Nadi Shodhana: Alternate-Nostril Breathing
Nadi Shodhana is commonly taught as alternate-nostril breathing. The method deliberately changes the route of airflow from one nostril to the other in a repeating pattern. There are several traditional variations, including versions with breath retention and specific ratios. This guide uses a simple introductory version without retention.
The purpose here is to learn the coordination clearly and keep the breath comfortable. You do not need a long count or a large number of rounds.
Before you begin
Sit in a position you can maintain without strain. A chair is fine. Allow your breathing to settle naturally for several cycles before lifting the hand toward the nose.
If one nostril is heavily blocked because of congestion, do not force air through it. Choose ordinary comfortable breathing instead and return to the practice another time.
Hand position
Different teaching traditions use slightly different finger positions. The practical requirement is simple: you need to be able to close one nostril gently while leaving the other open, then change sides without pressing hard on the nose.
Keep the shoulder relaxed. If holding the arm up becomes tiring, support the elbow lightly or take a break.
How to practise one complete round
- Close the right nostril gently and inhale through the left.
- Close the left nostril, release the right, and exhale through the right.
- Inhale through the right.
- Close the right nostril, release the left, and exhale through the left.
That returns you to the side where the round began. Continue for a small number of rounds while the breathing remains smooth.
How fast should you breathe?
Use a comfortable pace rather than trying to make each phase exceptionally long. If you already have an easy natural count, you can let inhalation and exhalation remain similar in length. There is no need to hold the breath in this introductory version.
If the breathing becomes noisy, rushed or strained, shorten the count or return to natural breathing.
Common coordination mistakes
- Changing nostrils before finishing the inhale or exhale.
- Pressing the nose hard enough to create discomfort.
- Holding the breath unintentionally while changing sides.
- Using a count that is too long to sustain comfortably.
- Continuing when congestion makes one side difficult to breathe through.
Do you need breath retention?
No. Retention appears in some traditional forms of Nadi Shodhana, but it is not required for learning the basic alternate-nostril pattern. Adding a hold changes the practice and should not be treated as an automatic progression.
Read the Introduction to Pranayama for more context on why retention deserves separate consideration.
How many rounds should you do?
Begin with three to five complete rounds. The practice is easier to learn when you stop while coordination and breathing are still clear. Add rounds gradually if the method remains comfortable.
When should you stop?
Stop if you feel dizzy, faint, breathless, panicky or unwell. Return to ordinary breathing and lower the hand. Do not force air through a blocked nostril.
How does Nadi Shodhana connect with yoga practice?
You can practise it separately from asana, often in a comfortable seated position. Because the technique requires nostril control and concentration, it usually makes more sense as its own short practice than while moving through poses.
If you want a breathing technique commonly coordinated with movement, see Ujjayi Breathing. If you want a simpler attention practice, try Breath Awareness Meditation.