hi im new to yoga and want to mainly concentrate on pranayama and my question is this. Which would be more beneficial? to do 6 different breath exersises for 5 minutes each over 30mins total or just do one breath exersise for 30 mins say for a month then move onto the next.
sorry if this sounds a daft question but im new to this
kind regards
boyd 
Boyd,
in answer to your question Pranayama is the fourth limb of Ashtanga Yoga and is translated as control of one’s life force or simply breath control. With this said it may be guessed that Pranayama is a complex and important aspect of yoga. Many teachers of classical yoga suggest that Pranayama should only be practiced with an accomplished guide, however in our modern world this is often difficult to do.
The benefits of Pranayama or of simply breathing in a conscious breath are instant, yet when Pranayama is practiced over a long period of time with great attention and focus then the real harvest begins. Through adopting a daily Pranayama practice you will be able to notice a significant change in your breathing pattern, length and depth. I would highly suggest staying with one type of Pranayama for at least a month, until you feel confident with your technique and you have developed a natural rhythm in this new habit.
For more in depth information please go to this link.
Trinity
The effects of the breath on mental/emotional/physiological states is greatly undervalued. Beginning students often require a long period of time to undo habitual negative breath patterns before a natural belly breath is free to emerge unrestricted. this preliminary practice alone has numerous benefits. i sincerely recommend that pranayam practice be guided by a teacher who is able to provide a well grounded support for you.
The effects of the breath on mental/emotional/physiological states is greatly undervalued. Beginning students often require a long period of time to undo habitual negative breath patterns before a natural belly breath is free to emerge unrestricted. this preliminary practice alone has numerous benefits. i sincerely recommend that pranayam practice be guided by a teacher who is able to provide a well grounded support for you.
Swami Ramdev, an exponent in yoga practices, has introduced himself as yet another drop in this spiritual ocean. His unique contribution has been in helping ordinary people lead a healthy life through the practice of Pranayama. In very simple terms, Pranayama can be thought of as a series of techniques for breath control that were developed as a part of the ancient Indian system of Yoga. Furthermore, these techniques were often thought of as being esoteric and complex and portrayed as being unsuitable for lay people. Consequently their use was often limited to advanced practitioners of Yoga and undertaken only under the strict supervision of an experienced teacher. Swami Ramdev has worked diligently to break these barriers and help make the practice of Pranayama achievable by the ordinary layperson. He has devised a package of seven simple Pranayama breathing exercises like Bhastrika, Kapalbhati, Bahya, Anulom - Vilom, Bhramri, Udgeeth and Ujjayee for the purpose. One can buy books and CDs on Pranayama by Swami Ramdev for complete guidance, more information on this could be found on the internet.
I guesss everyone has their own perspective on the answer to your question. If only we could see more deeply into where the answers come from. Wow, now that would be something.
In my experience the direct answer to your question is to begin a very gentle pranayama (preferably under the direction of a teacher) for 3-5 minutes several times per week as part of your asana practice with a 8-10 minute savasana ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED after.
Now this too can be misconstrued. Some teachers feel perfecctly fine with beginning students performing kapalabhati. I do not. To those it may be “gentle”. I am referencing ujjayi or viloma 1 as a “simple” pranayam.
Please, this should be instructed. We disrespect the potentency of pranayama when we venture out to experiment with these things as though they were a new appetizer at the local restaurant. And all too often this is a hedonistic pursuit, dogmatic, or simply the common “my iner teacher” ego trip. This is not every case of course but it should be at least considered very seriously before working your nervous system through these methods without the guidance of a skilled teacher.
Dear Innerathlete ,
Precisely why i’ve said " these techniques were often thought of as being esoteric and complex and portrayed as being unsuitable for lay people. Consequently their use was often limited to advanced practitioners of Yoga and undertaken only under the strict supervision of an experienced teacher. Swami Ramdev has worked diligently to break these barriers and help make the practice of Pranayama achievable by the ordinary layperson "
To follow that a bit further then…
who, or whom, thought of pranayama as esoteric and who portrayed pranayama as being unsuitable for laypeople?
For me, from my perspective, not being a student of Swami Ramdev, the concern with pranayama practice is a) the powerful nature of moving prana and b) the student who has not first aligned the spine for this movement.
I wasn’t referencing an esoteric nature nor was I operating under the assumption that there were barriers to pranayama and I don’t think of practitioners as laypeople.
