Alternate nostril breathing technique (aka Nadi Shodhana) is a favorite go-to of mine for quick n’ easy centering. It’s a helpful tool to have in your pocket when you are feeling anxious, unfocused, ungrounded, or just “off.” This particular breathing technique balances the right and left hemispheres of the brain and calms the nervous system. It can be used at anytime, but can be especially useful during the summer season.
In Chinese medicine, the summer season is the most yang of the seasons and corresponds to the Heart organ and the element of Fire. The Heart is associated with emotions, thought processing and consciousness. Due to the element of Fire/heat in the summer, sometimes the Heart can get out of balance, manifesting as either anxiety or depression with symptoms of insomnia, agitation, anxiety, lackluster or ennui. The technique is very simple to use and basically involves inhaling and exhaling out of one nostril alternately. Check out the video below for some quick guidance on how to use this breath technique.
