Forseveral thousand years, yogis have drawn on the powerful practice of pranayama,a technique of controlling the breath to maximize pranaor life energy. Pranayama has been practiced to rejuvenate the body and as ameans of self-study and self-transformation. While most yoga practitionerstoday focus on asanas,or body postures, a growing number of people are learning the complementarypractice of pranayama to deepen and enrich their practice.
TheYoga of Breathis a guide to learning the fundamentals of pranayama and incorporating theminto an existing yoga practice. Rosen's approach is easy to follow withstep-by-step descriptions of breath and body awareness exercises accompanied byclear illustrations. The book also covers the history and philosophy ofpranayama, offers useful practice tips, and teaches readers how to use props toenhance the exercises.