Pranayama

• The Cleansing Breath is an ideal practice for children with asthma, sinus conditions, and bronchial congestion.
  1. Place one hand on the belly to feel the movement during this particular breathing exercise. With the other hand, hold a piece of facial tissue in front of the face. Take a slow, deep breath in, followed by a very quick, forced exhalation. The student should be able to see the tissue move with the exhalation.
• The Bellows Breath is a highly energizing, rapid-breathing exercise, providing many of the same benefits as the Cleansing Breath. These vigorous in-and-out movements of the abdomen strengthen the diaphragm; saturate the lungs and blood with freshly oxygenated air; and aid in digestion, thereby benefiting the entire body. Bhavanani, Madanmohan, & Udupa (2003) found that visual reaction time (VRT) and auditory reaction time (ART) significantly decreased in school-aged boys who practiced nine rounds of bellows breath or mukh bhastrika. Reaction time (RT) is an index of the processing ability of central nervous system and a simple means of determining sensory-motor performance. The authors recommended the practice of Bellows breath to individuals with prolonged RT, such as children with intellectual disabilities and older adults.
  1. Place one hand on the belly to feel the movement during this particular breathing exercise. Start with a rapid inhalation, immediately followed with a rapid exhalation. Start with doing one set of 10. Encourage the student to clear the nose after each set. For children, a helpful cue is to have their breathing imitate that of a 'choo-choo' train.

• Alternate Nostril Breathing calms the mind; strengthens the entire nervous system and helps to balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain; strengthens the immune system; stimulates digestion; and develops concentration.
  
  
  
  1. With the right hand, keep the thumb, ring and pinkie fingers up, while the index and middle fingers are down/ tucked. This hand gesture is known as Vishnu mudra. The thumb will cover the right nostril, while both the ring and pinkie fingers will cover the left nostril.
  2. Close the right nostril with the thumb, and take a deep inhale through the left nostril.
  3. Hold the breath in, closing both nostrils.
  4. Keeping the left nostril closed, exhale slowly through the right nostril.
  5. Take a deep inhale through the right nostril, hold the breath and exhale slowly through the left nostril.
  6. Repeat the exercise.