According to the renowned Hatha Yoga Pradipika text, life radiates within us in streams of energy. The vital life force this called prana, and the streams through which it flow are energy channels called nadis. In Sanskrit, nadi can be translated either as tube, channel, or flow. Nadis are the network of channels that allow prana to flow throughout our bodies.
How Many Nadis Are There?
Generally, it is said that there are 72,000 nadis, however it has been said that there are up to 300,000 nadis. I was taught that there was 72,000 nadis myself, so that is the figure I am most comfortable with. Out of the 72,000 nadis, there are 10 that are most notable that are paired with the “holes” in our body, from our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and moving down on south. That totals in 9, however the tenth is the center channel, main nadi, sushumna that actually terminates in-between our two nostrils.
The Three Major Nadis
The most important of the nadis, are the nadis that terminate in our left and right nostril, as well as the center channel nadi that ends in between these two nostrils. To imagine how these three energy channels flow, picture a strand of DNA. There is a center channel, sushumna, which goes in-between the two weaving other energetic channels. These three channels are the central or core network of the entire 72,000 nadi system. Think of it like the trunk of a tree, from which all the other branches flow out from.
The left channel is named Ida, and begins at the root chakra and weaves in and out of the chakras before terminating at the left nostril.
The right channel is named Pingala and begins at the root chakra and weaves in and out of the chakras, absolutely mirroring Ida, before ending at the right nostril.
The sushumna is the central channel, that runs along the spine. It begins just below the root chakra and finishes at the point between the two nostrils.
The Qualities of Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna
Ida (Left Channel): Feminine, Moon, Introspective, Self-Reflection, Artistic, Cold, Passive, Receptive, Restful, Inward-Oriented, Sensitivity
Pingala (Right Channel): Masculine, Sun, Active, Logic, Heat, Strength, Determination
Sushumna (Center Channel): Consciousness, Psychological Balance, State of Self-Observation, Wisdom
What Can I Learn from My Nostrils?
Essentially, if you notice that one of your nostrils is blocked or is harder to breath through, you are experiencing a decrease in one of your major nadi channels. You might want to pay attention to this as it is the easiest way to observe the subtle activity of energy flowing through the nadis.
Let’s say your left nostril is more blocked than your right, this means that you are not very inward oriented or receptive right now. With this realization, it may steer you towards a different activity for that part of the day, or to wait to have a conversation until later. Paying attention to your nostril dominance is a wonderful way to get in touch with your inner world.
Prana cannot flow when a nadi is blocked. When a nadi is blocked, this can also negatively impact your health, from a physical ailment to simple shoulder tension.
However, In yoga, there is a pranayama technique called nadi shodhana which is alternative nostril breathing that is a tool to balance energy flowing through the Ida and the Pingala. Nadi shodhana, yoga, and chanting are all tools to help get the nadis free from blocks so prana can move freely throughout the body.
A Little Side Note About The Nadis…
If you were curious, the nadis can indeed be compared to the meridians found in Chinese acupuncture.
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