प्राणायाम

Classical Prāṇāyāma

Prāṇa control techniques as they appear in the classical Haṭha Yoga texts. Each prāṇāyāma includes its original description, textual sources, and traditional effects.

Foundations

समवृत्ति

Sama Vṛtti

Equal fluctuation breathing

Yoga Sūtra · Bihar School of Yoga

उज्जायी

Ujjāyī

The victorious

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

Simple Techniques

भ्रामरी

Bhrāmarī

The bee

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

शीतली

Śītalī

The cooling one

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

सीत्कारी

Sītkārī

The hissing one

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

Intermediate

नाडीशोधन

Nāḍī Śodhana

Channel purification

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

विलोम प्राणायाम

Viloma Prāṇāyāma

Against the natural flow breathing

B.K.S. Iyengar · Bihar School of Yoga

कपालभाति

Kapālabhāti

Skull shining

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

Advanced

भस्त्रिका

Bhastrikā

The bellows

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

सूर्यभेदन

Sūrya Bhedana

Sun piercing

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

चन्द्रभेदन

Candra Bhedana

Moon piercing

Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā · Śiva Saṃhitā

विषमवृत्ति

Viṣama Vṛtti

Unequal fluctuation breathing

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

Mastery

मूर्च्छा

Mūrcchā

The swoon

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

प्लाविनी

Plāvinī

The floating one

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

केवलकुम्भक

Kevala Kumbhaka

Absolute retention

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

कुम्भक

Kumbhaka

Breath retention

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā · Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā · Yoga Sūtra