Pranayama

The word pranayama Sanskrit word made up of two different words ‘Pran’ which means breath, ‘Aayam’ which means control. So here the meaning of pranayama is control of the breath.  Our breathing is an involuntary process we don’t have control over it. Knowingly we have to control our breath that we can do in different ways and that is what pranayama is.

Chale vate chale chittam nischale nischalam bhavet |

Yogi sthanutwamapnoti tato Vayu nirodhayet ||

चले वाते चले चित्त निश्चले निश्चलं भवेत |

योगी स्थानुत्वमाप्नोति ततो वायू निरोधयेत ||

This is a very important shloka in Hathyog which means Air is moving all the time, in the same way, our mind is moving from one place to another place. When a yogi or yoga practitioner controls his breath that time he controls his mind also, keeps his mind stable by controlling the breath.

In Yogic literature, there are eight different Pranayama mentioned.  Every pranayama has its specific benefit and limitation. It is very important to know which pranayama needs to do by whom and in which season as well. 

Pranayamdiukten sarvrogkshayo bhavet | 

Ayuktabhyasayogen sarvrogsamudbhav ||

प्राणयामादियुक्तेन सर्वरोगक्षयो भवेत |

आयुक्ताभ्यासयोगेन सर्वरोगसमुद्भव ||

The meaning of this shloka is if pranayama done in the wrong way can create many diseases and if pranayama done in the right way can cure many diseases. So before starting pranayama one needs to understand properly which pranayama is suitable for us, when and how to do it, from a proper Yoga teacher. 

The main benefit of pranayama is it makes our body lighter, increases breathing capacity, maintains our immunity, makes our skin more healthy, increases glow on the face, increases life, rejuvenate our body removes toxin from body. And many more.