Page 6 - Lesson 21.xps

MODULE-5 Pranayam
Yogic Practices

21.3 COMPONENTS OF PRANAYAM

There are three components of Pranayam – Poorak, Rechak and Kumbhak. They
are as follows-

1) Poorak or inhalation – It means complete inhaling (swas)
2) Rechaka or exhalation- It means complete exhaling (praswas)
Note
3) Kumbhak – it means retention of breath. It is further divided into 2 parts.
i) Antar Kumbhak – Retention of breath after poorak

ii) Bahir Kumbhak – Retention of breath after rechak.
The most important component of Pranayam practice is Kumbhak or
retention of breath.

Kumbhak should be practised under the supervision of expert.
Those who are suffering from high blood pressure, heart problems should
not practise Kumbhak in their Pranayam practice.

21.3.1 Different Types of Pranayam

In various yogic scriptures, we find different types of Pranayama (here Kumbhak)
but the common types seen in all of them are Suryabhedi, Ujjayi, Bhramri,
Bhastrika, Sheetali and Sheetkari. Nadi shodhan/ anulom- vilom is performed
before doing all these Pranayam.

For easy understanding, here they are categorized under following headings.
They are -

1) Balancing Pranayam — Nadi Shodhan Pranayam
2) Tranquilizing Pranayam — Bhramri, Ujjayi

3) Cooling Pranayam —— Sheetli, Sheetkari
4) Heating Pranayam – Bhastrika, Suryabhedi

Now, we will study these in brief. The method of doing all these, we will learn in
practical manual.

21.3.2 Nadi Shodhan (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
Nadi shodhan literally means “channel clearing”. Though it is not a Pranayam
yet it is considered as one of the basic types of Pranayam. The study of Pranayam
must start with such basic procedure, so that it becomes easier to study and
practise the different types of Pranayam. The Vayu cannot enter the Nadis if
they are full of impurities. With this in mind, we study this Nadi Shodhan
Pranayam first. It is a purifying Pranayam that alternates the blockage of each
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