The Power Of Breath

Charles Shahar takes us through some basic pranayama techniques that can serve as a prelude to meditation

- Charles Shahar

One way of centring the mind in meditation is through breath control. The yogis of ancient India noted an intimate connection between breath and thought. They observed that when the breath became erratic, the mind did as well; when the breath settled, the mind relaxed. This did not require an amazing leap of inference. Any stress management counsellor will tell you that deep and rhythmic breathing induces a relaxation response in the mind and body.

The yogis further remarked that when the breath stopped, the mind reached a certain level of focus. One can relate this fact to everyday experiences as well. When you concentrate intensely on a task, the breath seems to stop or becomes shallow. When you stop concentrating, the breath continues normally. The yogis understood the implications of this for the process of meditation. They called their specialised science of breath control ‘pranayama.’ As the name implies, ‘pranayama’ relates to ‘prana,’ which is the life force. Prana is present in the air we breathe, but it is a much finer medium than air. Depending on the efficiency of our breathing, a maximum amount of prana can be drawn from the atmosphere. The best way to absorb prana is through the nostrils, which are specialised for this purpose. Mouth breathing is a much less efficient way to absorb vital energy.