Viloma 1 Breathwork Practice

This breathwork practice centers around a breathing technique called, Viloma 1. Viloma means "against the grain" or "Interrupted". Viloma's technique involves breaking up either the inhale or exhale into parts (traditionally, 3). The control of the flow of breath can help expand breath capacity and increase mental attention and concentration. The variation explored here will be interruptions on the inhale with a regular exhale. Breathwork is followed by a short meditation.

Transcript

Hello everybody and welcome.

My name is Alfie and today we will get started in a comfortable seat.

So if you were sitting on the floor on a yoga mat,

You can sit on a bolster or maybe take a couple of blankets or a pillow underneath your hips.

You can also sit on a chair,

Your couch,

Or the side of your bed.

There will also be an option to lay down towards the end,

So if you were on the floor have any props that you'll want for shavasana,

Extra blankets,

A pillow,

And if you are sitting on the couch or your bed just have your pillows and blankets ready so that way you can make an easy transition.

Once you found your seat,

Sit up nice and tall.

Hands comfortably rest on your lap or your knees with your palms facing up or down.

Feel your lower body from your feet to your hips become heavy towards the floor.

As you press through your sitting bones,

Feel your spine grow tall away from the base.

Tag weight into your elbows and into your forearms and use that weight to help slide your shoulder blades down your back.

As your shoulder blades slide down your back,

Feel your chest,

Your upper thoracic spine lift up towards your chin lightly.

From the very tip top of your head,

Imagine a string is attached and is being pulled up towards the heavens.

And then take a moment to check in with the external surroundings.

Notice what's in front of you with your eyes.

Widen your sense of sound to hear what's close by or afar,

Subtle or obvious.

What smells are nearby.

Is there a taste lingering within your mouth?

Can you feel the fabric of your clothing along your skin or maybe even feel the air quality along any bare parts of your skin?

Once you've noticed and acknowledged the external surroundings,

Allow your eyes to close or soften your gaze,

Starting to turn inwards.

Take a moment to check in with your breath.

Notice the natural breath entering through your nostrils.

Where does the breath end?

Does it end with your belly expanding,

Your ribs,

Maybe it's more higher into your chest?

Does the breath feel more shallow?

Does it feel full,

Expanded?

Or maybe it feels a little bit short or disconnected.

And then check in with the internal space.

Notice the internal environment.

What are you carrying deep within,

Not just within your body,

But also within your heart,

Within the space of your mind?

What thoughts are lingering with you?

What emotions are resting within you or active within you?

And as you notice and observe the internal space,

Have a sense of acknowledgement and maybe even acceptance of their presence,

Not judging or analyzing or trying to make them go away,

But simply allowing yourself to be the gentle host and observer.

And then when you're ready,

Take a slow inhale into your nose.

And then exhale a gentle sigh out through your mouth.

Another inhale.

Pause at the top for a moment.

As you feel your spine lift,

Soften your shoulders down.

As tension may arise,

Can you soften your jaw,

Your neck?

Keeping your lips sealed,

Slow breath out through your nose.

When you're empty,

Pause.

Notice if your spine shrunk and allow your spine to grow tall once more.

And slow breath in through your nose.

At the top,

Pause.

Slow breath out through your nose.

Pause again,

Hips heavy but spine tall.

And then inhale for the count of four.

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold.

Exhale for four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold.

Slow inhale four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Pause.

As you hold,

Notice if there's any bit of space you can breathe into and take another sip of air in.

And then exhale for four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Pause.

If there's any trapped air,

See if you can pump that air out.

And slow inhale for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Pause.

Exhale five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Pause.

Spine remains tall.

Inhale for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold.

Hips heavy,

Shoulders slide down.

Exhale for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

And pause.

Inhale for six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold at the top.

If tension is rising,

Allow yourself to soften as you hold the breath.

Exhale for six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

And pause at the bottom.

Inhale for six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold.

Exhale for six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Pause.

And then take a slow inhale through your nose all the way to the top.

When you reach the top,

Pause,

Tilt your chin down ever so slightly,

And feel your collarbones lift up towards your chin,

The back of your neck long and tall.

If energy is rising,

Be the witness and soften as you hold that space.

Lift your head,

Slowly exhale out through your mouth.

Take a moment just to observe how you feel,

Any shifts from the very first check-in that you did.

And as you take your next inhale,

Breathe down into your belly,

Feel the breath move into your ribs,

And then all the way up into your chest.

Pause at the top,

Shoulders draw down,

Hips are heavy,

Spine is tall.

And exhale,

Smoothly breathe out through your nose.

Once you're empty,

Pause,

Re-establish the length of your spine,

The grounding of your hips,

And then breathing in three parts,

Breathe in through your belly.

Continue into your ribs,

All the way up into your chest,

Hold at the top,

And a smooth exhale out.

Hold at the bottom,

Smoothly inhale belly,

Ribs all the way up into chest,

Pause,

Chin tilt slightly down,

Jalandhara bandha,

Throat lock.

