Increase energy, relieve stress, find balance—yogic breathing for every level. Pranayama, translated as the extension of one's life force, can help you improve focus, relieve stress, and deepen your yoga practice—simply through breathing. Essential pranayama offers clear, approachable breath techniques and exercises for all levels of practitioner. Whether you're experienced with yoga and breathwork or just beginning to explore, this guide will help you quickly feel the benefits of pranayama techniques. You’ll: •Explore the science behind kriya yoga and how it can benefit your health •Learn about the different chakras and how to balance them using kriya yoga techniques •Discover how to use kriya yoga to still your mind, connect with your higher self, and experience true inner peace •Find out how to put together your own personal kriya yoga practice •Understand the art of breathing and how you can use it to your benefit •Learn more about mudras and mantras Pranayama and mantra go hand in hand and function best together. Using a mantra in conjunction with pranayama connects the mind and prana, or life energy. It may transform pranayama into meditation and provide vitality, vigor, and awareness to mantra repetition. Prana imparts shakti to the mantra, bringing it to life and vibrating throughout our whole body. We may argue that the sound of our breath is our most natural and consistent exterior mantra. Our most natural internal mantra is the sound of our heartbeat, which is linked to the sound of our breath.