Pranayama: Let go, detoxify

Learning to regulate your breath in the practice of pranayama teaches you to be patient with yourself.

The quality of our journey through life is determined by our belief systems, our willingness to release what no longer serves us and our ability to change whatever is needed. As a yoga teacher, I have seen, over and over again, how even the most stubborn mindsets are transformed by committing to a yogic practice. Perfecting the execution of a posture requires you to shake off self-restricting thoughts and have faith in the limitlessness of your abilities. Learning to regulate your breath in the practice of pranayama teaches you to be patient with yourself. Gradually, the need for intoxicants, stimulants and distractions will fade away, as memories of pain and stress don’t bother you any more and you get comfortable with your own self. Ultimately, the practice of yoga is to harness the mind’s power and stop it from distracting you. This is what is called meditation; effortlessly easing oneself into a life of health, stability, joy and fulfilment. A major step towards reaching this point in life is to facilitate the evacuation of toxins and stress from the body and, hence, the mind. The release of these toxins happens effortlessly when we make eating well, drinking well, breathing well, sleeping well and exercising well our priorities. The following is a routine that can be done by those of us who want to release painful thought patterns and also help the body de-toxify and re-energise. Just remember, once we make the decision to keep breaking our limits and exploring our potentials to the maximum, learning and changing become effortless.

Detoxification Mudra

Place the back of your hands near the knees.

Gently press the tip of each thumb to the inner side of the base of their respective ring fingers.

Keep the rest of the fingers extended but relaxed.

Hold this mudra as you do the following breathing exercise for 5 minutes, three times a day.

Simple Breathing Exercise

Expand your abdomen as you inhale deeply to the count of 4.

Hold your breath for 8 counts.

Exhale slowly through your nostrils to the count of 8. Expend the breath slowly, so that you have enough breath to release till you count down to 8. This action trains the muscles that support the heart and lungs and builds endurance.