How to Ujjayi
Ujjayi breath has been described in many similar ways. I have heard it defined as conqueror’s breath, success breath and victorious or victory breath, all synonyms of each other.
Ujjayi breath has a cooling effect on a person’s physiology and emotional energy. If you are irritated or angry, you may find that a few minutes of Ujjayi breath is all it takes to calm your mind and body. Ujjayi also helps you stay focused. I’ve started using it when studying, writing or performing other attention intensive tasks. I find my retention to be higher and I am able to perform these tasks for longer periods of time before requiring a break. It’s cool.
For yoga, Ujjayi can help you stay focused in your practice. As you flow from one pose to the next, Ujjayi can help you maintain that detached but focused intention so necessary for a good practice. Use your breath to help maintain your intention in your practice.
To perform Ujjayi, constrict your throat and take a slightly deeper than normal breath. Do the same on the exhale. There should not be much effort and you should sound as if you are snoring. Did I forget to mention that you should inhale and exhale through your nose? You should. This is pretty standard in yoga. I have heard Ujjayi breath described by one of my yoga instructors, (and a few other people) as the sound of Darth Vader breathing. It’s all that air trying to get through your slightly constricted throat. If you are concentrating on doing this, or there is a lot of effort in your Ujjayi, then you are trying too hard. Relax. Let the breathing occur naturally. Try to constrict your throat without effort. Relax your shoulders, let your body go and notice how Ujjayi breath cools, uplifts and energizes you.
