// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Sudarshan Kriya say to stress? "You're breathing down my neck.
| Type | Breathing exercise, pranayama |
|---|---|
| Founder | Sri Sri Ravi Shankar |
| Origin | Shimoga, Karnataka, India |
| Date | September 1981 |
| Organization | Art of Living Foundation |
| Philosophy | Yoga, meditation |
| Purpose | Stress management, emotional regulation |
Sudarshan Kriya (Sanskrit: सुदर्शन क्रिया, su-darśana kriyā), often abbreviated SKY for Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, is a cyclical controlled-breathing practice rooted in pranayama.[1] It was introduced in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar[2][3][4] and is taught as the central practice of courses run by the Art of Living Foundation, a non-profit organisation.[5][6]
The name combines the Sanskrit words su ("proper"), darshan ("vision") and kriya ("action" or "purifying action"). The practice uses breathing at varying rates and is taught by the foundation for stress reduction and emotional regulation. It has been studied in peer-reviewed research for its effects on the autonomic nervous system, stress hormones such as cortisol, and symptoms of depression and other conditions, though reviewers have generally concluded that larger and more rigorous trials are needed to confirm clinical efficacy.[7][8]
History
[edit]Ravi Shankar introduced Sudarshan Kriya in 1981 and presented it as the main practice of the Art of Living Foundation, which he founded the following year.[9][10] According to his own account, the breathing sequence came to him after a ten-day period of silence near Shimoga, Karnataka,[11] and the first instructional course took place there the same year.[12][13]
The practice spread internationally through the foundation's courses during the 1980s. From the late 1990s it became a subject of clinical and academic research, including studies at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru that examined its effects in depressive disorders.[14] In 2005, Richard P. Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg published a two-part review proposing a neurophysiological model for Sudarshan Kriya and related yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression.[6][15]
Technique
[edit]Sudarshan Kriya is taught as a sequence of four components.[7] It begins with Ujjayi ("victorious breath"), a slow technique of about two to four breaths per minute in which a slight constriction of the throat increases airway resistance and lengthens each phase of the breath. This is followed by Bhastrika ("bellows breath"), rapid and forceful inhalation and exhalation at a rate of about 30 breaths per minute. The syllable "Om" is then chanted with prolonged exhalation. The sequence closes with the Sudarshan Kriya itself, a cyclical pattern of slow, medium and fast breathing that gives the practice its name.[7][16]
Proponents describe the breath as a link between the body and the mind, and suggest that specific breathing rhythms can influence emotional states. The reviews by Brown and Gerbarg and by Zope and Zope relate the slow and fast phases to changes in vagal tone and autonomic balance, proposing that Ujjayi shifts activity toward parasympathetic dominance while Bhastrika produces transient sympathetic activation.[7][6]
Research
[edit]Sudarshan Kriya has been examined in clinical and physiological studies, many of them small pilot trials. Reviews describe it as a low-cost practice that may serve as a complementary or adjunct intervention, while noting that the evidence base is limited by small sample sizes, varying methodological quality and reliance on self-reported outcomes.[7][8]
Physiological effects
[edit]Research has focused on autonomic regulation and biochemical markers of stress. A controlled study by Sharma and colleagues reported that regular practitioners had lower blood lactate levels and higher activity of antioxidant enzymes than non-practitioners.[17] A later study by the same group reported differences in the expression of antioxidant and stress-related genes in immune cells of practitioners.[18] Other work has reported changes in heart rate variability and in serum cortisol, though findings have not been consistent across studies.[7]
Mental health
[edit]In a NIMHANS trial, Sudarshan Kriya was compared with electroconvulsive therapy and the antidepressant imipramine in patients with melancholic depression; remission rates with the breathing practice were lower than with electroconvulsive therapy but comparable to imipramine.[14] A randomized study of alcohol-dependent individuals reported reductions in depression scores accompanied by hormonal changes.[19] A pilot study in patients with major depressive disorder who had responded inadequately to antidepressants reported a reduction in symptoms relative to a waitlist control.[20]
The practice has also been studied for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A trial among survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami reported reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms,[21] and a small randomized study of United States military veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan reported reduced PTSD symptoms and a lower respiration rate in the active group, with effects persisting at one-year follow-up.[22] A 2024 randomized clinical trial of 129 physicians reported reductions in stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia scores compared with a stress-management education control.[23]
Systematic reviews have found that, while several trials report positive effects on mood and stress, the overall evidence is of mixed quality and that larger, well-controlled randomized trials are required before firm conclusions can be drawn.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Sudarshan Kriya A Novel Breathing Technique". ResearchGate. Archived from the original on 2024-11-05. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- ↑ Kilgannon, Corey (2011-04-11). "Seeking Bliss Among the Honks and Hisses". City Room. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- ↑ Broadway, Bill (2000-08-26). "Breathing Lessons From the Master". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- ↑ Virani, Aarti (2015-06-23). "Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Desktop Yoga and Doga". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- ↑ Zope, Sameer A.; Zope, Rakesh A. (2013). "Sudarshan kriya yoga: Breathing for health". International Journal of Yoga. 6 (1): 4–10. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.105935. ISSN 0973-6131. PMC 3573542. PMID 23440614.
