Pranayama and Breath of Fire
As we saw in the past post, Pranayama is the life force in the body or the vital energy. We can control it by the breath “Prana”. “Ayama” means control. So Pranayama means literally the control of breath. The Pranayama help to achieve a healthy body and mind. It is also beneficial to release the stress, asthma and to develop a steady mind and strong will-power.
We would like now to introduce you to a new technique that we have not seen together yet which is:
Breath of Fire (Agni-Prasana)
This is a tool use a lot in Kundalini yoga. It will stimulate the inner Agni, the inner fire and deep energy center inside the body. The breath of fire is very dynamic, more rapid than the Kapalabhati technique. It is 2 to 3 inhalations and exhalation per second, it is also very loud. It is use to rise the energy in the body, readjust the nervous system, purify the blood, release toxins and massage the internal organs. It has other benefits such releasing anxiety, mental stress, pains or blocked emotions. It will also give to the body more flexibility and strength.
Step by Step
- Seat in the lotus position or comfortably seated
- Bring your hands on your knees, your chin is a little bit back toward your chest, spin straight to facilitate the flow of prana to circulate through your body.
- Breathe in and out slightly through the nose (or mouth if your nose is congested), 2 to 3 breathes per second, at an equal tempo. You do not bring the air all the way down in your belly. People next to you should be able to hear you. The Dristi is at the tip of the nose.
- 1 minute to start off – 5 minutes maximum at the beginning for beginners. This is a strong and powerful technique.
The technique in details
It is like pumping in the belly. The navel point goes in on the exhale and out on the inhale. You may have some troubles in the beginning to establish this rhyme between the inhale and exhale which is normal. You do not use the diaphragm for this technique. You may be a little dizzy. It is normal as the glandular system is activate which will adjust the nervous system. The breath of fire is also known as being a great tool to expand the lifetime, to burn all diseases and karma.
You should not do this technique if you have:
Breathing problems such as asthma, epilepsy, heart conditions, digestive problems, if you are pregnant.
How many times should be done?
From 1 to 10 minutes every day if needed, better in the morning.
For more information regarding the benefits of the breath of fire and the activation of the Agni in the body, follow Kino Yoga and her tutorials:
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