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Beyond the Breath

Pranayama, often described as yogic breathing, is one of the most powerful, yet subtle practices in Yoga. Certainly, we use yogic breathing techniques to practice pranayama—but if we mistake these techniques for the intent, we cut ourselves off from the full scope of...

Pranayama (Yoga Breathing) for Physical and Mental Health

Question: Can pranayama really help one’s physical and mental health? Swami Satchidananda: First of all, pranayama helps you to live! It helps you lead a full life. What you are living is not a complete life. You are only living 1/7th of your capacity but with...

Pranayama: Unique Gift of the Yogic Tradition

Gary Kraftsow asserts that pranayama is among the most uniquely potent parts of Yoga practice. He explains that there’s no other tradition that has the sophistication of the yogic science of breath. In this article, he eloquently explains the ways you can use...

How I Built Up My Pranayama Practice

In this article, Swami Asokananda reflects upon the journey that took him from novice pranayama student to one of Integral Yoga’s master teachers. He shares the challenges and triumphs of having a regular pranayama practice, as well as the insights and wisdom he...

Integral Yoga Pranayama: Practice Guidelines

Recommended Seated Postures Any sitting posture may be used for performing pranayama as long as the spine is erect and the hands rest on the knees. However, it is optimal if one of the meditation postures is assumed. The main meditative poses are Padmaasana (Lotus...