An Alison Miller Blog

Many times I hear students asking questions, such as, what is pranayama? How is pranayama distinguished from our regular breathing patterns? What is the best way to breathe? In this blog entry I will address these questions.

Prana - refers to a life force energy. Yama - is the active process of observation. Pranayama is the active process of observing and controlling the breath to create a desired response in the body. Prana - refers to life force energy that exists in all living matter. Have you ever noticed when you are standing next to the ocean sea how the air feels alive? It is actually the ions - the energy particles - that a causing the elating feeling in the body and mind. When we breathe in and out we are also actively taking in and releasing energy.

Pranayama has four parts to it: 1. Inhale 2. Exhale 3. Space at the top of the inhale 4. Space at the bottom of the exhale. Actively controlling these four parts of the breath are what we call a pranayama practice. In regular daily breathing patterns we, typically, do not focus on the space between the inhale and exhale, which are the key parts which distinguisha pranayama practice from regular daily breathing.

One of the best ways to breathe, to cause long term health, is to breathe from the bottom of the belly. Many times, due to habit, we breathe from our chest and miss the opportunity to deliver the most amount of oxygen to our system as possible. Try this now. Place your hands on your belly. As you inhale let your belly expand like a balloon. At the top of your inhale and the beginning of your exhale let the belly begin to deflate. As the belly deflates actively pull the navel towards the a back side of the spine. Do this ten times with the hands on the belly. After you have completed your tenth time remove your hands and now focus on steadying the breath so the length of the inhale matches the exhale. It has been said that the mind follows on the coat tails of the breath. Steady breathe equals a steady mind. Practice is the true teacher. Let your own experience guide you. I recommend starting a breathing practice with the initial aim to breathe from the belly and then focus on aligning the breathe to an even pace. Start this exercise, practicing 5 minutes a day- working up to 15 minutes a day.

Living and practicing yoga in modern times is possible. Here in Maui there are many practitioners of yoga who adhere to the eightfold path. The abundance of nature and wealth of spiritual seekers here on the island creates a wonderful combination for exploration.

Here are the eight limbs of the yoga practice:

Yama [moral codes]
Niyama [self-purification and study]
Asana [posture]
Pranayama [breath control]
Pratyahara [sense control]
Dharana [concentration]
Dhyana [meditation]
Samadhi [contemplation]

The yoga practice functions most optimally with the inclusion of each limb. Like a bicycle, which conists of many parts (wheels, brakes, pedals, handlebars, frame etc.), the yoga practices requires all limbs to create the pathway to enlightenment.

“The Yoga of Letting Go”

Yoga, the eightfold path, embraces mental, emotional and spiritual practices as well as physical movements. Observation of all eight limbs of the yoga path will bring you to heightned levels of understanding and deepened levels of transformation. Today I would like to share with you about one of the Niyamas, personal observations, called Ishvarapranidhana - surrender to the grace and flow of life that connects us to all things. i always love looking to nature to learn about the inner aspects of the yoga practice. The earth demonstrates so beautifully the principles yoga shares. Being a Colorado native, I think of the mountains covered with fall shades of golden yellow, crimson oranges, and amber reds of the quaking aspens. The symbology of the falling leaves really speaks to me—the shedding of old life falling to the ground to be recycled to become one with the earth again. The grace and ease with which the leaves let go and reintegrate with the earth amazes me. Could transition really be this easy? As our careers, relationships, finances, and families go through their natural course of change, could we learn to let go with the same grace and ease as a falling aspen leaf? This article is dedicated to five great tips for learning to let go. When we create mental roots of stability, to hold us in times of transition, we will find an unshakable foundation that we can stand upon for the duration of our lives. Where navigating change in our lives can be as graceful and filled with ease as the aspen leaf in the fall.

Learning to Let Go: The Yoga of Surrender

Awareness
When change occurs, especially unanticipated change, it is important to acknowledge your true feelings. Take a piece of paper and write down how you are feeling about this change. Do you feel excited? Do you feel sad? What do you fear about this change? What do you look forward to with this change?

Let Go of Control
Letting go includes letting go of control. Like the aspen leaf falling to the ground, trust you will be held in change. Believe change is for the better, even when you can’t see how this is possible.

Trust Change
Change is an invitation to build faith. Learn to trust in the natural intelligence of the Universe. Imagine all change is the Universe aiding your highest self in it’s growth. It is not unusual for things to get worse before they get better. We call this a healing crisis. To make room for health the disease will surface more strongly.

Ask Great Questions
Ask yourself: how can this change can be my greatest opportunity ever? Remember, the lens with which you view the world, is created through the eyes of your mind.

Imagine the Outcome
What is the desired outcome you would to see happen? What action steps can you take now towards the fulfillment of this vision? Be patient. Be open. Believe the Universe is benevolent. Change is a natural part of our daily lives. Learning to love change is a crucial key to your optimum health!