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Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise - Breath Control & Yoga Pranayama Book
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Chakra Balancing | Anuloma Viloma Pranayama
Chakra Yoga Breathing Exercise #2: Anuloma Viloma
Free Online Video of Chakra Balancing Pranayama
To see the full version of this video please go here…
Free Online Yoga Video of Chakra Balancing Yoga Pranayama
Background of Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama):
This is a wonderful and essential breathing exercise to practice before moving on to the practice of other more advanced pranayamas. This breath control technique comes from Patnajali’s Yoga Sutras and actually goes by several different names. It is called Nadi Shodhana Pranayama, Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama, Anuloma Viloma Pranyanama, Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique, but I think the name that will describe it best is Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise. The version given here is the basic technique which must be mastered first, later in this book I will give the more advanced versions of this pranayama.
Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise is designed to purify the psychic channels (nadis) through which Kundalini Energy and Prana (Life-Force) flow. There are 3 primary channels for the flow of this energy: Ida, Pingala and Shusumna. It is essential to balance the flow of energy between the Ida and Pingala channels which run alongside and intertwine the spine. Through the spinal column runs the Shushumna Nadi, the central master channel. The Ida and Pingala can be considered the lunar and solar channels respectively. With the Ida Nadi responsible for cooling, feminine, passive, mental energy and the Pingala Nadi responsible for hot, male, active, physical energy. As the flow through these 2 channels is harmonized, prana and Kundalini start to flow through Shushumna. This flow through the Shushumna Nadi activates and balances all the seven chakras.
Benefits of Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama):
Primary:
- Activates Kundalini Flow through the Shushumna, thus awakening the chakras.
- The flow of Kundalini through the Shushumna also induces meditative states of consciousness.
- Calms the mind, promoting peace and tranquility.
- Creates balance, harmony and rhythm in the entire system.
- Prepares the system for more advanced Pranayamas.
Secondary:
- Improves the respiratory system.
- Strengthens the nervous system.
- Purifies the body by oxygenating the blood supply.
Cautions for Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama):
- As with all breath control practice, only do as much as you are comfortable with. Start slowly and build up steadily.
- Do not do this breathing exercise if one nostril is blocked or you are requiring force to breathe through it.
How To Do Simple Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama):
- To practice this breathing exercise sit up in a comfortable position. Preferably in a variation of sukh asana (cross legged).
- Elongate your spine upwards, lengthen your neck and subtly bring your chin back and in like a soldier at attention. This will align the spine with the back of your head.
- Fold your index finger and middle finger into the palm of your right hand so just the thumb, ring finger and pinkie are extended. Hold your knee with your left hand.
- Close your eyes.
- Bring your attention to your breathing and take 5 deep, slow breaths though the nose. This will oxygenate your blood and relax you. For the rest of the exercise the attention should remain on your breath.
- Now with your right thumb gently close the right nostril and breathe in slowly and completely through the left nostril only counting mentally from 1 to 4.
- Now gently close the left nostril with your right ring finger and pinkie and releasing the right nostril breathe out through it only, counting mentally from 1 to 4.
- Now breathe in through the RIGHT nostril only, keeping the left closed, counting mentally from 1 to 4.
- Finally, re-close the right nostril and breathe out through the left only, counting mentally from 1 to 4. This completes 1 cycle of Anuloma Viloma Pranayama.
- Start with 5 rounds a day and start to add 1 additional round as you make progress. Also, start to add to the count, based on your level of comfort, by 1 for both the inhalation portion and exhalation portion till you reach a count of 12 for each phase. When you can comfortably manage that move onto Intermediate Anuloma Viloma Pranayama.
How To Do Intermediate Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama):
- All steps are the same as above except you should now build up to 15-20 rounds a day and your count should be built up to 24:24 for inhalation and exhalation. After you reach 24:24 (even with less rounds if you don’t have much time) you can progress to the Advanced version.
How To Do Advanced Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama):
- In the advanced version you will introduce the optimum ratio for inhalation to exhalation. The ratio should be 1:2. In other words for every count of 1 for inhalation, exhalation should last twice as long. So now perform Nadi Shodhana Pranayama at the ration 12:24 (12 counts for inhalation phase and 24 for exhalation). Build up to 30 rounds a day, or as many as time allows you to do. The upper limit allowed is 80 rounds 4 times a day, so don’t worry about over doing it unless you are hitting this limit.
- Later in this book I will introduce the versions of the Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise utilizing both, breath retention and bandhas (body locks). In general though the above breathing technique should be practiced for at least 4-6 months first before combining with breath retention or body locks.
Hints and Tips Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama):
- 30 years. It took Yogi Bhajan 30 years to master and perfect the flow of breath through either nostril without the use of his hands. This is a worthwhile mental exercise to try. By bringing the power of your attention to the flow through a particular nostril see how well you can modulate it. Here is the link to Yogi Bajan’s Kundalini Yoga Website if you want to explore.
- Apply the knowledge from this breath control technique to your everyday life and monitor the affects. If you are looking for active energy, breathe exclusively through the Right Nostril, on the other hand, if you are looking to relax or do mental work breathe exclusively through the Left Nostril. Experiment, learn and enjoy.
