Ujjayi Pranayama - Yoga Breathing Exercise to Relax

In this practice

Key teachings

• Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breathing)
• Control of breath through glottis constriction
• Stimulation of the vagus nerve for relaxation
• Pranayama principles (breath retention, nostril breathing)

Ideal for

• Beginners to pranayama
• Individuals seeking stress relief and relaxation
• Yoga practitioners looking to deepen their breathwork
• Anyone interested in vagal nerve stimulation for calming

Lesson

Instructions

Ujjayi is a practice used in most yoga asana classes, but it's also used in many pranayama practices as well. In this video, you'll learn Ujjayi Pranayama as a seated breathing exercise, a Whiskey Category 4:4:4 practice.

Inhale both nostrils 1-2-3-4 lock your chin and hold 1-2-3-4 Exhale left nostril 4-3-2-1

REPEAT for a total of 10 rounds (inhale+exhale = 1 round)

NOTE ON SOUND: in the video, the mic is almost touching my throat so the sound seems much louder than it is. Your sound should be just slightly audible for you to hear.

QUICK LINKS 00:00 Ujjayi Pranayama - Breathing Exercise 00:14 Svatmarama's Yoga Pradipika 00:24 Pranayama Mudra 00:50 How to Make Ocean Breath Sound 01:47 Jalandhara Bandha aka Chin Lock 02:56 How to Practice 4:4:4 Ujjayi Pranayama 03:30 Guided Practice Demo

DARTH VADER BREATHING?

Have you ever wondered why everyone in yoga breathes like Darth Vader? That technique is called Ujjayi Breathing which means victorious breathing in Sanskrit. The slang term is Ocean Breath or Whisper Breath, and it is created by slightly constricting the back of your throat, your glottis, as you breathe in and out through your nose.

Ujjayi Breathing has two main purposes.

(1) CONTROL. Firstly, it gives you much more control over the breath. In the same way a nozzle on a garden hose allows you to focus the water flow, that throat constriction allows you to focus and control the breath.

(2) VAGUS NERVE. The second reason we make this whisper sound is to stimulate your vagus nerve. Your 10th cranial nerve, the vagus, is largely responsible for your parasympathetic response and when stimulated by breathing, humming, or singing, it has self-soothing effect.

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Steps

• Ujjayi Pranayama in a seated position
• 4:4:4 breathing ratio (inhale:hold:exhale)
• Jalandhara Bandha (Chin Lock)
• Controlled exhalation through the left nostril

Benefits

• Promotes deep relaxation and self-soothing
• Calms the nervous system (parasympathetic response)
• Enhances breath control and awareness
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Improves focus and mental clarity