Anulom Vilom: The Magical Benefits Of This Pranayama, How To Do Anulom Vilom Correctly
Yoga involves exercises that are designed not only to help your body feel its best but also your mind. Apart from poses, it also comprises various breathing techniques and exercises. Anulom vilom pranayama is one such breathing technique through which an individual can control the pranic energies of their body flowing through particular channels. Pranic energies are vital forces. This pranayama enables a person to balance the life forces or energies that flow through the ‘ida’ and ‘pingala’ channels or nadis. It directly results in the stimulation of the core channel sushumna nadi and the elimination of toxins from the channels in our bodies.
Your entire nervous system can be purified if you perform anulom vilom regularly. One of the principle benefits of anulom vilom breathing exercises is their ability to heal you internally and bestow you calm, clarity, and peace of mind.
What Is the Benefit of Anulom Vilom pranayam?
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As mentioned before, the fundamental benefits of anulom vilom pertains to mental strength and relaxation to the body. It effectively prepares your whole body to transition into the meditative state. Moreover, beginning this pranayama or breathing exercise is extremely easy. It is the main reason why so many people easily incorporate it into their daily routines.
The major anulom vilom benefits for you are listed below.
It greatly helps to alleviate depression and anxiety. If you feel that you are not in a good mental place due to the stress of a hectic lifestyle, then spend some time doing this pranayama everyday.
Nowadays, respiratory diseases are on an all time high. People who suffer from respiratory diseases like bronchitis, asthma, cough, and cold also benefit a lot from performing this breathing technique.
Studies have also shown that breathing exercises can help a lot to treat heart problems and regulate high blood pressure. It has also shown how deep breathing can ease migraine pains.
Today, people experience negative thoughts a lot. Constantly thinking and dwelling on such thoughts can develop many mental conditions. By performing anulom vilom, you will instantly find yourself in a positive frame of mind.
People who find that they are not able to concentrate and focus on their tasks for long should also do these breathing exercises. It greatly helps them to concentrate better and enhances their productivity.
There are three doshas in our body, namely, the vata, kapha, and pitta. Anulom vilom balances all the three doshas in your body.
Pranayam also streamlines a person’s metabolism. It thus helps in effective weight loss.
Anulom vilom pranayam also alleviates diseases like acidity, constipation, asthma, and allergies. If you want to resolve your snoring problems, try doing this breathing exercise daily.
How Much Time We Should Do Anulom Vilom?
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This breathing exercise can be done by you either in the morning or during the evening. Remember to practice this pranayama on a fairly empty stomach, preferably, five hours after you consume any meal. Do not hold your breath while performing this exercise. It is especially true for patients dealing with heart diseases. A duration of 45 minutes is adequate for performing this exercise.
How To Do Anulom Vilom?
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After reading about the numerous benefits of this pranayama, you must be eagerly wondering about the correct way to do it. Here is how you perform this incredible breathing exercise to reap its tons of benefits.
To begin, find a quiet spot to sit in and perform this meditation. It should be free of any distractions. Sit in a sukhasana or padmasana.
While sitting, ensure that your spine is erect.
Lift your right hand, and with your right thumb block and press your right nostril. Next, take a deep inhale using your left nostril. It should be for around a time period of two seconds.
Now you need to press and block both of your nostrils. Keep holding your breath for a time period of four seconds.
Now, while keeping the left nostril blocked, release your right nostril. Now you need to exhale by using your right nostril for a time period of two seconds.
Start inhaling using your right nostril for a time period of two seconds. After this, block both of your nostrils. Your breath should be held for a time period of four seconds.
While keeping your right nostril blocked you need to exhale from your left nostril. This exhale should be for a duration of 2 seconds.
You have completed one round of pranayam. Now you need to restart it again. Take a deep inhale using your right nostril and continue the process as it is described above.
Try your best to increase the duration of your inhalation and exhalation over time. The duration of your inhales and exhales should be equal. They should not be irregular.
Who should not do Anulom Vilom pranayam? Everyone can do anulom vilom pranayam while keeping in mind the health of their body. It is very important for cardiac and other heart patients like those suffering from high blood pressure issues to ensure that they are not blocking their breaths for a long time. In fact, they should refrain from blocking their breaths at all. They should instead focus on taking deep inhales and exhales.
Significance of Anulom Vilom Pranayama
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The primary purpose of anulom vilom pranayam is to enable a person to achieve complete control over their breath. This breath retention technique should be learned under a certified yoga practitioner. The major aim of this practice is to help you fully control your breathing process. Breathing is an involuntary process. You do not even realize that you are breathing throughout the day. As it is regulated by your central nervous system. However, by doing pranayama regularly, you can become very conscious of your breathing and achieve a high degree of control over it.
According to the ancient yogic text, hatha yoga pradipika, the breath of an individual is akin to a wild animal. It is just like a wild lion, tiger, or elephant. However, when it is controlled, it becomes more tamable. Similarly, wild animals can be controlled after a lengthy training process. This training process is the pranayama that we should do consistently in order to become fully in control and in charge of our breathing. Over time, this breathing technique can result in helping you cure all your diseases. With advanced practice you can find yourself fully in control not only of your breaths but also of your health.
However, to progress at an advanced stage, it is essential to seek the guidance of an instructor. Do not try to do it by yourself. Start slowly and if you are suffering from any ailment, do not retain your breath for long. Make anulom vilom pranayama a regular part of your life and soon you will begin to notice a significant difference in your overall health and energy levels.