It’s a warrior’s breath. A breathing technique that stimulates metabolism and generates inner heat. You can appreciate its benefits more and more as you march along the bridge towards meno- or andropause. As you inhale with a little tension on your throat bringing in the life force, prana, you warm the breath. And as you exhale you create tension on the windpipe in your throat again creating a regulating sound with a little vigour. It’s not a shallow breath, not a vertical breath that would raise your chest. It’s a deep breath when you bring awareness to the lower lobes of your lungs. It will, by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, activate your “rest and digest” reaction.
It has several benefits:
Helps you to maintain a rhythm while you are exercising;
Energising;
Improves blood circulation throughout the body
Stimulates overall body metabolism;
Builds internal body heat;
As a grounding technique releases tension, brings you back to the present, releases anxiety and resentment;
Regulates blood pressure;
Detoxifies mind and body;
Helps to diminish headaches and provide relief from sinusitis
How to Perform Ujjayi Breath
Follow these steps if you want to start now:
Sit comfortably with a straight spine;
Without worrying about where you breath, just focus on the voice you create with exhalation by placing tension on your throat. This tension should narrow the air pipe and will warm up the air while inhaling.
Try it first with open mouth listening to your sound (as if you were enjoying cold water after coming out from the hot sauna)
when you find that you can create the sound with exhalation try to generate similar sound with inhalation, too.
Now seal your lips and start to breath in and out through your nose maintining the tension in the throat.
Finally think about your belly that moves with each breath. You draw your belly button into the spine with exhalation and release with inhalation.
See audio on https://www.endo-gym.com/myendo-gym