Alternate Nostril Breathing is a simple, yet powerful, technique for centering and grounding yourself.
You breathe in one nostril and breathe out the other 10 times and then switch nostrils.
This is the hand position you use. The index and middle fingers are placed on your forehead, between your eyebrows – a location that is called your ‘third eye’. Your ring and pinky finger press one nostril, and your thumb alternately presses the other.
There are variations of alternate nostril breathing that you can find in books and on the internet. I am only going to present the one that I was taught and that I use.
Sit in a comfortable position; feet flat on the floor.
Place your right hand (you can use whichever hand you feel most comfortable using) on your nose, in the position shown above.
Close the left nostril with your ring and pinky finger and inhale through your right nostril.
Inhale deeply, and then cover your right nostril with your thumb and exhale slowly through your left nostril.
Switch back and cover your left nostril again in order to inhale through your right nostril and repeat this whole process 10 times.
After the 10th exhalation from your left nostril, instead of switching nostrils, now inhale through this same nostril while keeping your thumb pressed on your right nostril.
You are now beginning 10 inhalations through your left nostril and exhalations through your right nostril.
Try this for a week and see how you feel. It won’t take more than a few minutes to do. This is a great way to begin a meditation practice. Let me know how it goes!