Nadi Shodhana Balancing Meditation

Nadi Shodana is a deeply balancing breath technique designed to cleanse the subtle energy pathways and support regulation of the nervous system. Through the gentle alternation of the breath, the lunar (cooling, receptive) and solar (warming, activating) energies are brought into harmony. This practice helps ease mental agitation, reduce stress, and cultivate a steady, clear, and centered state of being.

Transcript

Welcome to your meditation practice.

In this particular practice I'll be guiding you through a cleansing and clearing breath technique known as Nadi Shodhana or alternate nostril breathing aiming to bring about balance of both the lunar and solar energies that run within us.

To get started please make your way into your most comfortable seat.

Allow the weight of your body to land.

Connecting into the support that is underneath you and feeling the roots and stability of the ground.

Allow your spine to gently rise up,

Your shoulders softening back and down,

And the very top crown of your head rising up towards the sky.

Rooted from your base and rising through your crown.

Imagine just gently leaning back into the strength of your own spine.

Soften the space between your eyebrows,

Your cheeks,

Your jaw,

And your neck.

Continue to let the shoulders drop away from your ears.

And sense your shoulder blades sliding down your back like heavy velvet curtains.

If it feels comfortable you might gently close down your eyes or just take a soft gaze.

There is nowhere else you need to be.

Nothing that needs doing or fixing right now.

Just be here now.

Allowing the outside world to just fall away.

Invite your awareness to move inwards.

Noticing the gentle rise and fall of your breath.

Just as it is.

No need to change it.

No need to move.

No need to control it.

Observing your inhalation and your exhalation.

The body gently expanding outwardly on the inhale.

Softening and contracting moving inwards on the exhale.

Take a slower and deeper breath.

Feeling your breath now.

Fill your belly,

Your side ribs,

And right underneath your collarbones.

Take a longer smoother exhalation out through your nose or out through your mouth with a sigh or a sound.

Take two more slow deep breaths just like that.

Filling this incredible container of your body with breath,

Prana,

Vitality.

And as you exhale feel your body continue to settle.

Arriving and landing more fully inside of yourself.

And now just allowing the breath to be in and out through your nose.

And as you inhale you might just quietly say to yourself,

I am.

And as you exhale hear now.

Softly repeating that gentle mantra as you breathe up your spine from base to crown I am.

And as you exhale from your crown to the base of your spine hear now.

And let your exhale become a little bit longer and smoother.

So as you inhale I am.

Keeping that the same.

And as you exhale hear now.

Present.

Grounded.

And as you exhale hear now.

Picking that mantra maybe two or three more times.

Elongating the exhalation to enable the nervous system to relax and downshift.

And from this grounded and steady breath we'll begin to move into this calming and balancing practice called Nadi Shodhana.

Alternate nostril breathing.

This practice builds upon the calm that you've already created.

Helping to harmonize the subtle energies of the body and mind.

The moon and the sun.

Don't worry about doing this perfectly.

Just follow along in a way that feels comfortable to you.

Let your hands rest on your legs turning your palms up towards the sky.

Bring all of your awareness into your hands for a few moments.

Allow your left hand to stay resting on your left knee.

And gently bring your left thumb and left index finger to touch.

The other fingers remain relaxed.

And now shift your awareness into your right hand.

And slowly bring your index and middle finger to the base of the thumb.

The ring and little finger stay connected.

And your thumb and ring finger and pinky will alternate the flow of breath through your nostrils.

If this mudra known as Vishnu Mudra with the right hand feels in any way awkward or uncomfortable,

You can also rest your first two fingers,

Index finger and middle finger,

Between your eyebrows at the third eye center.

Choose what feels most steady and easeful to you.

Inhale slowly through both nostrils.

Exhale completely through both nostrils and gently bring your right thumb to your right nostril sealing it.

As you slowly inhale just through the left nostril,

Drawing your breath right up towards the third eye center,

Midbrain and holding.

Sealing your left nostril with your index with your ring finger and pinky.

And exhaling out through your right nostril.

Keeping the left closed,

Inhale slowly through the right nostril.

Drawing your breath up towards your eyebrow center and sealing the right nostril.

As you slowly and smoothly exhale out through the left nostril completing your first round.

Sealing off your right nostril.

There's a slow smooth breath coming in through the left nostril imagining a cool silvery moon-like energy flowing in with the breath calming.

You'll seal the left nostril and exhale that cooling calming quality of the moon through the right nostril and through the whole right side of the body.

Keeping the right nostril open breathe in the warm golden sun energy.

Pausing for a moment when you get to the top concentrating at the third eye space.

The right nostril will stay closed as you exhale that golden vibrant warming energy of the sun out through the left nostril and left side of the body.

Again keeping the right nostril sealed inhaling through the left nostril.

I am that silvery current of moon energy holding your breath a comfortable amount and exhaling that cooling and calming moon energy out through the right side here now present grounded.

Continuing to breathe in now through the right the warming qualities of the sun.

Golden vibrant golden holding at the top with the right nostril sealed and sending that warming quality of the sun out through the left nostril.

Now moving through a couple more rounds layering in the mantra I am here now present grounded continuing to elongate your exhalations.

If at any time you lose track of the pattern or get mixed up that's completely fine.

Simply pause and begin again with your next inhalation.

Take another round or two at a slow pace staying relaxed as you experience this technique.

The next time that you exhale out through your left nostril gently return your right hand to your right leg palm up and bring your thumb and your index finger to touch in Gananamudra our wisdom seal.

Let both hands rest with this gentle mudra.

Soften through your shoulders your face and your jaw and notice the effects of that cleansing and clearing technique.

Soften.

Sensing the balance within you.

Cool and warm.

Vibrant and at ease.

Steady and soft.

Soften.

Imagining the silver moon-like energy and the golden sun-like energy blending together gently forming a calm steady inner glow within.

You may continue with the mantra if that's helpful or just let it fade away.

And simply notice your breath as it moves in all on its own.

Watching the body breathe itself.

And let go.

Thoughts may continue to come and go.

Being kind to your busy mind and allow whatever needs to arise to arise.

As the watcher or witness to your experience just taking note of what surfaces for you with a gentle curiosity and a kindness.

Reminding yourself that all is okay.

And you are exactly where you need to be.

Welcoming the expansive quality of the inhale.

And the softening the release and letting go of the exhale.

Each time you notice the mind drifting elsewhere.

Gently return to the feel of your body sitting supported.

The sensation of your breath moving in and out.

And a quiet sense of deep peace and balance within you.

Softening into yourself just as you are.

And if you like you may keep your eyes closed.

As you relax your hands letting go of the mudra.

And take a couple of slow deep breaths to just transition back.

Imagine breathing into your open hands.

Open to receive whatever it is that you may need.

Allowing universal guidance and wisdom to flow to you and through you.

And you can bring your open hands hand over hand onto your heart space.

Let your head bow down gently and take a moment to truly thank yourself for showing up.

Thank yourself for taking this time of self-care and self-attunement.

As you feel ready you can gently blink your eyes open.

And may you carry the sense of balance and peace with you as you merge back into your day.

And I thank you for allowing me to be your guide.

Peace and Namaste.