Pranayama

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Pranayama is the practice of breath regulation. In Sanskrit, “prana” means life energy and “yama” means control. The practice of pranayama involves breathing exercises and patterns.

Our Pranayama classes are suitable for beginner students. Ideally, students will have at least 3 months prior experience with Iyengar Yoga before starting the classes. The classes are also relevant for experienced students that attend regular yoga classes, who don’t tend to include Pranayama into their yoga practice.

Pranayama is practiced in both a supine and seated position and we will start the course by introducing the props required to get the body in the correct position for Pranayama and observing the breath. Since we are working with the breath, we want the chest to be open so there is space for the lungs to expand. Basic props that you have available at home can be used to achieve this.

Pranayama has stages including inhalation, exhalation and retention. There are many forms of Pranayama which include variations in each of these stages. In the earlier classes that we have in the Content Library, we started with the observation of the normal breath and then we progressively move onto the many variations as students are ready to progress.

  • What are the benefits?

    Benefits of a regular Pranayama practice include:

    • Decreases stress.

    • Improves sleep quality.

    • Increases mindfulness.

    • Reduces high blood pressure.

    • Improves lung function.

    • Calms the nervous system.

  • Is much space needed?

    Very little space is required to practice Pranayama:

    • You need just enough space to be comfortable in a seated and supine position without touching other objects.

    • Support is often required for Pranayama so it can be practiced with comfort and an open chest. Options include a bolster / cushions / pillows; and blankets / towels.

  • How often to practice?

    Once per week is enough to start with.

    If the scheduled class time does not work for you, all of the classes are recorded and made available in our Content Library in PunchPass. This will enable you to do the classes at a time that is suitable for you and importantly allow you to replay classes if additional practice is needed.

  • Can beginners join?

    Classes are taught by Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher Simon Joannou, who has completed extensive study with some of the worlds most experienced teachers and who has been practicing and teaching Pranayama for many years.

    Students will start with the basics including the props required for Pranayama and we will guide you gently through the many forms of Pranayama as students gain experience and are ready to progress.

We have a Pranayama Membership which is just AUD10 per week, which is less than than half the price of one casual class at most studios. Please Included in this price is one live online class with Simon Joannou on Thursday mornings at 6.45am AEST/AEDT. This class is recorded every week and is made available in our Content Library.

Our Content Library has over 100 recorded Pranayama classes taught by Simon Joannou and Stephanie Quirk, which are also included in our membership. You can play back these classes at any time that is suitable for you.

The terms and conditions of our online memberships can be found using this link.

If you need any further details, please email us at online@marrickvilleyoga.com.au.

“Pranayama teaches the aspirant to regulate his breathing and thereby control the mind”

— B.K.S. Iyengar