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Prāṇāyāma · Beginners
Pranayama for Beginners
प्राणायाम · आरम्भ
Most adults breathe shallowly, through the mouth, into the top of the chest. This course rebuilds the breath from the diaphragm up — carefully, and in the right order.
"Prāṇāyāma is not deep breathing. It is the education of the breath."
The Course
Where this begins
The breath is the one autonomic function you can take hold of directly, which is why the tradition treats it as the bridge between body and mind. It is also why prāṇāyāma is the practice most often done badly — forced, rushed, or begun with retentions that the nervous system is not ready for.
We start where the classical texts start: with the mechanics. Diaphragm, ribs, the full three-part breath, then the balancing practices, and only at the end the gentlest introduction to retention. Nothing is strained, and nothing is hurried.
This Is For You If
- You get short of breath more easily than you used to
- You want a tool for anxiety that works in the moment
- You practise āsana but the breath is an afterthought
- You have read about prāṇāyāma and want to be taught it properly
What You Practise
Six things, learned properly
Diaphragmatic breathing
Re-learning to breathe from the belly rather than the shoulders. Everything else rests on this.
The three-part breath
Dīrgha prāṇāyāma — abdomen, ribs, upper chest, filled and emptied in sequence.
Ujjāyī
The soft-throated breath used throughout āsana practice, and how to do it without straining.
Nāḍī śodhana
Alternate-nostril breathing — the balancing practice, taught without retention at this stage.
Bhrāmarī
The humming breath, which settles an agitated mind faster than almost anything else.
Ratio and counting
Even and extended-exhale ratios, and the first careful introduction to a short pause.
A Session
How the time is spent
Sessions follow the same shape each week, so that attention goes to the practice rather than to wondering what comes next.
10 min
Sitting and observing the breath as it is
15 min
Mechanics — ribs, diaphragm, posture
25 min
The week's practice, taught and repeated
10 min
Short seated meditation
10 min
Questions and home practice
What you need
Before your first session
- No experience required
- An empty stomach — four hours after a full meal
- Ten minutes daily at home; consistency beats duration
- Tell us about asthma, blood pressure or heart conditions
- Never force the breath — this is repeated for good reason
- Best practised in the morning, before the day starts
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is prāṇāyāma safe if I have asthma?
The gentle practices are usually helpful and are widely taught to people with asthma. Tell your teacher before the first class, keep your inhaler with you, and we will leave out the forceful practices.
Why can I not start with breath retention?
Because kumbhaka on an untrained breath tends to produce agitation, headaches and raised blood pressure rather than calm. The classical sequence puts it last, and there is no shortcut worth taking.
Do I need to practise āsana as well?
It is not required, though it helps — sitting upright for twenty minutes is easier with some physical practice behind it. Many students take this course alongside beginners' yoga.
Not sure pranayama is the right place to start?
That’s a fair question — plenty of people aren’t sure whether pranayama, yoga or meditation is the better first step. Read how to choose your first practice to work out which one fits where you are right now.
Curious what comes after the beginner course?
See what to expect in a pranayama class, from first breath to kumbhaka for how the beginner and advanced stages fit together, including kumbhaka and the bandhas.
When you are ready
Begin where you are
Once the three-part breath is effortless, the advanced course introduces kumbhaka, bandha and the heating and cooling practices.