Awakening the Full Respiratory System
- Uma Shankari
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 21
The Pranayama Series : Part 3
From Understanding The Breath to Its Activation
In the earlier posts, we saw:
how breath travels from the nose to the lungs
how the diaphragm and chest create expansion
how inhalation fills and exhalation empties
All this can be understood. But understanding alone does not mean that the system is fully used.
Most of us:
do not use the full capacity of the lungs
do not allow all regions of the chest to participate equally
breathe in a limited, habitual pattern
Guiding the Breath Through Pancha Vayus
Breath does not move randomly within the body.It follows certain natural directions.
In yoga, these directional movements are described as the five vayus.
Through posture, movement, and awareness, these flows can be influenced:
• inward
• upward
• downward
• balancing
• expanding
When this begins to happen, breathing is no longer just a mechanical act. It becomes a way of regulating the entire system.
In this post and the next posts that follow, we work with strengthening the lungs first, and then follow it with activating the Prana vayu, Samana vayu and Apana vayu.
What This Practice Is Really Doing
In the earlier post, we saw how air reaches the alveoli.
But a more practical question arises:
👉 Are all regions of the lungs equally used?
In most people, they are not.
Some areas expand easily. Some remain underused. Some are almost not felt at all.
This practice, taught by Prashant Jakhmola addresses that directly.
Pranic Practice 1 : Strengthening the Lungs
This practice is done in three parts, each working on a different region of the respiratory system:
Chest and Spinal Movement (2:41–8:09)
Intercostal Muscle Expansion (8:38-13:28)
Diaphragmatic Training (14:03-17:35)
1. Upper Chest Activation
Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands by the side
Move the spine and chest with the breath: Inhale while moving forward (rounding the spine). Exhale while moving backward (opening the chest)
Repeat for about 10 rounds
Reverse the pattern: Inhale while opening the chest. Exhale while moving forward
Repeat another 10 rounds
Gently tap the chest and rib area with thumb-in fists (15–20 times)
Changing the order of inhalation and exhalation — is a core component of the foundational training to effectively target the respiratory system. By switching these patterns, the practice ensures a more comprehensive engagement of the chest area and muscles, which helps to improve oxygen intake, optimize circulation, and build overall lung strength.
2. Intercostal (Rib Cage) Activation
The steps for the intercostal muscle expansion practice are as follows:
Prepare the Position: Stand with legs separated at hip-width and your back straight. Raise your hands above your head and hold the opposite elbow to open the armpits and ribcage. If shoulders are too stiff, you may hold the opposite forearm instead (9:07-9:42).
Inhalation and Retention: Take a full inhalation, then hold the breath inside the body (10:18-10:24).
Movement Phase: While holding the breath, perform 15 to 20 pulses of your elbows, moving them backward and forward to stretch the intercostal muscles (10:28-10:54).
Conclusion: Once the repetitions are complete, remain steady and exhale through the mouth (10:54-11:01).
Repetitions: This practice should be repeated for a total of 10 rounds: 5 rounds while holding one elbow, and 5 rounds while switching to the other side (13:18-13:57).
3. Diaphragmatic Activation
Preparation: Start by placing your hands on your hips and standing upright (14:15-14:46).
Inhalation: Take a full inhalation through the nose (14:21-14:45).
Breath Retention: Hold the breath in the mouth by creating pressure, similar to blowing into a balloon (14:26-14:33).
Diaphragmatic Engagement: Simultaneously, push your belly outward. Do not suck the stomach in or press it inward; instead, expand it outward to create pressure on the diaphragmatic muscles (14:33-15:35).
Duration: Maintain this hold for 10 seconds (15:09-15:12).
Conclusion: Exhale the breath through the mouth (15:12-15:48).
This cycle should be performed for a total of 10 rounds (15:12-17:47).
Understanding the Practice in Terms of Pancha Vayus
This practice begins to organize the breath along the axis of the body — from chest to lower abdomen.
Inhalation moves into the chest. Exhalation moves downward toward the base.
These correspond to:
Prana vayu — chest, inhalation, receiving
Apana vayu — lower abdomen, exhalation, grounding
The focus is simple:
fuller inhalation into the lungs
more complete exhalation with the lower abdomen gently receding
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