Students new to yoga often encounter problems in breathing during their asana practice. They may think, “to perfect my asanas, I should learn how to breathe”. That’s in fact NOT the solution.
If you find yourself struggling with your breaths during an asana practice, it is actually an indicator that your body is not in a proper position. Students new to yoga often encounter problems in breathing during their asana practice. They may think, “to perfect my asanas, I should learn how to breathe”. That’s in fact NOT the solution.
How can this be addressed? Through learning the alignment in asanas. Alignment means training the muscles to grip along the bones to bring stability to the joints, that will create space for the internal body. Achieving alignment is not something that can be attained overnight. It comes with a patient and persistent practice.
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali II.49 states that one should practise pranayama AFTER mastering the asana practice. "Prana", to explain simply, means "life force". For this life force to move, it requires space. Hence, for beginners, those returning to the mat after a break, shaping up your body through correct alignment is fundamental and critical.
Feeling puzzled? Next time, feel and compare your breaths before and after an asana class.
