of the benefits of yoga try out one of our personal resource favorites: Yoga Journal. Happy reading & see you on your mat! Sources cited: www.zliving.com , www.forbes.com , www.psychologytoday.com |