Warrior Breath, or Kshakthiriya Pranayama in Sanskrit, is a breathing technique integral to the practice of Mei Padam and Karlakattai, ancient Tamil warrior arts from South India. Kshakthiriya means “warrior” and Pranayama means “breath/energy control”. Going a step further into the translation within this context, the word Kshakthi means “primordial energy”, and the word riya means “to gather”. Together the whole expression is understood as a “technique to gather primordial energy through breathing”.

Unlike the most well-known pranayama techniques in the yoga field which are performed while in a seated position and fairly motionless, Kshakthiriya pranayama is organized around the demands of the body moving dynamically through space.

In order to move fluidly and effortlessly and yet with power and precision, our breath needs to be supportive of our movement. That becomes even more evident when wielding a weapon such as a wooden club or a sword in martial arts or in sports like tennis, polo, or golf. Another good example is competitive swimming, where breath, body alignment, and power come together to minimize hydrodynamic drag and generate a stellar performance.

The rhythm of expansions and contractions of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles work in conjunction with the rest of the muscular-skeletal structure and the cardio-vascular system to support our weight, maintain balance, and adjust the nervous system’s reaction to improve physical and mental adaptability, responsiveness, and flexibility.

Kshakthiriya Pranayama helps us train our whole physiology and neuro-muscular system to respond skillfully to the task at hand, whether that is a high-velocity ballistic training, a long and sustained engagement that requires endurance, rest/recovery/sleep, or stillness in concentration and meditation.

Kshakthiriya Pranayama is essentially nasal breathing in which the power, velocity, and cadence of the inhales and exhales cycle is shaped to support the movement, concentration, and responsiveness required to execute Mei Padam exercises and Karlakattai Suttrus (rotations) in a well-grounded and balanced way.

For example, in a simple Mei Padam exercise where we start from Tadasana and bring both arms straight up above the head and then back down along the side of the body for several repetitions, we pair up the length and speed of lifting the arms with the length and speed of the inhales and the length and speed of lowering the arms with that of the exhales. This allows the synchronization of the timing of the physical movement with the timing of the breath cycle. Rhythmically, we create a repetitive pulsation that expands as we lift the arms and bring air in, and contracts while we lower the arms down and expel air out. Of course, many other exercises add greater complexity and demand more dexterity and attention.

In the physical domain, this breathing technique generates the core support and the oxygen and carbon dioxide conditions that potentiate the force, stamina, and pace to execute a variety of movement patterns without interruption or break for the length of the practice session. In the mental/emotional domain, it creates the conditions by which a state of flow and ease can be maintained, and where action becomes effortless, flawless, and self-driven. And, in the spiritual realm, it is the conduit by which we recognize our belonging to the divine source of prana shakti (divine life force). We, a sacred pulsation of movement and breath, a reflection of Spanda, the primordial vibration of the Universe.

By becoming more familiar with the physical and mechanical aspects of our breathing (rib cage, sternum, hipbones, pubic bone, diaphragm, tissues and organs of the abdomen and thoracic cavity, etc.) we can bring more awareness to our body and sensations in all these areas. In this way, we create opportunities to reconnect with and re-awaken these tissues, observe how they move and work together.

Like any other muscle in the body, the diaphragm and the surrounding tissues of the thorax can become weak and rigid, especially when we don’t move for long periods of time. By engaging in breathwork we are retraining our muscles to become strong and flexible and to move smoothly. We are also resetting the rhythm and rate of our breathing cycle. As we change the way we breathe the carbon dioxide content of our blood changes, our neurological responses shift, and our endocrine levels also respond to changes in our body’s biochemistry.

One of the main objectives of this practice is to establish healthy and nourishing breathing patterns that reinvigorate our whole physiology and support our cognitive function in a habitual manner.

What does it mean to synchronize body movement and breath? Why is it necessary? Nature and physiology are essentially rhythmic. Our sleep-wake cycle, circadian rhythm, ultradian rhythm, heart rate, nervous system, endocrine system, body temperature, and several other players, form an integrated and complex neuro-feedback loop. Our biological rhythms can be disrupted by changes in our environment, our daily routine, and, in the long term, by our aging process. By purposely integrating rhythm, repetition and breath awareness while moving in precise patterns, we tap into the plasticity of the brain to develop dexterity, strength, balance, and a focused yet relaxed mind. In this way, we create and maintain a state of flow and ease. We are able to observe, evaluate and discern the best action based on current context. We finally feel at home in our own skin and able to harmonize and navigate with the rhythms of nature. Exercise and breath awareness exert numerous health benefits that support proper circadian function and skeletal muscle metabolism. The more we synchronize to the fresh and animated currents flowing through nature and allow them to move through us, the more the ego-imposed barriers between us and the rest of creation break down.

