Happy Pathway: The yin and yang of breathing

Before you read any further, let us take a breath together.

Easy and simple inhale. Slow and gentle exhale.

In last months article, we explored that breathing is free expression. When we begin to observe the breath closely, we realize that the breath is a continuous wave without a beginning or an end.

I hope you have been practicing ratio breathing (principle where exhale is twice as long as the inhale) and are experiencing the shifts in the body and mind.

In this article, we will explore the yin and yang qualities of the breath and learn another technique you can include in your “pranayama” tool kit.

The right nostril is Yang; the sun energy: energizing, awakening, masculine.
The left nostril is Yin; the moon energy: releasing, cooling, feminine.

This brings us to our next cue,

Right Nostril Breathing is energizing while Left Nostril Breathing is relaxing.

Inhaling only through your right nostril will access the left “thinking” hemisphere of your brain (sympathetic nervous system activation of fight and flight) and inhaling only through your left nostril will access the right “feeling” hemisphere of your brain (parasympathetic nervous system activation of rest and digest).

We move and alternate between nostrils when we breathe through out the day.

When done in yogic setting, alternate nostril breathing or “Nadi Shodhana” is simply a technique to bring and restore balance. Nadi means channel and Shodhana means cleansing. The channel of breathing begins in the nostril with carpet like structure of hair, clearing the air of dirt, dust, warming the air, as it enters the trachea into the bronchus and makes it way to the alveoli (tiny air sacs) in the lungs where the gas exchange happens.

How air reaches the different cells in the body, the circulatory and nervous systems have a critical support role in that process. Everyone know about, CO2, a byproduct of cellular respiration in respiration. However, there is another free radical vasodilator gas, Nitric Oxide, which is produced in the sinuses only when we breathe through the nose. Among its many properties, nitric oxide has potent antiviral and antibacterial activity. It is very important to always breathe through the nose and not through the mouth.

Let’s learn a simple nadi shodhana practice that you can incorporate in your daily life. The technique I am sharing in this article is gentle and does not require prior experience. Begin in a seated posture against the wall or back rest or lying down. The idea is to keep the spine neutral.

I invite to keep both your palms open and if you have a special mudra (hand gesture)you like, you can incorporate that in the practice now. Keep the soles of the feet bare (so the feet can breathe). Now image your favorite flower or fruit in left hand and visualize the breath going thru the left nostril into the body as you imagine softly smelling the flower or fruit. Exhale from the left nostril. Repeat this a few times.

Now, visualize that flower or fruit in right hand now and imagine you smelling that through the right nostril into the channels of the body and out through the right nostril cleansing everything that may not be serving you and feeling protected, safe and balanced Repeat a few times on this side.

If you like to cultivate energy, zeal and enthusiasm in the morning — focus on right nostril breathing and if you like to cultivate relaxation, rest and sleep better — focus on left nostril breathing. The body does shift between nostrils naturally but remember you have a tool right under the nose to practice energizing and relaxing qualities during the day.

Happy Breathing!