Sitting
- Sit on a steady chair (preferably not on wheels) where your feet are comfortably placed on the floor.
- When your feet are on the floor there should be a 90 degree angle between your thighs and your abdomen.
- Sit on the edge of the chair, not leaning back, so that you are supporting your spine and not the back of the chair.
- Sit with a straight spine.
Article about sitting positions
Ujjayi Breathing
- Lips sealed, breathe through your nostrils on both inhales and exhales.
- Ujjayi sound comes from a constriction in the throat, not from forceful breathing through the nostrils.
- Place your attention on the throat where the sound of ujjayi originates.
- Aspire to a smooth and steady ujjayi sound.
Article about Ujjayi breathing
Counting Breaths
- Use your left hand to count breaths.
- Move the thumb at the beginning of every inhale.
Practice
- Observe natural breathing before a sequence of ujjayi breaths.
- Observe natural breathing after a sequence of ujjayi breaths.
- Transition from natural breathing to ujjayi on the exhale.
Practice development:
- 3 x 4 breaths
- 3 x 6 breaths
- 3 x 8 breaths