Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks or boxes, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text. Of these meanings, the concept of «vital air» is used by Bhattacharyya to describe the concept as used in Sanskrit texts dealing anti gravity yoga edinburgh prāṇāyāma. Prāṇāyāma is mentioned in verse 4. According to Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is, prāṇāyāma is translated to «trance induced by stopping all breathing», also being made from the two separate Sanskrit words, prāṇa and āyām.

Pranayama is the fourth «limb» of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga mentioned in verse 2. 29 in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Many yoga teachers advise that pranayama should be part of an overall practice that includes the other limbs of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga teachings, especially Yama, Niyama, and Asana. The Indian tradition of Hatha Yoga makes use of various pranayama techniques.

Many of these practices have become popular in Western forms of Yoga. According to the Pali Buddhist Canon, the Buddha prior to his enlightenment practiced a meditative technique which involved pressing the palate with the tongue and forcibly attempting to restrain the breath. This is described as both extremely painful and not conducive to enlightenment. The Buddha did incorporate moderate modulation of the length of breath as part of the preliminary tetrad in the Anapanasati Sutta.