A central practice to both premodern and modern yoga, pranayama (lit. "breath control") is practised in yoga classes worldwide. Just like pranayama, the notion of prana (lit. "breath", "vitality") has a longstanding history in South Asia. From 1850 onwards, prana and pranayama are reinterpreted in light of the Hindu reform, nineteenth-century occultism, science, medicine, and hygiene. Transnational players of modern yoga and physical culture shape the history of the practices. Prana and pranayama are crucial ingredients for understanding modern yoga's praxeological, philosophical, political, and religious thrust. This book provides deep insights into the various practices, functions, and interpretations of prana and pranayama, and their overall impact and dissemination.
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