“When the breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the breath is still, so is the mind still.” Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Breathing – vital energy for body and mind

Breath is life. We could survive for days without food or water. But without oxygen we would die within minutes. It is truly astonishing how little attention we pay to the importance of proper breathing in daily life. 

Yoga – let the energy flow 

The essence of all yoga exercises is the flow of life energy, called prana in Sanskrit. Prana is the subtle energy that vitalises both body and mind. Different types of pranayamas (breathing exercises) cause the prana to flow and thus revitalise the whole nervous system. 

Yoga – control over the breath and the mind 

Yoga breathing exercises teach us how to control the breath – and with it the mind. The two are always interconnected, as the following example clearly shows: when you are scared or angry, your breathing is shallow, fast and irregular, but when you are relaxed or focused, your breathing slows down. So by regulating our breathing, we increase our uptake of oxygen and vital energy (prana) and also boost our power of concentration. Concentration is in turn the prerequisite for meditation – the practice of which leads to deep inner peace.