The limitation of use for pranayama, again from my perspective, is the damage that an untrained practitioner can do by actually moving prana in an unwholesome way (that is with a misaligned spine, as the resultant action can lead to nerve damage and more).
Do you think that pranayama done with the aim of self healing requires an aligned spine ?
I just started it, using a 1:4:2 inhale-retention-exhale ratio, in Savasana. (chosen as the kind of pranayama advised by Swami Sivananda, for people of weak constitution) During retention, I am focusing on the ill parts, imagining that they are healed by prana, and the obstructions are eliminated through exhaling.
Can a yoga therapist assert where the spine is misaligned, looking at an X-Ray image ?
Hi,
Pranayama is a part of yoga which takes time to develop. I am very concerned that you attempt as a beginner to do pranayama for 30 minutes a day. The effects on your nervous system which hasn’t been properly prepared by other asanas and practices might be too much for you to handle initially.
If you do not have access to a teacher stick with one kind of pranayama (begin with alternate nostril breathing or abdominal breathing) for 2-3 minutes a day initially and over time you can slowly increase it. Complete the series with sarvasana and just be aware of where and how the energies move in your body.
Good luck.
12 repeats, 3:12:6, numbers represent seconds. When I feel the need I stop, and I have a few normal breaths. Do you think this is too much ?
5-6 minutes in the evening, 3-4 minutes during morning walk, when I count steps instead of seconds.
Both nostrils, in and out. I could retain much longer but I do not want to force things, especially because I am aware of my shortcomings.
I find that it increases my vitality, and I need it badly.
No
Maybe some YT programs offer this training, but we were not trained to read film in Mukunda’s Structural Yoga Therapy program. Our training focused on palpating the musculature of along the spine, to observe uniqueness of the body landscape (high hip, winged scapula, rotation , the arms’ natural position in relationship to the torso when in samastiti, etc). Mukunda also trained us to watch the breath move into and out of the body. Reading prana is another tool that some therapists (and teachers) have that will give you, in my opinion, the most specific information about ones alignment. But gathering info is just one part, a solid understanding of spinal anatomy and kinesiology is what puts it all together so you can create a positive change in a possible misalignment.
I want to share something on breath and pranayam, but I have to scoot right now. So until then, everyone keep breathing 
Dear Hubert,
I think you are at a comfortable stage, your words are without strain, a good indication that what you do is right for you.
30 minutes of pranayama
Yoga is a complete life system where there are 8 limbs
a tree with 8 branches, picture it
now put a lot of weight on one branch only, the tree will lean, too much and it will break
In yoga, the “ideal” may be to keep the tree in balance
pranayama is just one limb
balance your tree
just my opnion, for you are a better judge of your own tree
seeker
The tree is scaled (climbed) from one branch to others. It is a progression tree rather than an equanimity tree. For example, a practitioner that can be still and has a healthy body may not need asana at all, very little asana, or specific asana.
As far as pranayama is concerned I don’t teach it in Savasana. I do teach it in either a prone or seated posture but the prone posture should not be confused with Savasana.
Pranayama done with the “aim of self healing” still mandates the movement of prana in the physical body. Therefore the position of the student is imperative (when moving prana). This isn’t the same as breathing nor is it the only breath work. So it is not inappropriate to do certain breath work without regard for the position (read:alignment) of the physical body. It is for this reason that supine pranayama is available - so that the student who cannot sit with alignment can have the proper position for directing prana safely.
Simply because the student’s “aim” is self-healing that does not mean their aim is true (read: accurate). Intention is certainly a prime mover but the most well intentioned practitioners have still done damage to their nervous system.
Relative to alignment and “asserting” there are some who need x-rays for such things. And let me be clear: an x-ray (or MRI) can be a huge advantage, even a “must”. However, most skilled, alignment-based teachers have learned to see the spinal alignment for pranayama with the naked eye. It is the art of superimposing the pose over the pose.
a person with a healthy body, how did they get that IA. If they get it in their daily duties is that not asanas still?
just thoghts
seeker
1:4:2 not suitable yet, I will just do a deep inhale (from bottom to top)followed by an equal exhale (inversed order), and repeat. Effortless, easy.
About a healthy body, one inherits it and takes good care of it. But if the inheraitance is not that great, we can still take care of it. Even if the inheritence is actually bad, we can adapt our way to it. In fact until we are alive, we can always advance on the way, no matter the odds. And if advancement is totally obstructed, we dispose the body, and start it over. As Brancusi said, no moral energy is ever lost in the universe. A great artist and a great soul.