r/Pranayama Oct 10 '25

Announcement Welcome to r/Pranyama! Please read this entire post

9 Upvotes

Welcome!

Please all new members and potential contributors read this post ! It explains expected behaviors, rules, and auto-mod stuff. It's worth the read to avoid misunderstandings.

Pranayama is a limb of yoga practice. It is the practice of controlling or restraining the breath.

Pranayama (Sanskrit: प्राणायाम prāṇāyāma) is a Sanskrit word meaning "restraint or control of the prana or breath" or more accurately, "extension of the life force." The word is composed of two Sanskrit words: Prāna, the vital breath or vital life force associated with the breath, and "āyāma", to extend, draw out, restrain, or control.

Common Pranayama Breathing Exercises:

  • Agnisar
  • Anuloma
  • Bhastrika
  • Bhramari
  • Kapala-bhati
  • Kumbhaka
  • Nadi shodhana
  • Sittali
  • Sitakari
  • Ujjayi
  • Viloma

Rules For Posting:

  • All posted content must be understandable by your English-speaking moderators.
    • Because we have to be able to verify that the content obeys the sub and reddit rules and guidelines. Certainly a bit of relevant transliterated Sanskrit is fine, and even encouraged, for precision and teaching. But if you use Sanskrit terms, please consider explaining them in English as well if you think it would help a broader audience of sub members.
    • Comparisons to other breathing practices are fine, though. (Though as always: Be kind.)
    • Follow reddit's guidelines on self-promotion as well. An occasional non-commercial self-promo by a solid sub contributor will likely be overlooked, but please don't come in here looking to use the sub as a way to drive traffic to your stuff. Not cool.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Comparisons to other breathing practices are fine, though. (Though as always: Be kind.)
    • Follow reddit's guidelines on self-promotion as well. An occasional non-commercial self-promo by a solid sub contributor will likely be overlooked, but please don't come in here looking to use the sub as a way to drive traffic to your stuff. Not cool.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Follow reddit's guidelines on self-promotion as well. An occasional non-commercial self-promo by a solid sub contributor will likely be overlooked, but please don't come in here looking to use the sub as a way to drive traffic to your stuff. Not cool.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
  • All threads must be directly about pranayama.
    • Comparisons to other breathing practices are fine, though. (Though as always: Be kind.)
    • Follow reddit's guidelines on self-promotion as well. An occasional non-commercial self-promo by a solid sub contributor will likely be overlooked, but please don't come in here looking to use the sub as a way to drive traffic to your stuff. Not cool.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Follow reddit's guidelines on self-promotion as well. An occasional non-commercial self-promo by a solid sub contributor will likely be overlooked, but please don't come in here looking to use the sub as a way to drive traffic to your stuff. Not cool.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
  • No advertisements or self promotionals.
    • Follow reddit's guidelines on self-promotion as well. An occasional non-commercial self-promo by a solid sub contributor will likely be overlooked, but please don't come in here looking to use the sub as a way to drive traffic to your stuff. Not cool.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
  • No surveys.
    • Especially for your homework assignments.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.
  • Be kind.
    • Unkind posts or comments may be removed.

Moderation:

  • If your post or comment is removed and you don't understand why or believe the removal to be in error, please be aware of the following points.
  • Be patient. The mods are volunteers and don't see everything immediately. The mods will review all removals, usually within a few hours during reasonable US Eastern time waking hours.
  • If after a few hours (or a reasonable amount of time after the usual US Eastern morning begins), you still think your removed submission should appear, please feel free to message the mods and state your case.
  • Moderation requires judgment calls all the time. You may disagree with the mods' decisions but remember that the mods are trying to encourage discussions on subjects relevant to pranayama and to maintain a civil and non-commercial discussion environment for the benefit of the vast majority of members. Your purpose may not fit in here, and that's going to have to be OK.
  • Repeated and/or particularly egregious rule violation may result in being banned from the sub.

Auto-moderation:

  • Auto-moderation is turned on. Please try not to take any auto-moderation removals personally. Rules are often blunt instruments and don't fit every situation perfectly. Auto-moderation, especially for new users and accounts, is intended to reduce spam and to ensure user accountability. You may have to wait a while to participate here, and that's not a bad thing. Please use that time to read existing posts and comments to get a feel for where you are and what's going on. Auto-removal does not necessarily mean your post or comment is permanently removed; the mods will eventually review all auto-removals and approve those that are otherwise within the policies of the sub.
  • Automod rules in effect
    • Generally, an automod removal will state the reason for removal. Please read it.
    • We're not going to list all the automod rules here, partly for security reasons, partly for brevity.
    • All accounts must have a verified email address in order to submit posts and comments.
    • Submissions containing likely abusive or offensive content are automatically reviewed (then reviewed by the mods for context, since these filters can trigger on false positives). Patience please.

r/Pranayama 4d ago

Prana is not breath

37 Upvotes

In the pinned post, op wrote "prana, particularly, the breath"...it's incorrect, breath is a handle to control the prana, breath is not prana, thankyou.


r/Pranayama 11d ago

How to do nadi shodana correctly step by step

5 Upvotes

I understand how to do it and how it is alternate nostril breathing, my problem is with one thing

How long should you hold your breaths in for, how long for exhalation too?

