are the main nadis, but in some tantric texts more than 72,000 nadis are cited. They all start from the central channel of the chakras to the periphery, where they gradually become thinner.
“The Sat-Cakra-Narupana, one of the earliest texts on nadis and chakras, explicitly refers to these three main nadis, calling them Sasi, Mihira, Susumna.
“In the space outside the Meru, the right apart from the body placed on the left and the right, are the two Nadis, Sasi and Mihira. The Nadi Susumna, whose substance is the threefold Gunas, is in the middle. She is the form of Moon, Sun, and Fire even water also; Her body, a string of blooming Dhatura flowers, extends from the middle of the Kanda to the Head, and the Vajra inside Her extends, shining, from the Medhra to the Head.
“Sushumna (alternatively known as Susumna) Nadi connects the base chakra to the crown chakra. It is very important in Yoga and Tantra in general. Alternative medicine also refers to Sushumna sometimes. In Raja Yoga or Yoga of Patanjali, when the mind is quietened through Yama, Niyama, Asana and Pranayama the important state of Pratyahara begins. A person entering this state never complains of Dispersion of Mind. This is characterised by observing the movements/jerks in Sushumna, the central canal in the subtle body. The movements indicate the flow of Prana through the central canal and in the process, the sushumna makes the way for the ascent of Kundalini.
“Pingala is associated with solar energy. The word pingala means “tawny” in Sanskrit. Pingala has a sunlike nature and male energy. Its temperature is heating and courses from the left testicle to the right nostril. It corresponds to the river Yamuna. The Ida and Pingala nadis are often seen as referring to the two hemispheres of the brain. Pingala is the extroverted, solar nadi, and corresponds to the left hand side of the brain. Ida is the introverted, lunar nadi, and refers to the right hand side of the brain.
“Ida is associated with lunar energy, though sometimes it is based on solar energy. The word ida means “comfort” in Sanskrit. Idā has a moonlike nature and female energy with a cooling effect. It courses from the right testicle to the left nostril and corresponds to the Ganges River. Ida nadi controls all the mental processes while pingala nadi controls all the vital processes and everything, whatever you needed.”
(For more information, visit the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadi_%28yoga%29. Used under Wikipedia terms: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/.)
Incidentally, one of the key yogic practices is breathing through alternate nostrils, and there is significant scientific evidence that single-nostril breathing has physiological effects primarily on that side of the body. Prana enters the body through the breath and goes to every cell throughout the circulatory system.
In the Ayurvedic system, the seat and activity of Prana are primarily respiration through the nostrils to the heart and from the lungs to the nostrils. Major “divisions” of prana are apana, samana, vyana, and udana.
Apana controls the movement of energy from the navel to the bottom of the feet. It assists in elimination of stool, urine, semen, and menstrual flow. It is also critical for moving the fetus through the birth canal during labor.
Samana is the energetic movement between navel and heart, assisting digestion and assimilation to nourish the entire body. It regulates temperature and the human aura is a reflection of this pranic activity.
Udana is the energy from throat throughout the head. It keeps us erect. If it is out of balance, vomiting and unsteadiness may occur. Udana is essential for speaking and singing, etc., but it is also the energy of our intent!
Vyana energy pervades the entire body, assisting circulation. It coordinates the nervous system, muscular activity, contraction and expansion, balance, and co-ordination.
To some extent, prana is the foundation for virtually all subtle energy. The most basic use of prana as a healing technique is pranayama, which brings prana into the body by controlled breathing. Prana is considered primordial cosmic energy or the cosmic connection to the body, and the Upanishads say that prana is Brahman, which is of course the unique God Force. The techniques of pranayama come from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which, incidentally, is one of my favorite books, particularly the translation by Dr. Daniel Condron. By controlling the motion of the lungs or breath, one can control the prana inside the entire body. Practicing pranayama, one also learns to control the mind because the mind is essentially fastened to prana. Pranayama can be practiced sitting or walking. Sitting in one position, one begins quieting the chitta or idle chatter of the mind. To some extent, the in-breath is considered to be energy from Brahman, the Essence of God, and the out-breath is the realization that only Brahman is real; everything in our experienced world is unreal or a dream. The idle chitta is part of our ego’s attachment to the physical world.
Correct posture is required for successful sitting practice of pranayama. Chest, neck, and head must be in a vertical line. The body should not lean forward or to either side. It is generally practiced by sitting with the legs at least crossed or in the full lotus position. To purify the Self, one gazes at the tip of the nose without looking around. And if one can control the breath and thereby the prana, the mind is also controlled and this can eventually lead one to liberation from the rounds of birth, death, and reincarnation. The practice of pranayama is said to enhance overall health, improve appetite, happiness, beauty, strength, courage, and enthusiasm, as well as overall optimal vigor and vitality of body and mind.
There are numerous exercises that one can practice once one has learned to sit, breathe, and focus properly. For instance, in the alternate nostril breathing exercise described above, close the right nostril with the right ring and little fingers, inhaling slowly through the left nostril, and exhale slowly through that same nostril twelve times. Then close the left nostril and do the same with the right. One is to make no sound during breathing. Gradually, one increases the number to twelve-breath rounds. Once one has been able to do at least three of these twelve-breath rounds bilaterally, one can begin to include other exercises, such as meditating on a single sound, AUM, also spelled OM.
Pranayama can also be practiced walking with the head straight, shoulders back, and chest expanded. You inhale slowly through both nostrils, counting AUM mentally three times, one count for each step. You retain the breath as you count twelve AUMs and then exhale slowly until you count six AUMs, pause and repeat. There are, of course, numerous variations on these themes. Ultimately, the goal is detachment from the illusion of the physical world!
Pranic Healing
Pranic healing begins with an individual mastering control of breath, prana (life energy or life force), as well as various physiological and physical aspects of life. Those who have consistently practiced pranayama can direct their prana across distances to aid in the healing of various diseases. An accomplished practitioner of pranayama is never depleted by distributing prana because the more you breathe prana in and out, the more will flow to you from the cosmic source. If one imagines that cosmic energy is flowing into you through your breath and flowing down your arms, it can be directed out your hands toward another individual. Pranic healing in this form also includes speaking to the cells of the body, such as, “I command you to flow to heal my friend.” You may also repeat AUM while you are passing prana to others. The more you practice with your control of breath, control of posture, control of mind, and concentration, the greater is your ability to practice pranic healing and to direct prana consciously to unhealthy parts of the bodies of others and to your own body as well. To perform distance healing, one must feel a rapport and direct relationship
