Padadhirasana: Opening the Nasal passages…
The practice…
If you’ve been in class with me the last few weeks/days, you may have done this practice. At this time of year, it’s a great practice to do, opening the nasal passages.
The hands press in up under the underarms and we can close the hands to press into the underarm to make the affect stronger.
Focus:
In the nasal passages and you should feel an opening of the airways and a balancing of breaths through the nostrils. If you have an individual nostril that is blocked, then place the hand under the opposite arm, to open the nostril, so:
- R nostril blocked, then press in under the L underarm
- L nostril blocked, then press in under the R underarm
Let the breaths be slow and calm, and you can also focus at the third eye (eyebrow centre) whilst doing this practice. Also, if you are bigger in the chest and unable to cross the arms to reach at the same time, then do balanced numbers of breaths under each arm, alternating.
Sit comfortably with the spine in an upright position. Whilst in the practice, you can re-adjust your posture too, noticing are you too extended or dropping/slumping and make the subtle adjustments.
Opening and balancing of the nasal passages, affects the nervous system and energies through the body, by balancing the energies we aim to balance the autonomic nervous system.
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