Just Breathe

I went to a workshop this weekend - Yoga for Depression and Anxiety, with Amy Weintraub. Based on the attendance (sold out, with a waiting list), this is a hot topic. She covered a lot of material over the three day workshop, but the basic message is: do yoga every day...and breathe. And not just conscious breathing during your practice (although that is important too). She recommends specific breathing techniques designed to either calm or energize the nervous system. Broadly speaking, she told us to "meet the anxious mood" with more active practices and then gradually move to more calming postures and breathing. For those who struggle to find energy to get on the mat, begin with simple, restorative practices. Start with the simplest stretch or heart-opening breath and build energy slowly, one pose at a time. Only by honoring the mood and working with it are we able to effectively change it.

Much of what she taught came from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika or other traditional texts. She taught some oft-overlooked (at least in my experience) practices, such as Bhastrika and Bee-breath. I've only encountered them with the Art of Living courses and they were among the trauma relief techniques I taught in New Orleans. I found them very powerful, both energizing and calming at the same time. It was nice to revisit these practices and be reminded of how enjoyable they are.

There was a question about the safety of starting these pranayamas without first establishing a solid asana practice. Some of the more energizing techniques can be very powerful and may be disruptive to the nervous system if not practiced properly. My understanding of yoga is that asana comes first (or third, if we're referencing Patanjali) and pranayama second (or fourth). Not just because asana is easier, but because it prepares the body for the more powerful breathing techniques. Also, in my opinion, a steady asana practice indicates sufficient discipline to make a pranayama practice sustainable. It's okay to dabble with asana, but less so with pranayama. On the other hand, I like the idea of empowering people to find techniques that work for them, without rigid prerequisites. Amy didn't give a direct answer to this, but said that yoga practiced without breathing (pranayama) is ultimately not as effective in managing moods, and that people should do what they're comfortable with. I've been taught both ways from different teachers. All things considered, I think I fall on the more conservative side of this one. When I meditate, I do a some Ujjayi and then Sudarshan Kriya and that usually puts me in a pretty good space.

One other note on this topic. An interesting point Amy brought up in response to the safety question was that each of the main students of Krishnamacharya incorporate breath differently in their teaching. Iyengar, who was very young when he studied with K., includes almost no breathwork in his teaching. Pattabhi Jois, who studied with K. later, emphasizes Ujjayi breathing throughout the entire practice. (Not sure what Desikachar's approach is. Anyone?) Srivatsa Ramaswami (who she did not mention, but was a student of Krishamacharya for over thirty years) includes quite a bit of breathing and says that a full 20-30 minutes of his practice with K. consisted of Pranayama. Amy's take on this is basically that whole "yoga for the three stages of life" argument. When you're young, do lots of asana. When you're middle-aged, do some asana, some pranayama. When you're old, do mostly pranayama.


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I had a very distracted practice this morning. I felt like an elephant moving through the sitting poses. I was very, very tempted to stop at Navasana. I looked over at the dog. He wagged his tail. We played for a few minutes and then I returned to the mat with a nice Bhujapindasana. I was able to get my legs higher up on my arms and it made folding forward seem almost possible. I still can't figure out how to keep my ankles crossed and point my toes back. I'm possibly also afraid of falling on my face. The dog joined me again for savasana. He laid down next to me —on his back— but his puppy mind took awhile to calm down.