ANULOMA-VILOMA
(The Alternate Breathing)
The practice of Anuloma-Viloma is somewhat like the special squad which regulates the traffic on the roads, looks after their cleanliness, beautification, etc. and makes the roads trouble-free and attractive whenever a foreign political dignitary visits our cities. As Hathapradeepika claims, "Practising Anuloma-Viloma before starting Pranayama proper, cleanses the nadis (nerves) of the practiser within two months. His body becomes slim and acquires a glow; he is able to maintain Kumbhaka as he wills; his digestive fire gets stoked; he gains total health and thus he becomes fully prepared for taking upother Pranayamas." Hence, for those who wish to learn Pranayama, it is essential for the sake of safety and progress to practise well Anuloma-Viloma for some days in the beginning. In this Pranayama, the breathing in (Pooraka) is done through one nostril and the breathing out (Rechaka) through the other nostril and vice versa. Therefore, this Pranayama gets the name "Anuloma-Viloma", i.e. Alternate Breathing.
Contraindications : Severe pain in the abdomen, swelling on account of appendicitis, 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 cold, etc.
Leading and Preparatory Practices : Sit in any of the Yogic sitting postures, and practise the following preparatory practices for 1 to 3 minutes each.
MOOLA BANDHA AND NORMAL BREATHING
Carry on normal breathing applying Moola Bandha (i.e. comfortable anal contraction).
MOOLA BANDHA AND DEEP BREATHING
Keeping a stable Moola Bandha, breathe in and breathe out completely. Ensure that the Moola Bandha is not loosened during this process. Have a little pause between breathing in and breathing out.
DEEP BREATHING THROUGH ALTERNATE NOSTRILS
Without maintaining Moola Bandha, breathe in deeply through the left nostril and breathe out through the right; then breathe in through the right and out through the left. Continue alternate deep breathing this way for one to three minutes.
After good practice of the above preparatory practices, one can start doing Anuloma-Viloma proper.
ANULOMA-VILOMA (The Alternate Breathing)
Starting Position : Sit (preferably in Padmasana), keeping the palms on the knees in Drona Mudra (fig. 1). Alternatively, sit in any simple sitting position and keep the palms on the knees.
Technique of Performing the Pranayama : Apply Moola Bandha (1.e. comfortable contraction of the anal region). Close the right nostril with the right thumb, keeping the other four fingers together as in fig. 2.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Now, slowly breathe in through the left nostril at a uniform speed. Simultaneously, raise the shoulders, expand the chest taking the ribs up. The lower abdominal region, however, should be held in. After completing the Pooraka in the above manner, close the left nostril with the other four fingers. Now both the nostrils are closed. Lowering the head, let the chin touch the chest (1.e. do Jalandhara Bandha). Take the lower abdominal region further in (i.e. apply Uddiyana Bandha). Fix the eyes on the tip of the nose (Nasagra Drishti ) or between the eyebrows (Bhrumadhya Drishti) or close the eyes (fig. 3). Perform Kumbhaka (retention of the breath) to your capacity.
Next, release the Jalandhara Bandha. Take the head up and let the eyes be directed as normally. Remove the thumb from the right nostril and close the left nostril by using the last two fingers (small finger and ring finger). Perform Rechaka (breathing out) slowly through the right nostril. Rechaka should take about one-and-a-half to two times the time taken by Pooraka (fig. 4). When Rechaka is complete, pause for a moment or two.
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Now perform Pooraka with the right nostril (as was done with the left nostril earlier). Perform Kumbhaka to your capacity and finally perform Rechaka with the left nostril. These two cycles of breathing in and out together constitute one round of Anuloma-Viloma, the Shuddhi Pranayama. Repeat such rounds continuously one after the other.
Eyes and Attention : Keep the eyes closed while performing Pooraka and Rechaka. The eyes can be fixed on the tip of the nose (Nasagra Drishti ) or between the eyebrows (Bhrumadhya Drishti), or else kept gently closed during the period of Kumbhaka. Fix the attention on the breathing in and out. During Kumbhaka, fix the attention on Kumbhaka itself, or else keep it on the tip of the nose or between the eyebrows.
Practice : Start with 5 rounds of Anuloma-Viloma on the first day. Every day add one round or more, and finally reach upto 20 to 30 rounds in a day.
Probable Mistakes
- Unnecessary movements of the body.
Correction
- Keep the spinal column erect and avoid forward and backward leaning while breathing out and breathing in.- Exerting undue pressure on the nostril while closing it with the finger, resulting in the nose turning to the other side.
- Breathing in and out for- cefully.
- Unseemly contraction of the face and frowning.
NOTES:
Close the nostril by pressing it gently
- Breathing should be slow and prolonged continuous. smooth and rhythmic; but it should be without any force or pressure.
- Facial contortion or frowning, being unnecessary, should be
consciously avoided. The
face should be kept relaxed.
1. For those who practise Yoga full-time from the spiritual point of view, Hathapradeepika has recommended performance of this Shuddhi Pranayama four times in a day, 1.e. In the morning, afternoon, evening and at midnight, 80 rounds in each instance. From this you can easily see how vastly the common Yogabhyasi who practises Yoga part-time from the health point of view, differs from the spiritual sadhak who wants to attain Samadhi. As against the spiritual sadhak's intensive practice of Pranayama four times a day, the common aspirant does Yogabhyas only for 30 to 60 minutes, and that too packing in Asanas, Mudras, Bandhas and Pranayamas in his schedule.
2. Even if one nostril is blocked, Anuloma-Viloma should not be performed. Performance of this Pranayama forcibly in such condition can be harmful.
3. In the technique described here, a simple arrangement of the fingers to close the nostrils is suggested (1.e. right thumb on the right side and remaining four fingers together on the other side for closing the right and left nostril respectively). Those who wish can follow the traditional way of using the right thumb and last two fingers (keeping the index and middle fingers folded) for closing the right and left nostrilrespectively. However, remember that it is not essential to use the fingers this way only.
4. While closing the nostrils, apply only light pressure on the soft portion below the concerned side of the nasal bone, One should not press the nostril so hard as to turn the tip of the nose the other way.
5. Once the practice of other Pranayamas is started, there is no particular need to practise this Shuddhi Pranayama,
Benefits :
1. The respiratory passage is cleaned and this prepares one well for the practice of other Pranayamas. Thus it serves an important function like that of the advance party in military movements.
2. Breathing becomes easy and regulated.
3. Mind and heart which are closely connected with breathing, are benefited. The mind becomes calm and heartbeats rhythmic. This creates an equilibrium in the body,
4. This practice is found very useful as a remedial measure in mental disorders such as weakness of the mind, baseless fears, inferiority complex, etc.
5. Develops capacity for retention of breath (Kumbhabandha).
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