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1. Asana as preparation forpranayama: Our focusis not about the structural details of the asanawe arepreparing the body and breath forpranayama.In thisbreath-centric asana, the emphasis is on controlling andlengthening the inhale and exhale and on the appropriateuse of retention of breath after inhalation and suspensionof breath after exhalation in specific parts of asana practice.

2. Pranayamaas compensation for asana: If our focusis to do deep, strong asana, thenpranayamais useful tohelp integrate the experience, bringing our metabolismback to neutral and giving our minds and bodies time toabsorb the effects of the asanas. We utilize simple, lightbreathing to bring back balance to help transition betweenstrong asana practice and the rest of our day.

3. Asana andpranayamaas preparation for meditation:We can use asana withpranayama, in equal value, in serviceof chanting, mantrajapaor meditation. For example, wemight use breath control in asana, regulating the length ofthe breath by the mental recitation of our mantras. Linkingthe mantra to the breath takes the mantra beneath the levelof the superficial, or ordinary waking state to a deeper part

of your consciousness. The asanas andpranayamacombineto take either the object of your meditation or your mantradeeper into your system.

Six Building Blocks of a PranayamaPractice

1. Directional flow of the breath: In the Viniyogatradition, there are multiple ways to control the flow ofthe breath and each has a different effect. The job of theteacher or practitioner is to adapt the breathing in sucha way that it supports the intention of the practice. Forexample, if we want to increase the axial extension ofthe spine, we emphasize inhalation with chest expansion.

If we are agitated and want to calm the system, wemight emphasize letting the belly gently protrude onthe inhalation. When we are expanding the chest oninhalation, the effect is more in the direction of what wecall brahmanato expand, energize or nourish. When weexpand our belly on inhalation, the effect is more in thefriction of what we call langhanato reduce or eliminateand ground ones energy.

2. Breath threshold: We breathe 15-20 breaths perminute. If we breathe 20 breaths a minute, the durationof the cycle of inhale-exhale is 3 seconds. If, when

The Three Stages of Life

Most Yoga practitioners today are in what we would callthe midday stage of life. This is an image used in Viniyoga:sunrise being the first 25 or 30 years of life, midday beingthat long period extending up into the mid-70s and thesunset stage of life usually comes after the age of 75. In thesunrise stage of life, the focus of our practice is on asana

with a primarily structural orientation. In the midday stageof life, asana, adapted in service of deepening the breath andas preparation forpranayama,is the recommended focus ofour practice. I often use the metaphor of dental hygiene toexplain this principle. If you ask a young person, Whatsmore important: your teeth or your gums?, the usualanswer is teeth. As we get older, we realize that, thoughthe teeth are important, the gums are often moreimportantfor our health. In the same way, we can ask the question,Which is more important: your hamstrings or your liver?

Although the hamstrings are important, its obvious to mostpeople, as they get older, that the condition of their liver isfar more important in the big picture.

These are the metaphors for the shift of focus from

structurally centered asana to breath-centered asana andpranayama. Breath-centered asana practice andpranayamaareamong the greatest gifts from the Yoga tradition that help usmaintain our physiological and metabolic health and well-being. In the sunset stage of life, movement (asana) and breath(pranayama) are still recommended, but they are adapted tosupport meditation, ritual and prayer. These practices aredesigned to help us resolve all issues and to prepare for theinevitable transition from life to death. It is our goal to be ableto reach the end of our lives with a sense of peace, happinessand fulfillment rather than regret, resentment and fear.

Three Intentions for PranayamaPractice

When you begin to practice, having a clear intentionand orientation will help shape the choices and providedirection for your practice. The next important step is tobe fully present when you are practicingnot distractedor thinking about other things. With clear intentionand focused attention, learn how to control the flow ofinhalation and exhalation and how to use this to mobilizethe spine. Then learn how the conscious use of the breathcreates the stillness of mind required for meditation. Learnto use the breath to activate the process of transformation,

which is the promise of Yoga.

PR AN A Y AMA : U N I Q U E G I F T O F T H E YO G I C T R A D I T I O NBy Gary Kraftsow

Gary Kraftsow asserts that pranayamais among the most uniquely potent parts of Yoga practice. He explains that theres noother tradition that has the sophistication of the yogic science of breath. In this article, he eloquently explains the ways you can usepranayamato create the effects you want in your practice. He shows how your asana practice can serve your pranayamapractice,

your pranayamapractice can serve your asana practice and both practices together can serve your meditation practice.

