 Namaste, welcome to the 17th session of the course Yog and Positive Psychology for Managing Career and Life. In this session, we are going to look at Pranayams as intervention for positive psychological outcomes and even beyond. As usual, so quick recap, we are studying interventions for managing self and career according to their location or we can say primary location in the 5 Koshas, Panch Koshas, we looked at Ahar and Asanas as intervention primarily located at Annamayakosh. And in today's session, we are going to extend our discussion from the last session about Pranayam as interventions at Pranamayakosh level. We also know that all these Koshas are inter corrected with each other and intervention at one Kosh influences other Koshas as well. In the last class, if you can recall, we discussed about Pranavayu, Nadi system, Chakras. We also looked at the classification of Pranayam practices in the form of conscious breathing, primary breathing methods and classical Pranayam. As mentioned in the last class, we are extensively referring for these techniques. This book by Swami Niranjanandaji Saraswati. It is published by Bihar School of Yoga in Munger. You can recall that we connected how our breathing is deeply connected with the different parts of the brain and conscious breathing brings activity zone to the prefrontal level from the limbic and the reptilian brain structures. And this conscious breathing eventually helps us in being more alert, more aware and also help us to take more informed and conscious decisions on a moment to moment basis. Let us start today's session by looking at what Patanjali Yoga Sutra says about Pranayam. This is mentioned primarily in the first chapter and second chapter. In the first chapter, it is mentioned as a method of controlling mind. So in the first chapter, Maharshi Patanjali explained what are the different methods of controlling mind, how to do this, what is called Chitrakti Nirodha, which is one of the important aspect of yoga and that is stated in the very beginning of the Yoga Sutra. Amongst various methods, Maharshi Patanjali talks about Pranayam and writes that Tasmin Sati, Tasmin Sati, Swasya Prashasaya, Gati Vichheda, Pranayamah. Kind of a definition that controlling the motion of exhalation and the inhalation once this is accomplished. So once asanas are accomplished, the second step is controlling the motion of exhalation and inhalation and that is called Pranayam. In the very next sutra, Maharshi Patanjali gave the classification of Pranayam, different types. So Bhāhe, Bhāntara, Sthambhavratthi, Deshikāra, Sankhābhi, Paridreshtaha, Dīrga, Sukshmata. So Pranayam has either external or internal or motionless modifications. They are to be regulated by the place, time and number and they can also be either long or short. So this is some insight about the variety of the methods possible under the intervention or under the upang of Pranayam. He also talks about the fourth Pranayam which is transcendental in nature Bhāhe, Abhyāntara, Vishayāpekshi, Chaturtha. Fourth Pranayam is restraining the Prana, directing it either to the external or internal objects. Once that happens, the covering over the inner light is removed, Tattah chi yate avaranam. So when we reach at the fourth level of Pranayam, veil of ignorance is removed. That is these are the four main sutras where Pranayam is directly mentioned in the Patanjali Yoga Sutra. Our focus of discussion is mainly about well-being and managing career. So we are not going to have much discussion on the transcendental aspect of Pranayam nonetheless. This is very, very important aspect and according to some yogis, this is the ultimate object transcending the individual identity and being connected with the universal identity, constant integrated awareness or consciousness that is the ultimate objective, Kaivali is the ultimate objective. But in these sessions, we are not talking about these transcendental objectives, we are primarily focusing on well-being and managing career. So our discussion about the Pranayam will also follow that scope. So first conscious breathing we discussed in the previous session. In today's session, we are going to start our conversation about techniques of Pranayam with the abdominal breathing. Let us look at the benefits and what are the processes of abdominal breathing. You might recall that we discussed about three types of breathing and abdominal breathing was the first one we discussed. Abdominal breathing helps to relax any mental tension. It promotes parasympathetic cardiovascular dominance. You all remember that sympathetic and parasympathetic two aspects of nervous system, parasympathetic is more related to fight, flight or fright whereas parasympathetic comes down our system. So the abdominal breathing helps in promoting the parasympathetic nervous system. It exerts full form bottom of lungs then from sides. So it ensures that bottom of the lung fully filled. So the fresh air also moves to these lobes otherwise and mostly if we are breathing not consciously then many parts of the lower lobes are not able to get enough oxygen. So