Hello and welcome to this Nadi Shodhana or alternate nostril breathing practice.
Nadi Shodhana comes from the Sanskrit nadi meaning channel and shodhana meaning cleansing or purifying.
So the nadis are these channels of energy that move through the body intersecting at our energy centers or chakras.
So this practice is particularly beneficial for cleansing those energy lines and energy centers so that prana can move freely through the body and we can feel aligned,
Energized and whole.
Some of the other benefits of Nadi Shodhana as a practice are the reduction of stress and anxiety,
The calm that it brings to the nervous system and the ability for this practice to infuse the body with oxygen and help to release any toxins in the body.
So all around a very beneficial practice and a somewhat easy one to practice.
So I invite you to sit comfortably where you are,
Finding some grounding in through your sit bones.
Maybe you're sitting on a chair or the floor,
Just noticing those parts of your body that are held by the earth and allow those parts of your body to sink as you allow the spine and the head,
The crown of the head to lift and grow tall.
Maybe drop the chin a little but allow the crown to lift.
Find a nice lengthening all the way up the spine from your tailbone to the crown.
Drop the shoulders away from the ears.
Relax your face,
Relax your eyebrows,
Relax your tongue away from the roof of your mouth.
And let's bring one hand,
The left hand to the lap or to the knee and the right hand up towards the face.
Going to bring the index finger and the middle finger towards the third eye,
The space between the eyebrows.
You can place them on your forehead or you can allow them to hover just a little bit off of them if that feels more comfortable to you.
And to begin Nadi Shodha,
Now we're going to use the ring finger of that right hand to put pressure on the left nostril.
So as if we're closing down the left nostril and we're breathing just through the right.
So let's close down the left nostril,
Breathing in through the right nostril.
In and out,
In,
Out,
In,
Out,
In,
Out.
One more.
Now we're going to release that ring finger from the left nostril and place the thumb over the right nostril,
Giving it a little pressure,
Closing down that right nostril.
We breathe in through the left,
Out through the left.
In and out,
In and out,
In,
Out,
In,
Out.
Last one.
And out.
Now we'll take this into our alternate nostril,
Breathing,
Keeping the index and the middle finger of the hand towards the third eye space between the eyebrows and the forehead.
Going to start by blocking off the left nostril with the ring finger,
Breathe in through the right.
Release the ring finger,
Place the thumb on the right nostril,
Breathe out through the left.
Breathe in through the left,
Breathe out through the right.
Breathe in through the right,
Out through the left.
In through the left,
Out through the right.
In through the right,
Out through the left.
Last one,
In through the left,
And out through the right.
Releasing the hand.
I encourage you to continue with this practice as this recording finishes,
Maybe taking this practice into your day.
Maybe five minutes of alternate nostril breathing,
Nadi Shodhana,
Can be so beneficial for setting you up for your day,
Reducing anxiety,
Preparing the body and the mind and the spirit for your day.
Thank you so much for joining me,
And I hope to guide you again soon.
Take good care.