Some people say every breath in and out is 4 seconds each. My problem is based off my energy I count to 4 very slowly or very fast if I’m anxious, and also sometimes I can’t exhale for 4 long seconds you know? It’s confusing.

I’ve found just inhaling and exhaling for however long I want , whatever feels best for me works better as a way of relaxing my mind but I don’t know if that’s the intended way of doing it- it’s almost like a deep breathing session at that point.

What do you guys say? What is the most known way of doing it to regulate nervous system and allow blessings to come in?


r/Pranayama 20d ago

Need testimonials: How effective is listening to or chanting LAM for root chakra balancing?

3 Upvotes

I've read that listening to or chanting LAM helps balance the root chakra, but haven't read of any testimonials. How many of you have experienced a tangible improvement/change due to this chant?


r/Pranayama 21d ago

Frequency of Intense Body Shakes During Meditation

7 Upvotes

I experience intense tremors during meditation about 90% of the time. When I focus on a specific chakra point, I enter a state of kundalini vibration, causing my body to shake vigorously and rise dramatically. Alternatively, if I simply visualize numbers while counting my breath, my teeth start banging against each other, and the upper and lower teeth drum against each other rapidly. My entire body shakes uncontrollably, as if a washing machine is spinning furiously. This phenomenon occurs every time I meditate, even when I meditate lying down before sleeping. My entire body, from my stomach to my head, enters a different mode, as if I’m about to be lifted into the ceiling. Do you all experience this? Can anyone please explain why i experience this?

Additionally, one issue i also have is that I’m not consistent with meditation because I’m not sure why it’s necessary. However, in my dreams, I’ve been told to meditate, and a psychic also scolded me yesterday for not being consistent with it. Can you please explain the benefits of meditation, aside from mindfulness, because I’m indifferent to resting and seem impatient as well?


r/Pranayama 21d ago

Nadi Shodhana before Meditation?

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2 Upvotes

r/Pranayama 22d ago

Does pranayama help with posture?

11 Upvotes

I saw on a podcast that it has the ability to improve posture through breathing because of the way the lungs fill during diaphragmatic breathing or something like that, is that true? I've been experiencing pain in my quadriceps when meditating sitting cross-legged.


r/Pranayama 24d ago

Beginner - What's with the breathing technique?

2 Upvotes

Hello. I am looking for home workout videos but am unable to understand the breathing situation. Most videos don't specify...when to inhale and exhale while weight training and stretching. I will appreciate it if someone can explain and help with my cluelessness.

Thanks in advance!


r/Pranayama 26d ago

Starting with Pranayama

10 Upvotes

I've started a new program of Pranayama Yoga. I'm doing 10 minutes Nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), with a 1:4:2 ratio. That's 6 seconds inhale, 24 second hold, and 12 seconds exhale. I'm feeling pretty good with this so far. I've done some breathing exercises for years but this is the first time I've committed to a pranayama program. Is this a good practice for a beginner?


r/Pranayama Jun 22 '26

A 2-minute pranayama technique for stress and overthinking

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2 Upvotes

r/Pranayama Jun 17 '26

Forehead pressure pranayama

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1 Upvotes

r/Pranayama Jun 15 '26

Study: Rosary prayer and 'Om Mani Padme Hum' both accidentally pace breathing to ~6/min — the exact rate that maxes out a cardiovascular reflex. Two traditions that never met landed on the same rhythm (Bernardi 2001, BMJ, n=23)

37 Upvotes

Sharing interesting research: A 2001 BMJ study had ~23 healthy volunteers recite the Catholic rosary in Latin (Ave Maria) and the Hindu/Buddhist mantra Om Mani Padme Hum while researchers measured breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Two practices from traditions separated by thousands of miles.

Both naturally slowed breathing to around 6 breaths per minute. Nobody told participants to breathe slow. The phrase length itself did it. Each Ave Maria takes ~10 seconds to recite. Each Om Mani Padme Hum cycle takes ~10 seconds. Ten seconds per breath cycle equals 6 per minute.

