Pranayama help

abhija · 03-04-2008, 11:18 PM

Hi there...
I am practicing Pranayama. It is said that while doing Pranayama, both the nostrils should be clear for better breathing. But I found that every morning either of my nostrils is choked alternatively and it becomes difficult to breathe through the choked nostril during Pranayama.

Is there any way my both the nostrils remain clear during Pranayama?
Please guide me.

Thanks

Note: I am not suffering cough and cold

InnerAthlete · 03-05-2008, 01:30 AM

It is possible the answer to your question is "no" they will not be clear.

It is also possible you are consuming too much dairy in your diet and that is leading to the congestion you are experiencing. It is possible you should blow your nose before practice. It is also possible that you would see some positive results from Neti.

Pandara · 03-05-2008, 02:19 AM

Hi,

It is a physical fact that one of the two nostrils will always be a little more blocked than the other. This is how we as humans have been constructed and we need to live with it. We do experience rare occassions where both nostrills will be equally open and is such cases do as Swami Venkateshananda once said sit down where you are immediately and start to meditate.

It is also a known fact that most people are more blocked due to sleeping horizontally in the mornings than the rest of the day, so perhaps wait until later in the day to do your pranayama, when through being vertical some of the blockage has cleared away naturally.

One of the benefits of doing for example alternate nostril breathing is that with regular practice and loads of patience the two nostrills will balance more and more. With pranayama you need time and patience, it a practice which takes a long time to cultivate correctly.

Prascina · 03-05-2008, 02:24 AM

Hi,
It's natural to get one nostril blocked ..alternatively every 90 minutes.Before going to the higher levels of pranayama like IA said Neti could help and also some very simple breathing exercises and continue with the nadi shodana..kapalabhasti or bastrika.

JustinTime · 06-17-2009, 02:33 PM

Having read quite a few archival postings without finding an answer to my question I thought I would just ask it here:

I have a deviated septum which makes it almost impossible to turn onto my left side during sleep time as my left nostril invariably gets blocked straightaway. Apparently one should sleep mainly on the right side anyway -better for the heart? -so that's fine most of the time (although a change would be nice, too, especially with rheumatism in my right arm!).
However, when it comes to doing pranayama it can be quite frustrating to notice the different flow of breath, even when neither nostril would seem to be blocked. Breath just seems to 'fall' out of the left one whereas I can exercise much better control with the other one. That is if it isn't blocked. Often with alternate breathing it will get blocked and I just have to give up.
Obviously, getting older has made me more deviated, haha, so I take it I shall take this deviation to my grave. Nevertheless, I just wonder, if there is any advise for me on the subject?
By the way, I do Neti which does help at times, if not always.
I thank you for any suggestions!

Willem · 06-18-2009, 02:31 AM

deviated nasal septum

Well, you do not have to take this into your grave. Was your deviated septum diagnosed by a physician? Has the doctor discussed minor surgery with you?

Before surgery, you may want to try the following, in the order give below:

(1) Jala neti – every morning for at least a month, as instructed by a knowledgeable person and using pure salt without additives
(2) Small changes to your diet, e.g. no fried products in order to avoid ingesting heated oils. For the same reason, skip chocolates. When you cook vegetables, discard the boiling water after three minutes and resume cooking with fresh water. Apparently the mineral salts which dissolve first congest your nostrils.
(3) Alternating hot and cold facial baths for three months.

For (3): Stand at the side of a wash basin. Fill this with hot water so that the temperature is just tolerable. Inhale and submerge your face while holding your breath. Keep your face submerged for as long as it is comfortable. Remove your face from the water, exhale, then inhale and repeat bathing 6 – 8 times. Then switch to cold water and repeat 6 – 8 times. Start on the first day of the month and do this consistently for three weeks before breakfast. Take a pause. Start again on the first day of the next month. Pause. Repeat for the third and last time starting with the first day of the next month. If you have a sensitive skin, you may want to protect it with a facial cream before bathing. Have a receptacle at hand for disposing of any mucus likely to be dislodged by the process.

Please note that I have no personal experience of the above (other than with jala neti). The recommendations were published by Koos Zondervan, a student of Jean Klein and author of a book on Kashmir yoga.

P.S. Sleeping on the right side opens up the left nostril (ida) and is more relaxing for this reason.

