Breathing Cycle

The breathing cycle refers to the duration of a complete breath.

Breathing consists of four phases:

• Inhalation – Puraka
• Retention – Antara Kumbhaka
• Exhalation – Rechaka
• Pause (Hold) – Bahya Kumbhaka

In everyday life, we usually breathe at a rate of 15–20 breaths per minute, meaning each breath lasts 3–4 seconds.

Yoga Asana Breathing Practice

For beginners during asana practice:

• Inhalation = 5 seconds
• Exhalation = 5 seconds

This equals 1 breath = 10 seconds, or 6 breaths per minute.

Beginning Pranayama Practice

• Inhalation = 10 seconds
• Exhalation = 10 seconds

This totals 1 breath = 20 seconds, or 3 breaths per minute.

Advanced Pranayama Practice

• Inhalation (Puraka) = 20 seconds
• Retention (Antara Kumbhaka) = 10 seconds
• Exhalation (Rechaka) = 25 seconds
• Pause (Bahya Kumbhaka) = 5 seconds

This totals 1 breath = 60 seconds, or 1 breath per minute.

Benefits of Extending the Breathing Duration

Increasing breath duration enhances control over breathing and yields various benefits:

• Increases Prana.
• Improves oxygen release from blood to tissues and absorption by cells.
• Enhances mental focus and concentration.
• Regulates the autonomic nervous system, positively influencing physiology.

Guidelines for Increasing Breath Duration

• Approach the practice systematically.
• Avoid competition; it should be non-competitive.
• Practice gently, without force.
• Progress gradually over time.

Exercise: Measuring Your Breathing Cycle

1. Time the duration of 12 breaths, taking the deepest possible inhalations and exhalations.
2. Start the timer at the beginning of the first inhalation and stop it at the end of the last exhalation.
3. Calculate the total duration in seconds.

Example:

• If the timer reads 3:36, convert minutes to seconds:
  $3\text{minutes}=180\text{seconds}+36=216\text{seconds}$.
• Divide by 12:
  $216÷12=18$.

The average duration of one breath cycle is 18 seconds.

This is your reference point when practicing Pranayama techniques.

Adjusting Your Practice Based on the Breathing Cycle

All techniques, especially those involving retention, should be performed for durations equal to or shorter than your measured B.C.

Breath duration can fluctuate daily by ±5 seconds due to various factors.

Important Note:

If you notice a significant change (greater than 10 seconds) without a clear reason, it could indicate an issue—pay attention!