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A healthy body, it goes without saying, is one of the prime requisites, if not the prime requisite, for success and happiness in life. People are increasingly becoming convinced that yoga is more than just an exercise regimen, that it also makes for good health, contentment and happiness despite the stress of present-day life.

As Swami Kuvalyanand once said, “Yoga has a message for the human body, for the human mind and the human spirit.”

And that leads us to a discussion of anuloma-viloma (alternate breathing) pranayama. Pranayama simply means proper “management” of the vital force – prana. Although the basic principle remains the same, many different types of pranayama have been devised, each with its own unique technique. Anuloma-Viloma, or nadi shuddhi pranayama (nerve purifying pranayama,) is one such kind and is considered one of the basic forms.

The practice of anuloma viloma is somewhat like the government agency that regulates traffic on the roads, looks after cleanliness along the highways, their beautification, etc., and keeps the traffic moving smoothly and efficiently. The method involves breathing in (pooraka) through one nostril and breathing out through the other. Therefore this pranayama has the name anuloma viloma, i.e., alternate breathing.

To practice this, you have to sit in any of the yogic sitting postures. To begin with, carry on normal breathing, applying moola bandha (i.e., comfortable anal contraction). Keeping a stable moola bandha, breathe in and breathe out completely. Ensure that the moola bandha is not loosened during the process. Pause for a while between breathing in and breathing out. Breathe in deeply through the left nostril, and breathe out through the right; then breathe in through the right nostril and out through the left. Continue breathing this way, i.e., alternately from left and right nostrils, for one to three minutes.

After reaching a comfort level with this alternate breathing, you may move to the next stage. Close the right nostril with the right thumb keeping the other four fingers together. Now, slowly breathe in through the left nostril at a uniform speed. Repeat with the other nostril. While breathing in, raise the shoulders and expand the chest taking the ribs up. The lower abdominal region, however, must be held in.

Benefits: The respiratory passage is cleaned, and this prepares one well for the practice of other pranayamas. Breathing becomes easy and regulated. The mind becomes still and the heartbeat rhythmic. The breathing also aids in enhancing concentration, memory and other mental faculties.

Caution: Do not attempt to follow these asanas if you have severe pain in the abdomen, a swelling because of appendicitis, an enlargement of the liver, very delicate bowels or intestines, disorders of the lungs, severe throat infections, growth in the nose (polypus) or blockage of the nasal passage due to colds, etc.

Dear Reader: You should exercise all precautions before following any of the asanas discussed in this article. To avoid any problems while doing the asanas, it is strongly advised that you consult a doctor and a yoga instructor. The responsibility lies solely with the reader and not with this website.

YOGABODY NATURALS