Pranayama for a Focused Mind: Sama Vritti, Nadi Shodhana & Bhramari

Do you ever sit down to work, study or even meditate, and within minutes your mind is somewhere else? Rasika Sampath opens this class by reassuring you that this happens to everyone. The job of the mind is to think. It jumps from the to-do list to plans to memories, and the yogis have a name for it: the monkey mind. Trying to force it to be still usually creates more tension. Instead, yoga gives the mind an anchor we always carry with us: the breath. This 18-minute practice uses three classic pranayama techniques to bring you into a steadier, more centred state, so that whatever you do next gets more of your attention.

Before you begin

You can practise sitting cross-legged, in Vajrasana, on a chair or even on a couch. What matters is that the spine is upright, so avoid leaning back. A wall behind you for support is fine. On a chair, keep both feet flat on the floor and uncrossed. Let the sit bones root down, lift the crown of the head, and tuck the chin slightly so the back of the neck is long. Practise on an empty or light stomach.

The practice, step by step

1. Breath observation

First, you simply watch the breath exactly as it is, eyes closed or with a soft gaze. Don't judge it as good or bad, deep or shallow. Rasika points out what usually happens next: the moment you pay attention to the breath, it naturally slows down and smooths out. That's the first sign the mind is beginning to settle. Our breath-awareness meditation explores this on its own.

2. Sama Vritti: equal breathing

Sama vritti means "equal movement": the inhale and the exhale are the same length. In the video you breathe in for four counts and out for four counts, for six rounds, with no breath holding. If four is too long, use any count that feels comfortable, as long as the two halves stay equal. Then return to natural breathing and notice the state of your mind. (When equal breathing adds holds after the inhale and the exhale, it becomes box breathing.)

3. Nadi Shodhana: alternate nostril breathing, in three stages

Nadi Shodhana means "cleansing the channels". Take the right hand into Vishnu mudra, folding the index and middle fingers into the palm, so the thumb can close the right nostril and the ring finger the left. Rest the other hand on your lap or in chin mudra. Close each nostril lightly, without pressing. As Rasika teaches it, you always begin on the left. One round is: inhale left, exhale right, inhale right, exhale left.

The class builds this up gradually over three sets of three rounds:

1. Natural breath: three rounds at your own pace, with no counting.
2. The 3:6 ratio: inhale for three, exhale for six. Lengthening the exhale relative to the inhale is a simple way to encourage calm.
3. Adding a gentle hold (3:6:6): inhale for three, hold the breath for six, exhale for six. The last round is counted silently.

Rasika is clear that the counts are guides, not targets. If the ratio isn't sustainable, breathe at your own rate. If the hold (kumbhaka) doesn't feel comfortable, stay with the 3:6 breathing without it. Afterwards, release the hand and feel the breath moving through both nostrils.

4. Bhramari: the humming bee breath

The last technique, Bhramari, is especially useful when you feel mentally overstimulated, because it helps draw the attention inward and reduce mental clutter. Close the ears with the thumbs and rest the other fingers on the head. Place the tip of the tongue on the palate just behind the upper front teeth, inhale through the nose, and as you exhale make a steady humming "mmm" sound with the mouth closed, like chanting Om without opening the lips. You do three rounds.

If you're already comfortable with Bhramari, you can try the fuller shanmukhi mudra: the thumbs close the ears, the index and middle fingers rest over the closed eyes, the ring fingers on the outer edges of the nostrils, and the little fingers at the corners of the lips. Beginners can stay with the simpler ear-closing version.

5. Stillness

Finally, sit in silence for at least a minute. This is where you notice the effect, a deeper sense of being centred, before you go back to whatever you were doing.

When to use it

Use it before a work or study session, before meditation, or any time your attention feels scattered. Even the first two steps alone take only a few minutes. For more on timing and duration, see how long you should practise pranayama.

Safety notes

Never force the breath. Pranayama should feel steady and comfortable. If you feel dizzy, light-headed or anxious, stop and breathe normally (see is it normal to feel dizzy during breathing exercises?). Skip the breath retention if you are pregnant or have high blood pressure, a heart condition, or a respiratory condition, unless a qualified teacher or your doctor has advised otherwise. If you have an ear infection, skip closing the ears in Bhramari.