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In Sanskrit, prana means ‘life force’ and ayama means to ‘extend.’ That means that in your pranayama practice, you’re not only breathing but actually extending your life force/vitality! In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, he shares how to know when you are in balance vs. out of balance by noticing the quality of your breath. When you’re in balance, the breath is dirgha sukshma (long and smooth). When you’re out of balance, the breath may be svasa prasvasah (disrupted, choppy, etc) — these aren’t hard and fast definitions, but rather a guide for reflection.

As you move through your pranayama practice, focus on developing a long, smooth breath, and how you might need to adjust your practice to allow for the breath to flow freely. You got this!