Nadi Shodhana: Alternate Nostril Breathing
Nadi Shodhana means “purification of the nadis”. The nadis are energetic pathways through the body (but not of the body) analogous to the acupuncture meridians in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In Nadi Shodhana the two nadis targeted are the ida and pingala nadis which run through the left and right side of the nose respectively. This breathing practice balances the energy in both, and brings about a deeply calm state of mind, body and emotions.
Standard Version
There are many variations of Nadi Shodhana. The standard one is as follows:
Close the right nostril with the right thumb and breathe in through the left. Close both nostrils (the left is closed with the ring finger of the right hand) and hold the breath in. Open the right nostril and breathe out through the right. Open both nostrils and hold the breath out. Close the left nostril and breathe in through the right. Close both nostrils and hold the breath in. Open the left nostril and breathe out through the left. Open both nostrils and hold the breath out. This constitutes one round. Hand Positions The first two fingers of the right hand may be placed on the forehead, or curled under into the palm. This is sometimes called “Deer Mudra” (Mrgi Mudra) or “Nose Mudra” (Nasagra or Nasikagra Mudra). If you are left-handed, by all means use your left hand. The finger and thumb should close the nostrils by gently pressing just under the hard cartilage of the nose. The left hand (or the hand that you are not closing the nostrils with) is often held in Gyan Mudra resting on the knee or lap. Practice in an upright sitting position, either a seated meditation posture or sitting upright on a chair. Keep the elbow of your active hand close to the chest to avoid fatigue. Some teachers recommend using Jalandhara Bandha, Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha (either individually or all together: Maha Bandha) either for parts of the breath cycle or throughout the practice. |
Variations
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Take it into your practice
If you are new to the practice of Pranayama in general, or to Nadi Shodhana in particular, introduce it gradually, starting with the easiest version (variation 1, above) and staying with each of the easy stages for some weeks of daily practice. The breath, and Nadi Shodhana in particular, should never be forced. It should be gentle and easy. Never hold the breath if it is at all uncomfortable.
Start by doing only 2 or 3 complete rounds and increase gradually over the weeks and months. An intermediate practice might be around 5 to 10 minutes long.
Start by doing only 2 or 3 complete rounds and increase gradually over the weeks and months. An intermediate practice might be around 5 to 10 minutes long.
Surya Bhedana Pranayama (Sun piercing breath)
Any of the variations of Nadi Shodhana where all inhalations are done through the right nostril and all exhalations through the left are a form of Surya Bhedana Pranayama.
For example, close the left nostril and inhale through the right. Close both nostrils and hold the breath. Open the left nostril and exhale through the left. Open both nostrils and suspend the breath. This would be one round. All the inhalations will be done through the right. This version is very stimulating and heating, and is not recommended for people with high blood pressure. |
Chandra Bhedana Pranayama (Moon-piercing breath)
Any of the variations of Nadi Shodhana where all inhalations are done through the left nostril and all exhalations through the right are a form of Chandra Bhedana Pranayama.
For example, close the right nostril and inhale through the left. Close both nostrils and hold the breath. Open the right nostril and exhale through the right. Open both nostrils and suspend the breath. This would be one round. All the inhalations will be done through the left. This version is cooling and calming. |
Combined with Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath)
First close the right nostril and using the left nostril only, perform Bhastrika Pranayama. Then close the left nostril and do Bhastrika Pranayama through the right nostril.
There is also a more difficult variation where the inhalation and exhalation are done through opposite nostrils, for example inhale through the right and exhale through the left, 5 times, then inhale through the left and exhale through the right 5 times to complete one cycle. Needless to say, this requires a great deal of practice and fine co-ordination of fingers and breathing apparatus! It is easy to get puffed out when the flow of air is coming in through only half of the nose, so aim for far fewer breaths than you might be used to when you practice Bhastrika Pranayama or Kapalabhati Pranayama through both nostrils. Perhaps 10 breaths is enough to start with. This is a good way to clear the nostrils before practicing any pranayama. |
The Nine Clearing Cycles
(Sarah Powers teaches this version in her book “Insight Yoga”.)
