Lion’s Breath | Simha Pranayama in Yoga

Boost confidence, release pent-up emotions, and stimulate your throat chakra. 

By PRANA EDITORS | Updated: June 10, 2025

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Welcome to the third article in the “Energizing Breathwork” section of our Pranayama Learning Series. After exploring the sharp, rhythmic force of Bhastrika (Bellows Breath) and cleansing pulse of Kapalbhati (Skull Shining Breath), we now turn to a technique that is both fierce and freeing–Simha Pranayama, also known as the Lion’s Breath in yoga. 

Quick Overview:  Simha Pranayama is an invigorating modern yoga practice that helps release inner tension, clear emotional blockages, and stimulates the throat region.

In This Article: Meaning | Purpose | Steps | Benefits | Modifications | Precautions

This guide unpacks the origin, mechanics, and purpose of Lion’s Breath, with clear instructions, key modifications, and expert insights that will help you practice it with clarity and confidence.

What is Lion’s Breath (Simha Pranayama) In Yoga?

Simha Pranayama comes from two Sanskrit words: Simha, meaning lion, and Pranayama, the yogic discipline of breath control. Commonly referred to as Lion’s Breath, this technique blends posture, gaze, vocalization, and breath to produce a stirring and cathartic experience.

In practice, you begin in Simhasana (Lion Pose) and inhale through the nose. Then, you open your mouth wide, extend your tongue down toward your chin, and exhale with a resonant “aaah” sound. Your eyes widen and gaze turns upward, while the jaw stretches in an expressive release. 

From the Source: “Placing the ankles under the perineum and resting the soles of the feet on the thighs, open the mouth wide and fix the gaze on the point between the eyebrows. This is Simhasana, the Lion Pose.” — Gheranda Samhita, Chapter 2, Verse 23

Classical texts only describe the posture of Simhasana. The breath-based variation now known as Simha Pranayama (Lion’s Breath) or Simha Garjanasana (Roaring Lion Pose) is a modern adaptation of the traditional pose. It was developed in 20th-century yoga traditions like the Bihar School of Yoga and the Ghosh lineage. The most detailed description of the technique can be found in a book called Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati.

Why Practice Lion’s Breath: Purpose & Energetic Effects

What makes Lion’s Breath stand out in yoga is how immediate and visceral its effects can be. The posture, gaze, and roaring exhalation combine to deliver a powerful emotional release—helping you shed tension, reset your energy, and reconnect with your personal power.

While it may look theatrical, the practice serves both physiological and psychological purposes. It relieves muscular tightness in the face, jaw, neck, and upper chest—areas where emotional stress tends to accumulate. The deep exhalation supports lung expansion, improves circulation, and helps clear energetic congestion around the throat.

Felt Experience: Many yogis report feeling lighter, clearer, and emotionally unburdened after just 5 to 10 rounds of the Lion’s Breath. The practice encourages you to exhale frustration, fear, or inhibition—literally roaring out what no longer serves you.

From a therapeutic standpoint, Swami Satyananda Saraswati recommends Lion’s Breath for those who stutter or feel nervous and introverted. He notes that it can help release emotional tension, relieve frustration, and support the health of the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and throat.

On an energetic level, the practice stimulates the Vishuddhi Chakra—the throat energy center associated with communication, creativity, and self-expression. Activating this chakra can help build emotional honesty, vocal confidence, and the courage to speak your truth.

This practice targets the throat region, which is closely linked to the Udana Vayu and the thyroid gland–both of which govern speech, vitality, and metabolism. For this reasons, some Ayurvedic practitioners recommend practicing Lion’s Breath to promote thyroid health and support recovery from conditions like sore throat, glandular congestion, or speech disorders.

How to Do Lion's Breath in Yoga

Here’s how to practice Lion's Breath (Simha Pranayama) correctly and confidently:

1. Posture: Sit in Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose) or Simhasana (Lion Pose). Place your palms on your knees and spread your fingers wide like claws. Alternatively, you can lean forward and place your hands on the floor for a more dynamic version.

2. Inhale: Breathe in slowly and fully, expanding your belly and chest.

3. Face: At the end of inhalation, open your mouth wide, widen your eyes, and lift your gaze, either upward towards the sky or towards the space between your eyebrows. Extend your tongue down toward your chin as far as it comfortably goes.

4. Exhale: Let the breath out slowly with an open-mouthed exhale making an “aaah” sound from the throat. After exhalation, close the mouth and breathe in normally.

5. Rest: You’ve completed one round of Lion’s Breath in yoga. Rest for a few moments and let the breath settle before attempting another round.

6. Repeat: You can practice 5 to 10 rounds daily, depending on the time available.

7. Conclude: End your practice with a few rounds of deep belly breathing in Sukhasana (Easy Pose) or sit quietly for a few moments to integrate the effects.

