Ashtanga Yoga Basics: Ujjayi Breath


Hey guys! I want to discuss one of the fundamentals of Ashtanga in this blog post: Ujjayi Breath.

Ujjayai is a breathing technique which is used in Ashtanga, but is also found in Power Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga. Ujjayai is performed by focusing on your breathing. The end.

I'm joking! Let me get serious now!

Ujjayai is performed by focusing on breathing through your nose and making the air twist and turn in your throat. Focus on the air spinning in your throat before it reaches you lungs. After it reaches your lungs, expand your diaphragm, and the exhale through your nose. While you are inhaling and exhaling, make sure to keep a count. The idea is to have the same number of counts for your inhale and exhale.

Oh, before I forget:


Make sure you have great posture while doing this as well! 

Ujjayi also involves you making a slight sound as the air passes through you.

 So what exactly is the sound you create suppose to sound like?

Well, everyone describes the sound of the ujjayai breathing technique differently. Ujjayai can sound like a ocean, the inside of a shell, a gust of wind, a "Hhaa" sound, or as David Swanson writes in his Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual, "...for the less poetic, Darth Vader from Star Wars."

Yeah, that's it! Sound like Darth Vader when you are practicing Ashtanga. Here is a video of Darth Vader breathing for ten hours, so hopefully you might get the idea ;)


Your breathing technique is very important. Yoga is just as much about controlling your mind and breathing as it is about controlling your body. Ujjayai is a fundamental building block for many different yoga practices, so remember to focus on your ujjayai breathing!



<3
Reiko