W2.5 Teaching Pranayama Assignment
a) Which of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika Kumbhakas would you teach and why?
b) Briefly describe any breath-control practices you would teach in addition to (a).
c) State the order and timescale in which you would teach the practices listed in a) and b) and give your reasons. Indicate when and how you would incorporate mudra and bandha with these practices.
Lucy Sainsbury
November 2010
Introduction
As discussed in Assignment W2.3 (Pranayama), pranayama is a good way of bringing awareness to the breath. It is said to work on both the anaymaya kosha (physical body) as well as the pranayama kosha (subtle energy body), so it is considered to be a good way of balancing the energies in the body.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (HYP) states that the most important aspect of pranayama is kumbhaka (page 232) and that there are eight kumbhakas which have become the traditional hatha yoga practices of pranayama.
Kumbhaka translates into English as ‘retentions’. This confused me at first as within the eight kumbhakas, there are several which do not necessarily involve retention. However, the reason that they were referred to as kumbhakas is because at the time that the HYP was written, yogis considered the most important aspect of pranayama was the suspension of the breath.
a) Which of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika Kumbhakas would you teach and why?
First of all, I will go through each of the eight Kumbhakas and subsequently, explain which ones I would teach and why.
1. Suryabhedana – the sun piercing breath
This pranayama is performed by inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left, usually with a retention. In this pranayama, by breathing in through the right nostril, the pingala nadi is activated. This results in stimulating the active, sun warming energy in the body and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.
According to the HYP, this pranayama has many benefits including cleansing the brain, destroying intestinal worms and removing all diseases associated with an overabundance of wind.
The HYP advises against inhaling through the left and exhaling through the right nostril (chandrabheda pranayama) as this activates the ida nadi which can introvert the mind and the body will become lethargic. The HYP also advises that it should be performed on an empty stomach.
2. Ujjayi – the victorious breath
‘Ujjayi’ means ‘victorious’, but in English ujjayi is known as the ‘psychic breathe’ because of the effect it has on the mind.
This pranayama is performed by slightly contracting the region at the back of the throat. Inhalation and exhalation are done through the nose (using both nostrils), although there is a slight contraction of the glottis which produces a light silvery, hissing sound. Although it is deemed as a ‘restriction’ the ujjayi breath is more of a breath regulator and can be used in conjunction with asana practice, giving it more of a meditation dimension.
They HYP says that the ujjayi breath keeps all diseases away from the organs of the body and from the nadis and prevents diseases associated with kapha.
3. Sitkari – the hissing breath
This pranayama is performed by placing the tongue between the lips and inhaling to produce a soft hissing sound. Exhalation is done through the nose.
Source: One India Living
4. Sitali – the cooling breath
This pranayama is done by curling the tongue so it forms a tube shape and placing it between the lips so that, on inhalation, a soft hissing sound is made. Exhalation is done through the nose and the breath can be retained if desired. The action of drawing in the air over a moist surface has the affect of cooling the air (like a dog on a hot day) and is therefore called the ‘cooling breath’.
Again there are many alleged benefits associated with the sitali pranayama including strengthening the digestive process, alleviating high blood pressure and soothing mental tension. The HYP says that sitali removes fever and illnesses of the spleen and gall bladder.
Source: Catalyst Yogi
5. Bhastrika – the bellows breath
This is a powerful pranayama involving the use of retention. It is performed by using the chest like a pair of bellows. One version involves slow breathing, while the other involves rapid breathing. Five strong breaths is a good number for most yoga students. The inhalation and exhalations are done performed and then the breath should be retained and the exhaled through the right nostril. The practice removes old air from the lungs and oxygenates the blood stream.
According to the HYP, bhastrika is the most beneficial of all the eight kumbhakas as it purifies the body and removes phlegm blocking the entrance to the sushumana nadi.
6. Brahmari – the humming or bee breath
With this pranayama, the breath is inhaled through both nostrils and makes a humming sound (like a bee) while exhaling, again, through both nostrils. The humming can also take place on the inhale which is meant to sound like the noise that a female bee makes. The breath may be retained between the humming. Brahmari is believed to awaken psychic energy.