Close the right nostril and breathe in slowly through the left. Breathe out slowly through the left. Breathe in slowly through the left, and then breathe out briskly through the left. This is one round. Do three rounds on the left, three rounds through the right nostril, and then lower your hand and do three round through both nostrils. All the rounds consist of slow inhalation, slow exhalation, slow inhalation, fast exhalation. |
Combined with Viloma Pranayama
The ‘interrupted’ breathing method of Viloma Pranayama can be combined with any part of the Nadi Shodhana breath cycle. This greatly prolongs the duration of the breath and is a difficult practice which must be approached with great care, sensitivity and awareness.
For example, inhale through the left nostril with interrupted inhalation (inhalation with pauses), retain the breath. Exhale through the right nostril with a long smooth breath and hold the breath out. Inhale through the right with interrupted inhalation, hold the breath in and exhale through the left with a long smooth breath. Or, practice Viloma Pranayama while exhaling only, or while both inhaling and exhaling. |
Anulom Vilom and Prana Shuddhi
Anulom Vilom is a practice taught by Swami Satyananda Saraswati in his book “A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya”, where instead of physically closing off the nostrils with the fingers, we imagine the flow of air going through only one side. First imagine the inhalation going into the left nostril, then imagine the exhalation passing through the right. Imagine the inhalation going into the right, and out of the left.
Prana Shuddhi is recommended to be combined with the practice of Anulom Vilom. Imagine the air coming in both nostrils at once in a cone shape and meeting at the tip of the cone at the third eye. The exhalation reverses the process. To practice both together, do four rounds of Anulom Vilom and one of Prana Shuddhi, and repeat for 10 or more minutes. That is, in your imagination inhale left, exhale right, inhale right, exhale left, four times, and then inhale both, exhale both. Inhale left, exhale right, and so on. |
Breath count
There are many variations of suggested breath counts. Some teachers suggest making the inhalation, exhalation and both breath suspensions all of equal length, for example, a count of 4 for each. Count at approximately the rate of seconds. Others suggest various ratios, which for beginners usually involves a shorter length of time with breath suspended. For example, inhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 2, exhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 1. The inhale and exhale may also be of different lengths. As a general guideline, the inhalation is energizing and the exhalation is calming. So, if you wish to feel more awake, you can make the inhalation longer than the exhalation. If you wish to calm down, you can make the exhalation longer than the inhalation.
With a great deal of practice, some teachers suggest holding the breath in for twice as long as the exhalation (ratio of 1:4:2). This can even be worked up to 1:6:4 or 1:8:6 apparently. When the suspension after the exhalation is included, this can become a ratio of 1:8:6:2 for inhalation, retention, exhalation, suspension. I mention this only as interesting information; most of us cannot and should not try to aim towards such extremes. It is fundamentally important not to strain the breathing apparatus, and it is no exaggeration to state that you will gain no benefits from your pranayama practice if any force or strain is employed.
As a general guideline, breathing through the left nostril is cooling and soothing, and breathing through the right nostril is warming or stimulating. So, if you wish to cool down, you can keep the right nostril closed and breathe in and out through the left. Or, if you wish to stimulate yourself, you can keep the left nostril closed and breathe in and out through the right. Most teachers advise beginning and ending with the left nostril (begin with inhale left, end with exhale left). However, some suggest beginning and ending with the right, which is a more warming and stimulating way to practice.
With a great deal of practice, some teachers suggest holding the breath in for twice as long as the exhalation (ratio of 1:4:2). This can even be worked up to 1:6:4 or 1:8:6 apparently. When the suspension after the exhalation is included, this can become a ratio of 1:8:6:2 for inhalation, retention, exhalation, suspension. I mention this only as interesting information; most of us cannot and should not try to aim towards such extremes. It is fundamentally important not to strain the breathing apparatus, and it is no exaggeration to state that you will gain no benefits from your pranayama practice if any force or strain is employed.
As a general guideline, breathing through the left nostril is cooling and soothing, and breathing through the right nostril is warming or stimulating. So, if you wish to cool down, you can keep the right nostril closed and breathe in and out through the left. Or, if you wish to stimulate yourself, you can keep the left nostril closed and breathe in and out through the right. Most teachers advise beginning and ending with the left nostril (begin with inhale left, end with exhale left). However, some suggest beginning and ending with the right, which is a more warming and stimulating way to practice.
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