- To learn more about Anuloma Viloma Pranayama (called Nadi Shodhana Pranayama by this school) you can visit Yoga Vision, Bihar School of Yoga.
Tools for Greatness & Enlightenment: 
on May 19th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
[…] anmol mehta gives us chakra balancing yoga breathing exercise at mastery of meditation, enlightenment & kundalini yoga. it’s a “time-tested yogic breathing technique for balancing the energies of the body to promote health, tranquility and joy.” […]
on September 16th, 2007 at 2:36 am
[…] Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise - Breath Control & Yoga Pranayama … Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise is for purifying the psychic channels (nadis) … Bhastrika Yoga Breathing Exercise to Burn Fat for Natural Weight Loss & More … […]
on September 22nd, 2007 at 12:41 am
I love the chakras and yoga, i was looking up Yoga breathing for a personal exercise before bed, instant results, and hit your blog, thanks for sharing. Searching my books can take too way much time, your site was on the first page of google, within minutes.
Dr Rev Lez, Yogi lover
on September 23rd, 2007 at 2:36 pm
that is very refreshing, thanks for the email, like studies after church, i can read your site again.
I attend a Yoga Meditation Church, sunday mornings.
on September 23rd, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Glad to hear you are getting value from the website and are enjoying the content. Thank you for your positive feedback as well.
Blessings,
Anmol
on September 24th, 2007 at 3:46 am
[…] madamedrummond@gmail.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThis is a wonderful and essential breathing exercise to practice before moving on to the practice of other more advanced pranayamas. This breath control technique comes from Pantnajali’s Yoga Sutras and actually goes by several … […]
on September 27th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
[…] As I walked, my mind continued to churn out thoughts, and I focused on observing and releasing them. This process continued through the nine rounds of alternate nostril breathing that is my pranayama practice, and my 20 minute Zazen meditation practice. By the time I’d started my 30 minute asana practice, the mind was slowing down. […]
on October 31st, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Very detail-oriented guidance. Thank you very much for the compilation.
on November 2nd, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Happy to share my knowledge with you. Thank you for the positive feedback.
Best,
Anmol
on April 7th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Great Breathing exercises..
K Amber
POWER Yoga Positions FREE
on April 8th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Anuloma Viloma is certainly one of my favorite yoga pranayamas. Thanks for your feedback.
Cheers,
Anmol
on April 15th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
[…] Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama) […]
on May 14th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
[…] Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama) […]
on May 23rd, 2008 at 12:19 am
Hello Anmol,
I am really thrilled to start this breathing exercise, but I want to clarify one thing about Anuloma Viloma Pranayama. For the beginner do we have to count 1 to 4 while inhaling and exhailing or inhale then hold the breath and count 1 to 4 then exhale after that? Pls explain.
Thanks
Raji
on May 23rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Anuloma Viloma is a very powerful pranayama so proceed gently. Count 1 to 4 while inhaling, then immediately without holding breath exhale while counting from 1 to 4 again. Continue in that way building up the time and then the ratio.
All Good Wishes,
Anmol
on July 24th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Hello,
I am trying to decide if I should start this practice or Sodarshan Kriya. They seem similar, should I do both? This one in preparation for the other?
thanks
Kay
on August 8th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
You can actually do both of these. They are 2 of the best yoga pranayamas you can find, so really you cannot go wrong with either. They do not conflict with each other.
Best,
Anmol
on January 14th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Dear Anmol
Thanks for your very interesting site.
Question: why do you call the proportion of 1:2 more advanced than the proportion 1:1?
The proportion of usual breathing of most people is 1:1.5 so these proportions 1:1 and 1:2 are really directing/stretching usual breathing pattern to 2 different directions, the proportion 1:1 being more energizing and the proportion 1:2 more relaxing/hypoventilating.
Is this a common view among ygis?
on January 16th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
You are correct about the affects of changing the ratios in either direction and the consequential energetic changes.
In general longer exhalations and breath retentions are more difficult to achieve and produce the meditative states of mind. Yes this is a common view in yoga.
Best,
Anmol
on February 9th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
[…] Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma Pranayama) […]
on February 19th, 2009 at 9:24 am
dear Anmol,
which pranayam is best for rheumatoid arthritis?
on February 22nd, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Dear Anmol,
I would like to thank you for sharing all of this wonderful and much needed information with others so generously. I have been practicing different forms of yoga and meditation for a number of years now. Over time I have found certain aspects of each that are best suited to me personally and I continue to learn more everyday, thanks again to you. The missing piece has been a lack of incorporating regular pranayama exercise into my daily practice. I looked to your site for guidance and found it. I began with Anuloma Viloma about a month ago and have worked slowly up to the intermediate stage. I have read over the other exercises and would like to begin incorporating another but I’m not sure if it is recommended to learn or practice them in a particular order or to choose the order based on my needs. Also, is it o.k. to practice one directly following another or should I try to space the exercises out leaving time in between?