The mind and the breath have a very synergistic relationship. Our thoughts and emotions affect the rhythm of our breath, and manipulating the rhythm of our breath influences our autonomic nervous and cardiovascular systems which affects our mental and emotional state. Typically, each emotional state manifests a particular breathing pattern. For example, when we feel anger, our breath is fast, noisy, and centered in the upper chest with a shallow, erratic rhythm. When we feel calm and peaceful, our breath is quiet, smooth, continuous, and even. When we feel anxious or fearful, our breath is shaky, short, and shallow. The breath has a physical/mechanic aspect which makes it much more accessible to our conscious command. Breathwork practice helps cultivate a healthy rhythmic breathing which balances the nervous system, calms an agitated mind, and helps digest the current emotional state. The idea is not to negate or suppress the experience of emotions, but to develop emotional awareness and regulation. In this way, we are more capable of thinking clearly and being more effective at performing the task at hand or establishing healthier social connections. When our mind and nervous system are not easily unsettled by external circumstances, our sleep cycle can accomplish its nightly task of rest, recovery, and healing.

A prompt and deep pattern of breathing increases the ventilation of the lungs’ alveoli and promotes blood flow all through the lungs, which is particularly relevant for those pulmonary areas where blood circulation is sluggish.

The increased carbon dioxide levels that occurred during a vigorous pranayama practice stimulate the brain’s capillaries to dilate. Such capillary dilatation improves cerebral flow which is crucial for cognitive performance.

A vigorous pranayama practice exercises the thoracic and abdominal cavities while invigorating and balancing the nervous system. In general, Pranayama guides respiration beyond its habitual limits, stretching it, speeding it up and slowing it down in order to experience the full range of respiration in both the gross and the subtle levels.

A slow and subtle pattern of breathing is generally tranquilizing, and its effect is opposite to vigorous techniques. It reduces the metabolic rate as well as the frequency of brain waves, leading to relaxed meditative states. This is experienced with a greater sense of control over the nervous system.

We are so accustomed to ongoing sensory stimulation that we have lost our ability to quiet our minds. A meditative pranayama practice becomes the gateway through which we develop more awareness and command over our sensory experience and sensory engagement. Such practice gradually disengages the mind and senses from external stimuli and creates the best conditions for concentration and meditation. In yoga philosophy, that mastery over external influences is called Pratyahara.

As we cultivate more emotional awareness and sensitivity to our internal energetic landscape, we become more sentient of the subtle forces of the mind, which arise in the form of thoughts, feelings, emotions, responses, impressions, symbols, and knowledge. We begin to develop more awareness of our body beyond the physical dimension. Planes of consciousness that had previously remained in darkness are illuminated as prana flows into them.

For centuries, a practice under the tutelage of a master teacher and within the embrace of a community of dedicated students, has been the most reliable bridge between the time-tested wisdom and values of these ancient warrior arts and our own study, integration, and realization of their gifts.

A skilled and compassionate teacher can help identify and refine those parts of ourselves that remain hidden from our viewpoint, and that, consciously or unconsciously, we avoid or procrastinate to act. A relationship with a teacher helps establish a more individualized approach that directly addresses our own strength and weaknesses. For example, in the physical aspect, determining the speed, force, and rhythm that is best suited to our current capabilities, and yet challenging enough to allow for steady and progressive growth. In the mental aspect, it could be looking into our self-doubt, fear of failure, resistance to commitment, etc., how the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects are always interdependent, and what integrated course is best suited for their resolution.

Mutual trust, respect, commitment, and diligence are the grounding forces that have allowed the flow of knowledge to maintain their relevance into the present through generations.

When we cultivate a continuous and disciplined practice under the expert guidance of a teacher, we develop the ability to further direct our energy, our prana. That is the first step into a rich and beautiful exploration of Prana Vidya, the science that explores the intelligent management and distribution of life force in the physical, mental, and spiritual planes.