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I sometimes find that I'm holding my breath in poses (when I shouldn't be), this is particularly in balancing poses like the tree pose balance. Does this mean that I'm not doing the pose right - my teacher said something about this, but I wasn't sure what she means. If I am in the pose but only my breath is held, how can I be doing the pose wrong?

The breath is key in yoga, this is the tool we use to go inside and develop an awareness of what is happening in there. It also helps us to relax into our postures and experience them more deeply.

If the breath is static there is no movement of prana (energy). Prana takes nourishment to every cell in the body. Movement of prana is one of the fundamental aspects of yoga.

Hope that helps

Shanti, om.

Hi Jen, I believe all of us experienced this at some stage.
The breath is used in yoga as a feedback mechanism. If you need to hold your breath in order to do the pose, it usually means that you have gone too far.
Either don't stay in the pose for so long, get out of the pose and repeat it again or try doing a slightly less strenuous variation.
In the tree pose it would mean lowering you foot below your knee instead of having it near to the groin, placing the foot above the ankle or having the ball of the foot on the floor and the heel above the ankle. All these ARE variations of the tree pose.
Listening to your breath and adapting your poses accordingly can be a great tool for you to develop the awareness Spectrum talks about.

I agree with Spectrum about relaxing, going 'inside' and the flow of energy.


Maybe you're concentrating really hard, that's what happens to me when I concentrate really hard. If your breath is flowing in and out it would mean there's a certain amount of ease; if it's held it means there's excessive tension (mental and muscular).

Trees don't hold their breath, so make like a tree !!

LOL - this advice really helps me too, I often find I hold my breath. Thanks guys!

I used to do this and still do on occasion... I find my self holding my breath when I am using my core muscles. As soon as I get settled in my asana I realize that I am holding my breath. Is this what you are doing?