abdominal breathing helps in achieving that. Due to the large or due to the greater blood flow in the lower lungs due to the gravitational forces increases the efficiency of the gas exchange. There is a additional benefit of having more air and as a result more oxygen in the lower lobes of the lungs because that result into better gas exchange on the surface. Base of the lungs and heart are attached to the upper surface of diaphragm. Liver, spleen, stomach and pancreas lie immediately beneath the diaphragm and are attached to the lower surface. Increased diaphragmatic moments improves the blood circulation in these organs as well. So this is additional benefit of abdominal breathing. This helps to drain the sub diaphragmatic lymphatic system and we know that lymphatic system is also deeply connected to the disease resistance mechanism of the body. There is a cycle it leads to something then further leads to something and that creates a virtuous cycle by the diaphragmatic breathing. A wide amplitude of diaphragm movement slows the whole process that result into deep breathing and that result into release of endorphins. So this is one virtuous cycle. Then the narrow range of the moment result in shallow and rapid respiration that is a vicious cycle. If we keep breathing unconsciously generally those breaths are shorter, shallower and that result into inverse of these benefits. Another cycle is which is virtuous in nature, relaxed thoughts which is the result of the deep breathing, they allow muscle relaxations and relaxed breathing also calm down the mind. So these are the virtuous cycles created or initiated by diaphragmic breathing. Let us look at the technique of the natural diaphragmatic breathing. Lie in savashan, relax the whole body, allow the breath to become spontaneous, regular and even, take focus to diaphragm and visualize it as a sheet of muscle beneath the lungs. While breathing in, breathe is being drawn into the lungs. While breathing out, diaphragm relaxes pushing air out of the lung. So continue this process, continue this natural abdominal breathing for some time without any resistance, place right hand on abdomen above navel and left hand over center of the chest. So that is the next step. While breathing, you will feel your right hand moving up with inhalation and right hand you feel moving down with the exhalation. Please remember that there should not be any tension in that domain. Your left hand should not move with breath which is on the chest. Try to feel the expansion and contraction of the lungs. Continue for few minutes, feel that only diaphragm is moving with the breathing process. So this is the utilization of or employing our power of awareness. So that is the process of abdominal breathing. There are lot of YouTube videos and one video is there following exactly the same process in the application of the Bihar School of U. You can refer that and these are useful applications for taking you through these practices in a step by step manner. Next conscious breathing we are going to discuss is called yogic breathing. The practice of yogic breathing enables one to experience the complete range of each breathing mode. You might remember abdominal, thoracic and clavicular breathing. These are the 3 types of breathing we discussed in the previous session. Yogic breathing enables yogic breathing is about breathing all 3 aspects, all 3 ways. This process increases the ventilation and all lobes are expanded, all lobes of the lungs are expanded and this bestows the benefit of fully controlled breathing. It does not mean that we should be doing yogic breathing all the time, we should allocate some time and those time durations are given in the protocol. But doing this for some time gives us control on all aspect of breathing and what happens when we have control over breathing? We naturally have control over mental processes as well when we have more control on the different aspects of breathing. So, let us look at what is the technique of yogic breathing? It starts with the same process lying down in subversion, relaxing and consciously relaxing the whole body, inhales slowly from diaphragm and allowing diaphragm to expand fully that is the first step. Then breath slowly and deeply so that no sound is heard, so we need to be conscious of it. At the end inhale little more and feel air filling upper lobes of the lungs. So, here we are consciously filling up upper lobes of lungs as well which is which makes it different from the abdominal breathing. This completes the one inhalation. So, one inhalation meaning first filling up the diaphragmic portion of the our thorax through inhalation and then little more inhalation focusing on the upper lobes of the lungs. Now, start to exhale allow first chest to relax downward and then inward. After relaxing chest allow diaphragm to move back into the chest, empty lungs by pulling abdominal wall down towards spine. This completes one round of yogic breathing at least 10 rounds must be done in the beginning and this whole process can be extended to 10 minutes daily after mastering this technique.