Durga is a Sanskrit word meaning deep,
Long,
Or prolonged.
This is a deep breathing exercise that aims to use the full capacity of the lungs through full,
Prolonged breaths.
It strengthens the respiratory system as well as many of the body's other vital systems.
Sitting with poor posture and alignment,
As is common for many,
Maybe most of us,
Has consequences beyond the back and spine.
It significantly reduces the lungs' capacity and leads to improper breathing habits.
It puts strain on digestive organs and the cardiovascular system,
Weakens the immune system,
And keeps the nervous system in a constant state of fight or flight.
Durga pranayama helps to reset all of these and,
Perhaps most important of all,
Establishes a body-breath-mind connection that fosters overall balance in the mind-body system.
Because breathing in this way brings large amounts of oxygen into your system,
You may experience dizziness or lightheadedness at first.
Pause if you feel this and take a break until you feel ready to begin again.
As Dr.
David Folly states in Yoga and Ayurveda,
In pranayama there should be no straining to achieve results,
But a natural development by letting go of strain and tension.
So no forcing,
No strain,
Just a natural gradual deepening through consistent practice.
Now sit up tall on the floor or chair,
Or you may recline if you prefer.
Settle in.
Wherever you are,
Find the pelvic bulb,
Or the bowl shape created by the bones of the pelvis.
Imagine it as the bottom of a vessel or cylinder,
Like a vase.
Align the rest of your body over this vase.
Once you've found your best posture,
Turn your awareness towards your breathing.
Notice where you feel it most and send your attention there.
Dhrigga breathing unfolds in three parts.
Let's begin with the first.
Keeping your awareness gently back to the pelvic bowl.
As you breathe in,
Visualize the pelvic bowl filling from its base up to the navel.
As you breathe out,
Imagine it emptying from the navel back down to the base.
Again,
Allow the breath to fill from the base of the spine to the navel and empty from the navel back down.
Breathe in from the base to the navel and out from the navel to the base.
Keep going on your own for a couple breaths.
That's the first third.
Moving on,
On your next inhale,
Fill from the base of the pelvic bowl to the sides of the rib cage.
As you exhale,
Empty from the side ribs to the base.
Breathe in up to the ribs and out down to the base.
Keep going.
Finally,
On your next inhale,
Fill from the base to the collarbones.
Exhale from the collarbones all the way to the base.
Breathing in all the way to the top of the cylinder.
Breathing out back down to the base.
Keep going.
And now for the three-part breath.
Inhaling from the base to the navel,
From the navel to the side ribs and up to the collarbones.
Exhaling from the collarbones to the side ribs to the navel to the base.
Again,
Navel,
Side ribs,
Collarbones,
Collarbones,
Side ribs,
Navel,
Base,
Base,
Navel,
Side ribs,
Collarbones,
Collarbones,
Side ribs,
Navel,
Base.
Keep going on your own.
Remember you can take breaks whenever you need to.
No stress.
No strain.
After the next exhale,
Let go of the visualization.
Let go of the conscious deepening of the breath.
Let it find its natural rhythm.
You have just practiced three types of breathing in the three-part breath.
Diaphragmatic,
Thoracic,
And clavicular,
Using the full capacity of your lungs.
Your system has received an infusion of vitality in the form of oxygen and let go of carbon dioxide and stagnant air that remains when the breathing is shallow.
Notice how that feels.
It may feel a little funny at first.
Remember,
This is a practice to come back to time and again,
Deepening over time.
To close,
Take a big breath in from the pelvic bowl to the collarbones.
Relax your jaw and sigh it all the way back out.
