What is Sudarshan Kriya: Origin, Types and How to Perform

Many of us are familiar with the effects of stress on our bodies. We tend to get headaches, body aches and feel tiredness due to stress. Moreover, stress tends to affect one of our most precious assets, our brain. 

However, we can tackle these side effects of stress if we practice Sudarshan Kriya regularly. If you do not know much about this yoga technique, this blog is here to help you. It aims to shed light on what is Sudarshan Kriya and its benefits on your health.

Under stress, a certain physical response is triggered, which directly affects our brain and impedes our focus and concentration. Furthermore, the ability to socialise also gets disrupted, and in turn, it causes problems in our daily lives and relationships.

However, trying to calm your mind willingly and forcing it to maintain happy thoughts doesn't help. What does help you in a situation when you are highly stressed is breathing. Sudarshan Kriya is a unique technique in yoga that deals with rhythmic breathing and has long-lasting effects on your emotions. 

It is a series of cyclical breathing techniques referred to in traditional yoga. In this, you have to start with slow breathing and later transition to medium and rapid-paced breathing cycles. Sudarshan Kriya helps to remove toxins from your body as well as deep-rooted stress from your mind.

It is believed that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar first cognised Sudarshan Kriya on the banks of river Bhadra in Shimoga. The cognisors of this breathing technique noticed that people needed a tool in the modern era that would help them live happily. So, on 17th September 1981, after 10 days of silence and fasting, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar got the inspiration for Sudarshan Kriya.

Sudarshan Kriya's main aim is to regulate one's breathing. An individual's breath is linked with his/her emotions. So, whenever someone is angry, that person takes short breaths. On the contrary, when the same individual feels sad, he or she takes long breaths. As a result, when one's emotions change, their breathing cycle also changes. 

The Art of Living Foundation states that individuals can easily change the state of their minds if they can regulate their breathing cycles. This breathing technique uses various breathing cycles and releases negative emotions from one's mind like stress, anxiety, sorrow and anger. Regularly practising the Sudarshan Kriya postures will help one to feel more relaxed, energised and happy.

Sudarshan Kriya brings harmony by bringing the mind's rhythm and breathing in sync. Furthermore, one can follow four different types of Sudarshan Kriya techniques based on personal goals. These types are:

1. Ujjayi

This Sudarshan Kriya technique is also known as an “ocean or victorious breath”. It involves utilising slow and deep controlled inhalation that leads to the contraction of one’s diaphragm. The name of this technique comes from a sound similar to the ocean sounds made by the glottis when air rushes through the practitioner’s throat.

When one’s diaphragm contracts, his/her lungs and belly get filled with air. Ujjayi helps the practitioner in gaining control over his or her breathing through conscious effort. This helps to regulate one’s blood pressure, which makes the practitioner feel calm.  

Steps To follow-

• You need to sit on the ground with your spine straight and legs folded. 
• Next, take long conscious breaths so that if you put your hand on your throat, you can feel the air travel.
• It is important to remember to perform the Sudarshan Kriya technique in a relaxed manner so that you can feel yourself exhaling and inhaling slowly.
• Typically, it will take 2-4 slow breaths per minute to properly complete the technique.

2. Om Chanting

Om chanting is one of the most popular forms of yoga that Indians have been practising for ages. This mediation technique has gained popularity around the globe recently. 

In Hinduism, it is believed that the pure sound of "Om" is the basis of human life. Individuals can chant Om to connect with the origin of the universe and the purpose of their life. This sacred sound helps one connect with the cosmic universe and calms one's soul and mind. 

Steps To follow-

• First, place a mat on the floor and sit with your spine straight and legs folded on the mat.
• Then, you must join your hands in front of your chest or place them on your knees. 
• The next step is to close your eyes and relax.
• Take deep breaths while pronouncing the first 2 syllables of “Om”.
• When making the "m" sound, you need to gently breathe out so that you can hear it coming from your abdominal region.
• You need to repeat this process thrice.

3. Bhastrika

This popular pranayama yoga technique is also commonly referred to as bellow breath. The yoga practitioner forcefully inhales and exhales air through his/her nostrils which leads to the contraction and relaxation of his/her diaphragm. One needs to take 30 breaths per minute for this exercise. This will help one to calm down and stimulates one's body.

Steps To follow- 

• Sit on the yoga mat with your legs folded and spine straight. 
• Next, make a fist with both your hands and fold your arms so that the fists are placed near your shoulder.
• As you inhale, your fists should go upwards in the air. You can open your fists when your hands are already up in the air. 
• Next, you need to exhale, bring your hands down back to your shoulder and again make a fist while exhaling. 
• Repeat this process 20 times before relaxing.

4. Kriya

Kriya, commonly referred to as purifying breath, is an advanced form of breathing. It requires one to breathe in slow, medium and fast cycles. Moreover, the breath that one takes should be rhythmic and cyclical. 

Steps To follow-

• You must sit on a mat with your spine straight and legs folded.

• The duration of inhalation should be more than the exhalation duration. 

• This technique should last 45 minutes, after which you can finally relax.

These were the various Sudarshan Kriya yoga steps, and now we will discuss the various precautions one must take. 

One must perform Sudarshan Kriya under the guidance of a yoga instructor. If one does not take the help of a yoga teacher, this might end up being ineffective and harmful for the individual. 

Moreover, yoga experts suggest that pregnant women who are going through alcohol and drug abuse and individuals suffering from extreme mental illnesses should avoid Sudarshan Kriya.

The various benefits of Sudarshan Kriya are:

• This technique improves one’s overall health and mental wellness
• It strengthens one's immune system and increases energy levels.
• Practitioners will get better sleep.
• Sudarshan Kriya helps one to deal with challenging situations.
• It reduces stress and anxiety in people.
• People with high blood pressure will benefit from this technique as practising this reduces blood pressure.
• Practising Sudarshan Kriya reduces impulsive behaviour in individuals.
• Practising this technique improves concentration which allows one to focus better and increases confidence.
• It improves respiratory systems and increases lung capacity

Any individual who wants to improve his or her quality of life and live stress-free should perform Sudarshan Kriya regularly. This yoga technique can benefit people in various fields like students, IT professionals, homemakers and much more. Through this blog, we have tried to explain what is Sudarshan Kriya and how it can be beneficial to everyone.