Balance your mind (DW#685)
Have you ever heard of, or tried, alternate nostril breathing?It’s an ancient yogic technique that’s been shown to effect brain waves and reduce anxiety and stress while inducing a calm, balanced mind.
Research from UCSD indicates that the nasal breathing cycle corresponds to the dominance of the left or the right hemisphere of the brain. The study suggested that the "cycle of hemispheric dominance" could be manipulated by using breathing techniques: "Closing the right nostril and forcibly breathing through the left nostril produces greater EEG activity in the right brain and vice versa. These changes in the pattern of EEG dominance occur almost instantaneously; at most, they require periods of about five minutes."
Here’s how alternate nostril breathing works. Please note that it sounds much more complicated than it is in practice.
Place your right thumb over your right nostril and rest your pointer finger on your forehead. Inhale through your left nostril. I like to do so to a count of four. Then hold for four.
Then press the ring finger of your right hand on your left nostril while you release your thumb from your right nostril and exhale through your right nostril. Then, inhale through your right nostril, hold for four and exhale through your left nostril. Repeat.
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