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Before reading this blog post, wherever you are, breathe in and breathe out. Concentrate on the inhale where the cool air moves through your nostrils, the chest and belly expands, and then exhale fully. Do this twice more, observing the breath and the sensations that come. Well done, you have just breathed mindfully. Simple huh?

Breathing is something that we all do, all of the time. By bringing our focus onto the breath we can work on being present in the moment.

You can do the following exercise for just a few minutes, or for longer, it’s up to you. During this you may find your mind drifting, this is ok and totally normal (even for seasoned practitioners). When you notice thoughts coming into your mind, gently but firmly bring your attention back to the breath. This practice of breathing mindfully is a great first step for developing a pranayama practice.

Preparation

Sit or lay in a comfortable position. You may close the eyes or keep them open with a soft gaze, you may want to rest your hands on the stomach and help you connect to your breath and feel it in a more physical way.

The Breath

Inhale, notice the feeling of the cool air moving through the nostrils into the lungs. The chest and belly expand at the top of the inhale. Exhale through the nose, the chest and belly contract, navel to spine. Continue the breath, feel what it is really like to breathe. Notice the calming effect it has on the body and the mind, observe the sensations without judgement.

You may find that the mind wanders from time to time - this is normal. Acknowledge the thought, and then come back to the breath - it can help to imagine your thoughts as books: allow yourself to look at the cover, read the title and then consciously put it on the shelf to read later.

Reflect

Once you have finished the exercise, take a few moments to notice how you feel. Enjoy the experience you’ve just had connecting to yourself and your breath, body and the space around you and within you. Know that you can always come back to this practice at anytime and anywhere (even in the queue at the supermarket!).

Next Steps

Take this mindful breath and apply it throughout your yoga practice, keep focused on the breath for the duration and observe how it affects your practice.

Tried it? Let us know how you get on. You can share your experience on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook using #camyogis

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We are often told during class how important the breath is in yoga, and will usually practice pranayama exercises during class especially at the beginning and end. But what is pranayama and why do we do it?

During this series of blog posts we will be exploring the most commonly practiced pranayama (breathing) exercises - the ones that are most likely to pop-up in your classes. We will discover how, what and why, contraindications and benefits of these practices.

Prana = Life force/Energy

Yama = Regulate/Lengthen

Prana translates into “life force energy” and Yama translates into “control or mastery of.” Thus, Pranayama is used to control, cultivate, and modify the Prana in the body.

Prana is taken in through the air we breathe, and since the pranayama exercises increase the amount of air we take in, they also increase our intake of Prana.

Look out for the series of blog posts coming soon. Let us know if there is a particular pranayama practice that you’d like us to cover.

Note: When learning new breathing techniques, it is common for people to feel light headed or dizzy. If this happens, stop for a few moments and then resume. After your body becomes accustomed to the change in flow of oxygen, the dizziness will no longer occur.

We are all very fortunate to live in a world where yoga is immensely popular, in fact increasingly so, but to the beginner it's hard to know where to start when there are so many forms, styles and lineages to choose from. Our brand new Focus on: guides are designed to help you to choose the style of yoga that is right for you. We hope you find them both interesting and informative! First up, Yoga Flow...

Yoga Flow (also known as 'vinyasa flow') is an elegant, dynamic style of yoga, derived from Ashtanga Yoga, which emphasises the synchronisation of mind, body and breath. In fact, the Sanskrit word for 'vinyasa' is often translated as "connection". Intelligent and creative sequencing will lead you safely towards a different 'peak' posture every time. Pace varies from teacher to teacher but expect to work hard and get hot, using ujjayi breath ("ocean breathing" - inhaling and exhaling through the nose, creating a rasping sound in the throat) to support your practice.

The term 'vinyasa' is also used to describe the sequence of poses that are performed between Downward Facing Dogs as part of a Sun Salutation sequence.

Yoga Flow classes typically involve repetitions of Sun Salutations, with Downward Facing Dog used as a resting pose throughout the class. Most teachers will offer a variety of levels to suit different bodies and abilities, encouraging those who feel tired or pushed beyond their limits to rest in Child's Pose. Due to the fast pace of most Yoga Flow classes, they aren't recommended for beginners. Make sure that you have a few months of yoga under your belt first, along with a reasonable level of fitness.

Click here to view our class schedule.

GREAT FOR: strength, fitness, weight loss, energising, flexibility

Breathe Well: An Introduction

"Imagine owning the most high specification TV in existence, keeping it plugged in on standby and then living with it for years and years without ever actually turning it on. Sadly most of us live in 'standby mode' most of the time." - Alan Dolan, Breathguru.com

Anyone who has attended a class at Camyoga will be aware of the importance of breathing well - it's a concept which is common to all styles of yoga. The term we use to describe breath control - pranayama  -  translates literally as "life force extension". I think you'll agree that's no small claim!

The power of the breath, however, should not be underestimated. The simple act of infusing our bodies with oxygen has the ability to transform the way we think, feel and even live. Think about the last time you were nervous, or excited, or worried - did you hold your breath? We often use this mechanism to prevent ourselves from becoming overwhelmed by such powerful feelings. However by restricting our breath in such a way we are actually hindering the very system which has the potential to calm the fluctuations of our minds. When holding our breath in this way becomes habitual, which it often does, we can be more prone to physical illness and mental disturbances such as feeling upset or anxious.

We all know how relaxed we feel after class. It's important to remember that asana alone will not create this sensation of ease - integrating mind, breath and body is the key to unleashing all that yoga has to offer. Here's a short video about the possibilities unleashed by transformational breathing from the world's leading Breath therapist, Alan Dolan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRG8TaOO9Ck