Yoga Practice Name
Anulom Vilom
Yoga Practice Branch
Ashtang Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga
Yoga Practice Type
Ashtang Yoga Category
Pranayama
Hatha Yoga Category
Pranayama
Steps and Description
- Sit in padmasana or sukhasana(any comfortable pose), adopt nasika mudra as shown in the image.
- Keep your spine straight and take few deep breathes to make your mind focused and relaxed, bring focus inwards on your breathing.
- Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale slowly through the left nostril as much as you can.
- Use your other two fingers to close your left nostril then remove your right thumb, and exhale slowly through the right nostril.
- Inhale through the right nostril and close your right nostril and exhale through the left nostril, while removing your middle finger from left nostril.
- While doing this practice, focus on your breathings and feel the positive energy inwards.
- Continue the same process for few more times or as much as you can according to your capacity and preferences.
- Maintain silence for few minutes, focus on your breathings and observe the benefits of anulom vilom.
Practice Keynotes
- Try to let exhaling process take more time than inhaling.
- Keep focus on your breathings.
Cautions and Limitations
- Pregnant women should do this Pranayama under a qualified yoga practitioner and should do it very slowly.
- Those suffering from heart ailments should not attempt retention of breath.
- Under no circumstance should the breath be forced. Never breathe through the mouth.
- Proceed carefully and only under expert guidance. At the slightest sign of discomfort, reduce the duration of inhalation/ exhalation/retention and, if necessary, discontinue the practice.
- Pranayama should never be rushed.
- People with breathing ailments must consult the suitability of pranayama with their doctor.
Contraindications
- Pregnant women should do this Pranayama under a qualified yoga practitioner and should do very slow.
- Those suffering from heart ailments should not attempt retention of breath.
- Person with breathing ailments must consult the suitability of pranayama with their doctor.
General Benefits
- Reduce the stress, depression or anxiety.
- Beneficial for breathing-related problems like asthma, brochitis etc.
- Improve the respiratory system.
- Makes the immunity system stronger.
- This technique sharpens the brain.
- It is one of the most suitable pranayama for all.
Benefits for Disease
Depression
