The breath and the practice of yoga are inextricably linked – how often do you hear yoga teachers talk about “moving with the breath”? But what does it mean and why should we do it?
The first thing we do when we are born is inhale, and the last thing we do before we die is exhale. In between it all goes a bit wrong for many of us including yoga teachers and we do not pay sufficient attention to the breath.
Controlling the breath is fundamental to the practice of yoga. We control the breath when we practice Pranayama, the 4th limb of yoga but we also control the breath when we practice asanas the 3rd limb of yoga.
Physical benefits to breath control
There are physical benefits to breath control such as increasing oxygen absorption, slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. In a Pranayama practice we control the breath to bring about certain desired effects- such as to energise, balance or to calm us down.
In a physical practice a steady breath such as Ujjayi keeps us focused and our mind is less likely to be tempted by the many external distractions. The practice becomes a moving meditation.
A steady breath also means that we are less likely to forget to breathe. Forgetting to breathe can happen when we are in a challenging posture or breathing may be more difficult for example in a twist when the breath may feel restricted.
We also use the breath to help us move in and out of a posture and to hold it. For example, inhaling when we raise our arms or reach forward gives a sense of length and lightness. Inhaling helps us lift and open the heart into backbends such as Salabhasana or Ustrasana Exhaling as we fold, or twist creates space as the lower belly draws in and helps avoid that feeling of breath restriction in a twist. Exhaling into the top side body in hinges allows that side to extend and soften allowing us to move more deeply into the posture.
So stick with the breath in your asana practice – watch and listen to it, move with it and use it to guide and encourage you.