Influence Of Pranayama In Eastern And Western Cultures

Moving ahead, with changing times, the interpretations of breath works may have changed. However, the basic source and implications remain unchanged.

·       You can trace the Pranayama practice to the 20th century, to the works of Dr. Otto Rank and Wilhelm Reich. Both believed that breath is deeply connected to emotional as well as psychological wellness. Dr Reich developed a therapy that was based on breath works. It was named Breathing Therapy, which aimed at helping individuals release pent up feelings. According to his school of thought, releasing negative emotions could enrich the body, body both physically and mentally.

·      Rebirthing Breath work

Rebirthing Breath work is another concept which took birth in the 1950s. Leonard Orr developed the technique, which is a form of conscious connected breathing. It is a self-healing modality, which helps in the release of physical as well as mental blockages. According to Orr, people store a lot of trauma from the moment of birth. This is often handled differently, by different individuals. The release of this trauma can be beneficial to the practitioner, in various ways.

Holotropic Breathwork

Holotropic Breathwork is another Western form, which emerged in the 1960s and 70s. Stanislav Grof and Christina Grof came up with a form of rapid and deep breathing, which helps in achieving altered states of consciousness. It also increases the healing potential and brings about personal growth.

Talking about the Eastern influence, it has impacted the West in a huge manner. The west got the Introduction to pranayama, through Hindu monks like Swami Vivekananda. He is the one who is responsible for taking yoga to the west. Swamiji combined Pranayama and meditation in the 19^th century, which was later incorporated by Yogi Bhajan as Kundalini Yoga. From the 1980s, yoga assumed a lot of importance and became popular in the west.

Today traditional yoga and modern yoga are not the same as before. People have adapted yoga according to various ages and for people with diverse physical abilities. It is a part of the lifestyle. Additionally, Pranayama is an inseparable part of yoga, which we all practice today. You cannot realize the full benefits of yoga, without proper breath manipulation.