Anulom vilom is a slow breathing pranayama that involves inhaling and exhaling alternately through each nostril.
Anulom vilom does not include breath holding. If you include breath holding with alternate nostril breathing it is called nadi shodhana.
Benefits and Contraindications
Benefits
This pranayama is very beneficial for calming and balancing the body and is very good for relieving stress and anxiety.
Contraindications
As long as you take it easy and stay well within your safe limitations, there are not really any contraindications with this practice.
Technique
This technique involves sitting in a comfortable meditative posture or lying down in a suitable position. Breathing is full, slow, and deep and alternates between left and right nostrils. The right hand uses prana mudra with the thumb and third finger used to close the right and left nostrils.
Breathing is done to a count. Beginners can start with a count of 3 for inhalation and 3 for exhalation, then gradually increase to 4:4, 4:6, 4:8, and up to 6:12. Take it easy and do not go beyond your safe limitations. The ideal inhalation/exhalation ratio is 1:2.
Step-by-step
- Sit or lie in a comfortable posture suitable for breathing exercises with your back straight but relaxed, and your eyes gently closed.
- To start, both hands can be in Jnana mudra resting on your thighs. If you’re lying down just have your hands resting by your sides.
- Go through a body check to relax your body (2-3 minutes).
- Breath awareness – observe your breath at the nostrils and any associated sounds, as well as movements of the chest/abdomen (1-2 Minutes).
- Take two full, slow, deep breaths in and out.
- Rest for a few seconds.
- Bring your right hand up towards your nose in prana mudra.
- Slowly exhale fully and completely through both nostrils.
- Close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale slowly, deeply, and fully through the left nostril.
- Open the right nostril and close the left with the third finger and exhale slowly and completely through the right nostril.
- Inhale slowly, deeply, and fully through the right nostril.
- Open the left nostril and close the right with the thumb and exhale slowly and fully through the left nostril.
- This completes one full cycle of nadi shodhana.
- Repeat the cycle for 3 minutes. Take a 30 second break and do another 2 rounds with a 30-second break in between..