What is Pranayama and How to Do Pranayama (Top 9 Pranayama)

Pranayama means controlling the breath in specific ways.

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What is Pranayama

Pranayama means controlling the breath in specific ways. “Pran means Life Energy or Vital Force and Ayama means the Way or Method”, in the Sanskrit Language. Pranayamas are formulated by ancient Sanatan yogis for cleansing and control over the life force.

With the alteration of life force through Pranayama, one can alter mood, change physical body nature, attains longevity, and can also attain mental and health-related benefits.

The key features of Pranayama are “Breathe in (inhale), Breathe out (exhale) and Hold (retain)”.

Types of Pranayama

With the reference of ancient text Vedas, there are around 50 different types of pranayamas found. Here I present, the top 9 most familiar and noteworthy pranayamas :

1. Chandrabhedan Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Chandrabhedan

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders.
  • Close your right nostril softly with your right-hand thumb.
  • Now breathe in from the left nostril completely.
  • Close the left nostril softly with the right-hand index and middle fingers.
  • Breathe out from the right nostril.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Chandrabhedan. You can do a maximum of 5 sets to avoid the overcooling of your body.

Benefit of Chandrabhedan

Chandrabhedan calms down and cools your body thus control and help in many heart-related diseases like heartburn, acidity, over-sweating, vertigo due to an overheated body, high blood pressure, and sunstroke.

Contradictions with Chandrabhedan

Never do Chandrabhedan if you are suffering from cold, cough, and low blood pressure. Try to do this only in summer.

2. Suryabhedan Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Suryabhedan

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders.
  • Close your left nostril softly with the right-hand index and middle fingers.
  • Now breathe in from the right nostril completely.
  • Close the right nostril softly with your right-hand thumb.
  • Breathe out from the left nostril.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Suryabhedan Pranayama. You can do a maximum of 5 sets to avoid over-heating your body.

Benefits of Suryabhedan

Suryabhedan raises body heat, metabolic rate, and energy levels. Suryabhedan also improves digestion, resolve diggestive issues, constipation. It purifies the blood, helps in low blood pressure can help in cold and cough. Suryabhedan works as anti-aging.

Contradictions with Suryabhedan

Avoid doing this Suryabhedan if you are suffering from acidity, hypertension, high blood pressure, or heart problems. Try to do this only in winter.

3. Anulom-Vilom Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Anulom-Vilom

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders.
  • Close your right nostril softly with your right-hand thumb.
  • Now breathe in from the left nostril completely.
  • Close your left nostril softly with the right-hand index and middle fingers.
  • Now breathe out of the right nostril.
  • Do the reverse: Close your left nostril softly with the right-hand index and middle fingers.
  • Now breathe in from the right nostril completely.
  • Close the right nostril softly with your right-hand thumb.
  • Breathe out from the left nostril.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Anulom-Vilom Pranayama. You can do a maximum of 5 sets to avoid over-charging of your vital force.

Benefits of Anulom-Vilom

Anulom-Vilom is very good for overall balancing. Anulom-Vilom can balance body temperature. It can balance body heat and cold systems. Anulom-Vilom can balance both brains. Anulom-Vilom can also balance seven chakras.

It can help to release stress. Anulom-Vilom can cleanse the 72 thousand Nadis (nerves) in your body. Anulom-Vilom can improve blood circulation and promote longevity.

Contradictions with Anulom-Vilom

Anulom-Vilom is the safest pranayama on our list. You must remember one thing while doing this; you must breathe in from your lungs and not from your stomach. Anulom-Vilom can be done at any time of the year by anyone.

4. Bhastrika Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Bhastrika

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders.
  • Close the right nostril softly with your right-hand thumb and raise your right elbow to the right shoulder level.
  • Now gently close your eyes. Breathe in and breathe out through the left nostril slowly and slowly first, then do this little faster and faster for 20 to 25 times.
  • Now take a long deep breath in and hold the breath as long as possible.
  • Now breathe out completely.
  • Close the left nostril softly with your left-hand thumb and raise your left elbow to the left shoulder level.
  • Now gently close your eyes. Breathe in and breathe out through the right nostril slowly and slowly first, then do this little faster and faster for 20 to 25 times.
  • Take a long deep breath in and hold the breath as long as possible.
  • Now breathe out completely.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Bhastrika Pranayama. You can do a maximum of 5 sets to avoid heating your body.

Benefits of Bhastrika

Bhastrika can help releases all toxins from the body. Bhastrika can increase metabolic rate thus trim down excess fat. It can boost digestion. Bhastrika can normalize the nervous system and purifies the blood.

