Visamavritti Pranayama - Box Breath with Extended Exhale
A Pranayama Practice
Here is the audio to follow for the pranayama practice - feel free to download and use it whenever you need it.
Hello and welcome to Cultivating Chill.
My name is Vikki Velasquez and today, we will practice visamavritti (visem-vritti) pranayama, which is when the breath ratios are different in one or more of the four breath phases.
Experimenting with breath ratios, we’re going to revisit the box breath, but this time, with an extended exhale and followed by a much shorter breath retention.
Breathing with an extended exhale will work towards strengthening our vagal tone and makes us more resilient to stress.
This practice will consist of the inhale and first breath hold as a count of four while the exhale is for a count of six, and then the final breath hold is for a count of two.
We will breathe for a cycle of 12.
Practice will last about 3 to 4 minutes.
Before we begin – Please note - If you are experiencing a shortness of breath or experience chronic breathing disorders, please do not participate in the practice but feel free to observe. Also, if at any time you feel overwhelmed or short of breath, let go of pranayama and let your breath breathe itself.
I invite you to sit up tall in a comfortable seat, either in a chair or cross-legged on the floor, maybe with your back against a wall for extra support.
Let’s take a moment to align the body. Ears should be floating over your shoulders, shoulders are over hips.
Your hands can rest in your lap or on your thighs. Palms can be up or down. If your palms are up, you are open to receiving energy. If your palms are down, you are conserving energy. Whichever you prefer.
I invite you to gently close your eyes.
Take a big revitalizing inhale - Inhale.
Let it go with a cleansing exhale - Exhale.
Just feel your natural breath for a moment, the feel of the inhale, the feel of the exhale.
Let’s begin by taking a breath to align with one another. Inhale–exhale.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Inhale–1, 2, 3, 4. Hold–4, 3, 2, 1. Exhale–1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold–2, 1.
Release your pranayama–let the breath breathe itself.
Silent count of three inhales and exhales.
If your eyes are closed, whenever you are ready, feel free to gently open your eyes.
Let’s bring our hands to a prayer position, hands to heart center.
The light in me honors the light in you. Namaste.
Cultivating Chill hopes you found the information and breathing practices informative and helpful. If you have any questions or want to share anything, please feel free to leave a comment.
Bibliography
1 - Desikachar, T.K.V. The Heart of Yoga, 67. Inner Traditions International, 1995.
2- Nestor, James. Breathe: The New Science of a Lost Art, 229. Riverhead Books, 2020.