Sama Vritti Pranayama: Cultivating Energetic Balance

Just as lions, elephants, and tigers are gradually controlled, so the prana is controlled through practice. Otherwise, the practitioner is destroyed.
– Hatha Yoga Pradipika, 2:15

The term vritti translates to "fluctuate," referring here to the subtle shifts in breathing patterns that can be consciously refined through practice. We find this practice in the 7th-8th century Mrgendra Tantra Yogapada and further details in Narayanakantha’s 10th century commentary on that text, though neither name it as a technique.

Vritti pranayama involves playing with the natural variations in our breathing, bringing greater awareness to the interplay between our inhalations, exhalations, and their transitions. In working with the rhythm and duration of our breathing, we can fine-tune it, and, with it, our awareness, emotional states, and energetic balance. It is also a vital tool for expanding our breathing capacity, gradually transforming what respiratory science refers to as our total lung capacity–naturalizing deeper breathing. There are two basic methods: sama vritti and visama vritti (equal and unequal fluctuation).

Vritti pranayama is not merely a breath manipulation technique; it is a tool for cultivating mental and emotional awareness and energetic balance. When the breath is steady, the bodymind follows suit; when erratic, it reflects in our state of being. By consciously regulating the breath through sama and visama vritti, we gain direct access to these fluctuations, learning to create balance from within. These techniques, whether practiced on their own or integrated into a larger pranayama sequence, develop a refined sensitivity to breathing mechanics and their impact on the nervous system.

By working with breath ratios, vritti pranayama can stimulate either sympathetic (active) or parasympathetic (calming) responses, fostering equilibrium. 

Practicing Sama Vritti Pranayama

Contraindications: This is generally a safe practice, but those with respiratory disorders, COPD, cardiovascular ailments, anxiety disorders, or pregnant should return to normal breathing if there are any signs of discomfort.

1. Come into a comfortable sitting position. Sit with your spine elongated, shoulders relaxed, and eyes gently closed. Place your hands on your knees or in your lap.

2. At first, let your breathing be natural, simply noticing the natural rhythm of your inhalations and exhalations.

3. Bring an ujjayi quality to your breathing. Use the sound and other sensations to more closely sense the pace and duration of each inhalation and exhalation.

4. Allow the natural pauses between the inhalations and exhalations.

5. Silently count how long it takes to inhale and how long it takes to exhale, appreciating that most people naturally have uneven breathing at first.

6. Gradually adjust your breathing so that your inhale and exhale are more and more alike in every way–the sound, pace, duration, and the felt texture of the breath. Start with a comfortable length, such as three or four counts in and three or four counts out.

7. Maintain a steady rhythm, focusing on smoothness and balance, rather than making the breath longer or deeper.

8. Explore allowing both the inhale and exhale to be free of strain, allowing your ribs and diaphragm to move naturally.