How to do Anuloma-Viloma Yoga Asana? See Step by Step

Yogic Breathing For Better Health. Swami Kuvalyanand once said, Yoga has a message for the human body, for the human mind and the human spirit.

Anuloma Viloma (Alternate Nostril breathing) or Nadi Shodhan (Without Retention or Kumbhaka) At any time, we only breath through one nostril, left nostril is active for about 90 minutes, and after that it changes to right nostril and it remains active for another 90 minutes. This is a healthy pattern. But due to imbalances in physical and mental energies, the rhythm is imbalanced. Yoga says that left nostril is IDA Nadi which represents mental energy and mind, and right nostril is Pingala Nadi, which represents physical energy and body. If there is imbalance between Ida and Pingala then body and mind are imbalanced.

The purpose of the alternate nostril breathing is to balance these 2 forces, the mental energy and physical energy, to bring harmony between Body and Mind.

Practice - Note (Practice of Anuloma - Viloma or Nadi Shodhan should be done with a Yoga Expert Only)

Begineers can start with deep breathing practice in sitting position (Padmasana - Lotus, Swastikasana- Auspicious, Vajrasana - Thunderbolt, Any Cross legged position in which the body can be relaxed and spine is erect.)

Pranav Mudra of right hand, will help close the right nostril while inhaling through left nostril and ring finger can close the left nostril while inhaling through right.

Initially 4 seconds inhale through left and exhale for 6 seconds through right nostril, then inhala through right for 4 seconds and exhale through left for 6 seconds can be practiced for about 5 minutes.

With practice one can increase the counts to 4:8, or 5:10 or 6:12 seconds

Benefits of Anuloma Viloma: Physical benefits

1. Anuloma Viloma cleanses and strengthens the lungs and entire respiratory system.

2.During retention, there is the highest rate of gaseous exchange in the lungs. Because of the increase in the pressure, more oxygen goes from the lungs into the blood and more CO2 (and other waste products) pass from the blood into the lungs for elimination during exhalation.

3.As exhalation is twice the time of inhalation, stale air and waste products are drained from the lugs.

Mental Psychic benefits

1.Anuloma Viloma helps to calm the mind, making it lucid and steady.

2.It makes the body light and the eyes shiny.

Precautions:

(1)Beginners should not try this exercise of breath retention rather they can try simple anuloma viloma without breath retension.

(2)It is strongly advised that these exercised should be learned with some experienced yoga teacher only