Change your breathing by trying the sun and moon breathing method
Try the alternate breathing below, also known as sun and moon breathing.
Don’t be afraid of funny words, ‘Prana’ is simply the life force that surrounds us, which is divided into ‘Pingala’, its positive side, and ‘Ida’, its negative side. One of the goals of Yoga is to balance its opposing currents in the body, which produces a state of perfect spiritual and mental balance. When you breathe through the right side of the nose it is called sun breathing, if it is through the left side it is called moon breathing.
Alternate breathing is holding the breath steadily through each nostril step by step. Sit cross-legged on a seat or floor with your back straight and your head level. Close your eyes, then close your left nostril with your left thumb as you inhale slowly and deeply through your right nostril. Take a deep breath and hold it for two seconds. Place the last two fingers of your left hand and then exhale slowly through the left nostril. Part of this exercise is to naturally pause your breath, and when you feel the urge to inhale, keep your right nostril closed and breathe only through your left nostril. Take a deep breath and hold it for two seconds.
Close the left nostril, and then exhale slowly through the right. Now a cycle has been completed. Those new to Pranayama should start slowly with two rounds and build up to 6 rounds per day by adding one per week. When doing this exercise at different times of the day, always try to adjust your posture to face the direction of the sun. This routine should be done early in the morning looking towards the east, then at noon look towards the median, when the sun sets look towards the west and then at night look towards the north.
Begin with BREATH OF SUN AND MOON and then go for three or four full breaths to create the space that will give you peace and tranquility in both mind and body.
Although I have mentioned the physical aspects of yoga here, you must remember that all yoga exercises will always affect all parts: physical, spiritual and mental.
Once you’ve done the sun and moon breathing and have some rhythm and balance, move on to the next step, which is to increase your exhalations to double the length of your inhalations. If you breathe in to a count of four, you breathe out to a count of eight. Four is just an example for your inhalation count, as your inhalation count should be about your own individual needs, ability, and comfort level. If you feel the tension recede, you are pushing yourself too hard. Do not push yourself when performing this or other Yoga exercises. It’s useless at best, but also possibly harmful. After a few days of practicing to control the breath, the next phase is to steadily extend the breath hold until it reaches the level of gasping. You should inhale for four, hold for four, then exhale for a count of eight.
Once again, you need to calibrate this count according to your own abilities.
This is the Sun and Moon breath in its simplest form with which we bring calm to both mind and body. Almost superhuman discipline is required for the advanced forms of this particular exercise, which are practiced in connection with the awakening of a strange bodily force called Kundalini, the Serpent Power. This can be briefly described as the Divine Power of Knowledge and Wisdom from which, through civilization, Man has separated.
Every man has the potential of divinity within him, no matter how far he has strayed from the Divine path because the Kundalini lies coiled at the base of the spine, dormant but not dead.