Breath Beyond Boundaries: Exploring the Magic of SKY Breathwork
Last year, I was introduced to a practice called SKY Breath Meditation. After signing up for an introductory session to learn what SKY practice was all about, I ended up being selected for an 8-week study on the effects of SKY breath on the body.
What is SKY?
SKY, or Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, is a type of rhythmic breathing that ranges from slow and calming to fast and energizing. Sudarshan Kriya translates to “an action that provides power for clarity and vision”. The practice asks participants to take control of their breath which helps lead to physical and mental wellbeing.
Benefits of SKY Practice
While these results of this particular study have yet to be published, we can look forward to the noted potential benefits such as:
Improves sleep
Reduces stress and anxiety
Improvement of pain symptoms
Improvement of chronic fatigue
SKY also allows for emotional release, as was evidenced by the MANY sessions in which I personally felt a sense of release wash over me as my connections to those in session expanded and I recognized myself as a being connected to everyone and everything around me.
How to Practice SKY
There are four parts to the SKY practice
1. Ujjayi or victorious breath. Used frequently in yoga, ujjayi is the first breathing technique that controls airflow so that each breathe can be held to a certain count, and also provides an alert but calm feeling.
2. Bhastrika or “bellows breath” is a quick paced pattern where air is rapidly inhaled and forcefully exhaled. This allows for a moment of excitability followed by a calm.
3. A cyclical breathing pattern that is practiced in slow, medium, and fast cycles.
4. Meditation and Relaxation to allow for the effects of the practice to take hold and integrate into the body.
What to Expect During Your SKY Practice
A typical session lasts about 20-30 minutes which is followed by a short period of relaxation post-breathwork.
You may experience a release of emotions because the breath is a powerful ally in releasing trapped emotions in the body.
You may also notice that you are calmer, less stressed, more connected, and more peaceful.
SKY is powerful. In order to properly learn the SKY breath meditation, it is recommended that you do so with a facilitator trained in SKY.
Do not try this after a heavy meal.
Don’t attempt to practice without learning from a trained facilitator.
While SKY might help you sleep better, know that for some people, it may be too exciting of a practice to do at night so you may want to try a few different times of day to see which works best for you.
My Personal Experience with SKY Breath
While the results of the study are a year away from publication, the benefits in life satisfaction from fellow participants was too great to ignore. Many people within our study reported an increase in life satisfaction, an ability to handle change better.
Personally, I experienced what can only be explained as a greater sense of control over myself, my emotions, and my environment. When it came to chaos of moments of stress that had risen, I was calm. I was able to act with integrity, with calmness, with ease, in situations that otherwise would have sent me straight into the depths of despair.
Ready to Learn More?
If you are interested in learning more about SKY, check out Art of Living here.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the founder of Art of Living and the creator of Sudarshan Kriya and his personal story is beautiful to read about.
Additional resources are also offered on a variety of topics including breathwork, yoga, and meditation, along with their 3 day course that teaches SKY. This is The Art of Living Part 1.
Based on this groundbreaking study, we may soon see that breathwork will be a common prescription for anyone dealing with stress, anxiety, chronic pain or illness, as this is HOW powerful the breath is.