Steps
Hold
- Keep your breathing continuous, without jerks.
- Close the nostril with light pressure.
Exit
- Lower your hand and resume breathing through both nostrils.
One round
- Close your left nostril with your right ring and pinky fingers.
- Inhale slowly through your right nostril.
- Close your right nostril; open your left and exhale: one round.
- Gaze
- Eyes gently closed.
- Duration
- 1–3 minutes.
- Rhythm
- Slow inhalation and exhalation, without retention.
Adapt
Adaptations
- Raised seatSit on a small cushion.
- ChairSit upright in a straight-backed chair.
- Elbow supportSupport your right elbow with your left palm; keep your chest free.
Variations
- Right→left, with retention.
- Right→right, without retention: ten initial rounds.
- Right→right, internal retention; optional jālandhara and mūla bandhas.
Signals of effort
- Right arm held without support for several rounds.
- Breath retention and bandhas in the advanced variants.
