Welcome to your breathwork session.
My name is Ryan Bean and today I'm going to be leading you through Ujjayi breathing.
This is a yogic pranayama breathing which is used to influence the entire cardiorespiratory system.
It increases the amount of oxygen in the blood,
It builds internal heat,
It relieves tension,
It regulates blood pressure,
And it builds energy detoxifying the mind and the body leaving you feeling presence,
Awareness,
And some meditative qualities.
Now the Ujjayi breath is used in asana practice quite often and the translation for Ujjayi,
Well you take the root word which is Jai or Jai which means conqueror and the Uj which means great.
So this is the breath of the great conqueror even though it's mostly referred to as the ocean breath or it's referred to as the yoga breath.
This is a vagus nerve down regulator and it's used to calm the system to feel compassion and of course lowering blood pressure.
To do this breath you start with a very simple technique.
Now I use a couple different cues here but I'd like you just to begin to breathe in through your nose and then breathe out through your mouth just with like a ha sound.
I want you to imagine that you're fogging up a mirror as you do this.
Just breathe in and then seal your lips now.
As you breathe in through your nose make that same noise with an exhale through the nose.
Exhale slowly through the nose while constricting the muscles in the back of your throat.
You can do this over and over and usually for upwards of 10 or so minutes.
I like to use this breath during yoga asana practice,
During postures or during movements or sun salutations.
If you're doing it correctly it should sound like the ocean.
The inhales can be compared to the sounds of the ocean as the water is gathering up a wave or crashing on the shore.
Don't worry you'll get better as you get started.
If you feel agitated you can use this.
You can use it during practicing or exercising or even when you're feeling nervous.
This is a great breath.
So let us practice together as though you were fogging up a mirror first.
Breathe in through your nose and then out through your mouth.
In through your nose and out through your mouth.
Fogging up the mirror.
Let us begin in and out through the nose.
Deep inhalation and then out through the nose.
See if you can stay consistent with the belly opening here.
Lifting and then exhaling dropping from top to bottom chest and then the belly.
Maybe noticing the feelings of groundedness underneath your feet or where you're seated.
You can use this breath.
Keep breathing in this way while you're hiking,
While you're moving,
While you're riding a bike or even running.
I like to count about a five count in and a five count out.
Let's try that together.
Breathing in through the nose for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Then out for five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Breathing in two,
Three,
Four,
Five and then out.
Fogging up that mirror with the nose all the way out.
Two,
One.
Breathe in for five counts.
Out for five counts.
In for five counts.
Remember to use the nose here.
Notice what happens as you continue to do this breath.
Continue this rhythm.
Five counts in and five counts out.
Now it can be four counts.
It could be six counts.
It's really up to you.
But as you do this you'll see that you're calming the nervous system.
Getting into a rhythm.
The ujjayi breath is very helpful in calming the nerves and you can use this yogic breath in times of stress or even anxiety.
Continue to follow this flow,
Finding balance everywhere you go.
Maybe it's when you're shopping and you're feeling a little bit stressed in the checkout line or maybe when you're in traffic or having a tough conversation or maybe preparing for public speaking.
This is the breath for you.
Continue to use this balanced breath in through the nose,
Out through the nose.
Let's do five more together.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Now out,
Two,
Four,
Five.
Breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Now out,
Two,
Three,
Four.
We've got three more.
Here you go.
In through the nose,
Out through the nose.
In through the nose and out through the nose.
Breathing in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Now out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Continue on your own.
Maybe feeling the shoulders drop away from your ears,
Relaxing,
Feeling this feeling of groundedness,
Connection to self.
When you're practicing this in yoga you can use it as you flow from one posture to the next.
If you're feeling agitated maybe you use this to down regulate and maybe you'll notice a soothing effect right after doing it.
You can do this for anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes if you wanted to or just simply as an SOS.
I need help now.
And breathing.
Let's do two more together.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Now exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Take one more.
In all the way up and out through the nose.
Creating that ocean sound on the way out.
All of us together.
Giant breath in.
Hold it at the top.
Take another sip in because you can.
And release with a sigh all the way down.
How do you feel now?
Thank you for practicing with me today and trusting me in guiding you in the Ujjayi breath or the ocean breath or sometimes known as the breath of the conqueror.
See you on the next lesson.
Bye.
