Little Book of Yoga Breathing: Pranayama Made Easy »

Pranayama, the practice of breath control, is detailed here in an easy-to-understand and even easier-to-practise format. Professional yoga instructor Scott Shaw introduces 16 breathing exercises and shows you how to get the best benefit from each of the forms by training, refining and witnessing your breath. Try one of the calming breaths, Nadi Sudi or the Nerve Purifying Breath. Have a long day ahead with no breaks until after dinner? Allow Ujayi or the Hissing Breath to work its miracles. Here you will learn how to breathe while moving, standing and leaning and how these variations can affect your breathing practice. Use the instruction offered in "The Little Book of Yoga Breathing" to feel more focused and energized.

Introduction..............................................1Pranayama 101.............................................7 Your First Conscious Breath...............................9 Breathing Essentials......................................11 The Energy-Enhancing Breaths..............................19 Basic Energy-Enhancing Breath.............................21 Kapalabhati: Skull Shining................................25 Bastrika: Bellows Breathing...............................29 Murcha: The Retaining Breath..............................33 Kumbhaka: The Pure Breath.................................37 Ujjayi: The Hissing Breath................................41 The Calming Breaths.......................................45 Sukha Purvaka: The Easy Breath............................47 Sithali: The Cooling Breath...............................49 Sitkari: The Sipping Breath...............................53 Brahmari: The Humming Breath..............................57 Nadi Sudi: The Nerve-Purifying Breath.....................61 Pranayama in Motion.......................................65 Pranayama While Standing..................................69 Leaning Pranayama.........................................73 Dynamic Tension I: Push the Mountain......................75 Dynamic Tension II: Lift the Sky..........................79 Pranayamic Walking........................................83 Afterword.................................................89 About the Author..........................................90