The Sacred Balance: Exploring Alternate Nostril Breathing
By Sonali Krish, LPC-Associate | Flourish Contributor
In a world where our attention is frequently pulled outward and our breath is shallow, barely making it past the collarbones, returning to the rhythm and balance of our own inhale and exhale is a radical act of self-care.
Alternate nostril breathing - called Nadi Shodhana in Sanskrit - is one of those ancient, deceptively simple practices that meets the body where it is and offers something beyond language. It’s subtle but powerful, structured yet deeply intuitive. And it reminds us that balance isn’t something we achieve and hold, but something we tend to - breath by breath.
What is Alternate Nostril Breathing?
Nadi Shodhana translates to “channel cleansing” or “subtle energy clearing.” In yogic philosophy, the nadis are energetic pathways that run throughout the body - like rivers of prana (life force). The two primary nadis we focus on in this practice are:
Ida Nadi – the left channel, associated with the moon, feminine energy, intuition, and the parasympathetic nervous system.
Pingala Nadi – the right channel, associated with the sun, masculine energy, action, and the sympathetic nervous system.
Alternate nostril breathing is a practice of gently breathing through one nostril at a time, which is said to balance these energy currents - creating a sense of inner harmony, clarity, and calm.
But it’s not just energetic. Science is catching up.
The Physiology Behind the Practice
From a physiological lens, alternate nostril breathing directly influences the autonomic nervous system - particularly our vagal tone, which governs how well we move between states of stress and relaxation.
Research shows that practices like Nadi Shodhana can:
Reduce heart rate and blood pressure
(Telles et al., 1994 – Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology)Enhance cognitive performance and focus
(Jella & Shannahoff-Khalsa, 1993 – International Journal of Neuroscience)Activate the parasympathetic nervous system, calming the fight-or-flight response.
Increase coherence in brainwave patterns, supporting more balanced hemispheric activity.
One of the most fascinating elements is the way our nostrils naturally alternate dominance every 90 minutes to 4 hours - a phenomenon called the nasal cycle. This cycle corresponds to shifts in autonomic dominance (either sympathetic or parasympathetic). So, when we engage in intentional nostril breathing, we are tapping into a natural rhythm that already exists - just bringing it into conscious awareness.
The Energetics of Breath
Beyond the science lies the subtle.
In yogic and Ayurvedic systems, the breath is not just oxygen. It’s prana - life force, intelligence, vitality.
Each inhale is an invitation inward.
Each exhale is a release, a letting go.
When we use alternate nostril breathing, we begin to refine how prana moves through the body. Instead of leaking energy through anxiety, distraction, or chronic activation, we learn to contain and redirect that energy toward clarity, presence, and healing.
The left nostril (Ida) is cooling, calming, introspective. Breathing through it can support sleep, anxiety relief, and nervous system downregulation.
The right nostril (Pingala) is warming, energizing, and outward-moving. It supports focus, digestion, and getting unstuck when you feel sluggish or low.
Together, they create balance - a middle path between doing and being.
This isn’t a metaphor - it’s embodiment. You can feel it after just a few minutes of practice.
How to Practice Nadi Shodhana
You don’t need to be on a yoga mat or in a special setting to begin. All you need is your body, your breath, and a willingness to slow down.
Step-by-Step:
Find your seat. Sit comfortably, spine tall but relaxed, eyes soft or closed. Rest your left hand on your knee or lap.
Create Vishnu Mudra. With your right hand, fold your index and middle finger down. Your thumb will be used to close the right nostril, and your ring finger will close the left.
Begin the cycle.
Gently close the right nostril with your thumb. Inhale through the left nostril.
Close the left nostril with your ring finger. Exhale through the right nostril.
Inhale through the right nostril.
Close the right, exhale through the left nostril.
This is one round.Repeat for 3–5 minutes, or as long as feels nourishing. Always finish with an exhale through the left nostril.
Tips:
Keep the breath steady and effortless.
If you feel lightheaded or strained, pause and return to natural breath.
You can practice 1–2 rounds to reset in the middle of your day or extend to 10–15 minutes for deeper impact.
When to Practice
Before meditation or sleep to calm the mind and settle the nervous system.
Upon waking to balance and set the tone for the day.
During transitions between work and rest, between stress and silence.
Anytime you're feeling scattered, anxious, or energetically off-center.
Alternate nostril breathing is also powerful before hard conversations, creative work, or rituals that ask for presence and clarity.
Integration & Reflection
What makes Nadi Shodhana so profound is that it meets us at the threshold between structure and mystery. The breath is measurable - countable, observable - but also deeply intuitive and sacred.
When we slow the breath, we slow the mind.
When we balance the breath, we balance the energy.
When we listen to the breath, we begin to listen to ourselves.
This practice isn’t about control. It’s about relationship.
With your energy. With your nervous system. With your inner and outer world.
As you practice, ask yourself:
Where am I leaking energy that could be returned to me through breath?
What part of me needs softening?
What part of me is ready to awaken?
Let your breath answer.
Final Thoughts
Nadi Shodhana is a practice of return.
To center. To harmony. To the sacred simplicity of breath moving through you.
It is not flashy. It is not performative.
It is a quiet, powerful recalibration of your entire system
reminding you that balance is not a destination,
but a rhythm to return to, again and again.
References
Telles, S., et al. (1994). “Alterations in auditory evoked potentials during yogic consciously regulated breathing.” Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology.
Jella, S. A. S., & Shannahoff-Khalsa, D. S. (1993). “The effects of unilateral forced nostril breathing on cognitive performance.” International Journal of Neuroscience.