In our Coming Home meditation sessions, we begin with a simple yet profound ritual known as the Nine Purification Breaths—a practice drawn from the ancient Tibetan method of Lung Ro Sel (རླུང་རོ་སེལ་), meaning “clearing the winds.”
It may look like simple alternate nostril breathing at first, but within this practice lies centuries of wisdom designed to awaken clarity, dissolve emotional heaviness, and bring the body, breath, and mind into alignment. It is not just a warm-up—it is the doorway.
A Practice Rooted in Ancient Mind Training
The Nine Purification Breaths are part of the preliminary practices (ngöndro) in Tibetan Buddhism, typically performed before engaging in deeper meditation. These three sets of three breaths correspond to clearing the left, right, and central channels—the energetic pathways in the subtle body that hold emotional and karmic imprints.
- Left channel (Yöndral): Associated with anger and aversion.
- Right channel (Yendral): Associated with attachment and craving.
- Central channel (Uma): The path of clear awareness, where deeper meditation can unfold.
By visualising light entering the body and smoke-like negativity leaving with each exhalation, we symbolically—and energetically—release the clutter that clouds our awareness. The result is a mind that is more stable, a breath that is more spacious, and a body that feels grounded yet light.
Why Begin Here?
In our tradition, we don’t leap straight into silence. We arrive.
These nine breaths serve as the gentle transition from the outer world to the inner landscape. They are a ritual of return—a recalibration of attention. In just a few minutes, the body settles, the breath anchors us, and the mind begins to quieten.
When we bring body, breath, and mind together at the start of meditation, something shifts. We stop chasing thoughts and start observing them. The chaos of the day doesn’t vanish, but it loosens its grip. We remember we are not our thoughts or feelings—we are the sky in which they move.
This clarity is not accidental. It is cultivated, breath by breath.
The Science of Stillness
While rooted in spiritual tradition, this practice is deeply rooted in the somatic experience. In today’s language, we might call it “nervous system regulation.” By focusing on nostril breathing and visual imagery, we activate the parasympathetic response—the body’s natural state of rest and repair. But this is more than a physiological technique; it’s a practice of purification and intention.
Each breath becomes a prayer to begin again.
Each exhale a letting go.
Each inhale an invitation to show up with clarity, courage, and compassion.
How to Practice the Nine Purification Breaths
There are many variations of this ancient practice. In its simplified form, we alternate nostrils using the corresponding hand—left nostril, then right, and finally both together. Each round of breath moves from long and steady to medium, then short, mirroring the gradual clearing of the subtle body. We visualise a luminous white light entering with each inhale, cleansing the body and mind. With each exhale, we release obscurations—first as dark smoke, which gradually lightens—symbolising the transformation of negativity into clarity.
How to Practice:
Sit comfortably with your spine upright and your hands resting gently in your lap.
- Left Channel (Anger / Aversion)
Gently block your right nostril with your right index finger.
Inhale slowly through the left nostril, visualising a cool white light entering and clearing the left channel.
Release the finger and exhale through the right nostril, imagining dark smoke leaving the body—symbolising the release of anger or resistance.
Over three breaths, see the smoke gradually lighten.
Repeat 3 times. - Right Channel (Attachment / Clinging)
Block the left nostril with your left index finger.
Inhale deeply through the right nostril, imagining a warm red light purifying the right channel.
Exhale through the left nostril, releasing attachment or craving as dark smoke, which begins to fade.
Repeat 3 times. - Central Channel (Ignorance / Confusion)
Rest both hands on your knees, palms facing up.
Inhale through both nostrils, drawing a clear radiant light into the central channel from crown to base.
Exhale through both nostrils, dissolving any remaining tension, fogginess, or imbalance as smoke that clears with each breath.
Repeat 3 times.
Finally, sit in stillness for a few moments. Notice the shift—perhaps subtle, perhaps profound—as your body feels lighter and your mind begins to settle into the spacious clarity that prepares you for meditation.
This is how we begin.
From Outer World to Inner Stillness
In a culture obsessed with doing, this practice invites us to be, to clear the energetic slate and start anew. Whether you’re a long-time meditator or just beginning, the Nine Purification Breaths offer an accessible, powerful way to come home to yourself before each practice.
It’s a small act, but it changes everything.
With love,
Claire