When you go in a yoga class and the teacher cues for the darth vader breath, you can’t help but to feel a sense of excitement and relaxation at the same time. Something that awesome can be explained. In this article, you’re about to fall in love with warmth of the ujjayi breath with it’s benefits. I will also give you the steps so that you’re able to keep it in your toolbox for an instant energizer.
Ujjayi means “victorious”, the victorious breath. That means you win with every breath. I’ve heard before through another yoga teacher that you live and die in each breath. Caesar B’s exact words were, ““You can always start over. The idea behind Savasana in yoga. Every day that you wake up, it is a new life. We will live and we will die a thousand times a day. With every breath that you take, you are living, you are creating new energy, creating new cells. And every breath that you expel from your body is deleting cells in your body. So you live, you breathe, and you die everyday. Which means you have the opportunity to start over whenever you want” Wow, I couldn’t have said it better myself. If you’re here, that means you’ve already won. You’re alive and well. You are free to do wonderful miraculous things. With that being said, here are the benefits and steps to reap this awesome flow.
Benefits of Ujjayi breath
- Builds internal heat source
- Helps you shush the nagging thoughts in your survival brain
- Releases tension and detoxifies mind and body
- Brings in more oxygen in your blood, hence, better blood circulation in your body, optimal for working with the body during exercise
- Creates self-awareness and being in the present moment
Steps on how to get the best out of your ujjayi breath:
- Start with two cleansing breaths. In the nose, lungs full and expanded. Exhale out the mouth with a long “HAAAAaaa” sound. You could even let out a big sigh if that calls you. Doing this takes out all the stale air from the body.
- Seal the lips, slightly contract the back of your throat and take the next breath in like you’re filling up a balloon in your belly. Slow, audible deep breath.
- Pause for 2 seconds, then let the air go as you exhale through the slight contraction of the throat or “small tube”. Pause before you take the next breath in and repeat steps 2 + 3 for at least two minutes.
Oddly enough, I use this breath to keep myself cool in the frozen aisle sections when grocery shopping. Try it the next time you’re a little chilly.
Thanks for sharing your time with me! I hope this article brought you value that you could take with you when you remember to shine, balance, connect and sparkle by choice!
Jaclyn