7. Murccha – the swooning breath
The swooning breath is performed by inhaling fully and then slowly exhaling while engaging the jalandhara bandha. This may feel counterintuitive since a bandha (lock) is usually used when retaining the breath. This is an advanced pranayama which should be done under the guidance of an experienced teacher.
8. Plavini – the air swallowing breath / floating breath
This pranayama is performed by swallowing air into the stomach and then retaining it. There is little mention of this pranayama in the HYP which is one reason why it is rarely taught or alluded to.
As with all benefits discussed in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, it is important to remain sceptical since many are unproven and far fetched.
Which of the eight Kumbhakas I would teach?
I would teach most of the eight Kumbhakas with the exception of Murccha and Plavini – since these two pranayamas are advanced practises.
Ujjayi breath is fundamental to yoga practise and is therefore something that I would definitely teach early on. I would also teach Suryahedana since it is a basic pranayama that would be accessible to a class of beginners. It is also a good way of introducing the concept of using different nostrils for inhalation and exhalation.
Sitkari and Sitali are excellent pranayamas for lengthening the inhalation and could be beneficial in helping students to relax in the yoga class.
I would also teach Bhastrika and Brahmari, as they can be very effective pranayamas for advanced students.
b) Briefly describe any breath-control practices you would teach in addition to (a).
Alternate nostril breathing is something that I would teach to a class of beginners since it is easy to grasp and to reap the benefits from. Kaki Mudra (crow’s beak pranayama) is a nice pranayama that can help to relax the mind and to lengthen the breath.
Savitri Pranayama would be a good pranayama to help work on retention since it works exclusively with the inhalation, exhalation and focuses on the retention.
There are a number of pranayamas that are very similar to alternate nostril breathing which I would introduce for example, pratiloma pranayama and chandra behdi – although having read what the HYP says about this technique and how it can introvert the mind, I might think twice!
c) State the order and timescale in which you would teach the practices listed in a) and b) and give your reasons. Indicate when and how you would incorporate mudra and bandha with these practices.
I would start a class of beginners off with basic breathing exercises to help bring awareness to the breath. After several weeks I would introduce ujjayi pranayama along with alternate nostril breathing as these techniques are both accessible to beginners. It is important to add that a class of beginners should also be taught pauses rather than breath retention.
I would then introduce Suryahedana to beginners since it is a basic pranayama that would also be accessible to a class of beginners. This could be taught alongside alternate nostril breathing as the two techniques are very similar.
I would also teach Sitkari and Sitali, but before introducing these pranayamas, I would make sure that the class was comfortable with basic breathing techniques and the ujjayi breath.
Bhastrika and Brahmari, I would introduce but to more experienced students. Bhastrika is an effective pranayama but can be too strong for some students. I would therefore introduce it by breathing in and out slowly (before moving on to rapidly). Brahmari is another effective breathing technique but can be hard for some students to grasp.
Above all, I would give my class a pranayama that is relevant to them. For example, it would not be appropriate to give people who are new to yoga advanced pranayamas such as Bhastrika or Plavini. However, on the other hand, a class of advanced students might be unsatisfied with just ujjayi and alternate nostril breathing.
Mudra and Bandha
The commentary in the HYP states that ‘without bandhas , pranayama is incomplete. Either the three bandhas (jalandhara, uddiyana and moola banda) should be done together or in different combinations. (HYP, page 234)
However, in reality, incorporating bandha into pranayama is quite an advanced concept, so I would avoid teaching this to beginners altogether. With a class of students who have been practising pranayama for some time, I would introduce the idea of a bandha by starting with the moola banda performed with the ujjayi breath.
As far as mudras are concerned, I would introduce them to a group of beginners by starting with the ‘chin mudra’ from a simple seated position, while working with basic breathing techniques or the ujjayi breath.
Chin Mudra
Source: www.sivananda.org
Conclusion
The teaching of pranayama is a complex issue and one which requires much thought and consideration with regards to the background of the students. It is important to remember the prohibitions mentioned in the previous assignment which should also be a strong consideration for whether pranayama should be taught to particular students.
(Approx 1,500 words)
Bibliography
Muktibodhananda, Swami (1998) Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Publications Trust
Iyengar, BKS (2001) Light on Yoga, Thorsons