Ujjayi Pranayama (The Psychic Breath)

Preparation
- Sit in a comfortable meditation posture.
- Close the eyes and relax the whole body.
- Take the awereness to the breath in the nostrild and allow the
breathing to become calm and rhythmic.
- after some time, transfer the awareness to the throat.
- As the breathing becomes slower and deeper, gently contract the
glottis so that a soft snoring sound like the breaathing of a
sleeping baby is produced in the throat.
- If this is practiced correctly there will be a simultaneous
contraction of the abdomen.
- Both inhalation and exhalation should be long, deep and
controlled.
- The sound of the breath should not be very loud. It should just
be audible to the pracitioner but not to another person unless they
ar sitting very close.
- If the tongue become tired, release it, while continuing the
ujjayi breathing. When the tongue is rested, again fold in back.
Duration
- Practise for 10 to 20 minutes.
Benefits
li>Ujjayi is classified as a tranquillising pranayama and it also has a
heating effect on the body.
- This practice is used in yoga therapy to soothe the nervous system
and calm the mind.
- It has a profoundly relaxing effect at the phychic level.
- It helps to relieve insomnia and may be practised in shavasana just
before sleep.