Breathing techniques

The importance of learning to breathe

The mysteries of immortality and the extension of the life span have accompanied human beings since time immemorial. We have been told that life expectancy in modern times has far exceeded the life expectancy of human beings in the past. However, according to ancient texts, the years that a human being lives is determined not by days lived, but by the number of breaths he takes. On average, the human being breathes about 21,600 times a day, so the texts considered that a human being could easily live to be 86 years old. Some sages who were looking for a way to extend life in order to "buy time" to reach enlightenment, developed breathing techniques that allow it to be lengthened. According to this belief,

In yoga practice this work is known as "pranayama" which is a Sanskrit word that is generally translated as "control of vital energy". Life energy goes hand in hand with breath, and in turn, breath is the bridge between the physical world, the emotional world, and the spiritual world. So prana has also been translated as breath. The reality is that we cannot control breathing as it is absolutely necessary for our life, but what we can do is extend it, prolong it and lengthen it. So, for practical purposes, pranayama means "extension of the breath" and that is exactly what we do during the breathing exercises.

There are many techniques to attend to different situations: there are cooling and heating techniques, techniques to improve oxygenation, cleaning techniques and activation of nadis (energy channels) and many other techniques to promote a better distribution of energy around the body and extend the periods between inhalation and exhalation.

It is said that where the breath goes, the mind follows. One way to have a clear and serene mind is through conscious breathing and therefore the importance of incorporating a practice of pranayama into our daily life.