Looking for a quick class to boost your mood? Pranayoga is a term I use for a combination of yoga and breathwork in one class. By using breathing techniques as you move on the yoga mat, your energy changes. You’ll feel relief from stress and anxiety, reconnect with your body, and energize your mood. This is my favorite yoga practice to feel better!
Pranayoga is the perfect practice when you don’t have time to practice yoga and breathwork separately. We can use our breath to calm and balance ourselves, to energize the body and mind, and to maintain our overall health.
Benefits of Breathwork
Breathwork, or Pranayama, is the practice of intentionally controlling or manipulating your breath. Depending on what type of breathwork you try, it may elevate your mood, calm your emotions, or even take you on a deep healing journey to another universe (all in your mind, of course).
Some of the traditional breathwork practices include:
- Ujjayi Breath: This is the traditional yogi breath that moves air in and out through the nose and drops all the way into your belly. It’s a great breath for focus and clarity.
- Alternate Nostril Breathing: Using this style of breathwork will help you focus. It takes a lot of focus to witness the breath moving from each nostril. This breath brings you more clarity.
- Breath of Fire: This is a full body wake up! Breath of fire is a quick breathing practice that uses the pumping of the abdominals to move air in and out of your lungs. It’s also called breath of fire because it warms your body quickly. It’s great before yoga practice in the winter.
- 4-7-8 Breath: This calming breath is one that I practice often with my clients dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety. By focusing on a long exhale, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you to feel calm.
If you’re looking for more information on different pranayama practices you can try at home, I have this blog post and video that will walk you through each one.
For deep transformational breathwork, I highly suggest working with a breathwork facilitator. This goes beyond the simpler breathing practices of most pranayamas. I can’t praise the work of Sara Silverstein enough, an incredible breathwork teacher who does amazing classes both online and in person. Check out her work here.
Why combine breathwork and yoga?
Honestly, I’m impatient!
While there are so many benefits of practicing breathwork on its own, I have limited time. Between running two businesses and traveling the world full-time, I can only fit in so much practice each day.
It’s also a lot of fun! I found that by adding breathwork throughout my practice, I enjoyed the extra focus and creativity it brings to the movement. Similar to adding feminine dance-like moves to my practice – I let it be an experiment that is playful.
Honestly, I find that if I take my yoga less seriously, my ego stays relaxed.
Pranayama – 20 Minute Class
Okay, finally ready for the yoga class?
To get yourself set up for class, all you need is a yoga mat. You may also choose to have a blanket to sit on or blocks to support your practice.
This is a great practice for calming your overthinking and helping you to feel more connected with your body. It really helps my students to feel more awake, alive, and full of vitality as we use the breath to root into the present moment.
Did you love this class? Keep practicing on the mat with me!
You can try out more of my yoga classes in my Freebies portal, along with other free classes to help boost your confidence, build self belief, and calm your overthinking mind.
You are incredible! Thanks for practicing with me today.
Cheering you on,
