OCEAN (UJJAYI) BREATH: FINDING YOUR FLOW

Looking to simultaneously relax and energise your mind and body? Here Jenny introduces you to Ujjayi pranayama. This beautiful breathing technique, is commonly referred to as the ‘ocean breath’.

Ujjayi (pronounced oo-jai -I need to work on my pronunciation!) is commonly translated as “victorious breath,” and has been used for thousands of years to enhance yoga practice. You have probably heard me mention it as we start class sometimes, as its a super amazing way of building a little warmth through the body. It’s a beautiful way to help maintain a rhythm too as we move through our flows. It has a balancing influence on the entire cardiorespiratory system, releases feelings of irritation and frustration, and helps calm the mind and body. I thought I would list just some of the other benefits below.

• Increases the amount of oxygen in the blood

• Builds internal body heat

• Relieves tension

• Regulates blood pressure

• Builds energy

• Detoxifies mind and body

• Increases feelings of presence, self-awareness, and meditative qualities

Gently pulling the breath in on inhalation and gently pushing the breath out on exhalation against this resistance creates a really soothing sound—like the sound of ocean waves rolling in and out on the beach.

Throughout your practice, try to maintain the length and smoothness of the breath as much as possible. Remember the key to this breath is relaxation, too much effort can create a grasping sound, so take your time, go slow and enjoy the beauty of this breath.

This simple breathing technique is one of the best!

Have a go + flow:

Follow-along with Jenny with this short breath work session. Let the sounds and sensations of your breathing gently wash over you. Use this breath whenever you need to throughout your day.