Alternating Nostril Breathing

[Green Tiger]

I've been practicing alternating nostril breathing off and on for the past few months. The way I practice is pretty basic. Either sitting or standing I plug my left nostril with my left index finger and exhale through the right nostril, then inhale through the right nostril. The inhale and exhale both being as slow and smooth as possible. Not really controlled, but just allowed to happen (ideally).

 

After an exhale/inhale on the right side, I plug the right nostril with my right index finger and repeat with the left side exhale/inhale.

 

I've noticed two things about this that I think are perhaps important:

 

First; the two nostrils rarely draw breath evenly. What I mean is, usually the right draws air very easily and the left is constricted or tight and draws air much slower. However, they seem to alternate. Sometimes the left is easy and the right is tight. Rarely do they both draw breath in the same way.

 

Second; this practice seems to alter the pressures in the chest (thoracic cavity?). Often, when I draw in breath through the nostril that is tighter, I feel like I am inflating my chest. Usually the feeling of inflation only occurs on the opposite side of the nostril drawing the breath. I've also noticed that, if I focus my attention on the side of my body that I'm working on, the breath seems to flow more freely.

 

A third thing that is worth mentioning: After practicing fifteen to twenty repetitions of this, the nostrils and pressures seem to balance out to some degree. I'm hoping that more regular practice might give me more balance generally and maybe eventually I could even practice alternating nostril breathing without plugging my nose.

 

I'd love to hear other experiences with this practice.

[Friend]

Edited November 16, 2011 by Friend

[konchog uma]

I'd love to hear other experiences with this practice.

 

i start my long meditation sets with bon excercizes called tsa lung which i learned from tenzin wangyal rinpoches book "healing with form energy and light". its some movements to get energy flowing, and its starts with alternate nostril breathing.

 

in that system, the nostrils are the end of channels which go up to the top of the head and down the back then down along the spine to the dan tien. so there are two side channels (one for each nostril) and one central channel which goes from the dantien (where they all meet) to the top of the head straight up through the taiji pole.

 

so i breathe healing light (i like white which turns golden as it gets to the dantien) through the right channel, then expel it through the left. then reverse. as many times as i like. then breathe light in both nostril channels and expel it up the middle channel.

 

i find it to be really balancing and agree that my nostrils/sinuses are sometimes out of synch and the practice realigns them. i don't know why alternate nostril breathing feels so great but it does

[dwai]

I've been practicing alternating nostril breathing off and on for the past few months. The way I practice is pretty basic. Either sitting or standing I plug my left nostril with my left index finger and exhale through the right nostril, then inhale through the right nostril. The inhale and exhale both being as slow and smooth as possible. Not really controlled, but just allowed to happen (ideally).

 

After an exhale/inhale on the right side, I plug the right nostril with my right index finger and repeat with the left side exhale/inhale.

 

I've noticed two things about this that I think are perhaps important:

 

First; the two nostrils rarely draw breath evenly. What I mean is, usually the right draws air very easily and the left is constricted or tight and draws air much slower. However, they seem to alternate. Sometimes the left is easy and the right is tight. Rarely do they both draw breath in the same way.

 

Second; this practice seems to alter the pressures in the chest (thoracic cavity?). Often, when I draw in breath through the nostril that is tighter, I feel like I am inflating my chest. Usually the feeling of inflation only occurs on the opposite side of the nostril drawing the breath. I've also noticed that, if I focus my attention on the side of my body that I'm working on, the breath seems to flow more freely.

 

A third thing that is worth mentioning: After practicing fifteen to twenty repetitions of this, the nostrils and pressures seem to balance out to some degree. I'm hoping that more regular practice might give me more balance generally and maybe eventually I could even practice alternating nostril breathing without plugging my nose.

 

I'd love to hear other experiences with this practice.

 

In yoga/pranayam parlance this is called anuloma viloma. When done with a specific mudra (or hand seal) it is called nadi shodhana (with or without breath retention).

Your observation of nostril balaning is very true...it is meant to blance out the two channels (ida and pingala) or the left and riht channels that run alongside the central channel or sushumna. Depending on time of day, one or the other will be active.

[Jetsun]

Which nostril is dominant is down to a natural cycle which changes about every 40 minutes I think if I remember correctly.

[Tux]

I only started doing it regularly a few days ago, but when I do this breathing, I breathe in one nostril for a count of five, hold it, breathe out the other, hold it, breathe in with the same, hold it, breathe out with the other, hold it, breathe in, hold it, etc. all for counts of five, doing five complete cycles. Gets me kinda high, especially if I do it before doing a round of 4-7-8 breathing, which is breathe in for four seconds, hold it for seven, and exhale for 8.

Edited September 16, 2011 by Tux

[joeblast]

try doing this without facilitating any breath in the sinuses themselves. move the breath only with the diaphragm, sink it with the psoas, draw the breath from the bottom

 

 

 

then, just ever so slightly, open the sphenoid sinus a bit and do some more reps. go easy with that though, it can get a little strong, and make sure you do plenty o stillness after it, red phoenix 2 if you know it, but you may need to 'bring a little down.'

Edited September 16, 2011 by joeblast

[Tux]

try doing this without facilitating any breath in the sinuses themselves. move the breath only with the diaphragm, sink it with the psoas, draw the breath from the bottom

 

 

 

then, just ever so slightly, open the sphenoid sinus a bit and do some more reps. go easy with that though, it can get a little strong, and make sure you do plenty o stillness after it, red phoenix 2 if you know it, but you may need to 'bring a little down.'

 

The way I described it (doing five second intervals) can get intense, as in my nostril will really be pulling or pushing some air through it. I'll try being more gentle and just using the abdomen for the impetus of my breath. Can't feel my sphenoid

[spiraltao]

try doing this without facilitating any breath in the sinuses themselves. move the breath only with the diaphragm, sink it with the psoas, draw the breath from the bottom

 

 

 

then, just ever so slightly, open the sphenoid sinus a bit and do some more reps. go easy with that though, it can get a little strong, and make sure you do plenty o stillness after it, red phoenix 2 if you know it, but you may need to 'bring a little down.'

 

Great tip! Sure does make for an intense session when done, eh? I know nothing of the red phoenix, so by "bring a little down" to the LDT or the K1's? I like the "holding the barrel" posture or "the great circle" from Lam Kam Chuen's book "The Way of Energy" for post standing. ...or would wuji be better?

 

 

Wow I kinda sound excited about this every time I post. Wonder why? When pulling from the diaphragm I noticed I could hear a raspy type? sound. ...and mos def felt more air moving thru the nostrils it's way to the lower dan tian.

[joeblast]

heh, I meant "down from the head" not necessarily ldt or k1 really if you just focus on good harmonious abdominal breathing that is sufficient.

 

breathing with the bottom properly usually imbues less feeling of air through the sinuses. check that, dont focus on the sinuses but establish the proper abdominal motion first and then once harmonious motion is established firmly feel out the sinuses, return below, feel the sinuses again, return below...each time relax them more, do not use them to facilitate breath and that is the key I am referring to.

 

the sphenoid thing is just a very slight very gentle opening of the sinus, you still do all of the breath from the ldt/diaphragm.

 

tux, have a look at some anatomy illustrations and do an investigative breathing exercise. find each sinus and try to inhale just using that particular part. once you've done that for each area that air hits for when you breathe, from a point of reference of motion then derive stillness, let go of allllll of it and just use the bottom to breathe. that is how you can hold a feather in front of your nose and not move it when you breathe