Surya Bhedana Pranayama: Meaning, Technique, Benefits & Precautions

Surya Bhedana is an ancient yogic breathing technique which has deep Vedic origins. It is described in classical literature such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. This yoga involves breathing in through the right nostril (Surya Nadi/Pingala) to stimulate solar energy, bringing warmth, and energy. Thus, it awakens the sympathetic nervous system to focus and alertness. This pranayama was originally practised to find energy balance and to maintain spiritual health. Surya pranayama helps boost energy and warm the body by activating the right nostril.

In yoga, Surya Bhedana pranayama is an invigorating and heating pranayama which is normally done in a sitting position in a meditative pose. You must use Vishnu Mudra or any hand gesture and close the left nostril. You should then breathe in through the right nostril and hold a breath as long as you can bear. Surya nadi chandra nadi describes the body’s energy channels that balance heat and coolness. Then, stuff up your right nostril and breathe out through the left nostril. Repeat the same procedure with the left nostril (breathing forcefully).

According to the Sanskrit translation, Surya means the Sun, whereas Bhedana means to pass, penetrate. So then, in a combination of words, Surya Bhedana is just a sun-piercing breath. On the other hand, Chandra pranayama is practised to calm the mind and activate the left nostril’s cooling energy.

How to Perform the Surya Bhedana Pranayama: Step-by-Step Instructions

Below are the steps of performing the Surya Bhedana pranayama that you should follow:-

1. Start with the Preparation

Firstly, sit in a meditative position which you use to do pranayama. We will recommend Easy Pose to a beginner in yoga and Lotus Pose to an advanced practitioner. You should get into the Vishnu Mudra first and then proceed.

Bring the mudra next to your face and close your left nostril with your ring finger. Gently block your nostril on right on the tip of your thumb. Prior to starting the breathing, clear your lungs of all the air using a deep inhalation. How to activate Surya Nadi is a common question for boosting vitality and warming the body naturally. Instead, the novices can omit the half blockage of the right nostril and add the step later, during the practice.

2. Breathe in with the Right Nostril

Breathe in with the right nostril in a continuous flow without jerks or sounds. Breathe in a great deal of air. After inhaling, press your right nostril with your thumb.

3. Hold the Internal Breath

Breathe in until you feel at ease. This step can, however, be dispensed with if one is experiencing health conditions such as anxiety or high blood pressure. Moreover, amateurs in pranayama also may not do this stage, but add it at the end of approximately one week of Surya Bhedana. Surya pranayama benefits include improved digestion, increased focus, and enhanced physical energy.

4. Snort out of your Left Nostril

Cough to clear your lungs by pushing all the air out of your lungs using your index and ring fingers and exhaling. This action completes one round of Suya Bhedi pranayama of yoga.

5. Continue the Cycle Till you are Comfortable

This pranayama process can be repeated with step two repeated, that is, you will inhale using your right nostril, but block your left nostril. When you do the Surya Bhedi pranayama, you should never forget that you have to breathe in using your right nostril and breathe out using the left nostril.

Related Post:- Training of Yoga Teacher in Rishikesh

Duration of Performing the Surya Bhedi Pranayama in Yoga

Surya Bhedana pranayama may take 3 to 5 minutes or 8 to 10 rounds. This pranayama, though preferably mentioned to be performed on an empty stomach and in the morning hours, may also be performed at any time of the day. Moreover, in case you intend to do this pranayama later in the day, ensure you have a few hours between your last meal and before doing this pranayama technique. Surya nadi pranayama helps stimulate the body's heat and strengthens mental alertness.

The Benefits of Surya Bhedana Pranayama

The several benefits of Surya Bhedana pranayama are the following:-

1. May improve physical performance:- Selective breathing through the right nostril is useful in stimulating and energizing the body and enhancing physical functionality.
2. Better Heart Disease:- Such yoga breathing exercises and yoga postures keep the heart healthy and prevent the occurrence of any cardiovascular diseases. But you must remember that these are only techniques of yoga, which will only give results when you incorporate them into a sattvic diet and healthy lifestyle.
3. Stimulates the sympathetic nervous system:- The oxygen uptake increases as this pranayama is practised. In addition, it has also been noted that sympathetic discharge towards the adrenal medulla increases following the practice of Surya Bhedana pranayama. This is able to explain potential therapeutic impacts on the body and mind.
4. Clears Sinuses:- The heating and warming effects of Surya Bhedana pranayama are used in yoga to clean and decontaminate the frontal sinuses in a cold winter season.
5. Aids Weight Loss:- Surya Bhedana pranayama helps in losing weight. It is also possible that this is occurring because of complementary dietary changes and high metabolism due to the practice of the Surya Bhedana pranayama. The Surya pranayama procedure involves inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left.
6. Balances Vata Dosha:- According to Ayurveda wisdom, Surya Bhedana pranayama assists in balancing the Vata Dosha, which calms down the surplus wind energy according to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. But we would recommend that you consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner so that he/she can provide you with expert advice.
7. Awakens Kundalini:- According to Hatha yoga and Tantra yoga, it has been practised by selective or compulsive breathing to awaken the Kundalini of a person. Surya Bhedana, combined with certain mudras and bandhas, could assist in awakening the Kundalini Shakti of the body.
8. Helps digestion:- This pranayama is reported to increase Pitta Dosha; hence, it increases the digestive fire and helps in effective digestion. Besides, this pranayama kills worms in the digestive tract and cures illnesses of the digestive tract. Also, this pranayama is best suited to the digestive problems of gas and bloating.
9. Purifies blood:- Surya pranayama is a yoga technique that cleanses the blood and the body.
10. Energizes the body:- The Surya Bhedana pranayama is energizing to the whole body, and it treats depression, dullness and lethargy symptoms.
11. Enhances mental alertness:- Enhances alertness and brain sharpness and gears the mind and the body into a state of meditation.
12. Cures respiratory problems:- Surya Bhedana pranayama heals such issues as asthma, cough and other respiratory diseases.
13. Cure skin disorders:-  Able to treat skin-related disorders such as Leucoderma.
14. Reduces phlegm in the body:- The Surya Bhedana pranayama is capable of reducing the amount of phlegm in the body by ensuring the fluid in the body flows freely.
15. Activates the Pingala Nadi :- The pranayama assists in activating the Pingala Nadi or the right nostril channel, which is likely to stimulate and increase the pranic energy.

Nonetheless, all the above potential gains can be achieved only in case one learns the proper method of practising the Surya Bhedana pranayama in yoga. 

Final Thoughts

The yoga pranayama known as Surya Bhedana is a good yogic weapon to avert cold and other unpleasant things about the cold winter seasons. Surya anuloma balances breath flow while activating right-side energy for strength and clarity. To achieve all the above-mentioned benefits of this pranayama, however, you will have to supplement this pranayama technique with a sattvic diet and a healthy lifestyle. Register in any of these elements of learning and pursuit of this yogic method of learning, as well as other complementary practices, by taking a short-term pranayama course over the web or the more robust and taking 200-hour yoga instructor training in Rishikesh.