Pranayama practice
The day's practice, guided as a group: the techniques of your course in sequence, with the bandhas, mudras and bija mantras.
Breathwork · Rishikesh
Breathwork in Rishikesh: Ancient Pranayama Meets Modern Science
Where the world's oldest breathing science meets contemporary research. Learn authentic pranayama techniques from our teachers in Rishikesh, then practise them in depth on a 7, 15 or 30-day course.
Coming from breathwork? How the course teaches breathwork
The science of breath
What is Breathwork?
Breathwork is the conscious practice of regulating and directing the breath to transform your physical, mental, and emotional state. While the modern wellness world has popularized this term, the practice itself is ancient, rooted in the yogic science of Pranayama, refined over many centuries in the ashrams of India.
प्राणायामेन युक्तेन सर्वरोगक्षयो भवेत्
prāṇāyāmena yuktena sarvaroga-kṣayo bhavet
With pranayama rightly practised, all disorders are said to wane.
At Anantadrishti Yoga, we bridge the ancient and the modern. Our teaching follows the classical pranayama tradition while staying fluent in contemporary breathwork science: vagus nerve theory, heart-rate variability, brain wave modulation, and CO₂ tolerance. Whether you arrive saying “breathwork” or “pranayama,” you learn the same deep skills.
Every technique we teach, from gentle Ujjayi (ocean breath) to powerful Kapalbhati (skull-shining breath), is grounded in the classical eight-limbed yoga system. Pranayama is the fourth limb of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga, positioned between asana (postures) and pratyahara (sense withdrawal) as the bridge from body to mind.
Our teaching draws on how classical yoga texts, such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, describe the breath and the mind, alongside modern respiratory physiology and neuroscience research, so you develop both the experience of a traditional practitioner and an understanding of the science.
Techniques & methods
Breathwork Techniques, Step by Step
From gentle calming breaths to powerful energizing techniques, our free guides cover classical pranayama and modern breathwork methods.
- उज्जायी प्राणायाम
Ujjayi Pranayama
Ocean BreathA gentle, audible breath that warms the body, calms the mind, and builds internal focus. The foundation of vinyasa and the gateway to deeper breathwork.
Learn the technique - अनुलोम विलोम
Anulom Vilom
Alternate Nostril BreathingBalances the left and right sides of the breath, settles the nervous system, and prepares the mind for meditation. One of the most studied techniques in breathwork science.
Learn the technique - कपालभाति प्राणायाम
Kapalbhati Pranayama
Skull-Shining BreathA rapid, rhythmic exhalation technique that energizes the body and sharpens mental clarity. Practiced worldwide as a core breathwork method.
Learn the technique - भ्रामरी प्राणायाम
Bhramari Pranayama
Humming Bee BreathProduces a soothing humming vibration that calms an agitated mind and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Learn the technique - कुम्भक
Kumbhaka & the Bandhas
Breath Retention & Energy LocksHolding the breath in and out with the root, abdominal and chin locks: the heart of advanced pranayama, and how to begin it safely.
Learn the technique - आधुनिक श्वास तकनीक
Box Breathing & 4-7-8
Modern Therapeutic BreathworkStructured breathing patterns used by athletes and therapists. Equal-ratio and extended-exhale techniques for stress relief and sleep.
Learn the technique
Every classical technique in one place: the types of pranayama.
What practitioners report
Effects of breathwork, as practitioners describe them
What students commonly notice with regular practice, and where research on slow breathing stands. Breathwork is a practice, not a medical treatment; if you have a health condition, ask your doctor before you begin.
Mental Clarity
Many practitioners find that a few minutes of steady breathing before work or study makes it easier to settle and concentrate.
Energy & Vitality
Kapalbhati and Bhastrika are traditionally practised to wake up the body and mind; students often describe feeling alert and warm afterwards.
Calm Under Pressure
Slow breathing with a longer exhalation is associated with the parasympathetic, rest-and-digest response, and many people feel calmer within minutes.
