Pranayama (prah-nah-yah-mah) is the yoga of breath. Prana in sanskrit means life. The first thing we do as we enter this world is inhale, and the last thing we do as we leave, we exhaele. Yama refers to control and discipline. Pranayama therefore means beath control, expansion and growth.

Breathing plays an important part in our actions, moods and speeches. Through Pranayma we learn to control our breath to produce desired results.

There are various types of breathing exercises, some of the most commonly used pranayama techniques are:

Abdominal Breathing: The healthy and natural way of breathing is belly eathing. Abdominal breathing resets us to our natural breath and is therefore also refered to as "Natural Breath". New borns breathe abdominally, they have natural and healtier eathing than adults.

Yogic Breathing: Yogic Breathing has 3 components to it, it fills your lungs with oxygen, it expands the lungs, and increases your vital capacity. It increases consciousness, hence the name yogic breath.

Victorious Breath: Victorious Breath is also known as ocean breathing, this technique produces a soft hissing sound. It relaxes and focuses your mind. increases your body heat and either increases or decreases your blood pressure depending on whether it is forceful or soft.

Alternate Nostril Breath: This is the one I talked about in a previous post, which helps change your moods by balancing air flow from the Nadis (channels), bringing balance to the left and right hemispheres of your brains.

Kapalbhati: We talked about this in our forums as well, it brings more oxygen to your body resulting in an energizing, conscious effect and increases circulation.

Breath of Fire: Breath of Fire strengthens your chests and diaphragms, loosens your spines and stretches your lungs, it is the alternate breathing control.

Advanced Breathing: This technique brings contemplative state of mind and mastery over physical eathing.

Sound breathing!

Ayurveda: Cleansing Mask for Dry Skin

(reference : essential ayurveda, Shubhra Krishan)

2 teaspoon quick cooking oats

1/4 teaspoon almond powder

1/4 teaspoon gated orange peel

1/4 teaspoon lavender-flower powder

2 tablespoon yogurt

Mix all the ingredients together and apply the mixture to your face. Let the mask set on your skin and then using very light pressure flake the mask off. If your skin feels too sticky use warm water to rinse. Dab your face with a soft towel and apply a good moisturizer.

Instant oatmeal is an excellent skin exfoliant. Oats replenish the skin with Vitamin A and E and counteract the daily sun damage. The orange peels help to balance the pH level of your skin too, it makes the skin soft and helps you look younger. Almond powder is rich in protein. Similarly, yogurt pacifies the aggravated pitta in turn making your skin look healthier, livelier and younger. Lavender is used for its healing aroma! It has a great effect on your skin.

Hope you found this tip useful!

If you did, please do check out the book. It is called Essential Ayurveda, written by Shubhra Krishan. It is a great resource for Ayurveda