Breath as Medicine: A Pranayama Practice for Asthma
Asthma, at its core, is a conversation between the breath and fear — the body tightening against the very thing it depends on for life. The airways constrict, the chest guards itself, and the nervous system rings an alarm. Yet through the ancient science of pranayama — the conscious art of breathing — the body can learn another language: one of ease, expansion, and trust.
This sequence offers a simple, natural approach for those who live with asthma or tightness in the chest. It’s not a replacement for medical care, but a daily ritual that helps the breath rediscover its grace.
Preparing the Body: Opening the Pathways
Before beginning pranayama, the body must be softened — like loosening the strings of an instrument before tuning it. A few gentle movements help free the diaphragm and ribs so that each breath can travel without effort.
1. Shoulder Rolls (Sukshma Vyayama)
Sit or stand tall. Inhale as the shoulders lift toward the ears, exhale as they roll back and down.
Repeat several times, letting tension melt from the collarbones and upper chest.
2. Cat–Cow (Marjaryasana–Bitilasana)
Come onto hands and knees.
Inhale and arch the spine gently, lifting the chest (Cow).
Exhale and round the back, drawing navel to spine (Cat).
The movement is smooth and wave-like — breath leading the body.
3. Supported Fish Pose (Matsyasana Variation)
Lie on your back with a firm cushion or rolled blanket under the shoulder blades.
Let the arms open to the sides, palms up.
Breathe deeply into the ribs, allowing the heart space to widen.
This posture quietly re-trains the body to open rather than collapse.
4. Seated Side Stretch (Parsva Sukhasana)
Sitting cross-legged or on a chair, inhale and lift one arm overhead.
Exhale and lean to the opposite side, breathing into the open ribcage.
Switch sides. The lungs awaken, the breath begins to move freely again.
5. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Kneel and fold forward, resting the forehead on the ground or hands.
Let the back of the body rise and fall like gentle surf.
Here, the nervous system begins to trust again.
The Breathwork Sequence
When the body feels open, sit comfortably with your spine tall. Close the eyes.
Take a few natural breaths through the nose, feeling the rhythm of the belly and chest.
Now begin the pranayama — each technique an aspect of one medicine.
1. Anulom Vilom – The Balancing Breath (5 minutes)
Close your right nostril with your thumb.
Inhale through the left for a slow count of four.
Close both nostrils, then exhale through the right for six.
Inhale again through the right, and exhale through the left.
That is one round. Continue gently for several minutes.
This practice harmonizes the nervous system and teaches the lungs to breathe evenly, without fear or effort.
2. Bhramari – The Humming Bee (3 minutes)
Inhale softly through the nose.
Close the ears gently with your thumbs, and exhale making a low, steady humming sound — mmm — like a bee’s vibration.
Feel it resonate through the chest, sinuses, and skull.
The sound loosens tension and quiets the mind.
Each hum is a reminder: the breath is music, not battle.
3. Sitali or Sitkari – The Cooling Breath (2 minutes)
If your asthma is aggravated by heat or inflammation, this technique soothes.
Roll the tongue into a tube (or keep the teeth slightly parted) and inhale the cool air.
Exhale through the nose.
With every breath, imagine calm air washing the lungs clean.
4. Slow Diaphragmatic Breathing (2–3 minutes)
Lie on your back or sit upright.
Inhale through the nose for three counts.
Exhale for six.
Let the out-breath be long and unhurried, like a tide drawing back to sea.
The body learns safety here — the exhale signaling peace to every cell.
Practice Notes
- Practice when the breath is calm, not during an attack.
- Avoid any strong breath retention or forceful exhalation.
- Morning or evening, before meals, is ideal.
- Even ten minutes practiced daily will gently transform the body’s relationship with breath.
Over time, the lungs remember what they were made for — not merely to survive, but to sing.
The breath becomes an ally again: silent, steady, and infinitely patient.