Breathing Awareness
Regular practice trains the diaphragm and the muscles between the ribs, and teaches you to use the whole of the lungs rather than only the upper chest.
Nervous System Balance
Research on slow breathing reports effects on heart rate and heart-rate variability. In class, students observe for themselves how each practice shifts their state.
Meditation Preparation
Classical pranayama is the fourth limb of Ashtanga yoga, practised to steady the mind before meditation (dharana and dhyana).
Rest & Sleep
Many practitioners use slow left-nostril breathing (Chandra Bhedana) or the 4-7-8 pattern in the evening to quiet the mind before sleep.
Emotional Regulation
Conscious breathing creates a gap between stimulus and response. Over time, practitioners report steadier moods and greater equanimity.
Digestion
Agnisara and deep diaphragmatic breathing move the abdominal muscles; in yoga they are traditionally practised to support digestion (agni).
Study with us
Study breathwork as pranayama, in Rishikesh
One programme, in three lengths: the Advanced Pranayama & Yoga Philosophy Course. All three courses begin together at the start of each month and share the same first week.
Advanced Pranayama Course
Go deeper: a breathwork course rooted in classical pranayama
The Advanced Pranayama Course: kumbhaka, bandhas, mudras and bija mantras, taught in two sessions a day, Monday to Saturday, in Lower Tapovan, Rishikesh, beside the Ganga.
- 7, 15 or 30 days
- A new start every month
- Taught in English
Tuition from$149₹13,000
Prefer a shorter stay? See our retreats in Rishikesh.
Daily schedule
A day of pranayama in Rishikesh
Starts on the 1st of every month (Monday the 2nd when the 1st is a Sunday).
Corrections, science & philosophy
Corrections and further practice, then the science and philosophy of pranayama: how the practices work, and how classical yoga texts describe the breath and the mind.
Sunday is a rest day, with no classes. Afternoons are free for rest, reading and quiet practice of your own.
What every course includes
Whichever course you choose, the practice is also a study. In all three courses, students observe how each practice influences four areas, and learn to read those changes over the days.
I
Mind
Attention, mood and the movement of thought: the psychology of each practice.II
Nervous system
Signs of activation and of settling: heartbeat, warmth, alertness, calm.III
Body
Posture, the diaphragm and abdomen, and the felt effect of each bandha.IV
Energy
Prana as yoga describes it: sensations of flow, heat, lightness or stillness.
Mudras & bija mantras
Mudras (hand gestures) and bija mantras (seed syllables) are coordinated with the practices, and you observe their influence in the same four areas.
- Both daily sessions, Monday to Saturday, for the length of your course
- Corrections every teaching day
- The science and philosophy of pranayama
- Mudras and bija mantras with the practices
Accommodation can be arranged nearby in Tapovan. Tell us your dates and budget when you enquire, and we will help you find a room.
Frequently Asked Questions About Breathwork
What to know before starting your breathwork practice in Rishikesh.
What is breathwork?
Breathwork is the conscious practice of controlling your breathing to influence your physical, mental, and emotional state. It encompasses ancient pranayama techniques from the yoga tradition as well as modern methods like box breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, and holotropic breathwork. At Anantadrishti Yoga, we teach the classical pranayama system.
Is breathwork the same as pranayama?
Breathwork is a modern umbrella term that includes pranayama and other breathing methods. Pranayama is the breath discipline of the yoga tradition: it means 'extension of the life force (prana)' in Sanskrit. Many modern breathwork styles draw on pranayama principles.
Can beginners do breathwork?
Yes. Breathwork can be learned from scratch: start with slow diaphragmatic breathing, Ujjayi (ocean breath) and simple Anulom Vilom (alternate nostril breathing), using our guides. For our Advanced Pranayama Course, some prior yoga or breathing practice helps; healthy, sincere beginners can join the 7-day course. Tell us about your experience when you enquire.
What are the benefits of breathwork?