Lion's Breath is a beginner-friendly practice, but it may take some practice to synchronize the facial expression and exhalation with the roaring sound. The key is learning to stay relaxed, producing the sound from the throat, and release tension as you breathe out slowly.

When to practice?

This pranayama can be performed at any time, but it’s traditionally practiced outdoors at sunrise, while facing the soft rays of the early morning sun. It’s also done at the start of a yoga session to clear the mind or before important events when you need a quick confidence boost.

Editor’s Note: In most yoga traditions, the Lion’s Breath is paired with Shambhavi Mudra (gazing towards the space between your eyebrows with the eyes half-open). Urdhva Drishti (gazing at the sky) is used when practicing it while facing the early morning sun.  

Modifications for Lion’s Breath

Even though Lion's Breath is not meant for beginners, some aspects of this technique can be tailored to accommodate the needs of injured or aging practitioners. Here are a few suggestions on how to modify the Lion’s Breath to ease pain and discomfort:

Posture Modifications

The traditional form of Simha Pranayama is practiced in Simhasana—a kneeling pose with ankles crossed under the body. But not everyone finds this posture comfortable. In such cases, it is possible to practice Lion’s Breath in any of the following seated positions:

• Bhadrasana (Gracious Pose)

• Hero Pose (Virasana)

• Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana)

If kneeling or sitting cross-legged is not accessible, a chair or meditation bench can offer excellent support while still allowing for the facial expressions and breathwork.

Using Support Props

Yoga props can make a big difference when it comes to comfort and sustainability—especially in kneeling or seated postures like Simhasana. The goal is to support your body so you can focus on your breath and the emotional release that Lion’s Breath encourages. Here are some suggestions:

• Place a floor cushion or a zabuton under the hips or knees to reduce strain.

• Use a folded blanket or knee pad to cushion the shins, knees, or ankles.

• Sit on a meditation bench to reduce pressure on the knees and hips.

These supportive tools are helpful when you’re working with stiffness, discomfort, or limited mobility. Plus, you can adapt your setup in many ways to suit your body’s needs.

Vocal Modifications

Many practitioners feel self-conscious about roaring, especially in a shared space or yoga class. The good news is that the volume, intensity, and tone of the sound in Simha Pranayama can be easily adjusted to suit your comfort. Here are a few ways to ease into the expression:

• Start with a soft “ha” sound instead of a full-bodied roar.

• Practice in a private or quiet space where you feel free to let go.

• Focus on the internal sensation and emotional release rather than the sound.

Over time, as you grow more comfortable, you may naturally find yourself letting go and embracing the full vocalization of the Lion’s Breath. Don’t hesitate to experiment with the volume and duration, and observe how each variation affects your energy and mood.

Tongue Modification

Some traditions include a dynamic variation of Lion’s Breath in which the tongue moves slowly from side to side during the exhalation. The rest of the posture remains the same, but the added motion can help release deeper muscular tension in the jaw and tongue.

This technique is particularly helpful for those working through vocal inhibition, suppressed anger, or habitual tightness in the mouth and throat area. Just be sure to move the tongue slowly and gently, coordinating the motion with a long, continuous “aaah” sound.

Benefits of Practicing Lion’s Breath in Yoga

Practicing Lion's Breath or Simha Pranayama offers several mental and physical benefits. Some of the key benefits include:

1. Releases Muscular Tension: The bold expression relieves tension in the face, jaw, neck, and throat—areas that hold emotional stress.

2. Reduces Stress and Anxiety: The act of roaring out breath provides a cathartic emotional release, helping you let go of frustration and anxious thoughts.

3. Stimulates the Throat Chakra (Vishuddhi): Lion’s Breath activates this energy center associated with communication, vocal expression, and self-confidence.

4. Supports Emotional Regulation: By clearing emotional blocks around the throat, it helps cultivate emotional clarity, self-assuredness, and self-awareness.

5. Improves Vocal Clarity and Projection: Regular practice strengthens diaphragmatic breathing, vocal cords, and respiratory muscles, making it popular among singers.

Editor’s Note: Even though the information in this guide is based on thorough research and consultation with yoga experts, it is not a substitute for any ongoing medical treatment.

Final Thoughts + What to Read Next

Lion’s breath may not be as commonly practiced as Ujjayi or Nadi Shodhana, but it offers something few other pranayamas do: a way to express fully and reconnect with your voice.

As with all pranayama, it’s crucial to approach this practice mindfully. But if it feels too intense or awkward, here are some techniques to explore in our Pranayama Learning Series:

• Bhramari Pranayama: Humming Bee Breath

• Surya Bhedana Pranayama: Yogic Right Nostril Breathing

• Ujjayi Pranayama: Ocean Breathing