While I may believe that my life is stressful, I can agree that it pales in comparison to Hillary Clinton’s. And yet, the two of us have something in common – apparently, Clinton uses Nadi Shodhana pranayama. In an article for CNN Health, she is quoted as saying:
“You breathe through one (nostril), and you hold it, and you exhale through the other, and you keep going,” she explained. “I can only say, based on my personal experience, that if you’re sitting cross-legged on the yoga mat and you’re doing it and you’re really trying to inhale and hold it and then have a long exhale, it is very relaxing.”
It’s nice to know that the movers and shakers of the world are discovering yoga in general and pranayama in particular. In my own practice, I’ve found Nadi Shodhana very helpful, both as a way to relax and as a meditative practice in and of itself – for those of us who have trouble sitting still, it’s a nice way to spend time on the cushion.
In Sanskrit, “Nadi” means “channel,” and “Shodhana” means “purification.” Thus, this technique helps us purify the different sides of the nose, and by extension of the body/mind/spirit. Studies have shown that the practice makes the lungs capable of taking in and using more air in addition to relaxing tense muscles; personally, I’ve also found it helpful with my ongoing sinus issues, particularly when combined with the use of a neti pot.
If you’ve never tried Nadi Shodhana before, you’ll probably want to ask your yoga teacher to take you through a few rounds so that you can concentrate on getting the rhythm correct; practicing in a group also allows you to channel the energy of the collective. If you’re going to give it a go on your own, however, it’s not particularly difficult. You’ll hover your right hand over your nose. Start by inhaling through both sides, and then cover your right nostril with your thumb. Exhale and inhale, and then open your right nostril (I usually have to do this manually, as the sides stick) while using your ring or pinkie finger to close the left. Exhale, inhale, and change sides. Exhale, inhale, and repeat on the other side. These are two rounds of Nadi Shodhana, and you can keep going for as short or as long as works for you. (I’ve had people tell me that ten to twenty minutes is standard, but in my own practice I’ve found that five works well. Keep in mind that you’ll incorporate the technique into the rest of your practice, whether that means before or after asana or meditation.)
I mentioned in passing earlier that I have sinus issues. There are times when one or both nostrils are blocked enough that I can’t breathe through them. If this is ever the case for you, try practicing this technique in a visualization. Sit, breathe the way you can at the moment, but mentally picture the breath exhaling and inhaling on first one side and then the other. See how this helps you in the moment, but also as a way to rehearse for when you can use the full technique!
Pranayama is important, and it’s something that I don’t see talked about as much as asana. Are there techniques about which you would like to read? Leave me a comment (or feel free to email me), so I know for future posts.
Yoga Cielo Stellato 