About Getting Back Home
What pranayama techniques does the Gheranda Samhita recommend?
A time-tested collection of breathing methods unfolds in the Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā’s sixth limb, each designed to purify energy channels and steady the mind. Here’s a quick tour:
Sūrya-Bhedana (Right-Nostril Breath)
• Inhale exclusively through the right nostril, close the left with your ring finger.
• Evokes solar energy, warms the body, and ignites inner fire.Ujjāyī (Ocean-Sound Breath)
• Constrict the throat slightly to produce a soft “ocean” vibration.
• Builds heat, deepens concentration—often the backbone of modern vinyasa flows.Bhastrikā (Bellows Breath)
• Quick, forceful inhales and exhales powered by the diaphragm.
• Feels like a smith’s bellows stoking the furnace—great for an instant energy boost.Śītālī (Cooling Breath)
• Roll the tongue into a tube and draw air in, letting it rush across the palate.
• A real lifesaver when stress peaks or summer’s heat feels relentless.Śītkārī (Hissing Breath)
• Teeth lightly clenched, inhale through the gaps to create a soft hiss; exhale normally.
• Similar cooling effect to Śītālī, minus the tongue roll.Bhrāmarī (Bee-Humming Breath)
• Close the ears with thumbs, rest fingers over the forehead, and hum on exhale.
• Melts away agitation—no wonder wellness apps spotlight it as an antidote to screen-fatigue.Mūrchchā (Fainting Breath)
• Sustain a gentle breath retention until a mild swoon-like sensation arises.
• Requires careful guidance, since it edges toward transcendence.Plāvinī (Floating Breath)
• Inhale deeply, swallow the air into the abdomen, then float it like a balloon.
• Feels whimsical—hence the name—and subtly lifts bodily tissues.Kevala (Absolute Suspension)
• The ultimate goal: spontaneous, effortless retention that dawns once mastery of all prior methods is achieved.
These practices, each with its own flavour and tempo, once guided students toward a stable, luminous mind. Today’s yoga studios echo many of these very breaths—proof that age-old wisdom still holds water in our fast-paced world.