Pranayama & Breathwork: ANIMA

Compare breathing techniques and find a breathing practice to explore. ANIMA brings 41 practices into ten families, helping you see the difference between a long exhale, an equal rhythm, nostril work and a more demanding retention practice.

EXPLORE CLASSICAL PRANAYAMA
Find Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), Bhramari, Ujjayi, Sitali, Sitkari, Dirga and other named techniques alongside modern patterns such as box breathing, 4-7-8 and cyclic sighing. Each practice includes instructions, context and its own safety guidance.

UNDERSTAND THE SHAPE OF A PRACTICE
Browse slow and extended exhale, equal breathing, nostril work, sound and vibration, cooling, active breathing, retention, resonance, multi-stage systems and structural techniques. Evidence labels distinguish the kinds of support described for a practice rather than presenting every method as equally established.

FOLLOW EACH PHASE
The lunar visual, phase name, remaining time and optional voice cues guide the sequence. Pause and resume ordinary timed phases when you need a break. End an unfinished practice without adding a completed session. Skipped phases do not turn an incomplete practice into a completion.

TRY OPTIONAL BREATH SENSING
Choose phone motion, microphone input or manual taps to observe an estimated breathing rhythm. Sensing is optional: you can follow a practice without enabling it. Movement and sound can be noisy, so treat the result as a practice observation rather than a medical measurement.

ANIMA does not measure clinical HRV, blood oxygen or heart rate. Resonance practices let you explore breathing pace; the phone is not a substitute for a heart-rate sensor or clinical assessment.

RETURN TO YOUR PRACTICE
Review completed sessions and streaks, save favorites and revisit sensed session summaries when available. Practice progress is stored on your device. A session interrupted while the app is hidden pauses for an explicit return instead of silently continuing a hold timer.

READ BEFORE RETENTION OR RAPID BREATHING
Some techniques are demanding and are not beginner exercises. Read their contraindications and never force a hold. Never practise retention in water, while driving or where you could fall. Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy or unwell. ANIMA is a general wellbeing practice tool, not a medical device or a treatment for health conditions.