Pranayama and Yogic Breathing | 15h YACEP

Explore pranayama fundamentals through comfortable postures, pelvic floor lock (moola bandha), navel lock, and throat lock, with breath retention, mindful eye focus, and light, moderate pre-practice diet.

Explore the three bandhas—mula bandha, uddiyana bandha, and jalandhara bandha—as locks that direct prana toward sushumna and support pranayama practice.

Practice a full asana basic sequence featuring sun salutations, chaturanga dandasana, upward and downward dogs, standing and seated poses, yoga mudra, and bandha breath work.

Practice the five Tibetan rites, a sequence of yoga movements performed 10–21 times with breath synchronization, from standing arms outstretched to leg raises and uddiyana bandha.

Join a seated asana practice with cross-legged sitting, palms at the chest, arm raises, back lengthening, deep breathing, and transitions to Sukhasana or Padmasana for meditation or pranayama.

Set up the metronome with the metronome bits app, configure the four-four meter and click sound, then lower the tempo from 60 to 40 bpm for four-click movements.

Master the three-part yogic breathing—abdominal, thoracic, and clavicle—to correct the breath and improve oxygenation. Use nasal, long, relaxed inhales and exhales to calm nerves during high stress and restorative yoga.

Learn yogic breathing techniques by practicing abdominal, thoracic, and clavicular breaths, counting breaths, and integrating the jogging breath in a three-part cycle, ending in a seated posture.

Develop ujjayi pranayama through diaphragmatic control, nasal ocean breath, and balanced four-component breathing with equal durations and bandhas to calm the mind and energize practice.

Learn ujjayi pranayama basics from a savasana start, guiding abdomen and rib cage with inhale and exhale, then sit with behind-the-elbow stick to keep spine upright and observe breath.

Guide breath with ujjayi pranayama and sama vritti 1:1, inhaling and exhaling through the nose in a continuous, equal rhythm while maintaining a straight spine and relaxed shoulders.

Maintain a straight spine with the stick behind the back and relaxed shoulders, then practice Ujjayi pranayama in Sama vritti, coordinating inhale, exhale, and holds while observing breath and mind.

Practice ujjayi pranayama with vishama vritti 1:1:2:1, using a stick behind the back to keep the spine straight, guiding nasal breath, inhaling, exhaling, holds, and bandha engagement.

Explore anuloma and viloma ujjayi pranayama to balance the autonomic nervous system through alternating nostril breathing, regulated inhalation and exhalation, and mudra.

Lead a seated anuloma ujjayi pranayama practice, guiding breath awareness, alternating nostrils, controlled inhales and exhales, and breath holds to settle the mind.

Guide students through viloma ujjayi breathing while seated with a straight spine and closed eyes, alternating nostrils, breath holds, and returning to the natural rhythm with mindful awareness.

Introduces pratiloma ujjayi, an alternating nostril breathing practice combining inhalations through both nostrils with nostril-specific exhalations and retentions; one round contains four breaths in a 30-second cycle.

Begin by sitting with a straight spine and relaxed shoulders. Practice pratiloma ujjayi breathing, alternating nostrils, focusing on the breath, holds, and returning to a natural rhythm.

Engage Surya bedhana and Chandra bedhana to balance sympathetic and parasympathetic activity by right-left nostril breathing, using a metronome-timed inhalation and exhalation for smooth, relaxed breath.

Sit with a straight spine and relaxed shoulders, observe a smooth breath, inhale through the right nostril and exhale left, repeat, then release a mudra and rest in silence.

Sit with a straight back and relaxed shoulders, close your eyes, and observe your breath; inhale left nostril, exhale right, release the mudra, return to the natural breath.

Practice nadi shodhana, a pranayama that alternates breaths through the right and left nostrils to purify the nadis, nervous system, and awaken kundalini through Surya and Chandra.

Settle into a comfortable seated posture, close your eyes, and practice nadi sodhana (alternate nostril breathing) by inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left.

Learn the five prana values and how their harmony supports health, then perform Bhastrika pranayama—a purifying, rapid exhale practice to ignite inner fire, cleanse the respiratory system, and improve oxygenation.

Engage in a bhastrika pranayama practice with deep inhalations and exhalations, abdominal contraction, and arm-position changes while keeping the back straight and observing the natural breath.

Kapalabhati, the shining skull, is a fast, deep abdominal pranayama that inflates the abdomen on inhalation and contracts on exhalation to energize the mind and purify the lungs.

Guide students through a seated breath practice, keeping a straight spine and closed eyes, with a series of inhalations and exhales, ending by observing the mind and natural breath.

