Breathing Exercise (Pranayama) - Alternate Nostril (Anuloma Viloma) Anuloma Viloma is also called the Alternate Nostril Breathing

Technique. In this Breathing Technique, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, and exhale through the other nostril in a ratio of 2:8:4. The left nostril is the ath of the Nadi called Ida and the right nostril is the ath of the Nadi called !ingala. If you are really healthy, you "ill breathe redo#inantly through the Ida nostril about one hour and fifty #inutes, then through the !ingala nostril. But in #any eo le, this natural rhyth# is disturbed. Anulo#a $ilo#a restores, equali%es and balances the flo" of !rana in the body. &ne round of Anulo#a $ilo#a is #ade u of six ste s, as sho"n belo". 'tart by racticing three rounds and build u slo"ly to t"enty rounds, extending the count "ithin the gi(en ratio. The $ishnu )udra In Anulo#a $ilo#a, you ado t the $ishnu )udra "ith your right hand to close your nostrils. Tuc* your index and #iddle finger into your nose. !lace the thu#b by your right nostril and your ring and little fingers by your left.

&ne +ound of Anulo#a $ilo#a ,Alternate Nostril Breathing

Inhale through the left nostril, closing the right "ith the thu#b, to the count of four. .old the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen. /xhale through the right nostril, closing the left "ith the ring and little fingers, to the count of eight. Inhale through the right nostril, *ee ing the left nostril closed "ith the ring and little fingers, to the count of four. .old the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen. /xhale through the left nostril, *ee ing the right closed "ith the thu#b, to the count of eight.

Benefits of Anulo#a $ilo#a The exercise of the Anulo#a $ilo#a roduces o ti#u# function to both sides of the brain: that is o ti#u# creati(ity and o ti#u# logical (erbal acti(ity. This "ill #a*e both sides of the brain, the left side "hich is res onsible for logical thin*ing and the right side "hich is res onsible for creati(e thin*ing to function ro erly. This "ill lead to a balance bet"een a erson0s creati(e and logical thin*ing. The 1ogis consider this to be the best technique to cal# the #ind and the Ner(ous 'yste#. Anulo#a $ilo#a: The 'cientific 2onfir#ation )edical science has recently disco(ered the nasal cycle, so#ething that "as already disco(ered by the 1ogis thousands of years ago. )odern scientists found out that "e do not breathe equally on both nostrils, that is one nostril is #uch easier to breathe through than the other at any articular ti#e. /ach nostril alternates about e(ery three hours. The 1ogis clai# that the natural eriod is e(ery t"o hours, but "e #ust re#e#ber these studies "ere done on eo le "ho do not ha(e an o ti#u# .ealth le(el. 'cientists also disco(ered that the nasal cycle corres onds "ith brain function. The electrical acti(ity of the brain "as found to be greater on the side o osite the less congested nostril. The right side of the brain controls creati(e acti(ity, "hile the left side controls logical (erbal acti(ity. The research sho"ed that "hen the left nostril "as less

obstructed, the right side of the brain "as redo#inant. Test sub3ects "ere indeed found to do better on creati(e tests. 'i#ilarly "hen the right nostril "as less obstructed the left side of the brain "as redo#inant. Test sub3ects did better on (erbal s*ills. )edical science has not quite caught u "ith the ancient 1ogis yet. The Ancient 1ogis e(en "ent one ste further. They obser(ed that a lot of diseases "ere due to disturbances of the nasal cycle or if a erson breathe for too long through one nostril. To re(ent and correct this condition, they de(elo ed the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. This clears any bloc*age the airflo" in the nostrils and reestablishes the natural nasal cycle. 4or exa# le, the 1ogis ha(e *no"n for a long ti#e that rolonged breathing through the left nostril only ,o(er a eriod of years- "ill cause Asth#a. They also *no" that this so5called incurable disease can be easily treated by teaching the atient to breathe through the right nostril until the Asth#a is cured and re(ent it fro# recurring by doing the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. The 1ogis also belie(e that 6iabetes is caused, to a large extent, by breathing #ainly through the right nostril. .