03-05-2008, 01:30 AM	#2
InnerAthlete Mostly Good Egg Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,128	It is possible the answer to your question is "no" they will not be clear. It is also possible you are consuming too much dairy in your diet and that is leading to the congestion you are experiencing. It is possible you should blow your nose before practice. It is also possible that you would see some positive results from Neti. __________________ Gordon Kaplan Certified Purna Yoga Teacher (CPYT) Yoga Alliance RYT-500 International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) M.S. Kinesiology, Indiana University http://www.teamyoga.com http://www.yogamojodojo.com http://www.innerathlete.net/forum

03-05-2008, 02:19 AM	#3
Pandara Evolving Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Posts: 1,275	Hi, It is a physical fact that one of the two nostrils will always be a little more blocked than the other. This is how we as humans have been constructed and we need to live with it. We do experience rare occassions where both nostrills will be equally open and is such cases do as Swami Venkateshananda once said sit down where you are immediately and start to meditate. It is also a known fact that most people are more blocked due to sleeping horizontally in the mornings than the rest of the day, so perhaps wait until later in the day to do your pranayama, when through being vertical some of the blockage has cleared away naturally. One of the benefits of doing for example alternate nostril breathing is that with regular practice and loads of patience the two nostrills will balance more and more. With pranayama you need time and patience, it a practice which takes a long time to cultivate correctly. __________________ Blessings & Om's Pandara _____________________________________________ [URL]http://www.oneyogalife.wordpress.com[/URL] Live everyday as if it is a miracle - Einstein Last edited by Pandara; 03-05-2008 at 02:30 AM.

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03-04-2008, 11:18 PM	#1
abhija éka Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1	Hi there... I am practicing Pranayama. It is said that while doing Pranayama, both the nostrils should be clear for better breathing. But I found that every morning either of my nostrils is choked alternatively and it becomes difficult to breathe through the choked nostril during Pranayama. Is there any way my both the nostrils remain clear during Pranayama? Please guide me. Thanks Note: I am not suffering cough and cold

03-05-2008, 02:24 AM	#4
Prascina ashiití Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: India Posts: 82	Hi, It's natural to get one nostril blocked ..alternatively every 90 minutes.Before going to the higher levels of pranayama like IA said Neti could help and also some very simple breathing exercises and continue with the nadi shodana..kapalabhasti or bastrika.

06-17-2009, 02:33 PM	#5
JustinTime catvaarimshát Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: UK Posts: 45	Having read quite a few archival postings without finding an answer to my question I thought I would just ask it here: I have a deviated septum which makes it almost impossible to turn onto my left side during sleep time as my left nostril invariably gets blocked straightaway. Apparently one should sleep mainly on the right side anyway -better for the heart? -so that's fine most of the time (although a change would be nice, too, especially with rheumatism in my right arm!). However, when it comes to doing pranayama it can be quite frustrating to notice the different flow of breath, even when neither nostril would seem to be blocked. Breath just seems to 'fall' out of the left one whereas I can exercise much better control with the other one. That is if it isn't blocked. Often with alternate breathing it will get blocked and I just have to give up. Obviously, getting older has made me more deviated, haha, so I take it I shall take this deviation to my grave. Nevertheless, I just wonder, if there is any advise for me on the subject? By the way, I do Neti which does help at times, if not always. I thank you for any suggestions!

06-18-2009, 02:31 AM	#6
Willem trishatá Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 327	deviated nasal septum Well, you do not have to take this into your grave. Was your deviated septum diagnosed by a physician? Has the doctor discussed minor surgery with you? Before surgery, you may want to try the following, in the order give below: (1) Jala neti – every morning for at least a month, as instructed by a knowledgeable person and using pure salt without additives (2) Small changes to your diet, e.g. no fried products in order to avoid ingesting heated oils. For the same reason, skip chocolates. When you cook vegetables, discard the boiling water after three minutes and resume cooking with fresh water. Apparently the mineral salts which dissolve first congest your nostrils. (3) Alternating hot and cold facial baths for three months. For (3): Stand at the side of a wash basin. Fill this with hot water so that the temperature is just tolerable. Inhale and submerge your face while holding your breath. Keep your face submerged for as long as it is comfortable. Remove your face from the water, exhale, then inhale and repeat bathing 6 – 8 times. Then switch to cold water and repeat 6 – 8 times. Start on the first day of the month and do this consistently for three weeks before breakfast. Take a pause. Start again on the first day of the next month. Pause. Repeat for the third and last time starting with the first day of the next month. If you have a sensitive skin, you may want to protect it with a facial cream before bathing. Have a receptacle at hand for disposing of any mucus likely to be dislodged by the process. Please note that I have no personal experience of the above (other than with jala neti). The recommendations were published by Koos Zondervan, a student of Jean Klein and author of a book on Kashmir yoga. P.S. Sleeping on the right side opens up the left nostril (ida) and is more relaxing for this reason.