Nadi Shodhana
Alternate nostril breathing, or nadi shodhana, is often one of the first pranayamas introduced to a new practitioner. But don’t confuse its ‘beginner’ status with limited impact! This breathing practice has gotten more popular in recent years as a tool to beat anxiety, but it doesn’t just calm the mind: it also tones our breathing muscles, ventilates our lungs, and improves the functioning of our abdominal organs.
From a yogic perspective, its most important function is to clear our energetic channels. ‘Nadi’ means channel in Sanskrit, and refers to a tubular organ of the body, like an artery or vein, through which prana (energy) passes. In the case of pranayama, the ‘nadis’ of focus are our nerves. I think we can all agree that a great deal of energy flows through our nerves, no? Pranayama practices, especially the more advanced, stir up energy in the body, with the goal of enhancing our life force. But it’s considered dangerous to ‘churn’ that energy if our energetic body is blocked or restricted by negative or painful thoughts and emotions. So before the more challenging breathing exercises, we begin with preparatory pranayamas like nadi shodhana. While accurately described as alternate nostril breathing, nadi shodhana’s direct translation is actually channel/nerve (nadi) purification (shodhana): A breathing practice that clears the nerve channels.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes this breath and its intention pretty clearly:
“When the prana is inhaled through the left nostril, then it must be exhaled through the other. When it is inhaled through the right, hold it inside and then exhale through the other nostril. The yamini who practises in this way, through the right and left nostrils, alternately purifies all his nadis within three months.”
So not only does this breath balance our energy in the moment, but through repeated, consistent use (according to the HYP, about 3 months) can change how our nervous system operates, shifting our baseline to a calmer, more steady state.
Notes
Precautions: While there are no contraindications for this practice, take precaution if you are currently experiencing irritation of the throat or sinuses, or any respiratory infection.
Preparation: As mentioned above, this is considered an introductory practice. However, if you have never done breathing exercises before, I recommend that you start here. Without the foundation of a healthy breathing pattern, this exercise may feel dysregulating.
Hand Position: You’ll use the thumb and ring finger of your R hand to close the nostrils by pressing into the side of the nose. The thumb will control the right nostril, and the ring finger will control the left nostril. There are two hand positions commonly used. In the first, wrap your index and middle finger down toward the palm, keeping your thumb, ring finger, and pinky finger comfortably extended. In the second, you’ll place your index and middle fingers on your face between your eyebrows, using them as an anchor point, with the thumb at the right nostril and the ringer finger at the left.
How to Practice
Begin in a comfortable seated position, with the spine upright.
Begin to breathe in and out through the nose, eventually settling into diaphragmatic breathing. Transition to dirgha breath for several minutes to begin to center and relax.
When you are ready to begin, press your right nostril closed with gentle pressure of the thumb on the side of the nose. Slowly and fully inhale through your left nostril.
As soon as you finish inhaling, close your left nostril with your ring finger and release your thumb, exhaling completely through your right nostril.
As soon as you have exhaled through your right nostril, inhale through your right nostril.
Close the right nostril and exhale through the left. Continue this pattern, gradually adjusting the pace of your breath so that inhales and exhales are even in length.
As you continue, gradually begin to slow down your inhalations and exhalations. Let the slowing pace be a reflection of your mind slowing down.
When you are ready to end your practice, release your hand to your lap and exhale through both nostrils.
Sit for some time and feel the effects of the practice.
Breathing Pattern Rhythm Template
Cycle 1
Inhale through the right nostril
Exhale through the left nostril
Inhale through the left nostril
Exhale through the right nostril
Cycle 2
Inhale through the right nostril
Exhale through the left nostril
Inhale through the left nostril
Exhale through the right nostril
And so on.
Tips for Real Life
How long should I practice at a time? Begin with 8-10 cycles. As the exercise becomes more comfortable over time, you can extend your practice to as long as 15 minutes. Observe how you feel both during AND AFTER your practice to determine an appropriate length of time for your next session.
What if my arm/hand gets tired? While traditionally we use only the right hand, as you begin to extend your practice time you may find that your arm gets tired. Feel free to switch to your left hand when fatigued. You can switch hands as many times as needed. Just keep in mind that changing hands may be a distraction as it requires you to find your rhythm again. If you have an injury or other issue keeping you from using your right hand, use your left as a default.
So then why do we say ‘right hand only’ in the first place? Because it’s one less thing for you to have to think about! When we put choices like this on autopilot, we can better attend to the things that matter and more easily quiet the mind.
This feels too confusing and actually stresses me out more! Almost everyone feels uncoordinated when first learning this breathing technique. If you end up forgetting to switch nostrils between breaths or have to pause and think about the next step, that’s okay! Be patient with it, be patient with yourself, and stop your practice for the day when you start to notice signs of stress. With consistent practice, eventually muscle memory will take over and you’ll be able to experience the calming effects of this practice. Not only will the effort be worth it, the learning process is actually a great brain exercise for neuroplasticity.
I feel like I can’t catch my breath, or this breath makes me feel more anxious. Often, feeling more activated or stressed during/after nadi shodhana is a sign that you are either reverse breathing, shallow breathing, or not breathing evenly (same length inhale and exhale). I’d recommend going back and working on both diaphragmatic and even-ratio breathing, then coming back to this breath when you feel more in control of your breathing pattern.
HOWEVER, not every breathing practice works for every one! Some people may feel constricted or otherwise uncomfortable with their hands on their face. If that’s you, don’t force it- there are plenty of other wonderful breathing practices out there.