Alternate Nostril Breathing For Beginners

How to Practice

1. Sit comfortably with a straight spine, either in a chair or on the floor with legs crossed in front of you. Feel free to sit on a comfortable cushion, if you like. Relax and breathe naturally for a moment.

2. Raise your right hand and close your left nostril with your ring finger, holding your thumb near your right nostril.

3. Inhale deeply through the right nostril and hold briefly while closing off your right nostril with your thumb and releasing the ring finger from the left nostril.

4. Exhale through the left nostril slowly and completely, and then inhale through the left nostril fully and deeply.

5. Close the left nostril and open the right, exhaling completely.

6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 for 1 to 3 minutes.

Be sure to balance your breathing by doing equal counts of four while inhaling and exhaling. Work your way up to eight counts to increase the relaxation benefits and slow your heart rate.

Set aside time for your breathing practice every day. Ideally, you should rise before the sun to practice yoga and breathing exercises, but you can use this powerful tool for grounding and relaxation anytime you need it. The most important thing about breathing exercises is to do them consistently and consciously.

With just a little practice, you will easily reap the benefits of alternate nostril breathing, and even look forward to the time you set aside each day for relaxation and healing. It can be hard to believe that something as simple as breathing can really be that powerful, but over time, you will see tangible results. In fact, when you learn to allow your energy to flow naturally through your inner body, the energy of your outer life will flow better as well.

Author

This article was written for Insights-on-Health.com in 2014 by Vicki Wiepking. Vicki is a 2008 graduate of The McKay Method School of Energy Healing in Bozeman, MT, and a certified Flower Essence Practitioner. She is the owner of Rasa Deva Wellness in Bozeman, where she offers a unique combination of energy healing, flower essences and essential oils to her clients. Vicki currently teaches energy healing classes at both the McKay Method and HealthWorks Institute.

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