Nasal Cycle and its Therapeutic Applications:

A Yogic Perspective

Yogacharya

Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANIMBBS, ADY, DSM, DPC, PGDFH, PGDY, MD (Alt Med), FIAY

Deputy DirectorCentre for Yoga Education, Therapy and Research (CYTER),

Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry. www. sbvu.ac.in

SBV AIM HIGH’sCentre for Yoga Therapy, Education

and Research (CYTER)

Salutogenesis, our focus!

SBV AIM HIGH’sCentre for Yoga Therapy, Education

and Research (CYTER)

Salutogenesis, our focus!

“ அண்டத்தில்உள்ளதேதபிண்டம்; பிண்டத்தில்

உள்ளதேதஅண்டம்; அண்டமும்பிண்டமும்

ஒன்தே�அ�ிந்துதான்”பார்க்கும்தேபாதேத

- சட்டைடமுனி சித்தர் 

That which lies in the macrocosm, lies in the microcosm.

That which lies in the microcosm lies in the macrocosm.

When we understand truly, both are indeed one.- Sattaimuni Siddhar

Time and Tide Wait for No One !

“I wasted time, and now doth time waste me”

- William Shakespeare, Richard II

Human biorhythms: Ultradian rhythms are recurrent periods or cycles repeated throughout a 24-hour Circadian day. In contrast, Infradian

rhythms, eg. menstrual cycle, have periods longer than a day.

YANTRA, understanding the universe and our role in it

Interconnectivity of Karma cycles ...

81 and above….

28 to 54….

Birth to 27....

55 to 81…

Swarodaya Vigjnan - Nasal cycle

• Nasal cycle- ultradian rhythm of nasal congestion and decongestion with quasi-periodicity of 60-240 min.

• 1st formal description and use of the term ‘nasal cycle’ in modern times by Keyser (1895)

• However the concept of the nasal cycle and an understanding of its role in our life had existed for long before that in Indian thought.

• Swarodaya Vigjnan – Vedic science of understanding the functioning of nasal cycle.– swara = sonorous sound produced by airflow in nostrils,

udaya = functioning state, and vigjnan = wisdom.

Ida swara (left) is described as feminine, Shakti and moon-like (chandra) while

pingala swara (right) as masculine, Shiva and sun-like (surya).

Tenets of Shivaswarodaya

• Physical activities: Engage in robust, dynamic activities (roudra karya) when right nostril is dominant (pingala / surya swara).

• Mental activities: Undertake quieter, passive activities mindful (soumya karya) when left nostril is dominant (ida / chandra swara),

• Spiritual activities: Silent introspection and inner focus with concentration, contemplation and meditation when bilateral nasal flow is operational (sushumna swara).

Rhythmicity of the swara• Textbooks of Swara Yoga*describe a definite pattern

of swara in healthy persons at sunrise. • Chandra swara at sunrise on days 1-3,7-9,13-15 of

bright fortnight, and surya swara on others. • Surya swara at sunrise on days 1-3,7-9,13-15 of dark

fortnight, and chandra swara on others. • In modern times, difficult to have these natural

patterns due to haphazard life styles.• Studies at ICYER reported similar though not exact

relationship between lunar phase and swara pattern.*Charandas, 1954; Kannan, 1967; Gautam, 1975

What’s he doing ???

a. Nothing at allb. Just posingc. Just relaxingd. Altering his nasal cycle

What’s he doing ???

a. Nothing at allb. Just posingc. Just relaxingd. Altering his nasal cycle

Mechanism of Nasal Cycle

• Pattern of nasal dominance altered by:– use of Yoga danda – pressure of a crutch in axilla– pressure on thorax while sitting & hemithorax

while lying down on the side • Decreased airflow in ipsilateral nostril • Increased airflow in contra lateral nostril. • Pattern starts to change in a min, equalizes in both

nostrils about 4th min and reaches peak in 17 min with crutch and 11 min by lateral recumbence.

• Nasal cycle is dependent upon tonic activity of limbic autonomic nervous system, levels of circulating catecholamines and other neuro-hormones.

• Nasal congestion correlates with low sympathetic & high parasympathetic activity (Vinod Deshmukh).

• Decongestion is related to high sympathetic & low parasympathetic activity mode (Vinod Deshmukh).

• Compression of hemithorax from any surface lateral, anterior, posterior or superior leads to congestion of ipsilateral nostril with simultaneous decongestion of opposite nostril (Virendra Singh).

• Keuning demonstrated that anaesthetizing nose or the larynx does not influence nasal cycle but that nasal cycle is absent after cervical sympathetic denervation and laryngectomy.

• Mitti Mohan and Eccles showed that airflow in patent and congested nostrils caused reflex congestion of patent nostril.

• Eccles also proposed that hypothalamus was the centre for sympathetic effects on nasal mucosa and nasal cycle.

pressure on the hemithorax

Stimulation of skin receptors

HYPOTHALAMUS

Inhibition of sympathetic and stimulation of para sympathetic

nerves to same side nostril

Stimulation of sympathetic and inhibition of parasympathetic nerves

to opposite side nostril

Increased congestion of same side nostril

Decreased congestion of opposite nostril

Reduced patency of same side nostril Increased patency of opposite nostril

pressure in the axilla

Stimulation of brachial plexus and soft tissues around shoulder

Superior cervical ganglion

MEC

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Ajna ChakraCentre of intuition

Research in Swara YogaYogic UNB / ANB pranayama techniques have captured the imagination of researchers worldwide and recent studies have reported differential physiological and psychological effects including :– O2 consumption, – metabolism and body weight, – blood glucose, – involuntary blink rates and intraocular pressure, – heart rate and heart rate variability,– stroke volume and end diastolic volume – galvanic skin resistance, – digit pulse volume, and blood pressure .

Uninostril / alternate nostril pranayamas

Suryanadi asana Chandranadi asana

R L

Forced UN / AN breathingSurya nadi/ bhedana• activity phase of BRAC*• activates SNS• increases O2

consumption• increases metabolism • corrects low BP• increases HR• increases body temp.

Chandra nadi/ bhedana• rest phase of BRAC*• reduces SNS activity • increases GSR • lowers blood sugar• decreases BP

* BRAC- Basic Rest Activity Cycle~ 90 (80–120) min

Some interesting observations in Swara Yoga :

– Major meals and bathing should be in solar swara.– Articles of hot potency should be taken in the lunar swara.– Articles of cold potency should be taken in solar swara.– One should go to sleep in the solar swara.– If a person has headache, cold, hypertension, acidity or

asthmatic attack, change of the swara pattern artificially to opposite swara may benefit and give relief within an hour.

– If male partner has solar swara and female partner has lunar swara during coitus, then the child conceived will be male. The converse would beget a female child

– Indulgence in coitus during flow of same swara of both partners will not result in pregnancy.

Potential Therapeutic Applications

Surya nadi/ bhedana• Hypothyroidism• Obesity• Depression• Narcolepsy • Bronchial asthma• COPD• Sinusitis• Cold intolerance

Chandra nadi/ bhedana• Stress• Hypertension• Anxiety• Diabetes mellitus• Insomnia • Hyperthyroidism• Underweight• Heat intolerance

So, what swara would you now choose ?

• To help digest food better? • If you wish to relax?• If you need to be active?• To reduce BP/ HR?• To loose weight?• For meditation?

SURYA (right) CHANDRA (left) SURYA (right) CHANDRA (left) SURYA (right)SUSHUMNA (both)

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