The Little Book of Yoga Breathing: Pranayama Made Easy. . .

by Scott Shaw

Pranayama, the practice of breath control, is detailed here in an easy-to-understand and even easier-to-practise format. Professional yoga instructor Scott Shaw introduces 16 breathing exercises and shows you how to get the best benefit from each of the forms by training, refining and witnessing your breath. Try one of the calming breaths, Nadi Sudi or the Nerve Purifying Breath. Have a long day ahead with no breaks until after dinner? Allow Ujayi or the Hissing Breath to work its miracles. Here you will learn how to breathe while moving, standing and leaning and how these variations can affect your breathing practice. Use the instruction offered in The Little Book of Yoga Breathing to feel more focused and energized.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2003

About the author

Born in the filmmaking capital of the world, Hollywood, California, Scott Shaw spent his early youth in South Los Angeles before returning to Hollywood for his adolescence. Shaw began writing poetry and long-form prose at a very young age. As his teenage years dawned he also added songwriting to his creative process.

Shaw was first published by poetry magazine in the 1970s. He continued forward and found an audience for his poetry and biographical literary fiction via journals and small presses from the 1970s into the 1980s.

By the end of the 1980s Scott Shaw had become a mainstay of martial art publications. This was based on his years of training in the Korean martial arts of Hapkido and Taekwondo, which began at the age of six years old. He also found that his writing on Yoga and Zen Buddhism were embraced due to his life-long emersion in mysticism.

Shaw, who has spent many years returning to, living, studying, and teaching in various geographical locations throughout Asia, has maintained his focus on this process and continues to be conduit for bringing Asian understandings to the Western mind. Hand-in-hand with his travels, Shaw emerged as a definitive photographer.

As the 1990s dawned, Shaw expanded his ability of capturing still images onto filmmaking. At this point he developed a new style of filmmaking that he titled, Zen Filmmaking. With Zen Filmmaking as his basis he moved forward and has made numerous films based upon this ideology.

To date, Scott Shaw has witnessed his writings published on a vast array of subjects. He maintains his focus on Eastern mysticism and the martial arts while continuing to break new ground with his works of poetry and literature.

Reviews

[Hitesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathe , Breatheee , Breatheeeeee !!!

A Very concise carry along manual on a vast subject. I have read lots of Book on Pranayama , but this book is a very good precise booklet on essential of Breathing.

If you are inclined to yoga and want to have a handbook on quick fixes and instant meditation, this book has it all.

Must Read And Recommended !!!

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

All you need to do is know how to breath!
I can't give any review for now because I need to go back and reread each technique again to get the most of it, until then, just breath

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little book that's easy to understand and very straightforward. I dare you to not breathe deeply while reading it! :)

[Izz MR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me he marcado las respiraciones qur son para concentrarse y tener energía como si no tuviera primero que aprender a respirar como concepto general

Pero está bien, poco a poco xp

[Jokoloyo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I might misunderstand, some of the breathing technique terms are not as I remember. And this book has no deep discussion about how or why of Pranayama. These my two opinions made me want to give this book 1 star. But on the other hand, the instructions are easy to follow. At least "Pranayama made easy" on the title is somehow appropriate.

Personally I want to learn more after reading this book. I still need a real life person guidance for Pranayama topic.

[jaadhimalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book talks of Pranayama - the breathing techniques and its benefits.

Breathing is a most subtle factor that has immense impact on human health and mind. People who do Pranayama consistently even for short period of time have shown great improvement in their health. Pranayama has stress reduction as its most fundamental benefit and can help increase focus and even overcome insomnia and other health ailments.

Pranayama techniques have been around for a long period (like yoga) of time and have no religious connections.

There are numerous breathing techniques detailed in this short and precise book. It comes as a surprise that a thing like breathing, a thing we do every second of our day, is very shallow and takes a little concious practise to do it properly. This book is a quick short read but a reference book for a person to practice.

I definitely recommend this book to all.

Dr.Andrew Weil too has researched on the benefits of Pranayama. Do give his 'Breathing - The master key to self healing' a try.

[Jane Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was exactly what it claimed to be; short, helpful and to the point. It seemed a pretty clear introduction to pranayama techniques (while not an absolute beginner, I am by no means an expert) and the grouping of exercises into Energizing breaths, Calming breaths, and pranayama with movement was very helpful. Instructions were clear and concise.

If you aren't a beginner to pranayama, this book will probably be too simple to be helpful (i.e. if you've read Iyengar on Pranayama, or had much personal instruction.)

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a recommended reading for school. It was easy to read but not really enjoyable. I think there may be errors in the book but I plan on asking my teacher to clarify. If you want to know about various breathing techniques, just ask me and I'll tell you. Save your money!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will use this book as a reference tool for years to come. As someone with lung disease, this book gives your tools to improve your lung capacity that Doctors dont' know. A great book.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute quick and easy reference book. If you are a person with pranayama experience from an experience breathing or yoga teacher this is a great tool to just remind you what to do. The instructions are really clear and pretty straight forward. If you are just getting started with pranayama personally I think it is better to probably start with a teacher than a book. We are each unique and it is better to have someone help you modify the practices to fit your body.

[Melelani · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gives different instructions for Ujjayi and Brahmari than I'm used to (quite different than the classic Hatha Yoga Pradapika). It also shares dynamic tension pranayama I've never encountered. I will give them a go.

[Sherry Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent teaching of varying techniques that can enhance many areas of my life.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Straightforward instructions but many of the names and techniques are not consistent with how I learned or other books I’ve read on pranayama.

[Killiam Medina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Evidencia científica nivel “gran inventada”.

[Traci Kismarton · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh. Didn't really feel like I learned anything that I didn't learn in class.

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Explains in very good detail the breathing techniques, easy to read.

[Oihane Linazasoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

el libro esta muy bien . tiene diferentes ejercicios que puedes ir practicando