Inner World of Yoga – Day 5
Inner World of Yoga Day 5
By Wendy Kolanz
Finding Ease of Breath and Stillness Within — A basic Pranayama exercise Yoga Practices for Joy, Creativity and Wholeness
INNER WORLD OF YOGA
Yoga Journey with Wendy
Yoga Practices for Joy, Creativity and Wholeness Finding Ease of Breath and Stillness Within: Week 1, Day 5
Today’s practice is a breath regulation exercise where inhalation to exhalation is a 1:2 ratio. This practice builds on Breath Awareness (Week 1, Day 1).
Pranayama, fourth limb of Yoga is a very powerful tool for health and well-being in Body, Mind and Spirit. Pranayama builds on and is a companion practice to Asana. In asana practice we are always looking for the sukha (ease/surrender) and stihra (steadiness/strength) of the posture. This focus takes us deeper into the nuances and awareness of our mind/body allowing us to let go of blocks and move forward with greater strength, steadiness, balance and ease on all levels.
- Physical Benefits can include: better oxygen intake and more complete release of stale breath and impurities; rejuvenation: higher oxygen content and delivery in the blood; better organ function particularly for lung, kidney, liver and spleen; positive impact on digestion; increase in vitality and vigor while bringing more evenness and calm to the nervous system; creates a store of / or restores energy in the body
- Emotional/Psychological/Mental Benefits can include: more evenness and calm to the nervous system; mental clarity; less agitation and anger; sharpens intellect and memory; brings more steadiness to the flow of emotions; can help relieve the shakiness, fear, indecisiveness, despair and “frozen” feeling of depression and anxiety
- Spiritual Benefits can include: cleanses and opens the senses and the mind; illuminates and purifies the intellect and the ego bringing knowledge from within us to consciousness; creates feeling of internal space unlocking the mind from the body’s grasp; with daily practice one can become free of fear and fear of death, be liberated from the mind leaving past judgments behind and living in the present; an agent of change that can bring one to the window of the self or the door to the soul and thus, enlightenment or Samadhi (eighth limb of Yoga)
Numerous studies over the past 40 years or more with meditators practicing various forms of meditation including mantra, contemplation, mindfulness as well as regular asana and pranayama exercises have demonstrated the many benefits of Yoga practices for our physical bodies, and emotional and psychological well-being. The more Yoga is studied, the longer the list of benefits grows.
