Arteries and veins, through which the blood flows in the body, can be purified by practicing Pranayama. For this purpose the Pranayama that is practiced is ANULOM-VILOM Pranayama. A common learner must begin the practice of Pranayama with Anulomvilom. Being simple in nature, even common people also easily practice Anulomvilom Pranayama.

Method :
Sit down in Padmasana or Siddhasana. Close your right nostril with your right hands thumb and inhale through left nostril as long as you can easily inhale. When your lungs are full, close both the nostrils and hold the breath for some time. Then slowly exhale through the right nostril closing the left. Thereafter close your left nostril and inhale through the right nostril and then closing both the nostril holds the breath in your body and ultimately exhale the breath through your left nostril. Thus you finish one cycle (Avartana) of veins purifying Pranayama. Practice three or four Avartanas daily and increase this practice slowly. Once practiced well, practice this Pranayama in the ratio of 1:2:2, That is inhale for four seconds; hold the breath for eight seconds and then exhale the breath in eight seconds. Increase this ratio slowly upto a ratio of 5:20:10.

• It’s an excellent method to perform Pranayama that does away with the lung’s diseases.
  
• Through this Pranayama, the blood gets an increased amount of life giving oxygen that thoroughly cleans and purifies it.

Method :
Sit down in Padmasana or Siddhasana. Rest both of your hands on the knees, and close the eyes. Now like the blower of a blacksmith, begin to perform Puraka and Rechaka (inhaling and exhaling of breath). This exercise must be performed laboriously. There is no Kumbhaka or holding of breath stage. Inhalation and exhalation of breath play the all important role. Your nerves will reverberate in this exercise and you will sweat profusely. It is an extremely powerful exercise performing which all of your cells, neurons and nerves vibrate rapidly.
In the beginning, exhale only once per second. Increasing your speed slowly then exhale twice per second. Initially practice a cycle of ten exhalations. Increase the number of exhalation slowly.
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Benefits :

• Kapalbhati clears your skull, respiratory tract and the sinus.
  
• Destroying the cough that clogs the trachia Kapalbhati leads to the cure of asthma.
  
• By practice of Kapalbhati, air cells in the lungs receive ample amount life giving oxygen, hence germs of diseases like tuberculosis cannot harm them.
  
• Carbon dioxide The gaseous waste of respiration process is exhaled out in large amount thus purifying the blood.
  
• This process also activates the heart and enhance the capacity of the respiratory system, circulation system and digestive system.

1. SURYA BHEDAN :

   Surya bhedan means pricking of Pingla nerve that is the nerve of the sun. Thus, the main aim of this Pranayama is to awaken Pingla nerve. As a result of this Pranayama, that part of the brain which is the abode of masculine power (Shiva), is awakened practice of Surya Bhedan causes a lot of heat to generate in the body, hence practice of this Pranayama is more beneficial in winters.
   
   Method :
   Sit in Padmasana or Siddhasana and close your eyes. Now close the left nostril with the little finger of your right hand and inhale as deeply as you can through your right nostril then close the right nostril with the thumb of right hand and resting the chin on the chest, retain the breath. Increase the interval of breath retention (Kumbhaka) slowly then closing your right nostril with the thumb of right hand silently exhale the breath you have so far retained Repeat the process again.

   Benefits :
   
   • With regular practice of this Pranayama, the mind is refined, and intestinal germs and diseases caused by wind, are destroyed.
     
   • This Pranayama awakens Kundalini power, as a result of which, appetite is also stimulated.
     
   • Rheumatic and other wind caused diseases are corrected. To get rid of the blood disorders, skin diseases and leprosy, This Pranayama is excellent.
     
   • It strengthens the liver, which then begins to secret bile in ample quantity.
     
   
   Note : People affected with diseases must perform this Pranayama in winters or rains under mild sun.
   
   
2. UJJAYI
   
   

   Method :
   Sit in Padmasana or Siddhasana. Close your mouth. Contract the inner part of the tongue and the wall of throat facing it. Now inhale the breath through both the nostrils equally and fill your chest. Then retain the breath as long as you can do comfortably. Ultimately closing right nostril with right hand’s thumb, exhale slowly through the left nostril. Expand the chest while you are inhaling the breath. The speed of inhalation must not vary.

   Benefits :
   
   • With this Pranayama, the warmth of the head is reduced, and lung diseases like asthma, tuberculosis etc. are cured.
     
   • It kindles your appetite and enhances the capacity of digestive systems, respiratory systems etc.
   
   Note : It is better to practice this Pranayama in winters.
   
   
3. SITKARI
   
   

   Method :
   Sit in Padmasana and Siddhasana and roll the tongue upward in such a way that it’s tip touches the upper palate and it’s mid part touches the lip. Now suck in the air with an audible. Si..S-..Si.. sound. Then retain the breath as long as possible. Ultimately exhale the breath through both the nostrils.

   Benefits :
   
   • With practice of sitkari Pranayama effects the hunger, the thirst, the laziness and the sleep are removed.
     
   • It prevents the bile from increasing.
     
   • Hardness of the tonsils is also removed by it.
     
   • With regular practice of the Pranayama the mental and physical powers of the performer increase.
   
   
   
4. SHEETALI

   Method : Sit in the Padmasana, Siddhasana or Vajrasana. Protruding the tongue roll it along the sides so that it takes the shape of blowpipe. Now suck in the air and retain it inside your lungs as long as possible. Ultimately exhale the breath through both the nostrils.