Practitioners commonly report less stress, clearer focus, better sleep and steadier emotions, and slow breathing is associated with the parasympathetic, rest-and-digest response. Research on these effects is still developing, so treat breathwork as a practice, not as medical treatment, and ask your doctor first if you have a health condition.
Why learn breathwork in Rishikesh?
Rishikesh is one of the oldest centres of yoga in India. Learning pranayama here, in Lower Tapovan beside the Ganga, means studying the breath in the setting where it has long been practised, away from the pace of a city studio.
How long are your breathwork courses?
Our Advanced Pranayama Course runs 7, 15 or 30 days, with tuition from $149. All three start together each month, on the 1st (Monday the 2nd when the 1st is a Sunday), with two sessions a day, Monday to Saturday. Sunday is a rest day. Fees cover tuition only; we help you find a room nearby.
Learning center
Breathwork Guides & Articles
Guides on breathwork science, philosophy, techniques, and practical applications for everyday life.
- Fundamentals
What Is Breathwork? A Complete Guide to Breathing Practices
The history, styles and science of breathwork, from ancient pranayama to modern techniques, and what research suggests about how conscious breathing affects body and mind.
8 min readSomashekar 
Benefits12 Benefits of Breathwork: What the Research Suggests
What studies suggest about breathwork for stress, sleep, focus, breathing and mood, and where the evidence is still thin.
10 min readSomashekar- Techniques
7 Breathwork Techniques for Beginners and Advanced Practitioners
Step-by-step instructions for 7 powerful breathing techniques — from calming Nadi Shodhana to energizing Bhastrika and advanced Ujjayi with Maha Bandha.
12 min readSomashekar 
Mental HealthBreathwork for Anxiety: 5 Techniques to Try
The breathing techniques most often used for anxiety, with step-by-step instructions and an honest note on what the research suggests.
7 min readSomashekar
Practice GuideUjjayi Pranayama with Maha Bandha: Complete Practice Guide
A detailed step-by-step guide to combining Ujjayi Pranayama with Maha Bandha — three energy locks that deepen breath retention, steady the mind and, in the yogic tradition, lead toward meditative absorption.
10 min readSomashekar- Philosophy
The Philosophy of Ujjayi: From Sound to Silence
Explore the deep philosophical roots of Ujjayi Pranayama through ten perspectives drawn from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Sutras, Nath tradition, and Gheranda Samhita.
12 min readSomashekar 
ScienceHow Breathwork May Change Your Brain Waves: Ujjayi & Bandhas
What research suggests about breathwork and brain waves: how slow Ujjayi breathing and Maha Bandha may relate to calmer Alpha and Theta states, and where the evidence is still thin.
11 min readSomashekar
Practice GuideBhastrika Pranayama with Maha Bandha: Advanced Breathwork for Brain & Body
Learn the powerful combination of Bhastrika (Bellows Breath) and Maha Bandha: step-by-step technique, safety guidelines, and 8 proposed effects on the brain, rooted in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
14 min readSomashekar
FundamentalsBreathwork vs Pranayama: Understanding the Connection
What is the difference between modern breathwork and classical pranayama? Explore their origins, techniques, goals, and why pranayama is the original — and most complete — breathwork system.
7 min readSomashekar
Fundamentals5 Breathing Exercises for Beginners: Start Your Practice Today
Step-by-step instructions for 5 beginner-friendly breathing exercises: Box Breathing, 4-7-8 Technique, Diaphragmatic Breathing, Alternate Nostril Breathing, and Ujjayi. No experience needed.
9 min readSomashekar
Advanced Pranayama Course
Go deeper: a breathwork course rooted in classical pranayama
The Advanced Pranayama Course: kumbhaka, bandhas, mudras and bija mantras, taught in two sessions a day, Monday to Saturday, in Lower Tapovan, Rishikesh, beside the Ganga.
- 7, 15 or 30 days
- A new start every month
- Taught in English
Tuition from$149₹13,000