Every one has heard that sentence before and right there lays some ancient knowledge about the power of breath. Each time you change your breathing you change your thought patterns and with this your feelings. Any yoga practice includes conscious breathing to help you stay present to your inner experience and prevent your mind to run your life.

The practice of yoga started approximately 5000 years ago and its intent was to yoke/bring together the mind, body and spirit. Many schools of yoga emerged then focusing on different aspects. Patanjali (200/800 AD) was interested in creating a system that embraced all the different forms of yoga. He organized and codified into a system of 195 sutras the different knowledge approaches and philosophies. In this system he describes the eight limbs of yoga, which are essential for a yoga practice.

One of the limbs is called Pranayam, which is the ability to control the movement of Prana through breathing techniques. Prana means life force and Ayam means expansion. Pranayama is energy management. By practicing different breath techniques you develop your Prana and therefore promote your health, vitality and intuition.

There are many breath patterns from many spiritual traditions that create a very specific impact on your being. Do you want to develop your intuition? There is a breath for that. Do you want to reduce your anxiety? There is a breath for that. Do you want to develop your focus? There is a breath for that. In fact there are many breath patterns for the three mentioned above.

Most people breathe too shallow at a rhythm of fourteen times a minute, which does not bring a lot of vitality or stability of the mind. When you breathe eight times per minute you feel more relaxed. If you breathe four times a minute you increase your awareness and if you breathe one time a minute you develop dramatically your intuition.

Your breath gives you a glow. In fact the yogis used to say that your attraction factor is your Prana, therefore your breath. Do you want more glow in your life then come to Miraval and dive into the many practices of yoga you will be glad you did!