Pranayama
Surya Bheda (Right-Nostril Breath)
Sūrya Bhedaसूर्य भेद· SOOR-yah BHAY-dahpiercing the sun (sūrya) channel; solar breath
Surya Bheda (Right-Nostril Breath) is a warming, energising pranayama: you inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left, activating the body's solar, heating energy. It builds warmth and alertness. Avoid it if you have high blood pressure or run hot.
Step by step
- 1
Set the hand
Sit tall and use the right hand (Vishnu mudra) to control the nostrils.
- 2
Inhale right
Close the left nostril and inhale slowly through the right nostril.
Breath: Inhale right
- 3
Exhale left
Close the right nostril and exhale slowly through the left.
Breath: Exhale left
- 4
Continue on the same pattern
Keep inhaling right and exhaling left for several rounds, then release.
Benefits
- Warming and energising
- Increases alertness and vitality
- Activates the body's solar (heating) energy
- Useful on sluggish or cold mornings
About this practice
In yogic physiology the right nostril relates to pingala nadi, the warming 'solar' channel. Surya Bheda deliberately emphasises it — inhaling right, exhaling left — to build heat, energy and alertness. It is the warming counterpart to the cooling left-nostril practice.
Related practices
Video transcriptThis video explains the sun/moon symbolism of Surya and Chandra Bheda Pranayama, then guides you through Vishnu Mudra alternate-nostril breathing with counted inhalations and exhalations.
We are going to move on to the Surya Bheda Pranayama and the Chandra Bheda Pranayama. In our body, the right nostril represents the sun and the syllable "ha," and is energizing — it's creating heat. The left nostril represents "tha," or the moon, which is the cooling pranayama. When you bring ha and tha together, it represents hatha, and the focus of this is to bring about the union, to integrate both, so we can live in peace and harmony.
For Surya Bheda Pranayama, you can again move your hands into Vishnu Mudra, where the index and little finger are bent, or if you're more comfortable, you can even place these two fingers on your forehead.
Ideally, what we'll be doing is we're going to inhale from our right nostril and exhale from our left, and again inhale from our right and exhale from our left, and we can continue this for up to 1 to 3 minutes, so we'll just begin with 1.
Before, if you want to turn your fingers in, you turn your fingers in and block your left nostril and inhale from your right and exhale from your left, and again inhale from your left. You can repeat this for 1 to 3 minutes, and to make sure that each inhalation and exhalation is of the right amount and equal, try inhaling for 4 counts and keep your exhalations to 6 to 8 counts. We can exhale for longer, even better, so keep it in mind — you can keep counting, inhaling for 4 and exhaling for 8.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Surya Bheda pranayama for?
- It's a warming, energising breath — inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left — used to build heat, alertness and vitality. Avoid it if you have high blood pressure or overheat easily.
- When should I practise Surya Bheda?
- It suits sluggish or cold mornings when you want more energy and warmth. Avoid it in hot weather or before sleep, when a cooling or balancing breath is better.
Keep exploring
References
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Chapter 2 (Pranayama) · Classical text — Classical Hatha source describing yogic breathing practices.