... & Become Very, Very Good at It
With roots in Yoga and Ayurveda, the breathing practice Nadi Shodana (commonly translated into English as Alternate Nostril Breathing) is maybe the most effective, reliable, accessible way to bring our nervous systems from a state of fight-flight-freeze to rest-and-digest, opening the door to a host of trickle-down positive effects from deeper sleep to improved digestion to quicker injury repair. After countless times explaining the "How and Why To" of Nadi Shodana, I finally made a video. Nadi Shodana can be done literally anytime, anywhere, for the price of 9 (or so) breaths. But who’s counting… certainly not me. You’ll find out why in the video.
How Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodana) Regulates your Nervous System:
By connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain through the action of sequentially crossing the midline with awareness, Nadi Shodana brings you into the present moment. This aligns with the theory behind EMDR.
Nadi Shodana engages the Vagus Nerve, which is in charge of digestion and a host of internal organ functions.
Stretches your intercostal muscles (between each rib) for more ease in the breath.
Gently moves fluid in the abdomen to assist with lymph drainage.
Feel free to write in with questions, especially if you try it and it doesn't work for you. We may be able to find an effective a modification or choose a more appropriate breathing practice for your unique needs. Happy to help get you access to this extremely efficient tool for nervous system regulation.
Enjoy!