IMPORTANCE OF NOSTRIL DOMINANCE
A THREAD ON
Ancient Indian Knowledge:
Understanding Energy Channels and Nostril Dominance
A THREAD ON
Ancient Indian Knowledge:
Understanding Energy Channels and Nostril Dominance
The ancient Indian concept of nadis, energy channels within the body, and how they influence our physical and mental state.
The Nadis and Their Significance:
The nadis are streams of energy that radiate throughout the body, with the central axis being the spine.
Thousands of nadis exist, but ten are considered particularly important,
With three of them (Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna) receiving the most focus.
These nadis connect to various bodily functions and influence our state of being.
Within the spine, if you know its physical construction, you will know there are two holes on either side of the spine which are like conduit pipes for all the nerves to pass. This is the Ida and the Pingala, the left and the right channels.
Only when energies enter into Sushumna, life really begins. The Ida and Pingala represent the basic duality in the existence. It is this duality which we traditionally personify as Shiva and Shakti. Or you can simply call it masculine and feminine, or it can be the logical and the intuitive aspect of you. It is based on this that life is created. Without these two dualities, life wouldn’t exist as it does right now.
The Nadis and Their Significance:
The nadis are streams of energy that radiate throughout the body, with the central axis being the spine.
Thousands of nadis exist, but ten are considered particularly important,
With three of them (Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna) receiving the most focus.
These nadis connect to various bodily functions and influence our state of being.
Within the spine, if you know its physical construction, you will know there are two holes on either side of the spine which are like conduit pipes for all the nerves to pass. This is the Ida and the Pingala, the left and the right channels.
Only when energies enter into Sushumna, life really begins. The Ida and Pingala represent the basic duality in the existence. It is this duality which we traditionally personify as Shiva and Shakti. Or you can simply call it masculine and feminine, or it can be the logical and the intuitive aspect of you. It is based on this that life is created. Without these two dualities, life wouldn’t exist as it does right now.
Certain qualities in nature have been identified as masculine.
Certain other qualities have been identified as feminine.
You may be a man, but if your Ida is more pronounced, the feminine may be dominant in you.
You may be a woman, but if your Pingala is more pronounced, the masculine may be dominant in you.
Bringing a balance between the Ida and Pingala will make you effective in the world, it will make you handle life aspects well.
Most people live and die in Ida and Pingala; Sushumna, the central space, remains dormant. But Sushumna is the most significant aspect of human physiology.
Only when energies enter into Sushumna, life really begins.
Vairagya Fundamentally, Sushumna is attribute-less, it has no quality of its own. It is like empty space. If there is empty space, you can create anything you want.
Once energies enter into Sushumna, we say you attain to Vairagya. “Raga,” means color. “Vairag,” means no color, you have become transparent.
If you have become transparent, if what is behind you is red, you turn red too. If what is behind you is blue, you turn blue too. If what is behind you is yellow, you turn yellow too. You are unprejudiced.
Wherever you are, you become a part of that, but nothing sticks to you. Only if you are like this, only if you are in a state of Vairag, then you will dare to explore all dimensions of life when you live here.
Right now, you are reasonably balanced, but if for some reason the outside situation goes crazy, you will also go crazy in reaction to that because that is the nature of Ida and Pingala.
It is reactive to what is outside. But once the energies enter into Sushumna, you attain to a new kind of balance, an inner balance where whatever happens outside, there is a certain space within you which never gets disturbed, which is never in any kind of turmoil, which cannot be touched by the outside situations.
Only if you create this stable situation within yourself, you will dare to scale the peaks of consciousness. this is a article on ancient indian practice and knowledge
Certain other qualities have been identified as feminine.
You may be a man, but if your Ida is more pronounced, the feminine may be dominant in you.
You may be a woman, but if your Pingala is more pronounced, the masculine may be dominant in you.
Bringing a balance between the Ida and Pingala will make you effective in the world, it will make you handle life aspects well.
Most people live and die in Ida and Pingala; Sushumna, the central space, remains dormant. But Sushumna is the most significant aspect of human physiology.
Only when energies enter into Sushumna, life really begins.
