Ujjayi pranayama | How to do | Benifits

 The mind and body correlate and influence each other. Exercising lessens and stops the decay of tissues, and meditation synchronizes the entire body by stimulating the Pranic energy flow, and fuels the body with adequate energy that is sufficient to sustain one cope with the day’s issues/obstacles.  To attain a perfect state of happiness, one has to remain mentally- emotionally calm, composed, steady and mindful. Pranayama helps to promote good health.

Breathing plays an important role in prolonging human life and allows better functioning of all the organs in the body, reinvigorating them with fresh energy and providing mindfulness, so that one can better perform day to day activities.

Ujjayi pranayama 

Sit in comfortable asana.

Close your mouth and breathe in from both the nostrils in a consistent manner.

Expand your chest.

Hold the breath as long as you can do it efficiently.

Exhale slowly through the left nostril by closing the right nostril with your right thumb.

Note: kumbhaka may be increased with time. You can even do ujjayi pranayama during standing or walking, but a breath in and out should be done through both nostrils rather than left nostril. This method of doing ujjayi pranayama is quite simple, and if you wanted to learn an advanced method, then you have to do it with Uddiyan bandha and Jalandhar bandha which will benefit further, for spiritual advancement.

Another method:

Sit in comfortable asana.

Breathe in from both nostrils, and fill in the air by the closing of glottis partially so that, a mild and smooth pitch is to be created.

Do kumbhaka (hold breath) along with Uddiyan bandha and Jalandhar bandha as long as per you will allow you.

Breathe out from both nostrils slowly.

Do the same for ten times.

(Uddiyan bandha: sit in Siddha asana, contract stomach towards the spine.

 Jalandhar bandha: bend the head forward in such a way that chin touches the throat or the chest topmost)

Benefits

This pranayama cures cough, phlegm and respiratory-related diseases and also strengthen heart, lungs and removes sluggishness. It makes one active and worries free. It tonnes up the entire spinal cord.