“Breathe in through the nose. Breathe out through the nose.”

These simple sentences are my yoga teacher’s constant mantra during class. In yoga, this nasal breathing technique is called ujjayi (उज्जायी). Like most yoga terms, ujjayi traces its origin to Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. Ujjayi literally means “victorious breath.” The technique improves oxygenation throughout the yoga practice and can be used before sleep to calm the mind.

Here’s Baba Ramdev’s demonstration of the ujjayi pranayama.

Or a longer one for those who speak Hindi:

My breath never sounds like that.

Does yours?