- 1 2 3 Brown, Richard P.; Gerbarg, Patricia L. (2005). "Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: Part I—neurophysiologic model". The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 11 (1): 189–201. doi:10.1089/acm.2005.11.189. PMID 15750381.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Zope, Sameer A.; Zope, Rakesh A. (2013). "Sudarshan kriya yoga: Breathing for health". International Journal of Yoga. 6 (1): 4–10. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.105935. PMC 3573542. PMID 23440614.
- 1 2 3 Malviya, Shikha; Meredith, Pamela; Zupan, Barbra; Kerley, Lannois (2022). "Identifying alternative mental health interventions: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of chanting and breathwork". Journal of Religion and Health. 61 (5): 3571–3588. doi:10.1007/s10943-022-01609-2. PMC 9294786. PMID 35852727.
- ↑ Copeland, Libby (2007-07-05). "Take a Deep Breath". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- ↑ Bearak, Max (2016-05-16). "Mired in controversy, a famous Indian guru tries to set the record straight". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- ↑ "Panacea at a price". Frontline. 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- ↑ "Shimoga celebrates 30 yrs of Sudarshan Kriya". The Times of India. 2011-09-16. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- ↑ Lakshmi, Rama (2016-02-26). "Guru Inc.: India's holy men enter the world of big business". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
- 1 2 Janakiramaiah, N.; Gangadhar, B. N.; et al. (2000). "Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in melancholia: a randomized comparison with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and imipramine". Journal of Affective Disorders. 57 (1–3): 255–259. doi:10.1016/S0165-0327(99)00079-8. PMID 10708840.
- ↑ Brown, Richard P.; Gerbarg, Patricia L. (2005). "Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: Part II—clinical applications and guidelines". The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 11 (4): 711–717. doi:10.1089/acm.2005.11.711. PMID 16131297.
- ↑ Tripathi, Vaibhav; Bhaskar, Lakshmi; Kharya, Chhaya; Bhatia, Manvir; Kochupillai, Vinod (2025-08-23). "Unlocking deep relaxation: the power of rhythmic breathing on brain rhythms". npj Mental Health Research. 4 (1): 39. doi:10.1038/s44184-025-00156-4. ISSN 2731-4251. PMC 12375072. PMID 40849592.
- ↑ Sharma, H.; Sen, S.; et al. (2003). "Sudarshan Kriya practitioners exhibit better antioxidant status and lower blood lactate levels". Biological Psychology. 63 (3): 281–291. doi:10.1016/S0301-0511(03)00071-1. PMID 12853172.
- ↑ Sharma, H.; et al. (2008). "Gene expression profiling in practitioners of Sudarshan Kriya". Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 64 (2): 213–218. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.07.003. PMID 18222135.
- ↑ Vedamurthachar, A.; et al. (2006). "Antidepressant efficacy and hormonal effects of Sudarshana Kriya Yoga (SKY) in alcohol dependent individuals". Journal of Affective Disorders. 94 (1–3): 249–253. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2006.04.025. PMID 16740317.
- ↑ Sharma, Anup; et al. (2017). "A breathing-based meditation intervention for patients with major depressive disorder following inadequate response to antidepressants: a randomized pilot study". The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 78 (1): e59–e63. doi:10.4088/JCP.16m10819. PMC 5272872. PMID 27898207.
- ↑ Descilo, T.; et al. (2010). "Effects of a yoga breath intervention alone and in combination with an exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in survivors of the 2004 South-East Asia tsunami". Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 121 (4): 289–300. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.2009.01466.x. PMID 19694633.
- ↑ Seppälä, Emma M.; Nitschke, Jack B.; et al. (2014). "Breathing-based meditation decreases posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in U.S. military veterans: a randomized controlled longitudinal study". Journal of Traumatic Stress. 27 (4): 397–405. doi:10.1002/jts.21936. PMC 4309518. PMID 25158633.
- ↑ Korkmaz, Asli; Saatcioglu, Fahri; et al. (2024). "Sudarshan Kriya Yoga breathing and a meditation program for burnout among physicians: a randomized clinical trial". JAMA Network Open. 7 (1): e2353978. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.53978. PMC 10831575. PMID 38294813.