Hello and welcome to today's alternate nostril breathing session or otherwise known as Anulom Wilom.
This is a pranayama technique that balances the flow of energy through the body.
It balances out your left and right brain and it brings calmness and focus into your life.
To start I would suggest that you sit up straight either on a chair or cross-legged on the ground on a pillow or on a yoga block.
You can set an intention for today's session if you want to.
Close your eyes and just take a few deep breaths.
We're going to use our right hand for this technique.
Our left hand can rest on our knee facing up or facing down.
And now place your right thumb on your right nostril and your right ring finger on your left nostril.
Your right index and middle fingers can rest on your forehead or fold into your palm.
And your pinky will either connect to your ring finger or just keep it as it's comfortable for you.
We're going to inhale through our left nostril and then we're going to close both nostrils.
Exhaling through our right nostril.
Inhaling through that same nostril,
The right nostril.
Close both nostrils with our fingers and then exhaling through the left nostril.
This is one cycle of alternate nostril breathing.
But I'm going to guide you for the first couple of rounds.
So let's start.
We're going to start with an exhale and then inhale through your left nostril while you hold your right nostril closed.
Inhale slowly and deeply for a count of at least four.
Then close both nostrils.
You can hold your breath for a brief moment and then release your right nostril and exhale slowly for a count of at least four.
Inhale through your right nostril for a count of four while keeping your left nostril closed.
Now close both nostrils with your breath for a brief moment.
Open your left nostril and exhale slowly for a count of at least four while keeping the right nostril closed.
Now you're going to inhale through the left nostril.
Close both nostrils.
Hold it for a second and open the right nostril.
Exhaling and then inhaling.
Closing both,
Releasing the left nostril.
Exhaling and inhaling.
Closing both nostrils.
Exhaling through the right nostril and then inhaling through the same nostril.
And just continue on this way for the next few minutes.
You can experiment how long you can do the inhales for.
How long you can stretch it for.
But make sure that both the inhale and the exhale is very relaxed.
It doesn't feel strained.
Make it as slow as you can.
As relaxed as you can.
Keep your spine nice and straight and make sure that your body is nice and relaxed.
Your jaws are not clenching.
Also just notice if you're putting pressure on either of the nostrils.
They don't have to be held super tight.
Just enough so there's no air traveling through.
I'm going to leave you for the next five minutes to do it in your own time.
If at any stage you feel like it's straining,
It's too much,
Just release your hand,
Place it on your knees and just get back to your natural rhythm of breath.
And just notice what you're feeling,
How your body is feeling.
And whenever you're ready,
Just get back to the same cycle that we just practiced.
Just finish the last cycle of the breath and just return to normal breathing.
And just sit quietly for a moment,
The eyes closed.
Notice the changes in your body and mind.
Reflect on the experience.
What was more challenging?
Is there anything that you can take with you throughout the day?
If you want to transition into a meditation practice or yoga practice,
You can do that now.
Otherwise,
You can start to come back to the room and continue on with your day.
Thank you so much for being here with me today and I hope to see you next time.
