Prāṇāyāma
Rechaka & Puraka Kumbhaka Pranayama
Practice notes: rechaka and pūraka kumbhaka as taught in the Ashtanga tradition, with ratios and transitions.
3 Ujjayi breaths (with ujjayi breathing, ratio of inhale to exhale is 1: 1)
You may inhale and then exhale or inhale and in the exhale chant aum
- RECHAKA AND PURAKA KUMBHAKA
The ratio of the length of the inhalation of breath to the exhalation of the breath in Ashtanga as I was taught is 1:1. Many others do a Puraka Kumbhaka 4:16:8
A. Rechaka Kumbhaka
Inhale, exhale, then hold breath. Repeat for a total of three breaths
Then immediately begin Puraka Kumbhaka
B. Puraka Kumbhaka
Inhale, hold, exhale. Repeat for a total of three breaths
Ratio of the length of the retentions for exhale (rechaka) vs inhale (puraka) is 2 : 3, for example, if the retention after the exhale lasts 6 seconds, the retention after the inhale should last 9 seconds.
3 Ujjayi breaths as a transition before next stage of pranayama