Anulom Vilom Pranayam (Nadi Shuddi Pranayam)

Procedure  

• Sit in any meditative position with your spine and head well erect.
• Keep the whole body relaxed and loose. 
• Place the index and long fingers of the right hand (left hand in the case of left-handers) on the forehead.  
• The little finger will remain a little curled.
• Keep your elbow in front, with the upper arm parallel to the floor. This is called Nasagra Mudra.
• Now, close your right nostril with your thumb.  Exhale (Krishna) completely through your left nostril. 
• Then, breathe in through the left nostril (Radhey) with the right nostril remaining closed. 
• Next, close the left nostril with the ring finger and breathe out (Krishna) through the right nostril. 
• Then, breath in (Radhey) through the right nostril. 
• Again, close your right nostril and breathe out (Krishna) through the left nostril.
• Make sure you breathe in and out equally and rhythmically. 
• In this pranayam, always make use of the chest while breathing.
• This completes one cycle; perform 10-20 cycles.

   Note: Anulom Vilom Pranayam can be done in three ways—low, or medium, or fast pace.  Initially, this pranayam should be practiced in a slow, or medium pace only.

Benefits

• It helps purify the 720 million nāḍīs of the body.
• Almost all kinds of diseases associated with vāt problems such as rheumatism, urinary  and reproductive diseases are alleviated or even cured.  
• The usual diseases like cold, cataract, sinus, mild fevers, eye and ear problems, cough, etc. get healed naturally. 
• It is helpful in regulating cholesterols, beneficial in heart problems and delivers mental peace.
• It is quite beneficial in alleviating various ailments such as high blood pressure, arthritis, ligaments, Parkinson’s disease, paralysis, migraine, depression, asthma, and allergy.