Pranayama
Controlled breath practice
Pranayama is the practice of breath control in yoga, involving specific techniques for inhaling, exhaling, and holding the breath.
From Sanskrit, it combines words for breath and extension.
Practitioners use pranayama to regulate energy, calm the mind, and prepare for meditation: She began her morning practice with twenty minutes of pranayama.
Muscle separating chest, abdomen
- lungsRespiratory chest organs
- oxygenElement eight, colorless gas
- carbon dioxideRespiration byproduct, photosynthesis fuel
- respiratoryRelated to breathing organs
inhalation · exhalation · retention · vital capacity · parasympathetic · vagus nerve · heart rate variability · blood pressure
Animating vital energy
- chiGreek letter or energy
- qiVital life energy
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- awakeningReturn to consciousness
enlightenment · self-realization · transcendence · inner peace · divine breath · spiritual discipline · tapas · expansion
Reduction of mental tension
- relaxationState of being unwound
- anxiety reductionLowering excessive worry
- sleep improvementBetter quality slumber
- mental claritySharpness of thought
focus · calm · energy · detoxification · immunity · mindfulness · holistic · self-care
Yoga body position
- meditationFocused attention practice
- hathaPhysical yoga discipline
- ashtangaEight-limbed yoga system
- vinyasaBreath-synchronized yoga movements
savasana · lotus pose · kundalini · chakra · mudra · mantra · samadhi · eight limbs
diaphragm
Muscle separating chest, abdomen
- lungsRespiratory chest organs
- oxygenElement eight, colorless gas
- carbon dioxideRespiration byproduct, photosynthesis fuel
respiratory · inhalation · exhalation · retention · vital capacity · parasympathetic · vagus nerve · heart rate variability · blood pressure · oxygenation
life force
Animating vital energy
- chiGreek letter or energy
- qiVital life energy
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
awakening · enlightenment · self-realization · transcendence · inner peace · divine breath · spiritual discipline · tapas · expansion · liberation
stress relief
Reduction of mental tension
- relaxationState of being unwound
- anxiety reductionLowering excessive worry
- sleep improvementBetter quality slumber
mental clarity · focus · calm · energy · detoxification · immunity · mindfulness · holistic · self-care · breathwork
asana
Yoga body position
- meditationFocused attention practice
- hathaPhysical yoga discipline
- ashtangaEight-limbed yoga system
vinyasa · savasana · lotus pose · kundalini · chakra · mudra · mantra · samadhi · eight limbs
Pranayamagasping
Breathing in sharp gulps
hyperventilation · shallow breathing · panting · labored breathing · dyspnea
Pranayamamindlessness
Lack of awareness
distraction · heedlessness · inattention · restlessness · dissipation