If you are new to pranayama (yogic breathing practices) and want to get started here’s a simple practice for you to try.
Extra instructions for experienced practitioners of pranayama are at the bottom of the page.
Viloma Pranayama
(To be practised on an empty stomach.)
Stage One
Sit or lie quietly for a few moments, becoming attuned to your breath and letting your body settle and soften.
Now begin to divide your inhalations into 4 stages. Do this by breathing in for 2-3 seconds, pausing for 2-3 seconds, breathing in again for 2-3 seconds, pausing for 2-3 seconds, and so on until the lungs are comfortably full.
Then exhale slowly and deeply, without interruption.
Keep the breath easy and comfortable and do not strain in any way.
Note that inhalation is in stages, with pauses in between, whilst exhalation is continuous. Both inhalation and exhalation start from the bottom of the lungs upwards.
Stage Two
This is the reverse of Stage One. Inhalation is steady and continuous, exhalation is divided into four 2-3 second stages, with 2-3 second pauses in between.
Keep the breath easy and comfortable and do not strain in any way.
As before, both in- and exhalation are from the bottom of the lungs upwards.
Both stages are perfectly safe for anyone to practice regardless of their blood pressure reading. However:
Stage One is particularly beneficial for regulating low blood pressure.
Stage Two is particularly beneficial for regulating high blood pressure.
Viloma pranayama can be practised for 5-10 minutes at a time, or for as long as you do not feel fatigue.
Suggestion. 5 minutes Stage One, followed by a few ”natural breaths” then 5 minutes Stage Two.
Whenever you finish the practice, always allow your breath to find its natural rhythm for at least a couple of minutes before getting up. If you were practising lying down, turn onto your side for a few seconds before sitting up.
Experienced Practitioners.
Engage mula and uddhyana bandhas, bhrumadhye drishti and ujjayi breathing throughout.
Stage One, after completing inhalation engage jalandhara bandha and practice antara khumbaka. Stage Two, after completing exhalation engage jalandhara bandha and practice bahya khumbaka.
Some terms explained:
Another example of a pranayama (yogic breathing) practice is:
Nadi Shodana (aka Alternate Nostril Breathing)
NADI means energy channel.
SHODANA means cleansing, purifying.
NADI SHODANA thus means purification of the energy channels.
There are many different alternate nostril breathing exercises, or pranayamas. A simple one which I like goes like this:
Close the right nostril and breathe in through the left to a count of 4.
Close the left nostril and hold the breath in for a count of 4.
Open the right nostril and exhale for a count of 4.
Inhale through the right nostril for a count of 4.
Close the right nostril and hold the breath in for a count of 4.
Open the left nostril and exhale for a count of 4.
i.e. in left, hold, out right, in right, hold, out left.
This is one round with a ratio 4:4:4.
To close the nostrils you form your hand into a MUDRA. In this context, MUDRA means seal. There are very many hand mudras, the one I like to use for nadi shodana is shankar mudra, where you tuck the index and middle fingers into the pad at the base of the thumb, with the ring and little fingers straight. The thumb of the right hand is used to close the right nostril and the ring and little fingers of the right hand to seal the left nostril. (N.B. I was taught this as shankar mudra, but don’t be confused as there is another quite different mudra, also called shankar.)
After each round rest your mudra hand for a couple of breaths, or longer if you wish.
It is important that the practice flows smoothly and calmly without any strain. You can slowly increase the timings, e.g. towards a ratio of 4:8:8. That means inhale counting 4, hold the breath in counting 8, exhale counting 8. When that is smooth and comfortable progress to 4:12:8 or even 4:16:8.
Tips: Use only light pressure to seal the nostrils. Kumbhaka is easier if the lungs are not over-full. Before releasing kumbhaka, inhale a fraction to smooth the transition to exhalation.
Recommended reading: Light on Pranayama by B.K.S. Iyengar ISBN 0041490606
Sue Pennington 