Points to Remember While Practicing

Pranayama
Here are a few important points your need to bear in mind while performing
or before attempting to perform Pranayama.

1.) It is important to understand that the base of yoga is relaxation. All the
Asanas and breathing exercises involved in Pranayama should be performed in
a mentally and physically relaxed state. If your mind is filled with thought, try
to relax and let the breathing exercise fix your concentration away from the
thoughts.
2.) It is important never to strain yourself while performing any of the
exercises. It takes practice to perfect the control of your breath and it cannot be
achieved in a day or two. It takes a few months of patient practice but the
returns are worth the effort.
3.) It is normal for people to get impatient while practicing Pranayama initially,
this is just your body reacting to its old conditioning of irregular breathing. Be
patient and continue your exercises in a relaxed manner. Slowly your mind
will also relax and enter into the state of alert consciousness.
4.) There should be no abrupt movements, no sharp exhalations or inhalations
and neither should you feel uncomfortably suffocated. Yoga is none of these.
There should be no discomfort while performing yoga. Initially it helps to
perform yoga under the guidance of an experienced guru because it entails
great care and precision. Once you have perfected the exercise you can
perform on your own.
5.) It is advisable to perform Pranayam in an empty stomach. Early in the
mornings is preferably the best time. If you prefer doing Pranayama in the

evenings, make sure to keep a gap of four to five hours depending on the type
of meal you are eating. This is considering that heavier meals take more time
to digest.
6.) If you find it difficult to sit in Padmasana, you can sit in a pose that you feel
comfortable in. You can also considering sitting on a chair if sitting in Asanas
is difficult for you.
7.) Pregnant women and women who have recently delivered should not do
Pranayama.
8.) People suffering from abdominal wounds, hernia, peritonitis, appendicitis
and those recovering from surgery should not perform Pranayama.
9.) People suffering from heart problems, high blood pressure, weekness
and/or back-pain are advised to do inhalations and exhalations slowly
without exerting pressure.
10.) Sit in an erect pose (Your spine must be straight) a You can sit in
Siddhasan, sukhasan, or Padmasan, and assume a vayu mudra or dhyan
mudra It is best to take training from an expert before attempting to perform
advanced Pranayama techniques like the Kapalbhati. The expert will be able to
guide you on the duration and proper methodologies of performing these
breathing exercises so you can benefit the maximum.