Ujjayi: Victorious Breath, Gentle Steps, Tradition and Safety

Ujjayi is the breath with a soft sound made by slightly narrowing the throat. The word is usually translated as victorious, or as the breath of victory, and many people call it the ocean breath because the sound resembles distant waves. It is taught in many yoga classes to keep the breath slow and steady during postures, and some teachers use it on its own as a seated practice.

Ujjayi is easy to overdo, since people tighten the throat too much or breathe too hard. This page teaches only a soft form with no force and no holding. It gives the steps, the tradition, the dosha view that teachers use, who should avoid it, and what research says. Please also read the safety notes for the whole section.

How to do it

1. Sit comfortably with the spine upright and the shoulders soft, or lie on your back if that is easier. Close the mouth, with the tongue resting and the jaw loose.
2. Breathe in and out through the nose a few times in a normal, relaxed way first.
3. To find the sound, open the mouth and breathe out slowly as if fogging a mirror, making a soft whispering haa. Notice the slight narrowing at the back of the throat.
4. Close the mouth and keep that very slight narrowing as you breathe through the nose. The breath should make a soft, even, airy sound, like a quiet sigh or a faint sea.
5. Breathe slowly and smoothly, with the in-breath and out-breath of about equal length. Keep the face, neck and shoulders relaxed.
6. Practise for one to three minutes at first. Then breathe normally and notice how you feel.

The sound should be audible only to you, and never harsh or strained. If the throat tightens, dries or tickles, or you feel dizzy, release the narrowing and breathe normally. Do not hold the breath.

What the tradition says

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a medieval text, describes Ujjayi as one of the eight breath practices. It describes drawing the breath in with a sound through the throat and, in its full form, includes holding the breath and alternating nostrils, which this gentle page does not teach. The text makes strong claims about its effects, and we report those only as tradition. Modern teachers more often present the sound as an anchor for attention that keeps the breath even in postures. These are descriptions from the tradition and from teaching, and not medical claims.

Ujjayi and the doshas

Pairing breathing practices with doshas is a modern teaching convention, not something set out in the medical texts of Ayurveda, and it has not been tested.

• Teachers often suggest Ujjayi for vata, which tradition describes as light and scattered, because the steady sound is thought to hold the attention. They advise a very soft sound. See vata.
• For pitta, which tradition describes as hot and driven, teachers suggest a gentle form and sometimes a slightly longer out-breath, and caution against effort. See pitta.
• For kapha, which tradition describes as heavy and slow, teachers may use a livelier rhythm to feel awake and warm. See kapha.

These remain conventions, and you can ignore them.

Who should avoid it or take care

• People with throat problems, a sore throat, laryngitis, voice disorders or recent throat surgery should avoid narrowing the throat unless a doctor agrees.
• Those with asthma, chronic lung disease or breathlessness should ask a doctor first and keep to very soft breathing.
• People with high or low blood pressure, heart disease, epilepsy or a history of stroke should ask a doctor first, and should not practise holds or strong breathing.
• Anyone with anxiety or panic should stop if the sound and the narrowed breath feel unsettling, and should see a doctor.
• In pregnancy, only a very soft form without holding the breath should be tried, after asking your doctor.
• Children should practise only with a qualified teacher.
• Anyone with a cold, nasal congestion or reflux that is aggravated by breath control should wait.
• Anyone feeling dizzy, tingling or light-headed should stop at once.
• People who feel their throat is sore or dry afterwards should reduce the narrowing or stop.

A gentler option

Skip the throat sound altogether and just breathe slowly through the nose, lengthening the out-breath slightly. Or make the sound so faint that it can hardly be heard, with the throat almost fully open. You can also do it lying down for a minute, with the hands on the belly, feeling the rise and fall. For people with throat or lung conditions, plain relaxed nose breathing is the safe choice, and a doctor can advise. A short practice is enough, which fits the half-effort principle in exercise by dosha.

What research says

There is little good research on Ujjayi specifically. Small studies of slow, controlled breathing in general suggest it may reduce perceived stress and affect heart rate briefly in some people, but the trials are small, differ in method, and rarely test this technique alone. There is no good evidence that Ujjayi treats any disease. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advises that new practitioners avoid forceful breathing techniques and that people with conditions such as high blood pressure get medical clearance.

Making it part of your practice

Some people use a soft Ujjayi during a calm sequence such as the one in the yoga sequence tool, or when sitting before a rest. It can accompany standing postures like mountain pose or triangle pose. Compare it with the quiet nadi shodhana and the cooling sheetali. The wider picture of breath in daily life is on yoga and pranayama in an Ayurvedic routine. Practise on an empty stomach and in clean air.

The throat breath above is described as a tradition, not as medical advice. The medical disclaimer sets out the limits of this site. Please see a doctor before trying it if you are unwell or unsure. A registered Ayurvedic practitioner is the person to see for Ayurvedic treatment.

Frequently asked questions