Yoga is very beneficial for our health. Its movements, breathing, and practices have been proven to promote health and wellbeing for centuries. Yoga corrects our posture, helps lower blood pressure, strengthens muscles, and increases metabolism. But you cannot achieve those results if you are not guided properly. Here are our suggestions for the best yoga breathing books to learn at home.

That is why we are here today with our recommendations of the top 10 books for learning Yoga Breathing is a key element of life and yoga. If you don’t know the right technique for breathing, then you can’t do yoga properly.

So, without any further ado, let’s begin our review.

How can yoga breathing help?

Yoga breathing, or breathing itself, is the most important part of yoga. You will be shocked to hear that the poses in yoga do not have as much importance as the way you are breathing in the poses during your yoga session.

Breathing is more important than you may realize. Not only does it supply oxygen to our blood cells, but also it enables other functions such as lowering your stress response and enhancing your energy reserve. You may have noticed that a lot of meditation sessions involve slow breathing. That is because breathing in the proper way can help the body shift into the desired state for meditation. Whether it’s to slow the heart rate, increase energy, or aid in falling asleep, breathing techniques are useful.

Best Books for Learning Yoga Breathing at Home

Best Books for Learning Yoga Breathing: How to Breathe

This book here is undoubtedly one of the best books that focus on breathing. It is written in a definitive guide style to help the reader understand all the instructions and follow them in a step-by-step manner. It discusses the foundations of breathwork and reviews the benefits of breathing practice. It also talks about how the breath relates to emotions and explains the origins and purpose of breathwork. It offers practices that are tried and true and backed by science.

The author, Ashley Neese, went one step further by pointing out all the research and evidence that supports the benefits of all the breathing techniques she outlines. All this will keep you motivated enough to practice the techniques regularly.

Pros:

• Historical context for different types of yoga breathing
• Every technique is explained very well and all the instructions are clear
• Evidence for proving the benefits of breathwork

Cons:

• No paperback version is available
• Some techniques appear as repetition of previous techniques

Best Books for Learning Yoga Breathing: The Power of Breathwork

.Jennifer Patterson has put all the knowledge she gathered from all around the world about yoga breathing and breathwork in this book. She has 25 different yoga breathing exercises in this book. You can easily do these at home without any supervision.

The breathing exercises in this book are focused on healing yourself from trauma and grief. She outlines instructions for many techniques, including 4-7-8 Breath, Energizing Breath, Box Breath, Pursed Lip Breath, Lion’s Breath, Diaphragm Breath, Alternate Nostril Breath, Skull Shining Breath, Ocean Breath, and Multi-Part Fast-Paced Breath.

In addition, she has explained how conscious breathing affects our emotions and our well-being. 

Pros:

• An ideal book for beginners
• All the instructions are written in a clear manner
• 25 different techniques to learn

Cons:

• No paperback and audiobook format available
• All the techniques are elementary, not advisable for the advanced practitioner

Best Books for Learning Yoga Breathing: Shamanic Breathwork

If you are interested in the science behind yoga breathing and using the healing power of breath to achieve altered states of consciousness, then this book is perfect. Written by Linda Star Wolf Ph.D., the exercises described in this book can also be used to resolve old traumas and shift unproductive modes of thinking. The process of shamanic breathwork is explained in 5 easy to understand stages in this book. Included also are positive testimonies from people who have practiced the techniques in the book. However, this book is not an ideal one for beginners to learn the basics of this.

Pros:

• Explains the changes in our body from yoga breathing in five stages
• Personal testimony from different practitioners
• Dives deep into the science of yoga breathing

Cons:

• Not ideal for those who want to learn the basics of yoga breathing
• Does not come in any audiobook format

Rebirthing and Breathwork: A Powerful Technique for Personal Transformation 

Catherine Dowling has introduced a new type of yoga breathing technique in this book. It is called “rebirthing.” She introduced this technique after 20 years of clinical practice. In this book, she describes how to use breathwork to heal your past, develop a connection with yourself, and move forward in freedom. She discusses how to resolve old emotions, manage stress, improve relationships, increase creativity, and expand consciousness. This book intends to guide you on an inner journey to awareness and liberation. 

