Yoga Glossary · Breath & Energy
Ujjayi (ocean breath)
The softly constricted 'ocean' breath that paces a vinyasa practice.
Ujjayi is a breathing technique in which the back of the throat (the glottis) is gently narrowed, so the breath makes a soft, whispering sound like ocean waves or a quiet snore. The breath stays through the nose, with the inhale and exhale kept roughly equal in length.
In a flowing practice Ujjayi is the metronome: movements ride the breath, and the sound gives the mind an anchor and the teacher an audible read on the room's pace. The slight constriction also slows airflow, making it easier to keep the breath long and even when the poses get hard — a practical tool, not a performance. If the sound becomes strained or the breath ragged, the technique has stopped serving the practice.
In practice
- Fog an imaginary mirror with your mouth open, then close the mouth and keep the same throat shape — that is the Ujjayi texture.
- You should hear yourself, barely; the person on the next mat should mostly not.
- In hard poses the breath goes first — slow the Ujjayi down before you change the pose.
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The Yoga Glossary is an educational study reference. Definitions are standard yoga and anatomy knowledge in plain language; nothing here is medical advice.