GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRÁNÁYÁMA TECHNIQUE
1 – Pranayama techniques should be taught by a qualified teacher.
2 – Pranayama should be practiced in an airy, clean, free of insects and quiet place.
3 – Pranayama should be preferably practiced with regularity and determination, about the same time in the same place and the same posture – asana (especially in the beginning).
4 – The best time to practice is in the morning, between 5am and 6am.
5 – The best seasons to begin practicing Pranayama are: the spring and autumn because they have more stable temperatures.
6 – You should be careful to clean the nostrils and nasal cavities before the practice, using for this purpose kriyas: Jala Neti and Sutra Neti, which are specific techniques to keep clean your mucous membranes and Nadis, Ida and Pingala.
7 – Keep your eyes closed, preferably focused on the tip of the nose (Nasaga Drishti).
8 – You should keep your mind calm and peaceful.
9 – Every practitioner should be aware of their lung capacity. A forced and inadequate practice to the conditions of the practitioner leads to physical fatigue and mental irritability.
10 – You must bear in mind the control of the waistband when you execute the Pranayama techniques.
11 – Be careful not to force while breathing in, in retention, or expiration, as this produces great mental instability.
11 – The pace of pranayama techniques should be developed gradually.
12 – Take into account that for the practice of Pranayama, the intestines and the bladder should be clean and empty in order to make an easier execution of the Bandhas.
13 – You should ideally practiced with an empty stomach. But if you have much difficulty doing so, take a cup of infusion tea . After a full meal, you should wait at least 3h to practice Pranayama. For this reason, the best time to practice is in the morning.
14 – If possible, take a shower before the practice, otherwise you should only bathe ½ hour after your practice of Pranayama.
15 – For a consistent and continuous practice of Pranayama, you should follow a careful diet, free of chemically processed products, substantially reducing all animal products and genetically modified, primarily using wholegrain cereals, organic vegetables, fruit in season, proteins with vegetable origin and Ghee.
16 – Note that for the practice of Pranayama, as well as to the general practice of Yoga, all substances that produce altered consciousness should be avoided: all kinds of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and stimulating drinks.
17 – Suitable asanas for Pranayama techniques are:
– Siddhásana
– Padmásana
– Samanásana
– Virásana
If you want to start your Pranayama practice, you can use the Ujjayi technique mentioned in a previous article, execute this technique on one of the above postures, for 5 to 10 min ..
This will allow you to become aware of your breathing amplitude, and appropriate pace to your physical, mental and emotional condition.