Glossary of Prāṇāyāma & Bandha Practice Techniques
Grouped into Primary, Secondary & Ancillary Techniques
1. Primary Prāṇāyāma Breathing Techniques
Nāḍī Śodhana
– Pūraka Left Nostril
– Recaka Right Nostril
– Pūraka Right Nostril
– Recaka Left Nostril
2. Primary Support Prāṇāyāma Breathing Techniques
Anuloma Ujjāyī
– Pūraka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
– Recaka Alternate Nostrils (Starting with Left)
Viloma Ujjāyī
– Pūraka Alternate Nostrils (Starting with Left)
– Recaka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
Pratiloma Ujjāyī
– Pūraka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
– Recaka Left Nostril
– Pūraka Left Nostril
– Recaka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
– Pūraka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
– Recaka Right Nostril
– Pūraka Right Nostril
– Recaka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
3. Secondary Prāṇāyāma Breathing Techniques
Sūrya Bhedana
– Pūraka Right Nostril
– Recaka Left Nostril
Bhastrikā
– Fast Single Nostril Abdominal Breathing
– Changing Nostril after every Pūraka (Starting with Left)
4. Secondary Support Prāṇāyāma Breathing Techniques
Śītalī
– Pūraka through Mouth with Tubed Tongue whilst Raising Head
– Antar Kumbhaka whilst Lowering Head
– Recaka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
Sītkārī
– Pūraka through Mouth with hissing sound over Tongue
between slightly opened teeth whilst Raising Head
– Antar Kumbhaka whilst Lowering Head
– Recaka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
Candra Bhedana
– Pūraka Left Nostril
– Recaka Right Nostril
Bhrāmarī
– Pūraka and/or Recaka through both Nostrils
with Humming Sound
5. Ancillary Breathing Techniques
Ujjāyī
– Pūraka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
– Recaka both Nostrils with Ujjāyī
(Not taught as a Prāṇāyāma technique per se,
but as a breathing technique in and for Āsana and Mudrā and
as an introductory or preliminary or transitional seated breathing exercise)
Kapālabhāti
– Fast Abdominal Breathing both Nostrils
(Technically a Kriyā so used on its own before or in Āsana, or in Mudrā
or as a seated preliminary technique before Prāṇāyāma
or as an introductory step towards Bhastrikā)
6. Ancillary Support Practice Techniques
Mūrcchā
– Deep Pūraka
– Very Long Recaka
Plāvinī
– Long Antar Kumbhaka
Antar Kumbhaka
– Holding after Pūraka
Bāhya Kumbhaka
– Stopping after Recaka
Samavṛtti
– All components of the Ratio
the same length
Viṣamavṛtti
– Components of the Ratio
not the same length
Anuloma Krama
– Patterns of Antar Kumbhaka
during the Pūraka
Viloma Krama
– Patterns of Bāhya Kumbhaka
during the Recaka
Pratiloma Krama
– Patterns of Antar Kumbhaka and Bāhya Kumbhaka
during the Pūraka and the Recaka
7. Ancillary Bandha Practice Techniques
Jihvā Bandha
– Tongue Curled Upwards and Backwards
Jālandhara Bandha
– Spine held Erect
– Chin Drawn Down and In on Bāhya Kumbhaka
by extending the back of the neck
– Pūraka intensifies the Bandha
Uḍḍīyana Bandha
– After Recaka on Bāhya Kumbhaka
– Abdomen drawn back towards the spine and
as a consequence moved upwards
Mūla Bandha
– After Bāhya Kumbhaka
– Lower Abdomen held in during the Pūraka