Alternate Nostril Breathing & Kumbhaka | Hatha Yoga Pradipika II 7-11

Practice kumbhaka (breath retention) four times a day.

Photo by Christina V. Mills

Chapter II

Alternate Nostril Breathing & Kumbhaka

II.7 Alternate Nostril Breathing - Sitting in padmasana inhale through the left. Hold the breath as long as possible before exhaling through the right.

8 In the same way, inhale slowly through the right. Practice kumbhaka (breath retention) before exhaling through the left.

9 Inhaling through the same nostril you exhaled out of, hold the breath for as long as possible before exhaling slowly through the other nostril.

10 When prana is inhaled through the ida (left) nostril, it should be exhaled through the pingala (right) after a period of retention. When prana is inhaled through the pingala (right), it should be exhaled through the ida (left) after a period of retention. For those who do this and follow the yamas, the nadis are purified within three months.

11 Practice kumbhaka (breath retention) four times a day, in the early morning, noon, evening, and midnight, increasing gradually until it has been done 80 times.

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