(oo-jy [rhymes with "pie"]-ee)
ujjayi = to conquer, to be victorious
Step by Step
Ujjayi is especially known for the soft hissing
sound the breather makes by directing her inhales
and exhales over the back of her throat. To learn
how, try this.
Inhale through your nose, then exhale slowly through
a wide-open mouth. Direct the out-going breath slowly
across the back of your throat with a drawn-out HA
sound. Repeat several times, then close your mouth.
Now, as you both inhale and exhale through your nose,
direct the breath again slowly across the back of
your throat. Ideally, this will create, and you should
hear, a soft hissing sound.
This sound, called ajapa mantra (pronounced ah-JOP-ah
mahn-trah, the "unspoken mantra"), serves
three purposes: it helps to slow the breath down (which
is exactly what we want for Ujjayi), to focus awareness
on the breath and prevent your min "wandering,"
and to regulate, by continually monitoring and adjusting
the evenness of the sound, the smooth flow of breath
(another important element of Ujjayi).
Start with 5 to 8 minutes of practice, gradually
increase your time to 10 to 15 minutes. When finished
return to normal breathing for a minute or two, then
lie down in Shavasana (Corpse Pose) for a few minutes.
Ujjayi is the foundation of many other techniques
listed on this site; e.g., ratio breathing, svara
yoga, digital pranayama, retention along with the
two bandhas. Note that Ajapa Mantra isn't used when
performing digital pranayama.
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