Kundalini Yoga Glossary
Surya Bhedana
A warming pranayama: inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left.
Meaning
What Surya Bhedana Means
Surya means sun, and bhedana comes from a root meaning to perforate or go through. In Surya Bhedana Pranayama, every inhale is done through the right nostril and every exhale through the left.
The pranic energy of each inhalation is channeled through Pingala, also called Surya Nadi, and each exhale through Ida, also called Chandra Nadi. The flow of breath is controlled with the fingers, and the lungs absorb more energy from the inhalation than in ordinary breathing.
In Practice
How It’s Used
Surya Bhedana nourishes the body, increases body heat and digestive power, balances the sympathetic nervous system, and calms and strengthens the nerves. It also cleans the cranial sinuses and provides vigor, concentration, alertness, willpower and readiness for action.
It is recommended for people with low blood pressure. Its counterpart, Chandra Bhedana, reverses the nostrils and is recommended for high blood pressure instead; the two combine into a single cycle in Nadi Sodhana.
