Tag: breathing practice

  • Alternate Nostril Breathing Explained: A Step-by-Step Guide to Nadi Shodhana

    Of all the traditional breathing practices, alternate nostril breathing may look the most unusual. You sit quietly, use your fingers to close one nostril at a time and guide the breath gently from one side to the other. It sounds complicated, but after a few rounds most people find it easy, rhythmic and absorbing. It can be a lovely way to settle into a quiet moment on a hot afternoon or before bed.

    As with any breathing exercise, it should never feel forced. If you have a respiratory or heart condition, are pregnant or have any health concern, talk with your doctor first. It is best practiced when your nose is clear, so skip it if you are congested.

    A little background

    In yoga, this practice is often called nadi shodhana. The Sanskrit word nadi refers to the channels through which energy is said to flow in traditional yogic thought, and shodhana means cleansing or purifying. Versions of the practice appear in classical hatha yoga texts and are taught in yoga classes around the world today. You do not need to adopt any particular belief to try it. Many people simply enjoy the focus and rhythm it brings.

    How to practice

    Sit comfortably with your back tall and your shoulders relaxed. Rest your left hand in your lap. Bring your right hand toward your face. Many people fold the index and middle fingers into the palm, using the thumb to close the right nostril and the ring finger to close the left. Others rest the index and middle fingers lightly between the eyebrows. Either way, use a soft touch.

    • Close your eyes and take a natural breath in and out.
    • Gently close your right nostril with your thumb and breathe in slowly through the left.
    • Close the left nostril with your ring finger, release your thumb and breathe out through the right.
    • Breathe in through the right nostril.
    • Close the right nostril, release the left and breathe out through the left.
    • That is one round. Continue for five to ten rounds, always switching sides after each inhale.

    When you finish, lower your hand, breathe naturally through both nostrils and sit quietly for a minute.

    Tips for a comfortable practice

    • Keep the breath slow and smooth, but never strained. There is no need to breathe deeply or hold the breath.
    • If your arm tires, support your elbow with your other hand or a pillow.
    • If you lose track of which side you are on, simply return to breathing through both nostrils and begin again.
    • If you feel light-headed, stop and breathe normally.

    Traditional instruction sometimes includes breath holds and specific counts. Those are best learned with an experienced teacher. The simple version here is enough to enjoy the practice.

    Making it a ritual

    Alternate nostril breathing fits easily into the day: a few minutes in a cool room after coming in from the heat, a pause in the afternoon or a gentle bridge into sleep. Pair it with a quiet corner, a soft light or a favorite scent in a diffuser at a gentle setting. Over time, the familiar rhythm of right and left, in and out, can become a small anchor you return to whenever you want a few minutes of calm.

  • Bhramari, the Humming Bee Breath: A Soft Sound to Close the Day

    There is something soothing about a low, steady hum. Many of us do it without thinking while we cook or fold laundry. In yoga, humming is the heart of a breathing practice called bhramari, often translated as the bee breath. Its soft, buzzing sound fills the head and chest, and many people find it a lovely way to settle at the end of a busy summer day.

    Like all breathing practices, bhramari should feel easy and comfortable. If you have a respiratory, heart or ear condition, are pregnant or have any other health concern, talk with your doctor before trying it, and stop if you feel dizzy or uncomfortable.

    Where bhramari comes from

    The name comes from the Sanskrit word bhramara, a kind of large black bee, because the sound of the practice resembles a bee’s hum. Bhramari is described in classic texts of hatha yoga, including the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a manual written in the fifteenth century that lists it among several traditional breathing practices. Today it is taught in yoga classes around the world, and many teachers share a simplified version with children as bee breathing.

    How to practice

    • Sit comfortably on a chair, a cushion or the edge of your bed, with your spine tall and your shoulders relaxed.
    • Close your eyes. Rest your hands on your knees or in your lap.
    • Gently close your lips, keep your teeth slightly apart and let your jaw relax.
    • Breathe in slowly through your nose.
    • As you breathe out, make a steady, low humming sound, like a bee, for as long as is comfortable.
    • At the end of the exhale, breathe in again through your nose and repeat.

    Start with five to seven rounds. Afterward, sit quietly for a minute with your eyes closed and notice how your body feels, without trying to change anything.

    Exploring the sound

    Try varying the pitch of the hum. A lower hum may be felt more in your chest, while a higher one tends to buzz in your face and head. Notice where you feel the vibration most. Some people like to rest their fingertips gently on their cheeks or throat to feel it more clearly.

    A traditional variation involves pressing the small flap of cartilage at the front of each ear gently with the index fingers, softening outside sounds so the hum seems to fill the inside of the head. If you try this, use the lightest touch, never push anything into the ear canal and skip it entirely if it feels uncomfortable or if you have any ear concerns.

    When to try it

    Bhramari fits well into an evening routine: after a shower, before reading in bed or at the end of a long day when you want to shift gears. Because the sound can carry, many people prefer a quiet room where they will not feel self-conscious. It can also be a fun practice to share with children, who often enjoy pretending to be bees and seeing how long they can make their buzz last.

    There is no need to do it perfectly. The point is simply to breathe slowly, enjoy the sound and let the hum mark the moment when the day begins to wind down.