That number isn't random. Our cardiovascular system has a feedback loop called the baroreflex that oscillates at roughly 0.1 Hz, one cycle every 10 seconds. When breathing matches that frequency, the two oscillations sync up. Heart rate variability spikes, baroreflex sensitivity improves. Both rosary and mantra produced the effect compared to spontaneous breathing.

What's interesting for anyone with a sit practice, i think this strips the mystique off mantra work without dismissing it. The body doesn't care what you're chanting, it responds to the timing. You could prolly recite a grocery list at this cadence and get the same baroreflex effect. The traditions wrapped a physiological mechanism in meaning and ritual, but the phrase length is doing real work underneath, separate from the words.

If you do mantra or japa, have you noticed your breath settling into a rhythm on its own without you trying to control it? Curious if the ~10 seconds per cycle thing tracks with what you're actually doing.


r/Pranayama Jun 11 '26

Would like to learn Ujjayi Pranayama Ocean Breath Victorious Breath any You tube lessons

6 Upvotes

Would like to learn Ujjayi Pranayama Ocean Breath Victorious Breath any You tube lessons

How can we watch it and practice at home


r/Pranayama May 23 '26

Anxiety and depression recovery by prayanam

7 Upvotes

Has anybody ever cured there anxiety by prayanam. Recently out of nowwhere i got severe social anxiety and now suffering from 3 years. I don't want to take medicines. Please guide me🙏🏻


r/Pranayama May 23 '26

Made an free app for breathwork

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13 Upvotes

Check it out. Its free. If you want future or embed hit me up.


r/Pranayama May 11 '26

Pranayam my routine exercise

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

56 Upvotes

All oxygen exhale and stomach vacuum and in an out Good for health


r/Pranayama May 08 '26

Need guidance

6 Upvotes

I don't have any prior experience doing pranayama. Recently I have tried Anulom vilom and Kapalbathi. I found these exercises makes me calm, I want to create my daily pranayama routine. Please help me to formulate a better routine.

Focus: Clear brain fog, Improved sleep and focus levels and reduce anxitey.


r/Pranayama May 04 '26

Can I influence which nostril is open?

4 Upvotes

Hey guys,

My left nostril is without fail more blocked than my right, even when the left nostril is the "open" nostril during the natural nasal cycle. Think it's a deviated septum thing.

I'm wondering is there a technique to be able to switch nostrils so that I can switch from left-open to right-open when I want? (Not all the time, but just for example when I'm struggling with the open left-nostril being still somewhat blocked, so I'd like to switch to right nostril open).


r/Pranayama May 04 '26

Pranayama begins with sensitivity, not force

15 Upvotes

For beginners, pranayama should start with feeling the breath clearly. Before ratios, retention, bandhas, or stronger techniques, try simple nasal breathing with a slightly longer exhale. Practice for three minutes and observe whether the breath becomes smoother and quieter. If the breath becomes strained, the technique is too strong. The foundation is not control for its own sake. It is relationship, steadiness, and awareness.


r/Pranayama Apr 28 '26

anuloma-viloma

4 Upvotes

Hello, everyone.

I’m curious to know who practices Anuloma Viloma using Padmasana for an hour, with a breathing rhythm of 12 seconds for inhalation, 48 seconds for retention, and 24 seconds for exhalation.

Do you consider this type of pranayama to be basic or advanced?


r/Pranayama Apr 27 '26

Where to Start

5 Upvotes

I want to start learning and practicing pranayama. What and where is a good place to start? Any recommendations on people or exercises to follow? Or books to learn about the practice as a whole, different branches, etc.? Thank you


r/Pranayama Apr 24 '26

What are the best way to increase prana and be a container to contain it

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1 Upvotes

r/Pranayama Apr 22 '26

Study: The pineal gland isn't the DMT factory we thought — the 'breathwork releases DMT' story is built on bad anatomy

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5 Upvotes

r/Pranayama Apr 21 '26

Why pranayama feels completely different in a quiet place

4 Upvotes

Something I didn’t fully appreciate until teaching at a variety of schools and locations is how much the environment affects breathwork.

Pranayama is often taught as a technique, ✷inhale✷exhale✷hold, but in reality, the experience changes completely depending on what’s happening around you.

In a busy environment, the breath tends to stay a bit more controlled, a bit more effortful.

But in a quieter space, something shifts. The breath naturally slows, the pauses become more comfortable, and there’s less sense of “doing” the practice.

It becomes less about technique and more about observation.

It’s a subtle difference, but it changes the depth of the practice quite a lot.

I would like to know your experience,
for those who practise pranayama or meditation, have you noticed a difference depending on where you are?

Best wishes,

Sonu ji


r/Pranayama Apr 16 '26

Study: High-ventilation breathwork (n=200, double-blind RCT) showed zero mental health benefit beyond placebo

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4 Upvotes