A STUDY OF THE PATTERN OF NASAL DOMINANCE WITH

REFERENCE TO DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE LUNAR CYCLE

Yogacharya Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI

Chairman ICYER and Yoganjali Natyalayam, Pondicherry
Website: www.rishiculture.org Email: ananda@icyer.com

INTRODUCTION
The nasal cycle is an ultradian rhythm of nasal congestion and decongestion with a
quasi-periodicity of 60 to 240 minutes that is dependent upon the tonic activity of
the limbic autonomic nervous system, levels of circulating catecolamines and other
neuro-hormones. Keyser is credited with the first formal description and use of the
term nasal cycle in 1895 but the concept of the nasal cycle and an understanding of
its role in daily activities had existed for long before in Indian thought.
The Vedic science of understanding the nasal cycle and its applications is known as
Swarodaya Vigjnan (Swara = sonorous sound produced by the airflow through
the nostrils in the nasal cycle, Udaya = functioning state, and Vigjnan =
knowledge). The Shivaswarodaya, an ancient Yogic treatise advises the Sadhak to
undertake quieter, passive activities (Soumya Karya) when the left nostril flow is
dominant (Ida / Chandra Swara) and to engage in challenging or exertional
activities (Roudra Karya) when right nostril is dominant (Pingala / Surya Swara). It
also advises relaxation or meditation when bilateral nasal flow is operational
(Sushumna Swara) as it is considered unsuitable for worldly activities. Yogic texts
describe the Ida Swara (left nostril dominance) as feminine, Shakti and moon-like
(Chandra) whereas the Pingala Swara (right nostril dominance) is described as
masculine, Shiva and sun-like (Surya).
The Shivaswarodaya as well as textbooks of Swara Yoga (Charandas, 1954;
Kannan, 1967; Gautam, 1975) describe a definite pattern of breathing in a healthy
person on each day of the month at sunrise. It is said that on days
1,2,3,7,8,9,13,14,15 of the bright fortnight (the two weeks after full moon), the
breath is to flow predominantly in the left nostril at sunrise and on days
4,5,6,10,11,12 it is to flow in the right nostril at sunrise. Similarly, on days
1,2,3,7,8,9,13,14,15 of the dark fortnight (the two weeks after the new moon), the
breath is to flow predominantly in the right nostril at sunrise and on days
4,5,6,10,11,12 it is to flow in the left nostril at sunrise.
An earlier preliminary study by Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri conducted
on Sadhakas undergoing Yoga Training at Ananda Ashram, (ICYER), Pondicherry
had reported a definite relationship between the lunar phases and Swara (nasal
dominance) pattern.
As this interesting aspect of Yoga merits further investigation, the author undertook
this study to determine whether there exists a pattern of nasal dominance on
different days of the month and whether this pattern is related to the different
phases of the moon.