Contradictions of Bhastrika

Those suffering from hypertension, high blood pressure, heart or lung problems, people with low stamina or weak body, and the problem of a hernia, please avoid doing this Bhastrika Pranayama.

What is Pranayama and How to Do Pranayama -Top 9 Pranayama5. Ujjayi Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Ujjayi

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders.
  • Breathe in slowly but deeply through your both nostrils.
  • Gently seize all the air inside for as long as possible.
  • Now breathe out slowly and completely with whisper sound, contracting the air passageway.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Ujjayi Pranayama. You can do a maximum of 5 sets to avoid activation of the throat chakra.

Benefits of Ujjayi

Strengthens the vocal cord Stimulates the thyroid gland Improves blood circulation Eases diseases of the lungs, chest, and throat.

Contradictions of Ujjayi

Stay away from doing Ujjayi Pranayama if you have any cardiac problems.

6. Sheetali Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Sheetali Pranayama

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders.
  • Close your eyes and firstly calm down your whole body with gentle and normal breathing.
  • Put the tongue on the lower lip and try to roll the tongue.
  • Breathe in deeply from the mouth.
  • Hold and gently seize all the air inside for as long as possible.
  • Now close the mouth slowly and breathe out all the air through your nose.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Sheetali Pranayama. You can do a maximum of 5 sets to avoid the overcooling of your body.

Benefits of Sheetali Pranayama

Sheetali can cool down the body with great intensity, can help in acidity, hypertension, high blood pressure, help in the case of indigestion and bile disorders, easily eradicate sunstroke and overheated body can improve eyesight and skin luster.

Contradictions of Sheetali Pranayama

Never do Sheetali during winters. Those who have a cold and cough must avoid doing sheetali.

7. Sheetkari Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Sheetkari

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders.
  • Place hands on the knees, fingers relaxed and eyes closed.
  • Join lower and upper teeth.
  • Attach the front portion of the tongue touching the front teeth and the rest of the tongue on the palate.
  • Separate the lips and breathe in from the mouth making a chilling sound.
  • Hold and gently seize your breath for as long as possible.
  • Breathe out through both nostrils.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Sheetkari Pranayama. You can do a maximum of 5 sets to avoid the overcooling of your body.

Benefits of Sheetkari Pranayama

Sheetkari can cool down the body and keeps teeth and gums healthy, helps to ease fever, help in the mouth, throat, and tongue related diseases, helps to ease high blood pressure, helps to ease emotional issues and depression.

Contradictions of Sheetkari Pranayama

Never do this if you suffer from low blood pressure, cold, and cough related problems.

8. Bhramari Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Bhramari Pranayama

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders and eyes closed.
  • Close both your ears with your index fingers of both hands.
  • Now breathe in deeply.
  • Hold and gently seize your breath for as long as possible.
  • Breathe out slowly by making a buzzing sound like a bee. It is also called Bee breath.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Bhramari Pranayama.

Benefits of Bhramari Pranayama

Bhramari can calm down your mind and body, ease stress, compose your voice pleasant, and melodic, fortify vocal cords, help in the throat problems increases focus, improve memory, increase confidence, reduce tension, reduce anger, help to ease anxiety help to calm down a restless mind and helps to lessen a migraine.

Contradictions of Bhramari Pranayama

There is no contradiction with this Bhramri but simply ensure that do not put your fingers too hard inside the ear.

9. Kapalbhati Pranayama

Method and Steps of doing Kapalbhati

  • Sit in a Siddhasana or Vajrasana or Sukhasana or in a comfortable position on the floor or chair with a relaxed body.
  • Keep your spine straight with relaxed shoulders.
  • Breathe in deeply through you both nostrils and fill up your lungs with air.
  • Now breathe out through your both nostrils with full force thus empty your lungs completely with stomach contraction and hissing sound.

Now do this 20 times to complete one set of Kapalbhati. You can do a maximum of 5 sets to avoid over-heating in your body.

Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama

Kapalbhati can increase the beauty of your face. It can improve digestion. Kapalbhati can improve the factions of the liver and kidneys. Kapalbhati can help with intestinal problems. It can ease stress and improve blood circulation. Kapalbhati eliminates toxins and waste from all over the body.

Contradictions of Kapalbhati

Do this with little caution if you are suffering from ulcer and pitta problem. Never do this if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, sunstroke, and epilepsy.

Please remember, practice all Pranayama on an empty stomach. Those who have VIBBES KADA need not to do any Pranayama as you can avail of all the benefits of any Pranayama with the help of your VK. You can charge any edible or drinkable stuff with any Pranayama with the help of your VK and take your stuff 4 to 5 times a day.