Pranayama Practice: Nadi Shodhana
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Pranayama
Pranayama is the 4th limb of the 8 limbs of yoga. Prana means “life force” and ayama means “expansion.” Therefore pranayama means “expansion of the life force.” However, most people when they think of pranayama, they think about breathing exercises practiced in yoga. Pranayama can calm and soothe the body, mind and spirit. Nadi Shodhana pranayama which we discuss in this post, works to balance the left and right hemispheres of the body and the mind. It also balances the left (ida) and right (pingala) nadis or energy channels of the body. Nadi Shodhana is the most important and revered pranayama practice in Ayurveda. It is considered balancing for every dosha because it balances both sides of the body. The right side of the body is considered the solar or masculine side. The right side also corresponds with the organs of digestion, the liver, the gallbladder, the right kidney, ear, eye, nostril, hand, and foot. Conversely, the left side of the body is associated with the lunar or feminine side. It corresponds with the organs of nourishment like the heart, stomach as well as the left kidney, ear, eye, nostril, hand, and foot. Each one of us will have a more dominant side although it will change day-to-day and even hour-to-hour. That is why this form of pranayama is so beneficial, because it balances both the left and right sides, the lunar and the solar, the masculine and the feminine.
How to Practice Pranayama
It is important with any pranayama practice to enter into it slowly. You don’t want to strain the breath or stress the body or lungs trying to practice pranayama. Practice with ease and allow the breath to be fluid and soft. Retentions should be started gradually and with short holds. Anyone with heart conditions, especially high blood pressure, should not practice breath retentions. Children should also not practice breath retentions. For all others, you can start with a one second retention and with time and without strain expand to a two second hold, three second and so on. These pranayama practices should be relaxing so don’t use force.
Nadi Shodhana (Alternate-Nostril Breathing)
Nadi Shodhana is also known as alternate nostril breathing. It is also sometimes called Anuloma Viloma as well. To practice this breathing technique follow these steps or listen to our audio recording of how to practice Nadi Shodhana Pranayama:
Sit comfortably with your hips elevated on a pillow to help keep your spine straight.
With your left hand, connect your thumb and index fingers into chin mudra (mudra means seal and they are hand gestures that are used in meditation and yoga practices).
With your right hand, curl your index and middle fingers into the palm of your hand while leaving your thumb, ring and pinkie fingers extended. This hand gesture is called Vishnu mudra.
Begin the breathing practice by covering your right nostril with the thumb of your right hand and inhaling through your left nostril.
Then with the ring and pinkie fingers of your right hand, cover the left nostril and hold the breath.
Then you will release the thumb of the right hand from the right nostril and exhale through the right nostril.
Now begin the second part of the 1st round of breathing, inhale through the right nostril, close the nostril with the right thumb and hold the breath and then release the ring and pinkie fingers from the left nostril and exhale through the left nostril. That completes one cycle of nadi shodhana pranayama
Repeat the complete cycle again for a total of 5 cycles. This can be extended for additional cycles (total of 10), but try to practice this daily for at least 5 cycles.
Click here to listen to an audio recording of a complete Nadi Shodhana pranayama practice. Music by Fried Coffee.
“Whatever moves in the universe,
Whether it is either seen or heard,
Whether it is within or without-
It is pervaded by breath”