Don’t Ignore This Signal When Doing Breathwork | Pranayama, Yoga & Breath Awareness

** While breathing exercises and physical exercises are generally safe they may not be recommended for all people or all conditions. It's always a good idea to talk to your doctors if you have concerns and to get their clearance first. All breathwork and exercise should be done with caution and care. Engage in these practice if you know you are well enough to do so. Take part in practice at your own risk.

There’s a lot of emphasis in the world of Yoga, exercise, and personal development on breathing techniques — from exercises for stress relief to energy to focus and control.

But there’s one simple, critical signal that often gets overlooked when building a pranayama practice: rushing.

And I don’t mean just going fast.

I mean when your breath feels too fast, forced, or disconnected. That moment when you're trying to keep up — with a class, with the teacher, or even just with yourself — and your breath is no longer yours. Yet rather than inviting yourself to recalibrate, you muscle forward in attempt to keep pace with the pack.

This goes beyond avoiding overexertion or having shortness of breath*.

(*And please if you are experiencing unexplained shortness of breath or shortness of breath that does not quickly resolved when demand decreases - consider getting medical attention. Is that disclaimer number 2 of this post, I think so. Don't be a cottonheaded ninnymuggins when it comes to your health. )

Yoga's perspective on breathwork is more than just getting better at cardio, improving your heartrate recovery time, or having a couple tools in your belt when anxiety creeps in.

Yoga Breathwork: More Than Just Inhale, Exhale

In Yoga we call breathwork Pranayama. The reason to do Pranayama can be better understood by exploring the two words combined to make this practice.

Prana | vital life force

Yama | restraint, or control

Unlike breathing exercises that strictly practiced for nervous system regulation, art of breathing in Yoga is much more than just moving oxygen through the body and disposing of carbon dioxide.

Through regulated breath, we learn to direct our awareness and, over time, our lives. It is a method to acknowledge our ability to orchestrate the direction of our vital essence. This is the deeper meaning behind pranayama practice — it’s not just a technique, it’s a tool for self-mastery.

When starting a practice with regulated breathing finding your rhythm can feel awkward at first.

Commonly I hear that 'getting' the breath is a challenge for folks who are new to repetitive, aerobic practices like vinyasa yoga, jogging, or cycling. Over time, and by paying attention, the rhythm of breath becomes easier to find. In turn what emerges is a more efficient use of energy . With attention and repetition, the breath dances with movement; it does not chase it. This collaboration of breath and body unlocks greater control, flow, and confidence.

The Signal You Might Be Missing: Rushed Breath

Of course, it's human nature to try and skip the learning process.

Many people ignore feelings of urgency or hurry — especially in a group setting — in an effort to fall in line with everyone else. No one wants to feel behind, or stick out as a newbie - even if that's exactly what we need to do to improve. Instead of adjusting the breath to match our personal rhythm, we override that signal to keep up.

Some folks, on the opposite end of the spectrum, feel out of sync when the breath pace is long and sustained. They don’t feel like they’re getting enough air, and they start gasping for the next inhale even though the next breath is just a millisecond away. They suck in air in a panic while also stressing about being out of sync with the rhythm around them.

Either way, it creates a sense of being behind and needing to catch up.

Perhaps you’re thinking, “Wait. What about fast breathing exercises like breath of fire?”

I understand that rebuttal. Let's unpack it.

While I don’t want you to feel rushed, increased quickness is not the same thing. Our breath naturally speeds up with increased demand. We also have several pranayama practices that intentionally upregulate the nervous system and quicken the breath — such as Kapalabhati or Bhastrika.

Those techniques, which are often practiced at a deliberately faster pace, are very different from unnecessary hurry.

In fact, part of our practice with more advanced pranayama is learning to ease ourselves into them, and inviting ourselves to the journey of skill development. Over time, with consistent practice, our breathing efficiency improves — meaning we require fewer cycles of breath to accommodate the same demand in movement or effort.

Rushing, on the other hand, is practically the opposite of that.

When we’ hurry, we’re not stretching our skill — we’re reacting. Rushed breathing is shallow and urgent. It doesn’t come from deliberate training; it comes from disconnection, stress, and pressure to perform.

Intentional ≠ Rushed

Truly, no one can rush us without our consent.

That’s why reclaiming responsibility for our energy is essential to growth. Every time we say something like, “Well, the teacher rushed me,” or “The class was too fast and I couldn’t keep up,” we rob ourselves of the opportunity to do our own thing, at our own pace.

After all, this is a practice. So why not practice responding with clarity — especially in a low-stakes environment like a workout or yoga class?

I promise the stakes are much higher off the mat, and I truly want you to be able to put your practice into play where it counts the most.

This is why Pranayama as a practice is much more than learning how to breathe 'right'. It's choosing to be intentional with the way we use our energy.

Let’s break it down:

Intentional Pace	Rushed Breath
Chosen pace	Feels forced
Energizing or relaxing	Depleting or unfulfilling
Intentional practice	Unconscious reaction
Regulated nervous system	Dysregulated nervous system

The Cost of Rushing: Disconnection

The difference isn’t just speed — it’s agency.

When you’re in control of your breath, you’re in control of your energy.

Awareness of psychological reactions during pranayama practices are key to finding the control or restraint necessary to take charge of our vital life force.

To take control of your vital energy - which is the essence of pranayama - is a powerful step to improving not only your physical experience but your emotional landscape as well.