Nadi Shodhana Pranayama aka Alternate Nostril Breathing
Best for: Lowering stress and anxiety, lowering heart rate, balancing the two hemispheres of the brain, and clearing energy channels
Nadi is a Sanskrit word meaning “channel” or “flow” and shodhana means “purification.” Therefore, nadi shodhana is primarily aimed at clearing and purifying the subtle channels of the mind-body organism, while balancing its masculine and feminine aspects. This practice is also known as “alternate nostril breathing.” The process of alternating the nostril breathing is said to balance the two hemispheres of the brain and lower the heart rate. This is a great way to relax and clear our heads before needing to concentrate, calm our nervous system, or prepare for meditation practice.
Nadi Shodhana (as with most pranayama or breathwork techniques) is best practiced on an empty stomach. The early morning is an ideal time.
Technique Instructions:
Choose a comfortable sitting position—either cross-legged on the floor (with a cushion or blanket to support the spine), or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Allow the spine to lengthen so that the back, neck, and head are erect throughout the practice. Gently close the eyes. Begin by taking a full, deep inhalation followed by a slow, gentle exhalation.
Place the index and middle fingers of your right hand between your eyebrows.
You will alternately use the right thumb to close the right nostril and the right ring finger to close the left nostril.
Use the right thumb to close the right nostril. Exhale gently, but fully, through the left nostril. Keeping the right nostril closed, inhale through the left nostril and deep into the belly.
Use the ring finger of the right hand to gently close the left nostril and simultaneously release the right nostril. Exhale through the right nostril and pause gently at the bottom of the exhalation.
Keeping the left nostril closed, inhale once again through the right nostril.
Use the right thumb to close the right nostril as you release the left nostril. Exhale through the left nostril while pausing gently at the bottom of the exhalation.
Use a 4 second box breathing method to start this process and expand from there. To do this inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds while you switch your fingers, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds. As you get more experienced, feel free to adjust your breathing times to what suits you.
This completes one round of Nadi Shodhana. The same pattern continues for each additional round: inhale through the left nostril, exhale through the right nostril, inhale through the right nostril, exhale through the left nostril.
Repeat this alternating pattern for several more rounds. Keep the breath slow, gentle, fluid, and relaxed throughout the practice.