Namaste,
Stacey
on February 23rd, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Anuloma Viloma pranayama (this article itself) should be very good for you. I will also be putting out a meditation/pranayama for deep relaxation to help with self healing which would also be beneficial. In addition, I suggest Zazen (Zen/Breath Meditation Technique).
Best,
Anmol
on February 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Great to hear you are going to incorporate pranayama into your daily practice and you are enjoying the website.
Yes, you can do pranayamas directly one after the others. Here are some tips regarding sequence…
If you are going to do meditation afterwords, then do the slow ones later in the set.
Always end your practice with a slow one, as they can put you in a meditative state of mind, even after your practice is over.
If you are going to do yoga afterwords, do a vitalizing one at the end.
Don’t overdo anything and if you are trying to master one particular one, then you may not have the time to incorporate many others.
I guess I should perhaps write an article to organize these thoughts better for you and others :-D.
Best,
Anmol
on March 27th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
very good videos, i am definetly adding this to my daily practise… does sexual activities (loosing sperm) affect the spiritual growth ? because alot of poeple say that you need this energy to open up your nadis , and i am really confused.
on April 1st, 2009 at 8:00 pm
It is good to conserve initially if your nervous system and nadi/meridian system need to be strengthened. This is more true if you have been sexually active before the age of 25.
If though you are strong and have good internal systems, then conservation is not required, although can help from time to time to help the body rebuild it’s systems.
Best,
Anmol
on May 11th, 2009 at 7:51 am
[quote]Start with 5 rounds a day and start to add 1 additional round as you make progress. Also, start to add to the count, based on your level of comfort, by 1 for both the inhalation portion and exhalation portion till you reach a count of 12 for each phase. When you can comfortably manage that move onto Intermediate Anuloma Viloma Pranayama.[/quote]
Inhale to a count of 12, and then exhale to a count of 12?
[quote]In the advanced version you will introduce the optimum ratio for inhalation to exhalation. The ratio should be 1:2. In other words for every count of 1 for inhalation, exhalation should last twice as long. So now perform Nadi Shodhana Pranayama at the ration 12:24 (12 counts for inhalation phase and 24 for exhalation). Build up to 30 rounds a day, or as many as time allows you to do. The upper limit allowed is 80 rounds 4 times a day, so don’t worry about over doing it unless you are hitting this limit.[/quote]
Inhale to a count of 12, and then exhale to a count of 24?
Hello Anmol - Your Yoga website is very impressive! Thank you for taking the time to personally answer my other question.
I became very interested in Kriya Yoga after reading Biography of a Yogi, and I had heard and read about “Kundulini Awakening” prior to reading that book. They both sound very similiar in many aspects - is Kriya Yoga a form of Kundulini Yoga?
on May 15th, 2009 at 6:24 am
Hello, what happens if i practice simple anulom vilom pranayama(without retention)for 1 hour at one session.And i make two sessions per day.Will have any bad inflluence on the bodyes?
on June 1st, 2009 at 3:50 pm
[…] Alternate Nostril Breathing for Stress & Anxiety Treatment […]
on July 16th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Hi,doin great i suppose.only problem with the body locks
on August 2nd, 2009 at 5:22 am
Hi Anmol,
I am very happy to have fond your site, I am looking forward to participating in your on line beginners meditation class. All my life I have been able to sit and quite my mind even as a child although I never really liked it then I would try to block out the quite with noise of any kind in order to feel safe. I have been in the martial arts for thirty years and I have done some meditating on my own off and on for most of my life, but I never really knew how to get the most form my sessions although I could and still can sit for an hour or more with out any problems in silences not doing any thing or having any thoughts at all I some times find my self working hard at trying to put thoughts in in order to hide form the silences. this cames so easy that it is scary and disturbing at times because the silences come over me during the day at any time even when I am talking to others if I don’t work at trying to concentrate on the conversation we are having or Liston to the back round noises. Hence my on wonderment as to my abilities within this modality.
However I think my biggest issue is I struggle with is that when I sit in my silences I get nervous or afraid of the quite mostly due to lack of experiences and training along with physical symptoms like having what I feel is a lot pressure in my head along very low blood pressure along with a feeling of weightlessness, peacefulness which also feels like I am floating out of myself and when this happens I often will look around to make sure I am still in the same place however I have not been able to manifest or master any thoughts or objects. like waterfalls, or shapes nothing but the silences.
When this happens I become unsure of whether I will be able to come back to a state of consciousness and so I flee by removing myself form the session with out getting the full benefit form the meditation which leaves me with a very disconnected feeling from myself and a feeling of unfulfillment.
It is because of these feelings I am looking forward to learning the techniques you have on your site in hopes that they will give me the needed tools to really understood the concepts and meaning behind meditation.
I hope this journey will turn into all I am hoping for I have waited a long time to find someone who might be able to teach me how to understand this ability I have to silences my mind and separate form reality without any real effort.
Thanks Anmol for any other help you may be able to offer in this mater.
on September 20th, 2009 at 12:39 am
what do i do if my nostril is blocked? how do i unblocked?
on October 1st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
PS: Also what is you have a constent blocked nostril? Either my left or right nostril has always been hard to breath through all my life.