Breath Practice For A Balanced Mind
Does Monday have you feeling a little off? Not for long.
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~thank you to my teacher and my teacher’s teacher’s teachers. Abundant gratitude for passing on your wisdom ❤~
Today I’m going to be discussing the ancient Sanskrit practice of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama(spelled without the proper accents here), translated very literally as subtle energy cleansing.
nadis=subtle energy channels
shodhana=purifying/cleansing
pranayama=breath
Known in the West as alternate nostril breathing, the practice of Nadi shodhana calms the mind and body by integrating both sides of the brain and inviting you to slow down the breath. You can do it anywhere- and here’s how.
#1: Find a comfortable seat. Whether you’re in your car, at your desk, in bed, or at home, make sure your posture is upright. Imagine your sits bones are a stable foundation for your body to rest on.
Maybe lean back just a fraction to counteract the tendency to lean forward and draw your chin back slightly.
You can sit in a chair, on a pillow, and in any position that feels comfortable to you.
Sit as if you were sitting in the presence of the divine.
#2: Bring your right(or left) hand into Vishnu mudra. Fold your index and middle finger down and let your hand rest in front of your nose gently. I couldn’t find any royalty-free pictures of Vishnu mudra, but you can google it if this description is confusing 😄
#3: Cover your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left nostril. When you’re completely full, cover the left nostril with your ring finger and exhale through the right nostril.
Inhale through the right nostril. Cover it with your thumb. Exhale through the left nostril.
You have just completed one full round.
The Basics
The basic mechanics are simply to cover your nostril after the inhale only, and never after the exhale.
You can do as many rounds as you like. I was taught to do it 8 times, but do what works for you.
