We breathe every day, 21,600 times, to be exact. But most of us walk around the world breathing unconsciously, unaware of the cyclical nature of the inhalations and exhalations that bring us from dawn ’til dusk. In this video, yoga master R. Sharath Jois explicates the power of proper breathing on and off the mat.

The body is controlled by the mind and the mind is controlled by the breaths we take, says Jois, and therefore we can understand more about our mental state by the way we are breathing, in the same way that we can control our mental state through our breathing. Not only can breath transform our practice, but it purifies the nervous system, and can literally extend our days by extending consciousness. Learn more about the power of the breath in the video above.


Related: The Power of Breath for Physical and Emotional Balance


Don’t miss your chance to attend class with Ashtanga yoga master Sharath Jois when he visits the U.S. in May 2017! Learn more here.

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