Bhagavad Gita on Pranayama

Pranayama is the practice of regulating the breath, or more broadly the life force, to steady the mind and body. Many people first meet it as a technique for calm, and the Gita treats it as one among several ways of disciplined practice. It appears alongside diet, study and meditation as part of a larger effort to bring mind and life into balance.

Gita 4.29 describes conscious regulation of the life force through pranayama as a powerful form of spiritual discipline and sacrifice, so use mindful breathing to cultivate inner balance, focus and self-mastery. Gita 5.27 describes the beginning of meditation as withdrawing attention from external objects, regulating the breath and directing awareness inward. Gita 8.12 says meditation requires withdrawing the senses from outer objects, steadying the mind within and gathering the life energy for concentration.

The Gita also links breath with the whole of life. Gita 4.30 says discipline in diet and life-energy regulation supports purification and spiritual progress, so pay attention to food, habits and routines. Gita 15.14 says the Divine abides within the body as the digestive fire that works with the vital breaths to transform food into energy. Gita 8.10 says that one who has trained the mind with devotion and yogic discipline can keep it steady at the most testing moments. If you have a health condition, please check with a doctor before trying advanced breathing practices.