Pros:

• Introduces a new breathing technique “rebirthing”
• Gives you an insight into different yoga breathing techniques
• Offers therapeutic breathwork exercises 

Cons:

• Mostly focuses on one breathing technique
• Not an ideal book for beginners

Holotropic Breathwork: A New Approach to Self-Exploration and Therapy 

Written by Stanislav Grof, Christina Grof, and Jack Kornfield, this book is considered the best account of holotropic breathwork. The book aims to show us the path to move toward the future by leaving all our past trauma behind with the help of yoga breathing, breathwork, and music.

The word holotropic in the title means to move toward wholeness. The intent in moving toward wholeness is to find and connect with your best self. The contents in this book will explain different yoga breathing techniques to build yourself up and better your life.

By practicing the guidelines in this book, you can move toward a life filled with wholeness rather than a life stuck with childhood trauma and regrets.

Pros:

• Helps you find wholeness and teaches you how to let go of the past
• Explains different yoga breathing techniques
• Written in a clear and easily understandable format

Cons:

• Focuses on finding your wholeness rather than specific breathwork or yoga breathing techniques

What are the benefits you can get from yoga breathing?

Yoga and breathing are beneficial, even necessary, for the body and mind. Put the two together, and what are the benefits that you can expect? Read about the top benefits of it below.

• Reduce Stress

It has been proven that meditation can reduce your stress levels. This practice is an elementary meditation. Many self-healing sessions involve slow and focused breathing as building blocks because yoga breathing has been proven by countless researchers to reduce your stress. 

• Be mindful

Yoga breathing can make you relax and be mindful. Being mindful helps us in a lot of ways. It allows us to accept who we are without any judgment and accept our surroundings and circumstances, and even be grateful for them. It helps us to be satisfied with what we have at the moment, and lose any negativity and judgment. 

• Improve your sleep

Practicing yoga breathing can help you focus on the present moment and calm your overactive mind. Calming breathwork lets you sleep peacefully at night. You can be satisfied and happy by being present and mindful, and that is the key to an improved good night’s sleep.

• Reduce the risk of critical diseases

It lowers your blood pressure and keeps your heart rate in control. It also supplies enough healthy oxygen to your blood vessels. These factors result in a reduced risk of diseases.

• Improve lung health

Many breathwork techniques and practices promote diaphragmatic breathing. This breathing technique strengthens and activates muscles involved in the breathing process, and also massages internal organs, making them healthier. The result is a healthy diaphragm that aids in proper breathing and promotes wellbeing.

FAQ

Can these books help us practice yoga breathing at home by ourselves?

Yes, these books can help us practice yoga breathing at home without any supervision. While working with a trained and caring instructor is always the best option, if that isn’t available to you, learning from books is the next best thing. All the breathing techniques are explained clearly and understandably in the books we’ve recommended.

Why should everyone practice breathwork and yoga breathing?

Most of us live a busy and stressful life, with high levels of stress, unhealthy processed food, and polluted air and water. This takes a toll on our health and wellness. Breathwork helps us improve our wellbeing and focus on our health. It also removes toxins from our bodies when we exhale deep breaths.  Improving our breathing and detoxifying our bodies enhances the quality of our lives.

How does yoga breathing improve our quality of life?

Yoga breathing puts our minds in a relaxed state and supplies enough oxygen in our blood to improve metabolism. Also, it improves our posture and helps rid our bodies of toxins and stale air. These are the ways that breathwork and it can improve our quality of life.

Conclusion

While our modern-day lives are filled with stress, trauma, pollution, and everything harmful, breathwork practice or yoga breathing has proven, positive effects on our mental and physical health and can counteract the effects of the negative aspects of our modern lives. So, we need to take some time for ourselves to let go of all these harmful effects by practicing them.

Get started today with any of these books that we recommended. Happy reading!

You can also check: Best Breathing and Meditation Books for a Guided Experience at Home