(Image source from: Yogahighlands.com)

A recent article published in the American magazine Scientific American regarding the well-known breathing technique - Pranayama - is receiving flak for giving it a western name.

Pranayama is part of yoga, that is supposedly part of an ‘Indian culture’ and has been practiced in the subcontinent for a long time. It is performed by closing your left nostril with your thumb, inhale for five seconds from the right one and hold your breath. Now close your right nostril and slowly exhale from the left. It is a traditional breathing technique that has been advocated for generations.

The magazine recently shared one of their articles on Twitter describing the benefits of ‘Cardiac Coherence Breathing' which in simpler words is the Indian technique of Pranayama.

The tweet said, "Cardiac coherence breathing exercises can stabilize the heartbeat and have a powerful ability to dampen anxiety."

Cardiac coherence breathing exercises can stabilize the heartbeat and have a powerful ability to dampen anxiety. https://t.co/jHA8djKOsB pic.twitter.com/Ve7hM0myoW

— Scientific American (@sciam) January 27, 2019

Indian National Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor retweeted the article adding his word of advice. He wrote: “Detailed description of the benefits of the 2500-year-old Indian technique of pranayama, dressed up in 21st c. scientific language as "cardiac coherence breathing"! It's taking the West a few millennia to learn what our ancients taught us millennia ago, but hey, you're welcome..."

Detailed description of the benefits of the 2500-year-old Indian technique of pranayama, dressed up in 21st c. scientific language as "cardiac coherence breathing"! It's taking the West a few millennia to learn what our ancients taught us millennia ago, but hey, you're welcome... https://t.co/LLltRZ3pP5

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 29, 2019

Going viral on Twitter, Indian netizens are also trolling the website for stealing the age-old Indian technique.

A corrective tweet is in order I guess. I am sure you have read the comments below your tweet and the comments on retweets @sciam Time to give its due to where it actually belongs, rather than just repackaging our age old practices and calling them your observations. https://t.co/Zn5RMRm03n

— Arfi Lamba (@arfilamba) January 30, 2019

Cardiac Coherence Breathing Exercises... whattey name... Whattey name!
So next what? https://t.co/F60xJeg3hK

— Sai Teja (@tejatheanimator) January 28, 2019

Americans had problems in pronouncing Anulom Violm, so they named it Cardiac Coherence Breathing. https://t.co/ZXI3KQR5w7

— Nipoon (@NipoonJ) January 30, 2019

Ahoy! Pranayama rechristened to cardiac coherence breathing...Time to copyright ©️all our ancient techniques

— SRS (@sabahat_rana) January 29, 2019

If you do this while having your turmeric latte & clarified butter
You can live forever @LukeCoutinho17 @RajivMakhni https://t.co/xkAa9bkFen

— Vishal Gondal (@vishalgondal) January 30, 2019

Another case of Turmeric Latte. Pranayama of Yoga called as "Cardiac Coherence Breathing". Next thing we know, it will be patented and sold back to us terming it as superior way of living. Just saying it existed in ancient cultures is not enough. https://t.co/d7K2DKj6kK

— Renuka Govind (@Renzz2010) January 29, 2019

I like to do cardiac coherence breathing after my daily dosage of deep fried dumplings soaked in sugar syrup

— Subrahmanyam KVJ (@SuB8u) January 28, 2019

-Sowmya Sangam