What is Nadi Shodhana?

Nadi Shodhana is undoubtedly the most well-known breathing technique that Yoga suggests. We breathe in through one nostril, out through the other and reverse back. In English, it’s called Alternate Nostril Breathing.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a medieval instruction book still relevant today, suggests in its second chapter about Pranayama that we start our pranayama journey with Nadi Shodhana. First, however, we are urged to remove any excess phlegm from our body with the Kapalabhati or Bhastrika cleansing breathing techniques, which clear respectively our sinuses and chest area. Both are stoking our digestive fire.

Once the phlegm is cleared, we can start practising Nadi Shodhana.

Nadi translates into channel or tube and refers to the network of fine channels weaving through our body, transporting Prana, the cosmic energy and life-giver, through our system.
Shodhana means to clean or cleanse.

Nadi Shodhana cleanses the finer, subtler channels after removing the heavier, more viscous phlegm. The subtler channels can hold impurities as well as a result of our lifestyle and food choices.

Yoga pays attention to a particular order to get everything shipshape before we get to the big techniques so that everything is in place and nothing can go wrong. Hence asana practice, Yoga postures to prepare the body are even beforehand.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika mentions the signs when the nadis are clear:

When the nadis are purified, external signs arise, such as leanness f the body accompanied by radiance, indeed. HYP II.19

The opposite when they are imbalanced or blocked can look like this:

One who is overweight and has excess phlegm should first practice the six kriyas (cleansing actions). HYP II.21

So, when we feel lean and light, we are good to go.

Be Inspired. Sign up.

Subscribe to our weekly Sunday Read newsletter & this Seasonal Ayurveda & Yoga Lifestyle Blog.

How to practise Nadi Shodhana?

Sit cross-legged, in heel seat or even on a chair.

Keep your spine long.
Bring your right hand to your face and flex your index- and middle fingers.
Place your thumb on your right nostril and ring- and little finger on the left nostril, light touch.
Take a few breaths in the position to let the breath settle.
Close your right nostril, and slowly inhale through the left nostril.
Close the left nostril, open the right one, and exhale slowly.
Inhale right nostril.
Close right nostril, open left nostril.
Exhale through the left nostril.
This is one round.

Continue for as long as it feels good, the right arm doesn't get tired and the breath can flow slowly and steadily.

What are the benefits of Nadi Shodhana?

01. Nadi Shodhana calms the Mind.

Ida/Pingala

Let's have a quick look into the nadi system, the system of channels throughout our body, carrying the vital life force, Prana.
Three of these channels are the most important. They start at the base of our spinal column, the mooladhara chakra, and end in between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra. Two of them weave along the spine and the different energy centres, changing sides, crossing over at each until they reach the eyebrow centre, moving down to the nostrils. And one moves straight through the centre. These nadis are called.
Ida nadi relates to the left side of our body and the left nostril. Ida nadi carries the cooling, relaxing moon energy.
Pingala nadi relates to our body's right side and right nostril. Pingala nadi carries the hot, invigorating sun energy.
Sushumna nadi is the balance centre of both and runs straight through the middle.

02. The Balance between Left and Right

This unique technique, breathing through one nostril and the time in and out through the other and reverse back again, works directly on the ida and pingala nadi to balance both sides, the cooling, relaxing passive side with the invigorating and heating active side to find the point of balance between them. Sometimes we need to be active; things need to get done, work, manage children and household etc. We would tire ourselves out if we were only in this operational mode.

And vice versa, if we would only in the relaxing mode, nothing would get done. These different modes will change throughout the day depending on the demands on us.

To stay healthy, we need to strike that balance. Nadi Shodhana does that for us.

We can practise it in the morning to get an excellent and level-headed start to the day. In the evening will help us pacify our active state, which might still be dominant from the day and induce balance so that we can wind down and have a good night's sleep.

On the physiological level, Nadi Shodhana balances our nervous system and, with that, our brain.

03. Nadi Shodhana strengthens the Heart and Lungs.

Most breathing techniques have this strengthening effect. As we start working with our breath, we also work on the muscular level. The diaphragm, our primary breathing muscle, might need to work harder than usual. When we breathe consciously, we create a different rhythm which can be alien to the diaphragm or, in fact, to our entire breathing apparatus.

The intercostal muscles connect the individual ribs (costal). They stretch out when we breathe in deeply and contract with long out-breaths. If they are used to our day-to-day breathing only, they need to adapt and get stronger when we start to change the rhythm and pattern of our breath.

Initially, these muscles get challenged then they become stronger and more pliable.

DID YOU KNOW that the lower parts of our lungs contain neurons (nerve cells) which connect to the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us to rest and digest? Hence, deep breathing always has a calming effect on us.

We can apply different ratios regarding the inbreath to the outbreath, which means

breathing out longer than the inbreath or
holding the air in after the inbreath for a particular count and the pause after the outbreath.
Or breathe in and out to the exact count and keep the pauses after the in- and the outbreath to the precise count.

These ratios affect our nervous system in either calming or stimulating ways and affect our hearts and lungs.

04. Prepares the body for other breathing techniques.

Nadi Shodhana is the first pranayama technique introduced in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. If it prepares the body, remember it cleanses the nadis, the subtle energy channels, which is said to take three months when practising Nadi Shodhana daily.

Other pranayama techniques which follow are

Surya- and Chandra bhedana specifically activate the right side (Surya, sun energy) or the left (Chandra, moon energy).
Ujjayi breathing, the victorious breath, and other unknown techniques.

05. Nadi Shodhana sets the mind up for Meditation.

Due to the balancing effect on our mind and nervous system, Nadi Shodhana provides excellent meditation preparation. When we sit down, close our eyes and meditate, we often encounter a bustling mind. In the evening, it might process the day and all its events; in the morning, it might plan. The mind is preoccupied in both cases, so our right side might be more active.

After a few rounds of Nadi Shodhana, this will change. As the energy balances and more relaxation is induced, our mind follows and becomes quieter and vice versa.

The Bottom Line

Yoga scriptures, such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, advise us to start from the outside in, prepare the body with Yoga postures, practise cleansing techniques such as Kapalabhati to get rid of excess phlegm, if applicable, start Nadi Shodhana which helps cleanse the subtle energy channels and balances our brain and nervous system by centring activity and relaxation to the middle point.

In the evening, this will contribute to letting go of the day and set us up for a good night's sleep.

I hope you feel inspired to practise Nadi Shodhana. Tell me your experience on Instagram, Facebook or even good old email.

I love hearing from you!

Katja x

p.s. Are you a busy, health-conscious woman who needs somebody to help you structure your day to fit all the above and feel calm and confident? I am looking for ten women ready to take charge and invite change. The doors for our Back to Balance Course are opening today.