Topic 1

Pranayama: Nadi Shodhana (Stage 1)

The Sanskrit word%',(" means 'psychic passage'
or speciIic pathway' through which prana Ilows
t hroughout the body' . The word% -$2($,',%
means ' puriIication' . Thus this is a practice
whereby the pranic pathways are puriIied and
decongested. This allows the prana to Ilow
Ireely t hroughout the body, bri ngi ng t he
physical body into the best possible health
and calming the mi nd. It is an excellent
preparation Ior meditational techniques.
There are Iour basic stages oI nadi shod-
hana. Each stage should be mastered beIore
proceeding to the next. This is important, Ior
control over the respiratory system has to be
gradually developed over a period oI time.
Premature attempts at doing more advanced
stages could lead to strain and injury oI the
respiratory system, and particularly to the very
sensitive associated nervous system. It is Ior
this reason that the Iour stages will be intro-
duced in this book over a number oI lessons.
This will allow the reader to practise each stage
Ior a reasonable period oI time and to be Iully
ready Ior the more advanced stages as they
are introduced.
In this topic we will discuss nadi shodhana
stage 1, which is divided into two parts.
NASAGRA MUDRA
(NOSE TIP POSITION)
The breath through the nostrils is controlled
by the Iingers oI one hand held in Iront oI the
Iace. This position oI the hand is actually called
',-,+), or%',-"&,+),% 09(), (nose mudra). This
is the Iirst mudra that we have so Iar mentioned
and is one oI the numerous hand mudras. We
don' t want to discuss mudras at this stage Ior
we will do this in the near Iuture, but we have
prematurely introduced you to nasagra mudra
because it is so i mport ant Ior pranayama
practices.
G*)H.(MB*/
The position oI the Iingers and hand is as
Iollows:
Hold the right hand in Iront oI the Iace (the
leIt hand can also be used in which case the
Iollowing instructions are reversed).
Place the tips oI the second (index) and third
Iingers so that they rest on the Iorehead at the
eyebrow centre.
These Iingers should be straight. In this
position the t humb should be beside the right
nostril and the Iourth (ring) Iinger beside the
leIt nostril. The little Iinger is not utilized.
The right nostril can now be leIt open or closed
by pressing the side oI the nose with the t humb
as required. This allows air to Ilow, or prevents
the Ilow.
The air Ilow t hrough the leIt nostril can be
similarly controlled with the ring Iinger.
The elbow oI the right arm should preIerably
be in Iront oI and as near the chest as possible.
The Iorearm should be as vertical as possible.
This will reduce the tendency oI the raised arm
to become tired aIter some time.
The head and back should be held upri ght but
without strain.
NADI SHODHANA PRANAYAMA
(PSYCHIC NETWORK PURIFICATION)
"@?E*/ 0/
Sit in a comIortable position. The two simple
meditative asanas, sukhasana and vajrasana
are particularly suitable
2
. II you cannot manage
85
these positions you can sit in a chair with a
straight back or you can sit on the Iloor with
legs outstretched and back supported against
a wall.
II necessary wrap a blanket around you Ior
warmth and to keep any insects away. Adjust
yourselI so that there will be no need to move
Ior at least 10 minutes or even longer Ior
those who have the time.
Relax your whole body.
Hold the spine upright but without arching
backwards and t hereby t ensi ng t he back
muscles.
Place the leIt hand on the leIt knee or in the
lap.
Raise the right hand and perIorm nasagra
mudra.
Close the eyes.
For a minute or two be aware oI the breath
and the body.
This will help you to relax and to make the
Iorthcoming practice easier to perIorm.
II you are t ense or excited any Iorm oI
pranayama is more diIIicult.
&?'@/ 0/
Close the right nostril with the thumb. Slowly
inhale and exhale through the leIt nostril.
Be aware oI the breath. Do this Ior halI the
time allocated Ior the practice.
Then close the leIt nostril and open the right.
Repeat the same procedure with awareness.
Do this Ior about 1 week.
Then proceed to part 2.
&?'@/ 2/
This is the same as part 1 except that one now
starts to control the relative dur at i on oI
inhalation and exhalation. Close the right
nostril and breathe through the leIt nostril.
Simultaneously mentally count: 1, 2, 3, each
interval being about 1 second. Don' t strain
but breathe deeply in the manner previously
described - yogic breathing
3
.
Duri ng exhal at i on agai n keep t he count
mentally.
Try to make the length oI exhalation twice as
long as inhalation. For example, iI you breathe
in Ior a count oI 4 then try to breathe out Ior a
count oI 8. II you breathe in Ior 3 then breathe
out Ior 6, etc. But we emphasize: don' t strain
or make t he dur at i on l onger t han i s
comIortable.
1 inhalation and 1 exhalation represents 1
round.
Do 10 rounds t hrough the leIt nostril. Then
close the leIt nostril using the Iourth Iinger,
open the right by releasing the pressure oI the
thumb, and do 10 rounds t hrough the right
nostril.
Be aware oI the breath and the mental counting
t hroughout the entire practice. Then iI you
have time do 10 more rounds Iirst t hrough
the leIt nostril and then 10 rounds through
the right nostril.
Continue in this way Ior as long as you have
time available.
Practise part 2 Ior about 2 weeks or however
long it takes to master the technique, and then
begi n to pract i se stage 2, which will be
explained in the next lesson
4
.
Make sure t he nose is unbl ocked beIore
starting the practice. II necessary do jala neti
5
.
TN?'*.*,,/ ?.</ <B'?@(-./
It is easy to think oI other things duri ng the
practice. The mi nd starts to dwell on business
or breakIast and so many other diversions
that have not the slightest relevance to the
practice in hand. Don' t become Irustrated Ior
this will cause mental stress. Only try to be
aware oI any wandering tendency oI the mind.
II it wanders let it wander, but ask yourselI the
question: "Why am I thinking oI other things?"
This will automatically encourage the aware-
ness to return to the practice oI nadi shodhana.
Fry to be as aware as possible oI the breath
and the mental counting.
One can practise this technique Ior any
length oI time. We recommend at least ten
minutes daily.
"*MB*.)*/ ?.</ @(I*/ ->/D'?)@()*/
Nadi shodhana should be done aIter asanas
and beIore meditational or relaxational prac-
tices. It is best done in the morni ng beIore
breakIast, though it can also be perIormed at
other times during the day. However, it should
not be done aIter meals.
Under no circumstances should one Iorce
the breathing. Avoid breathing through the
mouth.
#*.*>(@,/
Stage 1 oI nadi shodhana is an excellent
preparat ory technique Ior more advanced
86
Iorms oI pranayama and an excellent pr el ude
to medi t at i onal or relaxation techniques.
It induces calmness oI mi nd by regul at i ng
the Ilow oI pr ana in t he body. It helps to
remove congestion or blockage oI the nadis
and thereby allows t he Iree Ilow oI pr ana.
The whole body is nouri shed with an ext ra
supply oI oxygen and t he carbon di oxi de is
more eIIiciently eliminated. Thi s puriIies t he
whole bl ood system and increases t he overall
health oI t he body, including its power to resist
disease. The deep, slow breat hi ng encourages
the removal oI st agnant air I r om t he lungs.
/%#01*
1
Topic 3 oI this lesson
2
Book I, Lesson 2, Topic 5
3
Book I, Lesson 1, Topic 4
4
Book I, Lesson 4, Topic 5
5
Book I, Lesson 1, Topic 2
87