Breath of Fire Pranayama

The Practice

1. Start in a seated cross-legged position. Sit up tall.

2. Place your hands on your knees, palms facing upward. You can also place a hand on your belly to feel it rise as you breathe.

3. Inhale through your nose, feeling your belly expand as you do so.

4. Without pausing, exhale forcefully through your nose while contracting your abdominal muscles. Keep your inhales and exhales equal in length. Repeat until you’re comfortable with the pattern.

5. Continue the rhythm, inhaling passively and exhaling forcefully. Repeat several times to practice.

6. Now, speed up the inhales and exhales. Your exhales should be powerful and loud.

7. Repeat for 30 seconds. Over time, you can try doing Breath of Fire for longer.