Keep the throat lock,

Slowly release the breath.

When you're empty,

Lift your head back to leveled,

Grow your spine tall,

Hips heavy towards the floor.

Moving into veloma one,

Inhale about a third,

Breathing into your belly,

And then pause.

Take in a second third into ribs,

Pause,

Last third up into your chest,

Hold,

And one smooth exhale out through your nose.

At the bottom,

Hold,

Feel the space along your spine,

And then inhale about a third,

Pause,

Inhale a third into that space,

Pause,

Last third to the top,

Hold,

Add jalandhara bandha,

Chin tilts down,

Collarbones rise up,

Keep the jalandhara bandha,

Slowly release the breath,

Hold at the bottom,

Lift your head back to leveled.

If it is safe,

Draw your lower belly in and up,

Adding uddiyana bandha.

Relax your belly,

Breathe in a third,

Hold,

Breathe in a second third,

Pause,

Let the breath rise up to your chest,

Hold,

Engage throat lock here,

Feel the space behind your neck,

The back of your throat,

Keep the bandha,

Slowly release the breath out.

As you lift your head,

Draw your lower belly in and up if it is safe for you,

Hips are still heavy,

Relax your belly,

Breathe in a third,

Hold,

Breathe in a second third,

Pause,

Last third,

Hold at the top,

Chin tilts down,

Collarbones rise,

Notice energy rising,

Notice any thoughts,

Any tension building and soften within,

One smooth exhale.

As you lift your head,

Draw your lower belly in and up and from the very base of your spines and your sitting bones,

Can you feel a little bit of a lift of your pelvic floor up towards your spine?

Relax your belly,

Slowly breathe in all the way to the very top,

At the top hold,

Engage jalandhara bandha,

Can you still feel the lift of your pelvic floor upwards?

Release the bandhas and breathe out through your mouth,

Take a moment just to notice how you feel,

Moving into alternate nostril breathing or nadi shodhana,

Place your right hand a couple of inches away from your face with your palm facing you,

Index finger and middle finger,

You'll place the tips along your third eye or the space at the center of your forehead,

Your right thumb will rest on the cartilage of your right nostril,

Your ring finger will rest on the cartilage of your left nostril,

Take a smooth inhale through both nostrils and then a smooth breath out through both nostrils,

Close off your right nostril and take a slow breath in through your left,

Hold at the top and then close off your left nostril,

Release your right and breathe out and pause at the bottom,

Then a smooth breath in through your right,

Hold,

Switch,

Breathe out through your left and pause,

Keep the nostrils,

Inhale through left,

Slight pause at the top,

Switch nostrils and breathe out through your right,

Slight pause at the bottom,

Inhale through right,

Hold,

Switch and breathe out through left and keep going on your own as you're moving through alternate nostril breathing,

Notice if one side is more dominant than the other,

Whichever one is the more challenging to breathe in and out of,

Allow yourself to breathe slower through that one and then the one that's a little bit more free,

Let yourself freely breathe out,

So think about the balance of effort and ease here,

So whichever nostril feels a little bit more blocked,

Have a very slow controlled breath within that nostril,

Whichever one is the freer nostril,

Allow the breath to release with ease through that nostril and go at your own pace,

Your own timing,

Feel free to let the pauses be as long as you need them to,

Maybe there's no pause at all.

The next time that you breathe out through your left nostril,

Release your right hand back to your knee and then we'll pause there,

Allow your breath to be natural and just notice how you feel,

Maybe you feel a little bit more balance or equilibrium through the nostrils and then assume the mudra again with your right hand in front of your face,

Peace fingers along your third eye,

Thumb on right nostril,

Ring finger on left,

We're gonna add Viloma 1 to our alternate nostril breathing,

So from here enjoy a smooth inhale through both nostrils and then a smooth exhale through both,

