Surya Bhedana Pranayama (Warming Breath)

Surya Bhedana is a conscious breath practice (pranayama) primarily breathing through the right nostril. The Sanskrit word Surya means ‘sun’. Bhedana means ‘to pierce’, ‘pass through’ or ‘awaken’. Our right nostril is energetically associated with our body’s heating energy, symbolised by the “Sun”. This practice creates heat in the body and counteracts imbalances as it stimulates and awakens the pranic energy. The practice does this by increasing extroversion and dynamism, it enables physical activities to be performed more efficiently and can help to alleviate heavier mental states (like depression). It is especially recommended for those who may be feeling dull and lethargic or who find it difficult to communicate with the external world.