Often we practice yoga poses or asanas but our emphasis and focus is on attaining the posture and if we are doing it correctly.  Usually when we practice an asana we may focus on breath while moving into the pose or moving out of the pose but we forget about the breathing when in the posture.  However if we want to practice properly and in the right manner and get all the benefits then we should practice yoga poses with attention to the breath also.

Sthirsukham Asanam – Stillness with Ease Can be Called Posture

The fundamental principle of yoga says that you should be at ease when you practice any pose.  The proof of that is how steady your breathing is when you are in the posture.  If you are breathing fast and the unsteadily then something is wrong.  Ideally the breath should be steady and normal.  If you become aware that you are breathing too fast that means that you are straining yourself too hard.  If your breathing is at normal rate then it means that you are at ease and doing it correctly.

How to Ensure that Breathing is Normal During Yoga Practice

The breathing rate to a large extent depends on the the general fitness, the fitness of the muscles being used during the pose, the condition of the heart and the lungs and if you are doing it correctly.  When you are breathing slowly and steadily the heart rate stays in control and body is also relaxed.  When we carry this to practice of asanas we learn to practice the pose with ease.Usually when we try a new pose of start a new exercise we want to progress rapidly.

However that is usually counterproductive.  The mantra is slow is fast.  Try to progress slowly and ensure that the breath is long and steady when you are in the posture.  If you stretch and the breath becomes fast then back out a little and stretch little less. Important thing is to ensure that you should stretch only till the point that breathing rate is steady.  Then you would notice that you are able to stay in the pose for a long time and comfortably.  Also when you do this for few days you would be able to progress far more easily in the pose as compared to when you where trying to push yourself too hard.

Doing this gives the body a chance to practice at ease and also avoid injuries.  Many many people who practice yoga or even other exercise notice the same thing.  When we breathe steadily while practicing we end up making much more progress without risk of injury and stress is kept out.  This is ultimately the aim of the practice and meaning of Sthir sukham asanam.