page_title: Ashtanga (eight limbs of yoga)
section_title: 4. Prānāyāma
hierarchical_section_title: Ashtanga (eight limbs of yoga) / Eight limbs / 4. Prānāyāma
caption_attribution_description: English: A style of nadi suddhi 1தமிழ்: நாடி சுத்தி This media file was uploaded as a part of the TamilWiki Media Contest. বাংলা&#160;| Deutsch&#160;| English&#160;| हिन्दी&#160;| italiano&#160;| македонски&#160;| മലയാളം&#160;| Nederlands&#160;| sicilianu&#160;| தமிழ்&#160;| తెలుగు&#160;| اردو&#160;| +/−
context_page_description: Ashtanga, the eight limbs of yoga, is Patanjali's classification of classical yoga, as set out in his Yoga Sutras. He defined the eight limbs as yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.
  The eight limbs form a sequence from the outer to the inner. Postures, important in modern yoga, form one limb of Patanjali's scheme; he states only that they must be steady and comfortable.
context_section_description: Prāṇāyāma is the control of the breath, from the Sanskrit prāṇa (प्राण, breath) and āyāma (आयाम, restraint).
  After a desired posture has been achieved, verses II.49 through II.51 recommend prāṇāyāma, the practice of consciously regulating the breath (inhalation, the full pause, exhalation, and the empty pause). This is done in several ways, such as by inhaling and then suspending exhalation for a period, exhaling and then suspending inhalation for a period, by slowing the inhalation and exhalation, or by consciously changing the timing and length of the breath (deep, short breathing).
caption: Alternate nostril breathing, one form of Pranayama
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