When the first Yogi practiced pranayama (Yoga breathing) to silence the mind, the results must have seemed magical. At times, calming the mind seems to be a miracle. The mind chatters so much during the course of a day, by creating waves of random and senseless thoughts. Thank heaven for Yogic breathing techniques, which manage to connect the mind and body in complete harmony, and enable us to silence, focus, and calm the mind, in the process.

In the time spent living our day-to-day lives, we all have stress that we must deal with in a rational way. The way we deal with our stress triggers can have a profound impact on our lives. Chronic stress has negative effects on the body, such as high blood pressure, so it must be dealt with in a healthy way. Whether we incorporate pranayama into daily activities, or we practice them during a Yoga session, they can be powerful tools for quieting the mind’s worries and reducing one’s stress levels.

Pranayama Ratio for Rhythm Breathing

One breathing technique many Yoga enthusiasts practice is called, “rhythm breathing.” This is a way to focus on your inhale and exhale ratio. It is a great method for clearing the mind and energizing the body. To perform this exercise, sit or stand, in any comfortable position you choose. Find the rhythm of your natural breathing ratio. This may take some time, and it must be realized that your natural ratio may not be found in a book, because it is unique to your body and mind.

The typical ratio Yoga practitioners are taught to target is one part inhalation to two parts exhalation (1:2). What if you discover you naturally inhale for four seconds and exhale for five seconds (4:5)? Should you stress out over making your breath match a “cookie cutter” ratio? The short answer is: “Absolutely not.” No worries – just enjoy your breath, as if you were a child in a candy store. If you decide you want to lengthen your inhale, just quietly practice Ujjayi on the exhale. Suddenly, your exhale increases to seconds, or many seconds, longer. You can do this form of pranayama any time or during any stressful situation. Try to do this in the morning, and night, to prepare yourself for the stresses of the day, or relieve them from your mind before sleep. » Read more: Yoga Breathing to Silence the Mind

Yoga is an established system in comparison to many of the other healing systems from a historical perspective. Yet, most healing systems often end up addressing the exact same issues. Yet, the biggest difference is terminology within the specific healing system, and we are attached to words. There is a belief in some psychological circles, which indicates the more often a thought is fired in the brain, the easier and more likely it is to fire again. It seems logical to believe this is the root of repetitive or negative thoughts. Negative thought patterns are reinforced every time they are allowed to fire. Scientists now believe they know why this happens. Every time a thought pattern is fired in the brain, a neural pathway is created. These neural pathways are tangible and physical paths in the brain that neurons follow.

Imagine every thought as a path cut through the wilderness. The one time thought results in what is basically a deer path. There is evidence that something once walked that way, but it’s certainly not easy going. The occasional thought results in an overgrown and uneven trail, easier than the deer path, but still a difficult way to walk. The everyday, common, and repetitive thoughts, become a well worn walking trail that have been beaten down to a smooth and easy path, where weeds will not grow. So, this is the source of the reason why there is more of the same behavior, and it manifests itself from the thought patterns (paths) of the mind.

This line of thinking runs parallel to past and present Yogic philosophy. In Yoga, these pathways are called “samskara.” They are all the latent impressions, thoughts, feelings, and patterns contained within an individual’s mind. In the case of samskara, there might be a difference between Yoga and modern psychology in the way these patterns are treated. In psychology, a conscious attempt to change these patterns is usually made. There are many approaches to changing patterns within the mind, and many of them work very well. In simplistic terms: It is a matter of reprogramming the mind toward positive thoughts. » Read more: The Psychological Benefits of Yoga