ow To Do Ujjayi breathing, Steps and It’s Benefits Ujjayi breathing

 

Ujjayi Breathing

Ujjayi Breathing (translation Victorious Breath) creates a soft sound in the back of the throat while inhaling and exhaling through your nose.  It is also described as sounding like “Darth Vadar” from Star Wars.  The sound comes from the rubbing of the breath against the back of the throat.  The sound should be rhythmic, consistent, smooth, and soothing.  Do not force the breath in or out, this will cause a harsh sounding breath.  A loud, harsh breath creates tension in the body and drains energy.

Ujjayi breathing 

The act of ujjayi breathing elicits contact between the throat and the palate causing the throat to slightly constrict.  This allows you to control and slow your breathing down.

During a full ujjayi breathing

During a full ujjayi breath, you want to create a rhythm in your breath.  This sound will help you to focus on your breath throughout your practice.  During your practice, be aware of the sound and quality of your breath.  If your breath becomes strained and difficult you maybe forcing your body into the posture.  Try backing off a little until your breath becomes consistent and smooth.

To practice ujjayi breathing, take a deep inhalation through your nose, then exhale through your mouth while whispering the sound “hhhaaa”.  (You can also try making the sound of a hard “c”, as in cat or “g”, as is girl.)  Do this several times, each time concentrate on the exhalation, focusing on the contraction in the back of the throat.  Once you have mastered this, close your mouth on the exhalation while continuing to contract the back of the throat.  Do this several times until you can reproduce the sound with your mouth closed.  Once you have the exhalation down, you are half way to full ujjayi breathing.  Now practice contracting your throat in the same manner during the inhalation for the full ujjayi breath. 

Ujjayi breathing is not simple to learn, so be patient.  Once you have mastered it though, it will help you maintain smooth, rhythmic breathing throughout your yoga practice. 

Remember to always follow your breath throughout your practice.  The quality of your breath should never be sacrificed to achieve the posture.  For your practice to be called yoga there must be a focus on your breath, without this, it is simply gymnastics.