The Ujjayi Breath. Defined as the Victorious Breath, victorious over the “chitter chatter of your mind”. If you’ve been to yoga classes, you’ve no doubt come across this form of breathing practice. People describe it in many different ways, ranging from a soothing oceanic wave-like breath to something that sounds like Darth Vader is breathing down your neck. And depending on the teacher and the individuals practicing, the room can be silent or… sound like there’s a Star Wars convention with everyone pretending to be DV.

When I first learned about the Ujjayi Breath, I was told to breath through my nostrils but “slightly constrict the glottis, the base of your throat, so that you have a rasping sound in your breath”. To a singer, that word “constrict” may ring alarm bells, as singing is all about control but without tension.

The good thing about making a sound is that you are more aware of your breath. And being aware of your breath, keeping it smooth and constant, is something you do want in a yoga practice. The sound, if not too loud, can also have a calming effect on the mind. Some sources say that it soothes the nervous system and can lower your blood pressure. So in those early days I dutifully became a mini ocean – not too loud, but making an audible sound in my throad.

But as a singer? The tension does sound problematic. I read in one source that the fact that you are forcing your breath through a constricted throat is too drying for the throat and vocal chords. But then, others say that practicing Ujjayi has improved resonance. Calming the mind sounds like a good thing to do, before a sing, before a performance.

As you may know, practically everything about yoga has been debated: it’s good, it’s not, you should do it this way, no you should not. I’m sure it’s the same for singing methodologies and techniques. So in the end, it really depends on what works for you and what you get benefit from – but in the process of finding this out, you don’t want to do any irreparable damage!

I recently attended a workshop with AG Mohan, who was a direct disciple of Krishnamacharya – often called the “Father of Modern Yoga”, the man who taught the likes of Iyengar. The workshop was focussed on the importance of breath and the significance of breath. I will go more into his teachings in another post, but I would like to share what he (and his lovely wife Indra) spoke about in regards to the Ujjayi breath.

Basically: Ujjayi breath, according to Mohanji, is not about making the sound. It’s about feeling the breath and being more in touch, being conscious about the breath. You don’t need to make a sound at all. Feel the breath as it enters your nostrils, through your nasal cavity, down the throat, filling your lungs. Then, especially on the exhalation, control the breath so that it’s a steady stream of air. Not by blocking your throat. Singers would have their own techniques to not collapse their lungs too quickly, controlling the flow of air to sustain a quality sound.

You need to breathe to live. For singers, the breath gives you your voice. In yoga, controlling the flow of breath is said to control the flow of prana (life force, life energy) through your body. So it makes sense to be aware of your breath, not only just when you sing, but when you are moving as well.

So… I put a lot of focus on the breath in my yoga teaching. And Ujjayi breath is a part of this, but it isn’t so that you ALWAYS use Ujjayi breathing. To me, it’s one of the many tools that yoga brings to help you become more in tune with yourself, your instrument. By all means, if you attend other classes that encourage loud Ujjayi breathing and it feels right for you, go for it! Every teacher will have different thoughts, and every yoga practitioner, be they singers or not, will also have different experiences with the Ujjayi breath.