The 8 Limbs of Yoga: 4. Pranayama: Befriending the Breath

The fourth limb, Pranayama, is the practice of working with the breath to shift our inner state. The breath is one of the most direct pathways to the nervous system, which means it gives us incredible access to calm, clarity, and presence.

In my world, pranayama isn’t about controlling the breath as much as learning from it—listening, softening, and guiding it with care. When we change how we breathe, we change how we feel. And when we practice breath awareness regularly, we begin to sense a steadiness underneath whatever rises and falls in our day.