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Breathing for Inner Peace

When you are feeling irritated, upset, or frustrated, the yogic breathing technique known as Ujjayi will help calm your mind and body. Commonly translated as “victorious breath,” Ujjayi centers your mind and has a balancing influence on the entire cardiorespiratory system.

Here is how to perform Ujjayi breath:

Take an inhalation that is slightly deeper than normal. With your mouth closed, exhale through your nose while constricting your throat muscles. (If you are doing this correctly, you should sound like Darth Vader from the movie Star Wars, though perhaps less ominous.)

Another way to get the hang of this practice is to try exhaling the sound “haaah” with your mouth open. Now make a similar sound with your mouth closed, feeling the outflow of air through your nasal passages. Once you have mastered this on the outflow, use the same method for the inflow breath, gently constricting your throat as you inhale.

Try shifting into Ujjayi breath whenever you find yourself becoming aggravated or stressed, and you should notice a prompt soothing effect. We also recommend using Ujjayi while performing your yoga poses to help you stay focused as you flow from one posture to the next.

Ujjayi is also useful when you’re doing aerobic exercise such as running or cycling. In fact, some Olympic-level athletes have introduced Ujjayi into their training routines to improve their respiratory efficiency. Experiment with this breath technique when you are working out and see if it reduces wear and tear on your body.