Gently close your rights and then inhale about a third of the breath in,

Hold,

Inhale a second third,

Hold,

Inhale the last third,

Pause,

Switch nostrils and then exhale smoothly through your right,

Hold at the bottom and then inhale a third into your right,

Hold,

Second third,

Pause,

Last third,

Hold,

Switch nostrils,

One exhale out through your left,

Pause at the bottom and then inhale a third,

Hold,

Inhale a second third,

Hold,

Last third,

Hold at the top,

Option here if it feels safe close off both nostrils,

Release your right nostril and one exhale out and then inhale a third,

Second third,

Last third,

Hold at the top,

If it feels safe close off both nostrils,

Release your left,

One exhale and then inhale a third into left,

Second third,

Last third,

Pause,

Maybe close off both nostrils,

Release your right,

One exhale and then inhale a third,

Second third,

Last third,

Hold,

Maybe close off both nostrils,

Release your left,

One exhale,

Inhale a third,

Second third,

Last third,

Hold at the top,

One exhale out through right and then inhale a third,

Second third,

Last third,

Hold,

Maybe close off both nostrils,

Again notice if energy is rising,

Tension,

Thoughts and soften that space within,

Smooth exhale out through your left,

Release both nostrils,

Hands down to your knees,

Take a slow breath in all the way to the top,

Pause at the top,

Tilt your chin forward,

Down and in,

Jalandhara bandha,

Soften the internal space,

Hold space for any tension building,

Any thoughts,

Any emotions arising,

Allow yourself to step back as the witness and see and observe,

Lift your head,

Open your mouth and let it go with a sigh,

Allow the breath to be natural and still and just simply witness at this point I invite you to transition onto your back or you can continue to stay in a seat if you're on a yoga mats on your bed or your couch feel free to place something underneath your head something underneath your knees and something over your hips or your body if you were in staying in your seat feel free to readjust as needed and once you've arrived in your shape you've made your adjustments you're supported by props take a moment to check in with your physical body once more noticing the external landscape and the internal landscape notice the touch points that you have with the floor and as you breathe naturally notice what arises and expands with the inhales what softens and falls with the exhales and then take your awareness to your feet notice the soles of your feet your heels your ankles your toes notice your calf muscles your shins take your full awareness to the lower half of your legs and with your next exhale allow the lower half of your legs to simply soften and become heavy into the floor as if it was sinking into wet sand move your awareness to your knees the backs of your knees the caps of your knees your thighs and your hips quads hamstrings and your glutes notice the upper half of your legs with your next exhale allow the upper half of your legs to soften and become heavy into the floor and notice your pelvis the front of your pelvis the back and the sides and from your pelvis down notice your entire lower body with your next exhale allow your entire lower back to soften body together to become heavy and then notice your belly and your torso your waist notice your lower back notice your ribs mid back and upper back your chest and from your collarbones all the way down to your lower belly without full awareness on your next exhale allow your entire torso to let go into the floor beneath you and bring your awareness to your shoulders the blades of your shoulders the heads of your shoulders notice the connection of your shoulders to your neck the trapezius notice your upper arms the biceps triceps notice the space from the base of your neck all the way to your elbows both upper arms your next exhale let them go to the floor beneath you notice your elbows your forearms notice your hands your wrists your palms knuckles and fingers from your fingers all the way to the base of your neck and your shoulders but your upper limbs your arms simply become heavy into the floor and sink further down and then notice your neck the back of your neck the sides the front notice the connection of the front of your neck to your chin notice your jaw allow your jaw to unhinge notice all the features of your face let them soften feel your brain sink to the back of your skull into the floor notice your entire head and your neck internally and externally and just allow everything to be soften become heavy sink and let go and then just notice the entire body from the top of your head to the soles of your feet and your toes just feel this entire entity this entire being with your next exhale let it all become heavy to the earth beneath you and with your body heavy into the floor whether you were laying down or seated allow your awareness to move to the internal surroundings once more notice the thoughts notice any emotions lingering notice any shifts from that very first internal check-in and whether anything has shifted or not whether there are thoughts or emotions that still remain unchanged can you allow yourself to just simply be present with them once more and with that acknowledgement and acceptance just like your physical body in that body scan that we just did with your next exhale can you allow all the thoughts all the emotions and all that lingers internally to simply soften and become heavy into the floor beneath you and as they soften and become heavy allow your attention and awareness to sink and sift deeper within maybe finding a space a space within the heart or maybe even a space that you cannot physically pinpoint but only you alone can feel and experience and maybe consider that within this space lies a light a light maybe in the form of a star or a flame a light that represents joy bliss love a higher divinity and unlike the emotions and the thoughts and the physical body which can be influenced and tethered by the external surroundings consider that this light is unchanging untethered uninfluenced by the external senses by the external experiences and lastly consider maybe even know and no matter what happens in life no matter what situation or what experience we get caught up in consider and know that this light this joy and this bliss will always remain it's always present and that at any point in time we can choose to soften the body soften our minds and soften our hearts to be able to access and become present with that internal joy within allow yourself to rest here for these next few moments resting with your presence and awareness on that bliss within you you you you you you you you take a smooth inhale and exhale if you would like to stay in your Shavasana or your seated meditation longer I invite you to let this track finish out and stay as long as you need otherwise bring some gentle movement back in through your fingers your toes ankles and wrists take your time if you're on your back slowly draw your knees into your chest roll to one side and make your way up to a seat draw your hands at your heart center and Anjali mudra thumbs connected to that space of internal joy and bliss bow your head down towards yourself acknowledging your effort your energy giving yourself gratitude for showing up for yourself today thank you so much for sharing your practice namaste

Reviews

WOW!! Thank you brother. Bless you.

a subtle and somatic healing practice that brought more clarity to the truth that lies within me. grateful to participate in these more nuanced breathwork exercises that involve splitting the inhale, creating a granular focus on the quality of breath.

looking forward to doing more with viloma 1 and other segmented breath practices. 😌🙏🏾