Cambridge Yoga

Prana is the vitality that fills us, flows continuously within us and keeps us alive. A healthy and peaceful person retains prana within the body. An unwell or restless person disperses prana beyond the body when there are blocks hindering the flow of prana within. Ayama means to stretch or to extend, and this is the action of Pranayama, to extend or control the breath.

"Practice Pranayama with attention then, when the breath becomes long and smooth, the mind is ready for meditation" - Yoganjalisaram 25, T Krishnamacharya

Ujjayi is a type of breath control, or Pranayama. In Ujjayi, or throat breathing, the larynx is contracted slightly to constrict the throat. This produces a sighing sound and helps to slow the breath. 

With the mouth closed, breath in and out through the nose. Ujjayi translates as "that which clears the throat and masters the chest area". There are many variations of Ujjayi, see Anuloma Ujjayi below for one example.

A variation of Ujjayi is Anuloma Ujjayi. Anuloma refers to something that flows the normal way. In Anuloma Ujjayi, Ujjayi breathing is used to regulate the breath to inhale and alternate nostril breathing is used to exhale.

Begin by inhaling through both nostrils using Ujjayi. Using Mrgi Mudra, exhale through the left nostril. Repeat, inhaling through both nostrils with Ujjayi and exhaling through the right nostril.

Nadis are channels in the body through which energy, or prana, flows. Sodhana means cleansing or purifying. Nadi Sodhana is a pranayama technique that cleanses the nadi and enables prana to flow freely. It is said to be ‘the jewel’ of pranayama techniques.

Using Mgri Mudra, breath in through the partially closed left nostril, breath out through the partially closed right nostril. Repeat, in through the right nostril and out through the left.

Sitting in a comfortable position, begin with the chin down and tongue furled—that is, curled up at the sides to form a tube. Inhale through this tube raising the chin as if ‘drinking air’. 

At the end of the inhale, roll the tongue back on itself so the bottom of the tongue touches the top palate.  Close the mouth and exhale through alternate nostrils using Mrgi Mudra (see below) or with Ujjayi, drawing chin down and in throughout the exhalation.