A simple and fast --yet powerful -- yogic breath technique to reduce stress, anxiety attacks, and increase focus and body regeneration.
What is Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)?
Alternate nostril breathing—or nadi shodhana in Sanskrit, which translates to “channel purifications”—has been used in certain styles of yoga for centuries.
Nadi Shodhana is a technology that can be deployed for changing your breathing -- in and out -- using just one nostril at a time. Ancient yogic scripts reveal that this powerful technique can lower the overactive parts of our nervous system and increase the calmer parts of our nervous system.
The active part of our nervous system:
In Ayurveda and Yoga, it is called "pingala". In western medicine it corresponds to the "sympathetic nervous system" -- that network of
"fight or flight" special nerves which kick into action to help us survive if we are suddenly in danger. For example, eons ago, the SNS helped our cave man ancestors survive from the sabre tooth tiger. When we are safe from that tiger, the SNS is switched off.
The problem is that nowadays ,the complexities of modern day responsibilities perpetuate that ongoing fight/flight response of the SNS, not just temporarily, but often chronically -- and that is what leads to the ongoing disturbances in the mind (such as restlessness, insomnia) and the body (body aches, fatigue, chest pain etc).
The "rest-and-digest-relax" part of our nervous system":
Yoga and Ayurveda call it "ida"; Western medicine identifies it as the "parasympathetic nervous system" (PNS) which activates relaxation and assimilation in the body
THIS is the part of our autonomic nervous system which we want to switch on in order to help get lower the activity of the flight/fight SNS, as well as to get rid of the toxic side effects of the SNS ( ie, toxic bi-products such as lactic acid or excess cortisol hormone). The beauty of the Alternate Nostril Breath technique is that it rapidly enables activation of the soothing rest/digest PNS.
CASE VIGNETTE: I had a patient with severe panic attack in my office. She was having a panic attack from severe paranoia induced by her PTSD and schizophrenia. I taught her the ANB technique and within minutes she was able to relax. In fact she said "I feel a bit light headed and tingly, but in a good way, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest". She had been so tense and wound up that she had forgotten what relaxed feels like!
How to do Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing):
1. Sit comfortably, making sure your spine is straight and your heart is open.
2. Relax your left palm comfortably into your lap and bring your right hand just in front
of your face. (YOU NEVER USE THE LEFT HAND in this practice).
3. With your right hand, bring your pointer/index finger and middle finger to rest between your eyebrows, lightly using them as an anchor.
4. The fingers you will be actively using are the thumb and ring finger.
5. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out through your nose.
6. Close your right nostril with your right thumb.
7. Inhale through the left nostril slowly and steadily.
8. Close the left nostril with your ring finger so both nostrils are held closed; retain your breath at the top of the inhale for a brief pause.
9. Open your right nostril and release the breath slowly through the right side.
10. Pause briefly at the bottom of the exhale.
11. Inhale through the right side slowly.
12. Hold both nostrils closed (with ring finger and thumb).
13. Open your left nostril and release breath slowly through the left side.
14. Pause briefly at the bottom.
15. Repeat 5-10 cycles, allowing your mind to follow your inhales and exhales.
16. Then rest your right hand on you lap, both hands are gently resting on the lap.
17. Do a brief body scan from your legs to your head, and become aware of any calming sensations in the body. Notice how the mind is much calmer? You can only breath in the present, which is why your worries (about the future) and ruminations (about the past) disappear during this technique!
Cautions to be Taken While Practicing Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique
Do not force the breathing, and keep the flow gentle and natural.
Do not breathe from the mouth or make any sound while breathing.
Place the fingers very lightly on the forehead and nose. No need to apply pressure.
Your exhalations during the technique should be longer than inhalation.
Do not do this technique immediately after eating food.
Do not continue this practice if you are excessively dizzy.
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