Both Breathwork and Pranayam involve breathing exercises, but they are different in their origin and in benefits and purposes.
Among trending holistic practices, Breathwork has gained momentum in recent years. Breathwork is a combination of intentional breathing techniques. Sounds familiar? If you are familiar with yoga or grew up in India, chances are you are already familiar with ‘Breathwork’ in the form of ‘Pranayam’.
Growing up in India, I was surrounded by yoga enthusiasts, my mother being one. Her ideal day would start with a morning walk followed by a Yoga session that she would put on the TV and practice along. Yoga gurus like Baba Ramdev can be credited for making yoga a part of Indian households. Some of the popular Pranayam techniques are Kapalbhati, Bhastrika and Anulom Vilom.
My first instinct when I learned about Breathwork was to assume that it was some form of Pranayam. But as it turns out, there is a difference between the two. Let us first understand what is Pranayam.
The term has been mentioned in ancient Hindu texts like the Bhagavad Gita and the Rig Veda. The principles and techniques of Pranayam have been mentioned in yogic texts such as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Pranayam is one of the eight limbs of yoga in Patanjali’s system. ‘Prana’ means life force, and ‘yama’ means to regulate. So the term means regulated breathing which activates an invisible life force, the key to practicing Pranayam.
Nadis are a network of channels through which the life force, or Prana moves. Blocked energy channels can affect the mental and physical health of a person. Yogic practices such as Pranayam help clear the blockages and support the free flow of prana. In other words, by practicing Pranayam, you are improving your energy levels.
Correction with abdominal breathing
In discussing the foundations of Pranayam, Greg Capitolo, a Yoga expert and Director of Mission Programs at the Himalayan Institute in Pennsylvania, shares three key points. First is diaphragmatic breathing, which involves breathing through the conscious use of the diaphragm. This is also known as belly breathing or abdominal breathing, which is breathing using the diaphragm to draw air into the lower parts of your lungs and therefore allowing the belly to expand. Over time, we tend to forget this natural breathing style and switch to shallow chest breathing, where the chest and shoulders are mainly involved in the breathing process.
The second point that Capitolo shares is practicing asanas. Yogic postures help prepare the body to engage the abdomen area with breathing. Specific asanas that focus on lengthening the spine and opening up the chest area are beneficial and help sit straight and comfortably. Last but not least, he emphasizes improving one’s lifestyle to get the full benefits of Pranayam. He suggests avoiding the intake of stimulants such as coffee in our diets. He also suggests improving sleep habits.
Building on these foundations, practicing Pranayam can become much more beneficial. Pranayam is not only beneficial for the lungs but also helps improve heart health, and strengthens the digestive and abdominal muscles and organs, improves focus and concentration, calms down the mind and clears toxins.
To learn Pranayam, many resources are available in the form of tutorials, blogs. Or you can join classes at your local yoga studio.
Breathwork systems such as Wim Hof’s Method have been credited with benefits such as stress reduction, improved immunity, improved energy levels, and an improved sense of well-being.
What is Breathwork?
Many cultures besides India have shared the wisdom and the importance of breathing – Tummo breathing from Tibet, and the Qigong breathing method from China. Breathing techniques have also long been intertwined with meditation practices.
In recent years, breathing exercises have become widely popular in the western world with the rising popularity of holistic health approaches such as yoga. Wellness influencers like Andrew Huberman and Wim Hof are both known for popularizing correct breathing methods citing their impact on physical and mental well-being. On social media, videos of people bursting into tears during Breathwork sessions are seen as a testimony to the effectiveness of the method.
Breathwork is the umbrella term for various breathing techniques and methods used to enhance the physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual well-being of a person. Some of the popular breathing techniques include Wim Hof Method, Holotropic Breathwork, Rebirthing Breathwork, Vivation, and Box Breathing. Another term used to describe these techniques is Conscious Connected Breathing or CCB, which has four major components: Conscious connected breathing, Diaphragmatic breathing, Relaxed exhale, and Breathing channel.
While simple breathing techniques can be performed individually on a daily basis, intensive breathing techniques or Breathwork are facilitated by a practitioner. It is advised to consult with a healthcare professional if you have certain medical or psychological conditions before practising intensive Breathwork exercises.
Depending upon the technique, Breathwork has been credited with benefits such as stress reduction, improved immunity, improved energy levels, releasing trauma, and an improved sense of well-being. Not all the benefits have been supported by scientific studies.
There are tons of videos on simpler breathing exercises. For instance, 5-minute breathing breaks or 10-minute daily breathing routines, and other longer guided Breathwork videos. There are also quick breathing exercises that one can do to feel calm and relaxed any time of the day.
In summary, Breathwork and Pranayam are different in that the first is a combination of Breathwork techniques while the latter is a process that may include other aspects (asanas, meditation). While both are beneficial, Pranayam is additionally described as a journey inward. One Yogi describes this as “The intention of pranayam is to antaryatra, that journey inside, that drawing into our center, discovering something about who and what we are on a level past the body and mind.”
Breathwork techniques may have goals similar to Pranayam, or different intentions and purposes. For instance, Holotropic Breathwork is said to improve one’s psychological and spiritual development.
Another obvious difference between the two lies in their origins. While Pranayam comes from Yogic philosophies, Breathwork encompasses a range of breathing methods from diverse cultural and spiritual contexts.
Wim Hof pic courtesy: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/
