Yoga Beyond Belief: Insights to Awaken and Deepen Your Practice

practice and experimentation, you will understand and master this principle.
    You can use your breath to release pain and stiffness. When you have a stiff, tight, or sore area, you can concentrate on your breath and use it to direct energy to the area. Many teachers will say, “Breathe into the painful or tight area.” You will find that directing the breath to a location actually works to relax and release it. Using your attention to literally send and feel healing energy and prana move to the place in need relaxes and releases tensions there. This concept is not just a metaphor but a fact, even physically. Oxygen, which is part of the breath, reaches every part of the body. You actually can
breathe into your toes
.

The Ujjayi Breath
    The word
ujjayi
(pronounced oo jaah ee) means “to become victorious” or “to gain mastery,” and refers to a special type of breathing used to empower Hatha yoga practice. Ujjayi is done by gently constricting the throat or glottis in order to make a hissing sound. We more or less all know how to do this because it is what we do to give sound to our breath when we whisper. If you say the word “whisper” and prolong the
prrrr
sound, the hissing sound you are making is ujjayi. However, ujjayi is usually done through the nostrils instead of the mouth. The throat is constricted in the same way as is done to whisper, making the same sound on both inhalation and exhalation. To see if you are doing it properly, it is best to be checked by a teacher or experienced student.
    When I first began yoga, we learned and used ujjayi only within pranayama breathing practices. We were taught to breathe deeply andevenly or to leave the breath alone during asana practice. I practiced for years this way until I began meeting teachers who emphasized using ujjayi during yoga practice. I experimented for a time with using ujjayi throughout most of my practice and found many positive differences. It improves concentration and endurance while increasing the ability to flow gracefully. Ujjayi improves concentration because it keeps the breath smooth and even. Since this is the breathing pattern that naturally accompanies concentration, it can also be used to aid concentration. With smooth ujjayi, you can become more absorbed in your practice, hold poses longer, effectively regulate heat, and relieve tension. I find using ujjayi in my practice gives an enhanced ability to sense and control energy flows and a general increase in beneficial results.
    Some proponents of ujjayi claim it was a long-held secret that unlocks more of the power of asanas. Others advise no control, and argue that the breath should be left free in asana because it will naturally fall into the right groove. Once I was practicing next to a respected Indian yogi who recommends against ujjayi. But he was doing it throughout his practice. When questioned about it, he curtly said, “It is happening naturally because I am doing the poses correctly.” However, in my experience, it works both ways. Why wait for the benefits of ujjayi until the postures might correct the breath? Ujjayi brings its own effects and immediate benefits. I recommend experimenting to learn the differences between practicing with and without ujjayi, so that then you will naturally learn how and when to use it. Most students and teachers I suggest this experiment to end up incorporating ujjayi into their practice. This recommendation doesn’t imply using ujjayi breath all of the time, but having experimented, you will know its benefits, when to use them, and when to breathe freely. Your breath itself will guide and teach you in myriad ways when you listen to it. Ujjayi can probably be learned from these written instructions, but if you have any doubt, consult a qualified teacher or experienced student. Pranayama, the yogic science of breathing, is also discussed in Chapter 5 .

Toning the Spine
    One negative effect of gravity is compression of the spinal column. Spongy, fibrous disks separate the vertebrae of the spine. These disks allow the back to move and they cushion shock and impact. When we sit, stand, or walk, gravity’s pull compresses our spinal joints. Many nerve trunks connect the brain and specific body parts or organs through the spinal cord. These nerves exit the spine between the vertebral foramina. When the back is compressed, out of alignment, or if the disks are worn, the nerves can become impinged—cutting the flow of energy and weakening