The Breath of Yoga: 85 Pranayamas, Kriyas, and Energetic Seals (The Embodied Practice)

Breath is the only bodily function that is both automatic and fully under your conscious control — and yoga has known this for thousands of years.

The Breath of Yoga is a comprehensive guide to pranayama and the science of breath, bridging classical yogic tradition with contemporary understanding of physiology and neuroscience. Whether you are a practitioner deepening your personal practice or a teacher seeking to integrate breathwork as a central pillar of your teaching, this book gives you the knowledge and tools to work with breath at every level.

From the mechanics of respiration to the subtlest dimensions of prana, you will develop a thorough understanding of how breath shapes the body, the nervous system, the mind, and the flow of vital energy.

Inside you will find:

The physiology of breathing and its direct relationship to the nervous system
The five vayus — the directional flows of prana — and how breath activates each one
Foundational and advanced pranayama techniques with step-by-step instructions
The role of kumbhaka (breath retention) and its effects on body and mind
Bandhas as tools for directing and containing breathwork energy
The relationship between breath, meditation, and states of consciousness
Therapeutic applications of pranayama for stress, anxiety, and nervous system regulation
Sequencing breathwork within a complete yoga practice

Part of The Embodied Practice trilogy.