Pranayama

Lesson 33

Pranayama is the fourth petal of yoga. It is all about deep breathing. Specifically, it is about slowing the breath down, as well as expanding the breath. We want to decrease the quantity, but increase the quality. The benefits of proper breathing are boundless, and many people underestimate how powerful it can be. Further, most people have been breathing incorrectly for their entire lives.

The majority of people breathe in and out the mouth from their chest. This actually results in the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response) being activated. Many people are in the fight-or-flight response all the time unknowingly because of the way they are breathing.

When we breathe in and out through the nose from the belly, everything changes. This results in the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest response) being activated. It is where we want to be.

To help emphasize the importance of proper breathing, consider this. True optimization is not always about adding something new, but rather mastering what we already do. The average person takes over 20,000 breaths per day — making this the most fundamental thing we do on a biological level, along with the heartbeat. Breathing is even more foundational than eating and drinking water, which says a lot.

Deep breathing results in deep peace. It leads to greater relaxation and creativity, as well as to innovative ideas and maximum productivity. Proper breathing is one of the best habits you can establish.