Alternate Nostril Breath
Posted on May 29, 2007 - Filed Under Just Breathe |
A great breathing exercise for calming the mind and balancing your energy is alternate nostril breath. This exercise can seem daunting the first time you do it, especially if you have sinus problems like I do, but it gets your breath flowing and can improve the flow of air through your nasal passages.
If you like, you may meditate on the following words: I am balanced, calm and serene. I personally prefer to focus my attention to counting my inhale and exhale breaths ensuring they are even.
- Sit comfortably placing the middle finger of your right hand on your forehead; your thumb resting on your right nostril. Your ring and pinky finger (if necessary) rests on your left nostril.
- Inhale and exhale. Close right nostril using thumb and inhale through left nostril for 3–5 seconds. Lift thumb and close left nostril with ring finger while now exhaling through right nostril for 3–5 seconds.
- Keeping fingers in same location; inhale through right nostril for 3–5 seconds. Lift ring finger and close right nostril with thumb while now exhaling through left nostril 3–5 seconds.
- This completes one round of alternate nostril breath or Anulom Viloma.
- Continue for 4 more rounds.
Comments
2 Responses to “Alternate Nostril Breath”
Leave a Reply
Kari, great tips. I really needed this on Tuesday, when the jerky guy in the next lane flipped me the bird for no reason! I was so mad! Some calming breathing would have been a much better way to handle it than clenching my teeth and gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. :]
Kristen
I can totally understand where you are coming from! I actually posted this because I too had a stressful experience while driving and needed some major relaxation. I’ll look into some exercises that we can actually do while driving.