What is Pranayama?




Pranayama is a Sanskrit compound. It is composed of two elements: Prana + ayama. Prana means vital life force. Ayama can mean several different things. Ayama usually means "stretching, extending, expansion" and when used with prana, it means "restrain, control, stopping". Therefore, pranayama means stopping the breath. Or we can say, it is controlling the breath in simple terms.

According to some scholars, pranayama is a three step breathing process which involves puraka ( inhalation), rechaka (exhalation) and kumbhaka ( breath retention). To elucidate this further, the steps of this model are as follows:

1. Puraka which means inhalation when you take the breath in.
2. Antara kumbhaka which means holding the breath after an inhalation.
3. Rechaka which means exhalation.
4. Bahya Kumbhaka which means stopping the breath after an exhalation.

This three-step model is to be applied while performing various types of pranayamas.

Pranayama techniques are mentioned in ancient texts like the Bhagavad Gita, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Buddhists texts.

Pranayama in earlier times was quite different from those practised nowadays. In those times, it was mainly intended for liberation whereas in today's times pranayama is treated as an exercise where one has to perform certain movements in conjunction with the breath amidst yoga poses.


The goal of pranayama basically is to help harmonise the mind and the body and expand the consciousness from individual to universal. To correctly learn the procedures, it is adviced to take the help of a competent Guru.

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