Quick Tips for Balanced Living

Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhanam pranayama) is one of the most treasured and powerful practices of hatha yoga. It’s easy to learn, safe for all levels of practice, and used therapeutically to balance the nervous system and restore health and harmony in the body. As a spiritual practice, alternate nostril breathing is valued as training and preparation for the more subtle practices of yoga and meditation. The following video instructions, guided practice, and diagram will give you all you need to begin your practice, along with instructions for daily practice. As you master nadi shodhanam, you’ll enjoy an intrinsic sense of inner well-being, and find yourself a bit calmer and energetically balanced throughout the day.

The Yoga Mastering the Basics excerpt and Breathe for Balance will give you the philosophical and theoretical background of the practice, several variations of technique, and suggested daily practice routines. The video, The Practice of Nadi Shodhanam demonstrates the easiest technique to begin, and the audio download will guide you through one complete round of practice. Use the diagram as a visual aid for the guided practice, or as a handy reminder of the technique as you practice on your own.

Instructions for alternate nostril breathing, including a mudra, sitting posture, hints for practice, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

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A guided practice of one round of the simplest pattern of alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhanam). One round is six complete breaths, alternating between the nostrils, and finishing with three relaxed breaths through both nostrils. The practice uses a count of six for each inhale and each exhale. Suitable for daily use.
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Use this diagram to guide your personal practice of nadi shodhanam (alternate nostril breathing). The pattern shown follows the instructions given in Guided Practice of Nadi Shodhanam audio, and in the Practice of Nadi Shodhanam video.
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Imagine having a mind that is unwavering in its clarity, one that is ever alert in the moment yet has no trouble recalling the lessons of the past, a mind that goes where you direct it and stays where you put it. This is a well-controlled, calm, and focused mind—it is the same mind that meditates well. Meditation cultivates these qualities—but it also requires them… Read the full article

Download an excerpt from the award winning title Yoga: Mastering the Basics by Rolf Sovik, PsyD and Sandra Anderson:

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