PRANAYAMA

PRANAYAMA deals with the life energy "Prana", and the efforts to clean up the pathways for Prana, to expand them where possible and to make sure, the right amount and quality of Prana is circulating throughout the body at all times.

PRANAYAMA goes hand in hand with Yoga Asanas, Meditation and Breathing Exercises.

Prana is connected to the breath, which makes sense: no breathing, no living...

The breath, and the way we breathe, will activate parts of our "Autonomic Nervous System" (ANS).

Inhalation, especially when practised deeply and forcefully, will activate the part of the ANS called "Sympathetic Nervous System" (SNS) which alerts the body to danger/stress.

Exhalation, when done deeply and prolonged, will activate the part of the ANS called "Parasympathetic Nervous System" (PNS) which calms down the whole system, and signals a "no-danger-mode".

In order to calm down, and stay focused, on our Asanas, Meditation and Breathing, we need to activate the PNS as much as possible.

Too much of a good thing, can be too much, though; we need a good balance between SNS and PNS.

Fortunately, they work together in tandem, much like a seesaw; when one is up, the other is down.

It is up to us to regulate our breathing, in a controlled and conscious, still gently way; not to push it too far to extremes, but exactly to work at maintaining a good balance.

To get the full benefit of PRANAYAMA, we will look into the human body to acquire knowledge of our physical structure, as well as a good understanding of the meridians, pathways and acupressure points in and on the body.

And we will definitely pay much attention to, how PRANAYAMA affects the mind. Because, the breath is the bridge between the mind and the body. As holistic beings, we can, and should, not separate, what has been so beautifully put together, but come to understand and be maybe a little more wise.

This we do together!