PRANAYAMA ALTERNATING BREATH PRANAY14.TXT *********************************************************************** The practice of pranayama also is used in preparation for meditation, as it has the effect of quieting and clearing the mind, and awakening the subtle and spiritual energies. Of course, few if any of these claims can be scientifically proven other than through the personal endeavors and experiences of the practitioner. As the adage states, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating". One of the most common and beneficial pranayama practices is the alternating breath. This breath calms you yet energizes your chakras. This is especially beneficial before meditation to calm the mind, or when having trouble failing asleep at night. It works on the principle that the right and left nostrils correspond to the right and left hemispheres of the brain, as well as to the channels of the spine (ida, pingala, and shushumna) mentioned earlier. There is a whole system known as swar yoga, which is based on this principle, and allows people to perform all daily functions at the time of maximum potential, depending on which nostril (and therefore brain hemisphere) is predominating. The method for alternating breath is as follows. First, with your right hand you should place your thumb on the right side of your nose, and either the index or middle finger on the left side of the nose. Close the left nostril with whichever finger you are using and inhale through the right nostril. Hold the inhaled breath by plugging the right nostril, and then open the left nostril and exhale through it. Now reverse the process and inhale through the already opened left nostril, plug and hold, and open the right nostril and exhale through it. This is considered one "round", and you should do ten rounds at one sitting. There is some controversy amongst teachers as to the length of time you should inhale, hold and then exhale. Ultimately it should be in a 1:4:2 ratio. In other words, you would inhale for 8 counts, hold for 32 counts, and exhale for 16 counts. However this can be dangerous if done incorrectly, and should best be learned under the direction of a competent yoga teacher. You might want to try something more comfortable like inhaling for 8, holding for 8, and exhaling for 8, and gradually increasing the count as you feel comfortable with it. If this is still not comfortable try using a count of 4.