Anyone who wants to practise pranayama should begin with Anulom Vilom, then Nadi Shodhana. Nadi Shodhana, the purification of the energy channels (nadis), is the basis of every other pranayama: the better it is practised, the better all the others will be. It brings the mind calm and alert, steadies body and mind, and deepens concentration, meditation and samadhi.
When prana moves, the mind moves. When prana is still, the mind is still. By this the yogi attains steadiness: so he should restrain the breath.Bhagavad Gita 4.29: “Others offer the outgoing breath into the incoming and the incoming into the outgoing; restraining both, they are devoted to the control of the breath.”
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (2.44) names eight kumbhakas: Learn retention (kumbhaka), bandhas and the stronger techniques with a teacher, progressively. Never force the breath.
Draw the air in slowly through the right nostril, hold it as long as comfortable, then breathe out slowly through the left (HYP 2.49).
Mouth closed, inhale slowly through both nostrils with a soft sound, feeling the breath from the throat to the heart.
Inhale through the mouth with a hissing sound, hold, and exhale only through the nose.
Roll the tongue, inhale through it, hold, then exhale slowly through both nostrils.
Mouth closed, breathe out through the nose with a slight sound, then breathe in with force, again and again, feeling the breath in the heart, throat and head.
Inhale, then exhale slowly with a deep humming sound, like a bee.
After a slow inhalation, apply Jalandhara bandha firmly and exhale very slowly.
Inhale slowly and fill the abdomen with air, hold without any bandha as long as comfortable, then exhale slowly.
Padadhirasana, the "breath-balancing pose", is practised before pranayama and meditation to balance the flow of breath in the two nostrils. It is also a bhavana practice, a contemplative awareness.
Practise retention four times a day (early morning, midday, evening and midnight), increasing gradually up to eighty rounds in one sitting.
At first there is perspiration, in the middle stage trembling, and in the highest stage complete steadiness.
At the beginning a diet with milk and ghee is recommended; once the practice is established, such restrictions are no longer necessary.
The text insists that pranayama must be practised correctly and progressively: improper practice disturbs the breath and can do harm.
The Gheranda Samhita describes the path: the body is purified by the shatkarmas, made firm by asana, steady by mudra, patient by pratyahara, light by pranayama; the Self is seen in meditation, and freedom comes in samadhi. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika adds that the shatkarmas are first for those who need them; others may not. The shatkarmas are powerful cleansing techniques. Learn them only in person, from a qualified teacher. This guide describes them; it does not teach them for self-practice.
Antar dhauti (vatsara, varisara, agnisara, bahishkrita), danta dhauti, hrid dhauti (vamana, vastra, danda), moola shodhana. The Gheranda Samhita counts 21 forms in all.
Jala basti and sthala basti (pavana basti).
Jala neti and sutra neti (the thread is about 9 inches).
Isolation and rolling of the abdominal muscles.
Fixing the gaze on one point.
Vatakrama, vyutkrama and shitkrama.
For practitioners who want to understand pranayama and the classical cleansing practices from the source texts.
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