Breathe

"The nose is for breathing, the mouth is for eating."  ~Proverb

One of the most important things in a yoga practice is your breath. Pranayama is the fourth limb of the eight limbs of yoga. The sanskrit word for breath is pranayama. Prana meaning life force or energy and ayama meaning to extend or control. So breathing is how we control the energy we bring into and release from our bodies.  In the Vinyasa practice (and various other yoga styles), the particular type of pranayama practiced during asana is the ujjayi breath.

The ujjayi breath is a diaphragmatic breath or belly breath. By expanding one's belly on the inhale, it allows the diaphragm to move down and the lungs to expand. Inhalation and exhalation are equal in duration and are both done through the nose. On the exhale, one constricts the throat passage. Imagine breathing to a steam up a mirror - but with you mouth closed. Due to the narrowing of the throat, a rushing sound is made. It is said to sound like the ocean or Darth Vader.

The ujjayi breath strengthens the diaphragm, builds heat in the body, clears toxins, and increases oxygenation in the blood. The breath allows for sustained energy throughout the practice by keeping the vital life force moving through the body and not allowing it to escape. By linking the breath to the movements (inhale-upward dog, exhale-downward dog), it keeps one present and aware and can even have a meditative effect.