Alternate Nostril Breathing
Sun "solar" and Moon "lunar" breath
Purifying and nourishing the inner channels
By following the inner current and energetic alignment within our body the place to begin is our central channel “Sushumna Nadi” For many of us this helps by connecting to and following our spine from the tip of the coccyx along the vertebral column to the cervical spinous process of C2 (base of the skull) and crown of the head. So you’re wondering, Ok what does this have to do with alternative nostril breathing? Well, there is a lot and I will keep it as simple as I can, leaving you with a little Pingala nadi (left channel) and Ida nadi (right channel) breathing visualization exercise at the end. Nadi in Sanskrit translates as rivers, streams, channels even currents or light.
The Sushumna nadi is the central nadi that passes through the spinal column, the flow starts in the base Muladhara chakra and stops in the Sahasrara chakra at the crown. The Sushumna serves as the main distributor of prana “breath” to everywhere in our subtle energy body and also works with the flow of the Ida and the Pingala to regulate breath (prana) There are in fact more than 72 thousand nadis within our body.
Note, how this beautiful grass image has a fantastic strong central column with knots of support that emanate all these smaller grasses and as you also see from the base radiate upward in stages along the main central core grass. This can present so much to us from the teacher nature is.
http://Subtle body – Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Subtle_body https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prana
The Ida connected to our left nostril is also the feminine shiva/shakti lunar aspect of us and connected to the moon “soma” chandra in Sanskrit. The Pingala is connected to our right nostril is also the masculine shiva/shakti solar aspect of us and connected to the sun “surya” in Sanskrit. https://www.chakras.net/yoga-principles/shiva-and-shakti
A lovely simple mantra to use a breathing tool to help guide your breath
Aum Somaye Namah a (left)
Aum Suryaye Namah a (right) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya
” So, shall we begin with a little mini breathing exercise?
A short form of how I would teach.
Sitting comfortably.
Bring your right hand first fingers to your forehead, your thumb by right nostril and third finger by left nostril and should be able to gently close off one side or the other easily. Allow your eyes to feel soft, perhaps lightly close your eyes. relax your neck into stillness with a slight dip of your chin and begin to become aware of your breath, take a few moments here to feel how your breath is doing. Close off your right nostril as you begin to inhale slowly through your left, pause at the top of your breath closing your left nostril as you exhale slowly offering your breath through your right nostril, pause at the bottom, and slowly inhale now drinking the awareness through the right, pause as you close your right nostril (solar channel) and slowly release tracing the breath through the left nostril (lunar channel) One more round~
Slowly inhale again through the left the lunar breath, visualize the colour of the moon, luminosity, the moon on the ocean. Pause, then give the moon to the sun slowly, offering receptivity and peace. pause, inhaling the sun, vitality, sunlight on the ocean, honouring the solar breath. Pause, now offering the radiant, shimmering sun to the moon harmonizing the solar and lunar. I would continue a few rounds more, then complete.
By bringing your hands together at your heart.
Touch and feel your heart. Bow to the soul within.
Touch your throat center and bow to the soul in all beings.
Feel the shift in your nervous system. Feel closer to your heart. This practise of drinking your breath, purifying and nourishing your inner channels can truly bring you to your essential essence with my guidance. Honouring also our moon & sun cycles while we are on our mat.
Teaching Nadi Shodana (channel purifying breath) for me is truly empowering. I experience such healing and healthy responses from my students of honestly all ages