The Long Haul

Since it’s day 18 of my pranayama practice, now would be as good of a time as any to explain what my practice actually involves. A daily one-hour practice isn’t realistic for me on top of my asana practice and spotty meditation and swimming. So instead, I’m waking up just a bit earlier and doing a 20 minute pranayama session every morning before my asana practice.

But let’s be realistic—sometimes I hit the snooze button. I get up most days, but some days I push my practice to the evening and one day I completely blew it off.

My weekly one-hour pranayama class has been a huge help in keeping me consistent and interested in the practice. We start in savasana to settle the mind and turn our attention inward. It helps to remember to keep my eyes cast downward even while they’re closed. Something about that action quiets me even further.

Next we go through 3 or 4 different breathing exercises. What I’ve learned so far is viloma I, viloma II, ujjayi I, ujjayi II, and combinations of those 4.

The biggest change I’ve noticed since beginning a daily pranayama practice is that I get a lot more out of my weekly pranayama class. I understand and experience a lot more than I did before. In the beginning of daily practice, I noticed an enhanced sense of stillness throughout my days, but I think it was a bit of a honeymoon phase. Now that I’m on day 18, my practice has become a bit more routine, and my busy, frantic tendencies are as strong as ever.

I also realize that 30 days is a short amount of time. For pranayama to truly settle into my routine and my mind, I’ll need to practice for years—not days.

Getting Stronger

It’s day 9 and my pranayama practice is still going strong—so strong, in fact, that my rib area feels a bit achy today. My guess is my breathing muscles are simply getting more action than they’re used to. But it’s also possible that I’m putting too much effort into the practice. I tend to overdo most things in an effort to “get it right.” Often in asana classes, one of my yoga teachers will instruct a pose and then remind everyone to relax our efforts by 10%. That’s probably quite applicable to pranayama as well.