Christopher guides alternate nostril breathing step by step. With the tips of the right thumb and ring finger high up on the nose, and the other 2 fingers resting on the forehead, you press ever so gently to close off 1 side, breathe out and in, then switch. He invites a normal, comfortable pace as you go back and forth on your own.
'We're using a very gentle pressure kind of high up where you barely have to touch it.'
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Questions people ask
How do I do alternate nostril breathing?
Bring up your right hand and touch the thumb and ring finger together. Rest the first and middle fingers on your forehead. Lightly press the tip of the thumb high on the nose to block the right side, and breathe out and in through the left. Then switch, using the ring finger to block the left, and breathe out and in through the right.
How hard should I press on my nose?
Very gently. Christopher suggests using just the tip of the finger, high up on the nose, where you barely have to touch it. You are not closing the big fleshy part of the nose with a big movement. A light touch is enough for the breath to move through 1 side or the other.
How long should I practice alternate nostril breathing?
In this guided practice, Christopher invites you to go back and forth on your own for a couple of minutes, with a normal, comfortable breath pace. It comes from Lesson 5 of the Effortless Meditation Course, and the clip Alternate Nostril Breathing: The 2 Channels and the Nasal Cycle explains why.