In Nadi Shodhana or Alternative Nasal Breathing, there is no retention of the breath and you breathe equally from both sides of your nose. Nadi Shodhana or Alternative Nasal Breathing is a simple yoga breathing exercise that can be done virtually anywhere, anyplace. Yogis think that this exercise will clean and rejuvenate your vital channels of energy, thus they named it Nadi Shodhana, meaning “purification of nadis or channels”. In this technique, we breathe and exhale through only one nostril at a time.

Technique of Nadi Shodhana or Alternative Nasal Breathing

• Sit upright, in a comfortable position, make sure that you are comfortable and that your spine is extended.
• Close your eyes and take a couple of nice, relaxing breaths, in and out through the nose.
• Close off right nasal passage using either your ring or middle finger or thumb of your right hand and Inhale through your left nasal passage
• Close off left nasal passage using either your ring or middle finger or thumb of your right hand and Exhale through your left nasal passage
• Now in a similar manner, inhale through your right nasal passage and exhale through left nasal passage.
• Always begin and end with the left side, as that is the calming nadi
• 5-10 minutes is best, it is better to start with 8 complete rounds and increase gradually.

  

Benefits of Nadi Shodhana or Alternative Nasal Breathing

• The exercise excites optimum function of both sides of the brain
• It activates optimum creativity and optimum logical verbal activity.
• It activates more balanced approach towards life, since both halves of the brain are functioning properly.
• It calms the mind and the nervous system.

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