Beyond history and theory, science and exploration, and even intention and technique, lies the breath. In most cases, with the exception of various illnesses, it happens naturally and effortlessly for as long as we are alive. Though it might seem free of intention or effort, the breath is always affected by everything within us and around us, whether or not we are conscious of this. Here, we aim to cultivate a deeper awareness of the breath, with breath awareness serving as both the foundation and the space for the journey ahead: as a foundation, it marks the first step of all pranayama practices; as a space, it embodies an expanded and more subtle awareness, opening the way to explore whatever arises in the practice itself.

Breath awareness is a nuanced practice that invites us to develop a profound and holistic experience in the act of breathing. It is not merely about observing the breath as an isolated phenomenon but involves cultivating an intricate, loving, embodied presence tha...

When doing a yoga practice, we come to various asanas. In approaching them, we’re already experiencing sensations. If we’re actually doing yoga rather than merely exercising, then we’re breathing consciously and using the breath to refine how we’re exploring the asana. Breathing consciously, we’re bringing more conscious awareness into the bodymind, ideally as suggested by the sensations that are arising in the moment, adapting our movement and positioning to be more stable, relaxed, and present. So there’s a dance of the breath with the bodymind, each affecting the other, all of it increasingly experienced as part of the whole of our being. This is the basic practice of always and forever integrating and awakening that is at the heart of yoga asana practice. In it, we can play with different breathing techniques, positions, and visualizations, exploring their various effects, including the inner dialogue and reactions that are an increasingly clear reflective mirror of our deeper qu...