Prana-what? Oh, you mean breathe!

How often to do pay attention to your breath? 

You probably notice it when you feel out of breath, or you've got a good scare and suddenly you take in a big rush of air. Perhaps when you get caught in those contagious yawns! All of the sudden our breath becomes extremely apparent and we can be almost hyper aware of it. But, most of the time, we just breathe (or not) without really paying any attention to it at all. Yay for the automatic functions of our bodies!

image courtesy of yogabliss.me

A big part of yoga, arguably more important than all the poses and postures we often see, is Pranayama. 

Prana = life force, energy, or the breath sustaining the body. On a deeper level, it's the energy that moves and sustains the universe, or dare we say, it IS the universe. 

Ayama = to extend or draw out. 

Pranayama = control / extension of the breath. 

It's the third limb of the yoga tree, represented by the leaves below, which makes a ton of sense really, since plants breathe through their leaves. 

image courtesy of benoityoga.com

We probably know that our breath changes based on all kinds of conditions. Sometimes it's shorter, deeper, more labored, shallow. We even hold it without realizing it! All kinds of conditions can affect our breath: our environment or change to it (shock of cold air anyone?), our mood, the people we're with, whether we're walking through a haunted house at Halloween or hanging at the beach sipping an umbrella drink. These changes and fluctuations of our breath tend to follow the changes and fluctuations of our minds, our thoughts, our reactions. 

Pranayama is a practice to channel the breath or internal stores of energy.  If we even out, or control, the breath, we can then even out, or control, the mind (thoughts, emotions, reactions).  When we feel nervous, we can intentionally deepen the breath and send messages to our nervous system that we'll be ok. When we get overwhelmed by anger, we can tune in to our breath and slow down to respond rather than react. 

Whether you're already practicing yoga or not, you can easily start to practice pranayama. It's actually probably better to start it apart from a yoga class or home yoga practice. When you're focused on the movement of the body and getting into postures, your attention is definitely NOT on the breath! 

Taking 10-15 minutes to start a pranayama practice helps you to focus on the breath, the inner self, and experience fully stillness and steadiness in both mind and body. I think you'll find that once you take time to practice pranayama on it's own, you might have a spontaneous awareness of it during a yoga class, or you might be able to start intentionally adding it into a home yoga practice. 

image courtesy of fitstylelife.com

Here's how to get started: 

• Grab a comfy blanket or supportive pillow to lay on so your entire back is supported head to hip bones (it helps open the chest) or simply lay on the floor or a couch where you can leave the legs long.
• Start to simply observe what the heck your breath is doing. Notice the rhythm, the location (up in the chest, filling up the belly?) and the length (short, long, inhale and exhale different or similar?)
• Begin to shape your breath. By this I mean intentionally even out the length of the inhale and exhale. Distribute the breath evenly throughout the lungs. Move it down from the chest. Picture your breath filling up your whole lungs, not just the top portion where most of us spend most of our time breathing. 
• Then add in some imagery. I like waves. They're great for breath. If your belly is the ocean, let a wave of breath swell up and spill into the chest/beach on your inhale, then exhale as the wave/breath recedes back to build another wave. 
• Spend a good 10-20 minutes just focused on your breath. Your mind will wander. Bring it back. You might notice your breath changes in volume. That's normal. No need to try to change it. Focus on the quality of the breath and increasing your sensitivity or awareness of it, that's all. 

Bring in some essential oils!

So many essential oils can be really useful for a pranayama practice, not mention your overall physical, mental and emotional health. Here are a few to try: 

1. Breathe: I mean really, could the name be any more perfect? This blend is amazing for opening up the airways, & enhancing alertness and awareness of the breath. It can help clear congestion as well. Emotionally, it helps us feel more receptive and open to the fullness of life. 
2. Frankincense: this oil is really a high vibe oil. It's commonly used in prayer and meditation, helping us drop out of our mind and Ego and move into presence with our spirit or center of consciousness. It's also great for skin and cellular health, promoting healing and a health immune system
3. Rosemary: this oil supports healthy digestion &  respiratory function, helps reduce nervous tension and fatigue, and emotionally helps us to process what's happening around us and within us consciously, instead of burying it with distractions. 
4. Sandalwood:  This oil is perfect for a busy mind. It helps to calm thoughts and anxiety or worry, allowing us to relax into a peaceful state, let go of our own mind/ego, and slip into presence. It's also great for healthy, smooth skin, and reduces the appearance of scars and blemishes. 
5. Balance:  this blend helps to promote a whole-body sense of relaxation. It's great to use when you have anxious feelings because it inspires feelings of tranquility and balance. Emotionally it's helpful to reconnect and live in the present moment, get out of your head and into your body.

How to use your oils for Pranayama: 

Whether you're teaching a pranayama class or practicing on your own, there are some easy ways to start to use essential oils to strengthen your experience. 

• Place a drop in the palm of the hand. In your own or students, then rub palms together, cup them over nose and mouth and inhale deeply. 
• Diffuse an oil. I usually add 2-6 drops of an essential oil to a diffuser. Mine are water-based, so water goes in first, then essential oils, et voila! Amount of drops depends of the size of your space and your preference. 
• Spray an oil. This is perfect for a class your teaching or guiding through pranayama. simply add a few drops to a small glass spray bottle and top with water. You can easily change oils throughout the class as you like. 
• Apply to the big toe. All the oils mentioned above are safe for topical use. Place your finger over the top, invert the bottle, then rub the oil into meaty underside of the big toes. In accupressure it's directly connected to the brain.  
• Add to an eye pillow to cloth. Add a few drops to an eye pillow or washcloth and lay it over the eyes. 

Want to add some essential oils to your pranayama practice? Check out the great resources I have to help you! You can learn more about doTERRA oils, how to use them, and even find some great suggestions for a custom yoga starter kit. 

Tried some pranayama yourself? Let us know how it went, what you noticed, and which oil you used if you tried one!