METHODS
Eight Sadhakas undergoing the six-month intensive, full time, residential yoga
training at Ananda Ashram, ICYER, Pondicherry were recruited for the study. They
had already completed three months of the training at the start of the study. The
group consisted of three ladies and five men. Three of the subjects were Indians
where as the others were from Spain, Switzerland, Ireland and Canada.
They were explained the nature of the study and taught to determine their own
nasal dominance by checking the flow of air through their nostrils. They were then
asked to determine their own nasal dominance everyday at sunrise before the yoga
class and maintain a diary for the purpose. They were asked to note the dominance
in percentage values such as 60-40, 70-30 and also any other findings such as
excess mucous etc. The days having equal flow in both nostrils were recorded as
indeterminate days.
The recordings were started on the day after the new moon (Amavasi) and
continued up to the next new moon. An almanac was used to determine the exact
timing of the moon phases for the recordings. At the end of the one lunar cycle of
new moon to new moon the diaries were collected and data tabulated for analysis.
The group recording for each day was tabulated as the nostril that was dominant
for a majority of subjects at sunrise on the particular day. The pattern was recorded
as indeterminate when there were an equal number of subjects with right and left
dominance and no group was in a majority.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Analysis of data showed that there was a change in nostril dominance of the
individuals as well as the group as a whole from day to day during the period of
study. The pattern of nasal dominance for the group however matched the
traditional pattern only on 14 days while it was in the opposite flow on 13 days.
Nasal dominance of the group couldn’t be determined on 3 days as both subjects
having right dominance and those having left dominance were in equal number.
An interesting observation is that on both the new moon and full moon days, the
pattern of nasal dominance followed the traditional pattern. The majority of
subjects (7:1) were left nostril dominant on the full moon while on the day of the
new moon the majority (4:3) were right dominant. This suggests that though the
effect of the lunar cycle on nasal dominance may not be as powerful as in ancient
times, lunar effect on the nasal pattern is still powerful enough to at least cause
changes on the days of the full moon and new moon.
Analysis of the sub groups brought out some interesting findings. In the male
subjects the observed pattern matched the traditional pattern on 16 days whereas
in female subjects it matched only on 7 days. The pattern was indeterminate on 8
days in females subjects where as it was indeterminate in male subjects on only 4
days. Further studies may help to determine if gonadal hormones (testosterone in
males and estrogen and progesterone in females) have any role to play in this type
of differential effect of the lunar cycle. Relationship of the menstrual cycle to the
nasal pattern is also another aspect that needs to be studied further to develop a
greater understanding of this effect.
The most interesting observation was that the patterns in the Indian subjects
matched the traditional pattern on 17 days while the patterns in the western
subjects only matched on 8 days. The number of days that were indeterminate was
also more in the western subjects who had 9 such days as opposed to the Indian
subjects who had only 3 indeterminate days. It is postulated that as the Indian
lifestyle and environment in spite of modernization is still more in tune with nature
than the western lifestyle and environment, the Indian subjects were more
sensitive to the changes of nature such as the lunar cycle. It is also possible that as
the study was conducted in Indian conditions that they were more “at home” in the
natural environment than the western subjects despite being in India for more than
three months. The western lifestyle and environment is far removed from nature in
many ways and this may make the western subjects less sensitive to the subtle
effects of the natural cycles. Even though modern India is traveling away from
nature at a breakneck speed, the culture and traditions are so ingrained in the very
genes of all Indians that they seem to be more responsive to these subtle
influences of nature.
As modern man has deviated from the natural way of life and lives in an unnatural
cocoon, the effect of these natural cycles may not be as apparent as in the ancient
days. This is well brought out in the group results where the number of days in tune
with traditional pattern was equal to the days that were out of synchrony. This is
also well depicted by the results of the western subjects as well as the female
subjects who were all westerners. The Indian subjects who were also male, had the
most synchronicity with nature and this may be attributed to the living traditions of
India that are in tune with nature. However the effect of the moon seems to be still
strong enough at new moon and full moon to bring about a change in the pattern in
 tune with the traditionally described pattern. Modern man seems to be responsive
only to the extremes of nature and not to the subtleties.
Further studies may help to understand the physiological and psychological basis of
these effects and also shed more light on the relationship of gonadal hormones and
the menstrual cycle on the nasal cycle.

Table I: Traditionally described pattern of nasal dominance and comparison with majority
of subjects during one lunar cycle from new moon to new moon

Pattern in Pattern in Pattern in

Pattern in Pattern in
Lunar Traditional female Indian non Indian
whole group male subjects
phase pattern subjects Subjects Subjects
(n = 8) (n = 5)
(n = 3) (n = 3) (n = 5)
New Left Left
Right Right Right Right
Moon
2 Right Right Right Right Right Right
3 Right Left Left Right Left Equal
4 Left Left Left Equal Left Equal
5 Left Right Left Equal Left Equal
6 Left Left Left Equal Left Equal
7 Right Left Left Equal Left Equal
8 Right Left Equal Left Right Left
9 Right Right Right Right Right Right
10 Left Right Right Right Right Right
11 Left Left Left Equal Left Left
12 Left Left Equal Left Right Left
13 Right Left Left Left Right Left
14 Right Equal Right Left Right Left
15 Right Left Equal Right Right Equal
Full
Left Left Left Left Left Left
moon
2 Left Right Right Right Right Right
3 Left Left Left Equal Equal Equal
4 Right Left Right Left Left Left
5 Right Right Right Left Right Right
6 Right Right Right Equal Right Equal
7 Left Right Right Right Right Right
8 Left Right Right Right Right Right
9 Left Right Right Right Right Right
10 Right Right Right Left Right Right
11 Right Left Left Left Equal Left
12 Right Equal Right Left Equal Left
13 Left Left Left Right Left Equal
14 Left Left Right Left Right Left
15 Left Equal Equal Equal Left Right
New
moon
Table II: Correlation of traditional pattern and recorded patterns of nasal dominance in different
sub groups of the subjects during one lunar cycle

Correlation of Total group Males Females Indian Non Indian

finding (n = 8) (n = 5) (n = 3) (n = 3) (n = 5)

Yes 14 16 7 17 8

No 13 10 15 10 13

Indeterminate 3 4 8 3 9

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author gratefully acknowledges the support, guidance and constructive criticism
of Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Director ICYER as well as the excellent
cooperation extended by all the subjects towards this study. The study would not
have been possible without the blessings of Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri
Guru Maharaj who continues to guide us all on the path.

REFERENCES
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2. Gitananda Swami. Some preliminary observations on the nasal cycle and its
relation to the lunar phase. Yoga Life 2001; Oct (10): 12-13.
3. Keuning J. On the nasal cycle. Rhinol Int 1968; 6:99-136.
4. Rakesh Giri, Ganesh Shankar. Swara Yoga - an introduction and its
applications. Nisargopachar Varta 2001; January: 18-20.