Evening Breathwork: Reset, Recharge, and Find Your Center

A single fifteen-minute session of this technique measurably balances activity between the left and right hemispheres of your brain. Last night's breathwork was about resetting the system for sleep. Tonight is about finding its center. So find your seat. Upright, but not rigid. Allowing the spine to be long. The crown of the head lifting toward the ceiling.

Let your hands rest on your knees for just a moment. Palms up or down. Whatever feels right. Close your eyes. Or soften your gaze to a single point on the floor in front of you. And just arrive. Noticing the breath as it is. No need to change it yet. Simply feeling the air move in… and out. This practice is called Alternate Nostril Breathing.

Nadi Shodhana. Its purpose is harmony. Now, bring your right hand up toward your face. Let your left hand stay resting on your knee. With your right hand, gently fold your index finger and your middle finger down, so they rest at the base of your thumb. You will use your thumb to close your right nostril. And your ring finger to close your left nostril.

Your pinky finger just rests. This is the hand position. Thumb and ring finger, ready to move. Take a deep, cleansing breath in through BOTH nostrils. And a long, slow breath out through BOTH. Now… gently close your right nostril with your thumb. And breathe IN through your left nostril. For four… three… two… one. Close your left nostril with your ring finger.

Both are closed. Hold the breath. Release your thumb, and breathe OUT through your right nostril. For four… three… two… one. Breathe IN through the right nostril. Four… three… two… one. Close the right nostril with your thumb. Hold. Release your ring finger, and breathe OUT through the left. Four… three… two… one. That is one complete cycle.

We will continue. In through the left… four… three… two… one. Close and hold. Out through the right… four… three… two… one. In through the right… four… three… two… one. Close and hold. Out through the left… four… three… two… one. Continue on your own. Following this rhythm. Left in, right out. Right in, left out. Smooth. Silent. And steady. Let your mind simply follow the path of the breath.

Complete the cycle you are on. Finishing with an exhale through the left nostril. When you are done… gently release your right hand back down to your knee. Keep your eyes closed. Breathe normally, through both nostrils now. And just notice. Notice the feeling of stillness. The sense of quiet. The feeling of balance you have created. This centered quiet is always available to you.

You just built the path back to it.