Pranayama, the fourth limb of Ashtanga Yoga, is defined in Yoga Sutra 2.49 as: “tasmin sati shvasa prashvasayor gati vicchedah pranayamah” — "Pranayama is the regulation of the incoming and outgoing breath, once posture is mastered." This practice is not only about breathing techniques—it is about consciously shaping the breath so that it flows with awareness and balance. As the breath is refined, it becomes smooth, controlled, and eventually subtle, guiding the mind into stillness.
Inhalation merges into exhalation, exhalation into inhalation—the dual movements spiral inward like a cosmic dance, drawing the practitioner from the gross to the subtle, from activity to awareness. Through sustained practice, Pranayama calms the nervous system, harmonizes the body, and makes the mind fit for the inner limbs of Yoga—Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and ultimately Samadhi. It is here, in the quiet turning point between breaths, that the vast inner world begins to open.
