Tag: yoga

  • 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.

  • Legs Up the Wall: A Restful Evening Pose for the End of a Long Summer Day

    After a long July day of errands, yard work or hours on your feet, there is something wonderful about lying down and letting your legs rest up against a wall. This simple position, known in yoga as viparita karani, is one of the gentlest restful poses there is. It asks almost nothing of you, needs no special flexibility and can become a quiet part of your evening wind-down.

    As with any new movement practice, check with your doctor first if you have concerns. People who are pregnant, have glaucoma or other eye conditions, high blood pressure, heart conditions, or back, neck or hip problems should get personal advice before trying it.

    Setting up

    You need a clear stretch of wall and a soft surface to lie on, such as a rug, a yoga mat or a folded blanket. Some people like to do the pose on the bed with their legs against the wall behind the headboard.

    • Sit sideways with one hip close to the wall.
    • Lean back onto your elbows, then swing your legs up the wall as you lower your back to the floor. It may take a little wriggling to get comfortable.
    • Let your sitting bones rest a few inches from the wall. You do not need to be right up against it; a little distance often feels better, especially if the backs of your legs feel tight.
    • Rest your arms by your sides, palms up, or place your hands on your belly.

    A folded blanket or a small pillow under your head can make the position more comfortable. Some people like a folded blanket under the hips as well, but keep it simple to start.

    Settling in

    Once you are in position, let the wall hold your legs. Allow your feet to relax and your knees to soften slightly if they want to. Close your eyes or let your gaze rest softly on the ceiling.

    Turn your attention to your breath. Notice the rise and fall of your belly without trying to change it. You might feel your shoulders melting toward the floor and your jaw softening. If your mind starts making lists, gently bring it back to the breath or to the sensations in your legs and feet.

    Stay for five to ten minutes, or as long as feels comfortable. Many people describe a pleasant feeling of lightness in their legs and a sense of stillness in the rest of the body. If your feet begin to tingle or feel uncomfortable, bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, or come out of the pose.

    Coming out slowly

    When you are ready to finish, bend your knees toward your chest and roll gently onto one side. Rest there for a few breaths before pressing yourself up to sitting. Take a moment before standing, especially if you feel light-headed.

    Making it part of your evening

    Legs up the wall fits easily into a summer night. Try it after a cool shower, before reading in bed, or while listening to a calming piece of music. Dim the lights, run a fan for a gentle breeze and let this be the moment the day officially ends. A few quiet minutes with your legs resting against the wall can turn an ordinary evening into a small ritual of rest.

  • Sitali, the Cooling Breath: A Yoga Breathing Practice for Hot Days

    Sitali, the Cooling Breath: A Yoga Breathing Practice for Hot Days

    On a sweltering afternoon, most of us reach for a cold drink or a fan. Yoga offers another small tool: a breathing practice traditionally described as cooling. It is called sitali, and it takes only a few minutes, needs no equipment and can be done in a chair. Many people find the sensation of cool air moving across the tongue surprisingly refreshing.

    Where sitali comes from

    Sitali, also spelled shitali or sheetali, is one of the pranayama practices of hatha yoga. Pranayama refers to the deliberate shaping of the breath. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a well-known yoga text from the fifteenth century, describes sitali alongside a related practice called sitkari. The name comes from a Sanskrit word meaning cool, and the practice has long been associated with hot weather.

    We share it here as a pleasant, simple experience to try, not as a remedy for anything.

    How to practice sitali

    • Sit comfortably, with your back upright but relaxed. A chair is fine.
    • Take one or two ordinary breaths and let your shoulders drop.
    • Open your mouth and curl the sides of your tongue upward to form a tube, letting the tip extend slightly past your lips.
    • Inhale slowly and smoothly through the tube of your tongue, as if sipping air through a straw. Notice the coolness.
    • Close your mouth and exhale slowly through your nose.
    • Repeat for five to ten rounds, then return to normal breathing for a minute and notice how you feel.

    If you cannot curl your tongue

    Not everyone can roll the tongue into a tube, and that is perfectly fine. The alternative, sitkari, works for anyone. Bring your upper and lower teeth lightly together, part your lips and draw the breath in slowly through the gaps between your teeth, making a soft hissing sound. Close your mouth and exhale through your nose. The incoming air feels cool on the teeth and tongue in much the same way.

    When to try it, and when to skip it

    Sitali can be a nice companion to a summer day: after coming inside from the heat, after an evening walk, during an afternoon slump or as part of a wind-down routine on a warm night. Pair it with a cool shower or a glass of water rather than using it in place of them.

    Because you are breathing in through the mouth, practice where the air is clean. Skip it outdoors on heavy pollen days or anywhere smoky or dusty. Go slowly, and stop if you feel lightheaded, dizzy or uncomfortable. If you have a respiratory or heart condition, are pregnant or have any other health concern, talk to your doctor before trying new breathing practices. And on genuinely dangerous heat days, no breathing technique replaces shade, water, air conditioning and medical help when it is needed.

    Used gently, sitali is a small summer ritual: a few cool breaths, a few quiet moments and a reminder that even in the heaviest heat, you can pause, slow down and come back to yourself.