Surya Bhedana means ‘piercing the sun’ and is a warming/stimulating pranayama that is associated with the pingala nadi. It involves inhaling slowly and deeply through the right nostril and exhaling slowly and fully through the left nostril.
For experienced practitioners, breath holding (kumbhaka; on inhalation only) and body locks (bandhas) are included with every respiration cycle.
For those starting out or with little experience, or with any health issues (e.g., heart conditions or high blood pressure), breath holding and bandhas should not be included.
Benefits and Contraindications
Benefits
This pranayama generates heat within the body and gently activates the sympathetic nervous system. It activates and increases energy throughout the body, and promotes vitality, increases metabolic rate, and helps with weight loss. It is also good for helping with episodes of depression.
Contraindications
Contraindications include high blood pressure or cardiovascular problems, anxiety, epilepsy, stomach ulcers, acid or reflux.
Technique
This technique involves being seated in any meditative posture or lying down on the floor in a suitable position. Breathing is slow, deep and full. Make sure to use the full capacity of your lungs, breath deep into the abdomen first, then the chest, then the clavicle region, and then out in the opposite order.
The breath is held (kumbhaka) after inhalation with tribandha activated.
The right hand should be in prana mudra, with the thumb used to close the right nostril and the third finger used to close the left nostril. The index and middle fingers should either be folded in and resting on the top lip, or pointing up straight and resting between the eyebrows.
To begin with, you should practice for up to a maximum of 5 minutes.
Without going beyond your safe limitations, inhalation and exhalation should be as slow and long as possible, and breath holding should be for as long as possible. To start, you can use a count of 4:4 (inhalation/exhalation) as a guide, and if you are including breath holding this can be 4:4:4 (inhalation/holding breath/exhalation).
Step-by-step
- Sit or lie in a comfortable and suitable posture. Back should be straight but relaxed, and your eyes should be gently closed.
- To start, both right and left hands should be resting on the thighs in Jnana mudra.
- 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).
- Bring the right hand up to the nose in prana mudra.
- Slowly exhale fully and completely through both nostrils.
- Close the left nostril with the third finger of the right hand and inhale through the right nostril slowly, deeply, and fully.
- If you are holding the breath, block both nostrils with thumb and third finger of right hand, and then tie up tribandha.
- Release tribandha, release both nostrils and exhale slowly through the left nostril only.
- This completes on cycle of surya bhedan.