8 Limbs of Yoga - Pranayama

Pranayama changed my relationship with presence. I’ve learned it’s far beyond the textbook definition of “breathing practices”. Years ago, Padma offered me a simple practice: take a full breath cycle before I speak. Practicing this brought me into the moment and regulated my nervous system in a way nothing else had. I saw my tendency to overthink or analyze and learned that when I ground myself in my breath, what's needed is already there.

This became even clearer when I lost my voice physically. For years I repeated a pattern of my voice disappearing, unable to speak sometimes for weeks a time. How could I teach at school or lead a yoga class? Yet Padma challenged me that instead of seeing myself as a victim, that I teach anyway. What I discovered was that my voice isn’t something that ears can hear but comes from somewhere much deeper. That's when I understood that pranayama teaches us to be truly present to life, not just to our breath. When we stop fighting what's happening and let our life force flow freely, we feel vibrant and alive.

Warmly,

Black Belt Circle of Rasa Yoga

Padmasri Durga 🥋 Denise Ngo