   Benefits :
   
   • The Pranayama expels the toxins that accumulate in the blood, and thus purifies the blood.
     
   • Diseases like tumor, jaundice,skin diseases, fever are cured, and it also corrects indigestion and constipation.
     
   • It quenches the thirst. Hence if for any reason getting water is impossible at some place, and you are feeling thirsty you may quench the thirst through this Pranayama.
     
   • With regular practice of this you may become immune to the snakebite and Scorpio’s stings.
     
   • For the people who lose temper easily and get excited quickly this Pranayama is highly beneficial.
     
   • With this Pranayama uncontrolled growth of placenta, liver, spleen and disease like gangrene, leprosy etc. are corrected.
   
   
   
5. BHASTRTIKA
   
   

   Blower in Sankrita is called as Bhastrika. Hence exhalation of breath forcibly and quickly is the main feature of Bhastrika Pranayama. One should inhale and exhale breath like a blower. It is in a way a combination of Kapalbhati and Vjjayi. Among all the Kumbhakaras, this Pranayama is considered the best.
   
   Method :
   Sit in Padmasana and Siddhasana stretch your head, neck and back. Put your hands in lap or on the knees. Inhale and exhale rapidly your or five times like a blower. Similarily contract and expand the lungs. A peculiar rusting sound will be produced during the practice of this Pranayama. But the performer must practice this Pranayama rapidly and without stopping even once. At the completion of one cycle (Avartana) the performer must inhale breath as deeply as possible and retain it as long as possible. Ultimately exhale as much breath as possible. Thus a cycle (Avartana) of Bhastrika completes. After resting a while, perform another cycle of this Pranayama. Perform three cycles of the Pranayama in a go. If not possible, perform only single cycle. Perform this Pranayama twice-once in morning and evening each in winters, and only once a day in summers.

   Benefits :
   
   • With the practice of Bhastrika, swelling of the throat is corrected, appetite is kindled and the cough is removed. Diseases of the nose and chest like asthma, tuberculosis etc. are also corrected.
     
   • Diseases caused by imbalance of wind, cough and bile (Vata, Cough and Pitta) are also corrected by this Pranayama.
     
   • If no other means to warm the body is available, it can be heated with the help of this Pranayama.
     
   • Pores of Sushumna nerve are opened by Bhastrika.
   
   
   
6. BHRAMARI
   
   

   The name of this Pranayama originates from Sanskrit word Bhramar that means bumblebee. While performing this Pranayama a buzzing sound, typical of bumblebee is produced from the nostrils.
   
   Method
   Sit down in Padmasana or Sidhasan. Now inhale and exhale breaths rapidly through both the nostrils with a buzzing sound that is similar to the buzzing of bumble bee. Keep on doing this exercise till you sweat profusely. End the exercise with inhaling the breath through nostrils as deeply as possible and hold it as long as you can. Then exhale through both the nostrils. As you increase the speed of inhalation and exhalation of breath, The speed of blood circulation will also increase, leading to generation of heat in the body and profuse sweating and as you know evaporating sweat will cool down your body and you will experience hilarious or joyful sensation.

   Benefits :
   
   
   • The mood feels elevated, with increased flow of knowledge and the asceticism begins to appear.
   • With successful practice of Kumbhaka the performer enters successfully the stage of trance (Samadhi)
     
     
   Note:
   Without practicing Anulom-Vilom Pranayama first, This Pranayama would not yield desired benefits.
   
   
7. MURCHHA (Unconsciousness)
   
   

   Through this Pranayama the performer attains Murchhavastha the state of unconsciousness or coma and his mind becomes free of all the feelings. Hence this Pranayama is called as Murchha.
   
   Method :
   Sit down in Posture that best suits you and inhale breath through both the nostrils. Then retain the breath with the help of a powerful Jallundharbandha. Ultimately exhale the breath through both the nostrils.
   
   Benefits :
   

   • The mind becomes free of all the feelings and the performer experiences joy.
   • Through this Pranayama, thoughts and resolution decreases in the mind,and a person experiences the feeling of non-existence that is the mana becomes Amana and annihilates in ethereal energy called Parmatma.

8. PLAVINI
   
   

   Plavini has originated from the Sanskrit word PLU that means to float. Thus Plavini means the one that causes to float.
   
   Method:
   In the beginning practice this Pranayama in Siddhisana or Vajrasana. With practice you can perform it in standing or lying posture as well. If you are performing it in sitting posture, inhale the breath through both the nostrils and retain it by Jallundharbandha. When you take Jallundharbandha, the retained air fills the intestines, which get inflated as a result. End the Pranayama with exhaling the breath through both the nostrils. If necessary, remove the air that is trapped in the intestines by balancing or Uddiyanabandha.
   
   Benefits :
   

   • Expert of Plavini Pranayama can sustain his life for many days without food.
   • During the practice of this Pranayama the blood flows in the body extremely speedily thus removing the impurities and toxins accumulated in the body.
   • With practice of this Pranayama, the performer gains the power to float on the water. An expert can even remain floating on deluging waters like a light lotus leaf.
   
   Note :
   For the perfection of this Pranayama, slow but continuous and regular practice is extremely essential. Hence practice is extremely essential. Hence practice this Pranayama in the guidance of an expert teacher only.