Breathe Through Pain

We are pleased to introduce one of our guest bloggers Divya Kohli:
Breathe Through Pain

Yoga is an effective way to release and manage pain. As well as offering asana to strengthen the body, yoga teaches us healing pranayama, or breath practises. How we breathe instantly affects how we feel and manage pain.

Conscious breathing

In yoga, the mind and body unite through the breath. When we experience pain, our breathing tends to be shallow and we often hold the breath without realising it. Slowing down the breath and making it fuller and steadier relaxes the body and calms the mind. The more relaxed the individual is, the less they are affected by pain.

Another result of conscious breathing is its calming effect on the nervous system.  Done regularly, yoga breathing exercises will help diminish tension before it accumulates around the area where pain exists. 

The following pranayama techniques are great for balancing mind and body, and are particularly effective for pain release:

• Ujjayi breathing, which loosely translates as "victory" breathing, is often referred to as the ‘wave breath’ as it sounds and moves like the ebb and flow of tidal waves.
  The practice: Find a comfortable seated posture, or take a supported supine position (lie over a bolster/folded blanket, with your head supported so that it is slightly raised). Close your eyes so you can focus on your breath. Start by taking several long, deep, slow breaths to help relax you. Then, breathing through the nose, constrict the throat muscles slightly (as if you were breathing through a hole in your throat), feeling the air whirl in the back of your throat as you inhale. Regulate and steady the flow of air through your throat as you exhale, making a soft oceanic sound as it passes through your throat region. It’s as if you were saying ‘haa’ but with your mouth closed. Keep the breath steady and soft (not overly projected).  Continue to breath in this way for 2-3 minutes or for as long as you feel comfortable doing it. Then relax in Savasana (Corpse pose).

• Full Yogic breath, often referred to as the three-part sectional breath. The practise: Lie down your back, with your knees bent, palms resting softly on the lower abdomen. Or, take a comfortable seated position keeping the back straight without tension, resting the palms on the abdomen or on the thighs. Steadily breathe in from the belly (feel the belly expand), then into the ribs (feel the side body expand) and into the upper chest (feel the collar bones widen). At the top of the inhale, take a soft, brief pause, before steadily exhaling through the chest, then ribs, and into the lower belly. Exhaling right until you’re empty, then the inhale will naturally follow. Try 3-8 rounds of Full Yogic breathing. 

Both exercises can be done anytime and have no contraindications. Though seeking the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher (who teaches pranayama, not just asana) is always advisable.

Stay well,
Divya.

Divya Kohli has been practising yoga for over 13 years, having completed advance courses in yoga teaching. She teaches a deep practice which is physically and mentally transformational.

Before teaching yoga, Divya worked as a news journalist for many years, giving her experience of the pressures of urban working-life, and the knowledge of how yoga can be used for stress management in the workplace.

Based in North West London, Yoga with Divya runs workshops, retreats and private tuition. Visit www.yogawithdivya.co.uk for more information.