daily routines and wellness
What is anuloma viloma and how does it differ from nadi shodhana pranayama?
What the tradition says about both practices
Both practices belong to pranayama, the branch of yoga that works with the breath. The idea behind both is the same. The body is said to have two main energy channels running on either side of the spine. One, called ida, is linked to the left nostril and a cooling, calming quality. The other, called pingala, is linked to the right nostril and a warming, active quality. Alternate nostril breathing is meant to balance these two channels and bring the mind to a steady, clear state.
Where they are the same
In both practices, the breath moves in through one nostril and out through the other, alternating side to side. The hand position is the same. The goal of balancing ida and pingala is the same. Many teachers use the two names interchangeably, and in everyday yoga classes the distinction is often not made at all. This is why people often ask whether they are the same thing.
Where they differ
The difference that yoga texts point to is breath retention, known as kumbhaka. In anuloma viloma, the breath flows in and out without any pause. It is a continuous, rhythmic movement between the nostrils. In nadi shodhana, a pause is added after the inhale, sometimes after the exhale too. This held breath is the kumbhaka. Texts in the Hatha Yoga tradition treat kumbhaka as a more advanced step, something added once the basic alternate nostril pattern feels steady. So nadi shodhana, in this reading, is the fuller and more advanced form of the same practice. That said, different teachers and different traditions draw this line differently. Some use the names the other way around, and some treat them as fully interchangeable. There is no single agreed definition across all schools.
How people practice today
In most modern yoga classes, especially outside India, the two names are used loosely. A beginner is usually taught the continuous alternate nostril breath first, without retention. Breath retention is introduced later, if at all. Some teachers call the beginner version anuloma viloma and the fuller version nadi shodhana. Others do the opposite. The safest approach, if the distinction matters to you, is to ask the teacher which version they mean. The underlying practice, breathing slowly and evenly through alternate nostrils, is the same either way.