Introduction to shitali and shitkari pranayama, mouth breathing with long inhalations and nasal exhalations to calm the mind and balance prana, with up to 15 rounds.

Sit comfortably with a straight back, relax shoulders, and observe your breath in the shitali practice. Roll your tongue, inhale through the mouth, exhale, and return to natural rhythm.

Sit with a straight spine and relaxed shoulders, then practice the Shitkari breath sequence—deep inhales and long exhales with the mouth open and teeth together—observe the natural breath.

Explore samantraka pranayama, extending prana through the body and subtle energy. Practice mantra pranayama with japa, using Gayatri and Om; recite the mantra mentally during breath, with 10–108 repetitions.

Learn the pranayama mantra through step-by-step pronunciation practice, chant the mantra in parts, then perform the full chant with transcription and meaning.

Begin the samantraka pranayama practice by sitting with a straight back and relaxed shoulders, closing your eyes, and taking a deep inhalation while observing the breath and state of mind.

Lead a complete pranayama sadhana with guided diaphragmatic, thoracic, and collarbone breathing, alternating nostril rounds and mudra-focused breathwork to observe your state of mind.

Explore pranayama sadhana with ogi pranayama, along-nostril breathing, and surya and chandra openings, detailing inhalation and exhalation, nostril alternation, and timed rounds.

Explore the benefits and contraindications of pranayama sadhana, including ujjayi and other techniques, for oxygenation, blood pressure regulation, nervous system balance, and parasympathetic and sympathetic activation.

Learn jala neti, a safe nasal cleansing technique using warm saline water to remove mucus and bacteria, reduce allergies, and calm the brain for pranayama.

Prepare a body-temperature saline solution for neti and fill the neti pot. Rinse each nostril alternately, breathing through the mouth, while avoiding excessive pressure to prevent ear discomfort.

Practice simha gajanana, roaring lion pose, a combined asana, kriya, and mudra that cleanses the bronchi and throat, stimulates the thyroid, and reduces stress, anxiety, and depression by developing self-confidence.

Guide ten rounds of simha garjanasana (simha guardian asana) starting kneeling with legs spread and hands on the floor, synchronizing inhale and exhale, then observe the state of mind.

Explore tummo breathing and the Wim Hof breathing method, both using deep abdominal breathing to drive internal heat and resilience. Practice includes 20–50 breaths per round, retention, and caution.

Practice tummo breathing through three rounds of progressive breaths with retention and bandhas. Observe your breath and state of mind between rounds, staying mindful of your limits.

Guide through three rounds of Wim Hof breathing: 30 breaths per round with escalating holds (30, 60, 90 seconds) and a five-second internal retention, followed by inhalation and relaxation.

Learn Bhramari pranayama, the humming bee breath, with long exhalations, eyes closed, and ears covered to focus on sound and vibrations, while stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve.

Perform ten rounds of bhramari pranayama, inhaling deeply and exhaling with a humming nose. Maintain a straight back, close your eyes, cover your ears, and observe your mind.

Learn shanmukha mudra, the six-faced gate that closes ears, eyes, nose, and mouth to boost focus and prepare for pratyahara, using seated positions and optional breathing or bhramari.

practice shanmukhi mudra in two stages, starting with natural breath and moving to deep breaths with antar and bahya retentions, across ten rounds, while observing the breath and inward senses.

Explore the progression from dharana to samadhi in Ashtanga meditation and practice prana vikshana and anapanasati by observing the natural breath at the nostrils to cultivate concentration.

Practice focuses on prana vikshana by observing the natural breath at the nostril entrance with a calm, still mind; do not change the breath, and gently return when thoughts wander.

Explore day 1 and 4 pranayama practices, starting with abdominal, thoracic, and complete yogic breathing. Then practice bandha-supported retention and Nadi Shodhana, including Chandra Bhavana and Surya Vardhana.

Practice three rounds of kapalabhati and multiple rounds of ujjayi pranayama with breath retention and bandha engagement, followed by sitali to conclude, while cultivating calm and mindful breathing.

Begin with three rounds of bhastrika, then five rounds of platinum breath with ujjayi and bandhas, ending with sheet carry and returning to the natural breath.

Engage in meditative breathing with bhramari pranayama and shanmukha mudra, using square breathing to observe the natural breath at the nostrils.

Explore ujjayi breathing, its ocean-like sound, slower breath, glottal resistance, and integration into asana, pranayama, and meditation, with physiological and psychological benefits supported by modern science.

Explore four key breath retention techniques and how to safely teach them, including periodic breathing, intermittent apnea, Antar kumbhaka, and Bahia kumbhaka, with their physiology, benefits, and risks.

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