Nadi shodhana pranayama:
Nadi shodhana pranayama, bring your right palm to the level of your face than place your index and second finger on your eyebrow center, ensure that your fingers are relax. Slightly bend your thumb and ring finger, bring them very close to your nostrils. Your thumb and ring finger will block your right and left nostril during nadi shodhana. Ensure that your elbows are not pressing against your chest and abdomen. It is advisable to support your right elbow with your left palm in case you fell that not able to hold your right hand in that position for long time.
Nadi shodhana pranayama technique: Preliminary stage, incase if it is hard for you to sit in padmasana, siddha yoni asana. You can stretch your legs forward keep your back against wall and place a cushions under your knees to relax your legs, ensure your head and s pine are upright, place your left palm on your left knee either in chin mudra or jnana mudra close your eyes. Be aware that you are not supposed to feel breathless while performing nadhi shodhan.Start with few round deep breathing or yogic breathing, calm down your mind prepare your mind and body. Adjust your hand position.
Close your right nostril with your right thumb start breathing in and out through your left nostril 5 to 8 times. Be aware of each inhalation/exhalation through your right nostril. Remove your thumb and place your ring finger against your left nostril, while blocking flow through left nostril breath through your right nostril. 5 to 8 times be aware of inhalation/ exhalation through right nostril. Avoid any sound while you are breathing. Lower your hand and breath normally through both nostrils for some times, each time you completed one round. Perform 3 to 5 minutes for 10 to 15 days before starting next stage of nadhi shodhan.
Please note that all the yoga postures and yoga techniques mentioned in this web site are to be practiced only after prior medical clearance, and under the supervision and guidance of a qualified yoga teacher.
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Breathing: Avoid any strain, jerk or sound during nadhi shodan. After some times you may feel your breath is becoming more soft or fine, avoid any modification in your breath pattern that may cause changes in your relax state of mind body awareness.
Awareness: Before starting nadhi shodan maintain your awareness on external activities for some times. Then bring it to your body and the posture you are sitting. During nadhi shodan bring your awareness to your breath as well as tranquility within you. During nadhi shodan you mind may start roaming, which it is nature of the mind. Best remedy is to continue. While bringing your awareness back to your breath and number of count.
Benefits: Increases oxygen to the entire body and removes carbon dioxide, eliminate toxins from blood. Increases concentration power, gives you clarity of thought as well as tranquility .Reduction in your anxiety level regulating prana flow, finally brings balance to the two main nadis (ida and pingala) which lead shushumna nadi to flow freely and brings profound state of meditation.
Reminder: Include nadi shodan after asana as well as cooling pranayama. It is advisable to perform before bhramari pranayama.
Best time to practices: Is either 4am or 6am. It is also possible to perform any time during the day ensure that it is not immediately after food. Avoid any modification ratio continue with alternative nostril procedure. Perform 8 to 10 rounds which may take 10 to 15 minutes every day.
