Ashtanga yoga: Pranayama and Kumbhaka

---

Pranayama and Kumbhaka Posted: 22 May 2020 10:51 AM PDT A recent post of the article, Why I Left the Mysore Community in 1999 – My Statement, mentions that when Monica Gauci attended Shri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI) in the late 1990's, the Ashtanga Pranayama Series was taught with four-minute Kumbhakas (breath retentions). meditation was to be reserved for those who had mastered pranayama. However, as the pranayama series was taught with four-minute kumbhakas (breath retentions) this made both pranayama and meditation pretty well out of reach for nearly every student. I have never attended a Pranayama class where the students were expected to perform Kumbhaka for more than 30 seconds (immediately following hyperventilation with Bhastrika). Five to ten seconds was about the norm for other Pranayama.. I practiced breath retention as a casual hobby for most of my life before coming into Yoga. From time to time I experience the Breathless State, and perform five minute Prana and Apana (Inhalation/Exhalation; 6 breaths per hour) working with a two minute breath cycle (30 breaths per hour) for most Pranayams. As a teenager I held my breath for 7 minutes 52 seconds on a bet (plastic bag tied over my head so no cheating). Expecting a Yogi to come into the practice with the ability to retain breath for four minutes seems like a pretty high bar. I have not delved into this the Maehle's or Iyengars's books, so forgive what might be an obvious question. What is a recommended duration for Kumbhaka and breathing rate for Pranayama practice? submitted by /u/All_Is_Coming [link] [comments]

Any parents struggling with home practice? Posted: 22 May 2020 01:20 PM PDT My husband and I are both working from home while caring for 2 kids under the age of 3. We do have some help with the kids, and are lucky to live in a split-level house, but I'm still struggling with my home practice. I was just beginning to return to a stable practice after my second child when the pandemic hit. I miss practicing, and I am feel the physical and mental effects of an extended period of inconsistency. But still, finding or making time to practice seems impossible. And, even during the rare moments when I actually have the time, I can't seem to bring myself to the mat. Any words of wisdom/advice/encouragement would be much appreciated. submitted by /u/malalisica [link] [comments]

You are subscribed to email updates from ashtanga yoga. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States