Pranayama – the 4th limb of Yoga
The way we breathe can influence the flow of energy in our body. Certain breath techniques can calm us whilst others can energise us. When we observe the breath, we can learn a lot about ourselves and how we are feeling. For example, if we are nervous or excited our breath will be short and quick, and when we are relaxed it will be slow and deep.
In yoga we are advised to breathe in and out through our nose. It is our bodies natural defence system as the nose filters the breath. I’m currently reading an amazing book “Breath” by James Nestor, which I highly recommend. You might like to learn about his work by listening to Dr Rangan Chattergee’s podcast with James. Here they discuss his book and the studies that reveal the many benefits of breathing through the nose and the many powers of the breath. This is something that yogis have known all along and we are now rediscovering these gems. 🙂
