प्राणायामprāṇāyāma
Pranayama breathing timer
Updated October 16, 2026 · sources checked October 16, 2026
In short
This free breathing timer guides you phase by phase: box breathing (four equal phases), the 4-7-8 rhythm (in for four, hold for seven, out for eight) or alternate nostril breathing. Choose the practice, the seconds per phase and the number of rounds, then press Start. Nothing is sent or stored.
Listen: Nadi shodhana — short guided extract
Free to listen, no sign-up. The complete guided audio comes with the book Pranayama: The Breath Manual.
Keyboard: Space plays or pauses, the arrow keys move 10 seconds.
Chapters
Guided audio narrated with a synthetic voice (ElevenLabs). Sanskrit recitation checked line by line.
Read the transcript
Nāḍī śodhana, the alternate nostril breath. A guided practice, without retention.
Bring the right hand to the face in Viṣṇu mudrā: fold the index and middle fingers into the palm. The thumb will close the right nostril; the ring finger, with the little finger resting beside it, will close the left. Press gently on the soft side of the nose, just below the bony bridge. Keep the elbow relaxed and dropped. The left hand rests on the knee.
For a moment, breathe naturally. Slow, even, silent. The air should barely move the hairs in the nostril.
Now the alternation. One round is: in through the left, out through the right, in through the right, out through the left. I will count four for each phase. Bring the hand back. Close the right nostril, and breathe out fully through the left.
In, left.
Three.
Four.
Out, right.
Three.
Four.
In, right.
Three.
Four.
Out, left.
Three.
Four.
In, left.
Three.
Four.
Out, right.
Three.
Four.
In, right.
Three.
Four.
Out, left.
Three.
Four.
In, left.
Three.
Four.
Out, right.
Three.
Four.
In, right.
Three.
Four.
Out, left.
Three.
Four.
Continue on your own, at the same pace. I will only name the side.
In, left.
Out, right.
In, right.
Out, left.
Release the hand. Let the breath return to its natural rhythm. Notice the two nostrils, the quiet of the mind, without changing anything.
This was a short extract of the guided practices that accompany the Pranayama Manual, on yogide.com.
How to use it
- Sit upright, on a cushion or a chair, shoulders relaxed.
- Choose the practice and a rhythm that feels easy: four seconds per phase is a good start.
- Follow the circle: it grows as you breathe in and settles as you breathe out.
- For nadi shodhana, the timer tells you which nostril to use.
- When the rounds are over, sit quietly for a moment before getting up.
Where these rhythms come from
Alternate nostril breathing is described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (2.7 to 2.10). Box breathing and the 4-7-8 rhythm are modern counting patterns, not classical prāṇāyāma; they are offered here because many beginners find counting helpful.
Sources
- The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, translated by Pancham Sinh (Allahabad, Panini Office, 1914), Internet Archive checked October 16, 2026
- Yoga: What You Need To Know — National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH) checked October 16, 2026