Vairagya Fundamentally, Sushumna is attribute-less, it has no quality of its own. It is like empty space. If there is empty space, you can create anything you want.
Once energies enter into Sushumna, we say you attain to Vairagya. “Raga,” means color. “Vairag,” means no color, you have become transparent.
If you have become transparent, if what is behind you is red, you turn red too. If what is behind you is blue, you turn blue too. If what is behind you is yellow, you turn yellow too. You are unprejudiced.
Wherever you are, you become a part of that, but nothing sticks to you. Only if you are like this, only if you are in a state of Vairag, then you will dare to explore all dimensions of life when you live here.
Right now, you are reasonably balanced, but if for some reason the outside situation goes crazy, you will also go crazy in reaction to that because that is the nature of Ida and Pingala.
It is reactive to what is outside. But once the energies enter into Sushumna, you attain to a new kind of balance, an inner balance where whatever happens outside, there is a certain space within you which never gets disturbed, which is never in any kind of turmoil, which cannot be touched by the outside situations.
Only if you create this stable situation within yourself, you will dare to scale the peaks of consciousness. this is a article on ancient indian practice and knowledge
Svarodaya and the Role of Nostrils:
Svarodaya, a branch of yoga, studies the flow of energy (svara) within the nadis.
By observing the breath in each nostril, we can gain insights into the dominant nadi and its associated energy.
The right nostril (pingala) relates to masculine energy,
While the left nostril (ida) relates to feminine energy.
Equal flow in both nostrils signifies a balanced state, ideal for meditation but not everyday activities.
The Nasal Cycle and Its Impact:
Yogis discovered the natural cycle of nostril dominance, where each nostril becomes active for roughly an hour.
Certain activities can influence this cycle, and awareness of these shifts can help us understand our internal energy flow.
Svarodaya, a branch of yoga, studies the flow of energy (svara) within the nadis.
By observing the breath in each nostril, we can gain insights into the dominant nadi and its associated energy.
The right nostril (pingala) relates to masculine energy,
While the left nostril (ida) relates to feminine energy.
Equal flow in both nostrils signifies a balanced state, ideal for meditation but not everyday activities.
The Nasal Cycle and Its Impact:
Yogis discovered the natural cycle of nostril dominance, where each nostril becomes active for roughly an hour.
Certain activities can influence this cycle, and awareness of these shifts can help us understand our internal energy flow.
Techniques for Self-Exploration:
A simple "cold mirror" technique to measure nostril dominance at home.
Simply hold the straight edge of a pocket mirror against your septum and gently exhale. When you examine the mirror, you will notice two puffs of condensation, one from each nostril. (The mirror must be cooler than your breath for condensation to form.) The puff that takes the longest to evaporate came from the dominant nostril.
It encourages experimentation to observe how daily activities and positions affect nostril dominance.
By observing these connections, we gain valuable self-awareness and can potentially influence our energy flow.
Profound Insights from External Sources:
Modern science acknowledges the role of the autonomic nervous system, which can be linked to the concepts of Ida and Pingala.
The sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response) aligns with masculine energy, while the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest) aligns with feminine energy.
Meditation practices can help activate the prefrontal cortex, a region associated with higher-order thinking and emotional regulation. This aligns with the concept of Sushumna and its role in achieving inner balance.
A simple "cold mirror" technique to measure nostril dominance at home.
Simply hold the straight edge of a pocket mirror against your septum and gently exhale. When you examine the mirror, you will notice two puffs of condensation, one from each nostril. (The mirror must be cooler than your breath for condensation to form.) The puff that takes the longest to evaporate came from the dominant nostril.
It encourages experimentation to observe how daily activities and positions affect nostril dominance.
By observing these connections, we gain valuable self-awareness and can potentially influence our energy flow.
Profound Insights from External Sources:
Modern science acknowledges the role of the autonomic nervous system, which can be linked to the concepts of Ida and Pingala.
The sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response) aligns with masculine energy, while the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest) aligns with feminine energy.
Meditation practices can help activate the prefrontal cortex, a region associated with higher-order thinking and emotional regulation. This aligns with the concept of Sushumna and its role in achieving inner balance.
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