SPECIAL SECTION: PRANAYAMA: BREATH OF LIFE

8/11/2019 ARTICLE 2010 ByGaryKraftsow PranayamaUniqueGiftOfTheYogicTradition

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practicingpranayama, our inhalation is 10 seconds,retention after the inhale is 5 seconds, exhale 10 secondsand then suspension of breath after exhale 5 seconds,thats 30 seconds per cycle. From 20 breaths per minute,

we have reduced the number of breaths to 2! Accordingto Sri Krishnamacharyas teachings, we can measure ourbreath threshold by how far we can reduce the number

of breaths per minutenot one time, but consistentlyover a dozen breaths. Discovering our current breaththreshold and expanding it over time is extremelybeneficial. Physiologically, expanding breath threshold isthe doorway to sympathetic/parasympathetic regulationand, through that, overall health and balance in ourphysiological functioning. Psychologically, this will alsohelp us to balance our emotions and clarify our minds.

3. Complex science of ratio: There are 4 parts of aYoga breath cycle: inhalation, retention after inhalation,exhalation and suspension of breath out after exhalation.Theres a science of ratio, or the proportional relationship

between these 4 parts of the breath, that determines theoverall effect of the practice. If we want to emphasizesympathetic activation, a more brahmanaideal, then wemight emphasize progressively increasing the length ofretention after inhale during the practice. On the otherhand, progressively lengthening the exhalation will havea more langhana effect. This is a complex science that hassome risks and it should be practiced under the guidanceof a qualified teacher.

4. Techniques: There are various techniques that canbe organized and categorized by where and how the flow

of the breath is controlled or valved. These techniquesplace the valveby which we control the flow of thebreatheither in the throat (ujjayi), at the right or leftnostril (nadi shodhana) or at the tongue (sitali). The namesof various techniques define the placement of the valve,and these valves produce different effects: heating (surya,sun) and cooling (chandra, moon). Like ratio, the scienceof technique is complex and is best practiced under theguidance of a qualified teacher.

5. Placement of the mind: Our practices are veryinfluenced by how we focus our minds. If we are usingpranayamato support a deeper understanding of our asana

practice, we might focus primarily on the relation betweenthe flow of the breath and the movement of our spinesduring practice. If we are using our practice to promotesympathetic/parasympathetic balance and adapt a specifictechnique to achieve that end, we might keep our focuson the sound and effect created at the valve site. Or, if weare using our practice to support a mantra and meditationpractice, then our focus should be on that mantra duringpractice. The various ways in which we can modify ourmethod of practice should emerge from a clear intentionfor the practice itself plus an understanding of how theadaptations produce different effects.

6. Relationship between asana andpranayama: If ourgoal is to do a brahmanapranayama (an energizing practice),

we might choose to include in our preparation a standingback bendlike virabhadrasanaand, in that pose, lengtheninhalation and add a short retention after inhalation. Or, ifour goal is to do a langana pranayamaa relaxing practice,then we might include in our preparation a seated twistlike ardha matsyendrasanaand, in that pose, lengthen the

exhalation and add a short suspension after exhalation. Theseexamples illustrate how to choose specific postures and adaptthe breathing in those postures to prepare both the bodyand breath for a specificpranayama. The theory is that weintentionally choose both the asanas and breath adaptationin those asanas that will most effectively prepare us for ourpranayamapractice. Thus, we are using asana andpranayamato produce a particular psycho-physiological effect.

As we have seen,pranayama can be utilized to preparethe body and breath forpranayamapractice, to bring thebody back to neutral after asana, for its own physiologicaleffects and as a preparatory step to lead the mind and heart

into deeper meditation. I wish you all may deepen yourunderstanding of this profound and extraordinary practice,embrace it and makepranayamaa core part of your practice.

Gary Kraftsow is founder/director of the AmericanViniyoga Institute and the author ofYoga for Wellness and

Yoga for Transformation. He designed the protocol for aNational Institutes of Health study on low-back pain andhas published two DVDs, Viniyoga Therapy for Low Back,Sacrum and Hips, and Viniyoga Therapy for Upper Back,Neck and Shoulders. Gary will teach a workshop at Yogavillefrom December 3-5, 2010. More info:www.viniyoga.com.

Gary Kraftsow

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