NETI

(Nasal cleansing with water)

Preparation: A special neti lota, 'neti pot' should be used. The lota may be made of plastic, pottery, brass or any other metal which does not contaminate the water. The nozzle on the end of the spout should fit comfortably into the nostril so that the water does not leak out. Even a teapot may be used if the tip of the spout is not too large or sharp. The water should be at body temperature and thoroughly mixed with salt in the proportion of one teaspoonful per half liter of water. The addition of salt ensures the osmotic pressure of the water is equal to that of the body fluids, thereby minimizing any irritation to the mucus membrane. If a painful or burning sensation is felt it is an indication that there is either too little or too much salt in the water.

Stage I: Washing the nostrils

Fill the neti pot with the prepared salt water. Stand squarely, legs apart, with the body weight evenly distributed between the feet, and lean forward. Close the eyes for a minute or so and relax the whole body. Tilt the head to one side and slightly back. Begin to breathe through the mouth. Gently insert the nozzle into the uppermost nostril. There should be no force involved. The nozzle should press firmly against the side of the nostril so that no water leakage occurs. Tilt the neti pot in such a way that water runs into the nostril and not down the face. Adjust the body position to enable the water to pass out through the other nostril. When half the water has passed through the nostrils, remove the nozzle from the nostril, centre the head and let the water run out of the nose. Remove any mucus from the nose by blowing gently. Tilt the head to the opposite side and repeat the process, placing the nozzle of the lota in the other nostril. After completing this process the nostrils must be thoroughly dried.

Stage 2: Drying the nostrils

1. Stand erect.
Close the right nostril with the right thumb and breathe in and out through the left nostril 5 to 10 times in quick succession,emphasizing exhalation as in kapalbhati pranayama. Repeat through the right nostril, with the left nostril closed. Perform once more through both nostrils.

2. Bend forward from the waist so that the trunk is horizontal. Repeat the same process as described above but tilt the head to the right, closing the right nostril. Repeat again, tilting the head to the left and closing the left nostril. Finally, repeat again with the head centered, breathing through both nostrils.
Practice note: This step helps to drain trapped water from the sinus cavities.

3. Stand erect with the feet apart. Close the right nostril and exhale forcefully while bending forward rapidly from the waist. Inhale normally while returning to the upright position. Repeat 5 to 10 times. Repeat with the right nostril open and then with both nostrils open.

Duration: This practice should take about 5 minutes. Neti may be practiced once daily or as recommended by a yoga teacher or therapist. To relieve severe colds, nasal catarrh or other ailments, it may be performed up to 3 times daily.

Awareness: Physical - on relaxing and positioning the body, making sure no water leaks from the nozzle of the lota, and on relaxed breathing through the mouth, especially for beginners. Spiritual - on ajna chakra.

Sequence: Jala neti is ideally practiced in the morning before Asanas (yoga postures) and pranayamas (breathing exercises). However, if necessary, it may be performed at any time except just after meals.

Precautions: The water should only pass through the nose. If any water enters the throat or mouth it is an indication that the position of the head needs to be adjusted. Make sure that the nose is properly dried after the practice, otherwise the nasal passages may become irritated and manifest the symptoms of a cold. Do not blow the nose too hard as the remaining water may be pushed into the ears. If necessary, perform shashankasana for several minutes.

Contra-indications: Those people who suffer from chronic bleeding in the nose should not do jala neti without expert advice. Those who consistently have great difficulty passing water through the nose may have a structural blockage and should seek expert advice.

Benefits: Jala neti removes mucus and pollution from the nasal passages and sinuses, allowing air to flow without obstruction. It helps prevent and manage respiratory tract diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and pulmonary tuberculosis. It helps to relieve allergies, colds and sinusitis, together with various disorders of the ears, eyes and throat, including myopia, allergic rhinitis, hay fever, certain types of deafness such as glue-ears, tonsillitis and inflammation of the adenoids and mucus membranes. Mouth breathing in children can be reduced by practicing jala neti.
Jala neti relieves muscular tension of the face, nervous tics, and Bell's palsy and helps the practitioner to maintain a fresh and youthful appearance. It has a cooling and soothing influence on the brain and is beneficial in the treatment of epilepsy and migraine. It alleviates anxiety, anger and depression, removes drowsiness and makes the head feel light and fresh.Jala neti stimulates the various nerve endings in the nose, improving the activities of the brain and the overall health of the individual. A balance is brought about between the right and left nostrils and the corresponding left and right brain hemispheres, inducing a state of harmony and balance throughout the body and the systems governing circulation and digestion. Most importantly however, neti helps to awaken ajna chakra.

Practice note: Jala neti may be practiced either in a squatting position or standing with the shoulders and head bent forward. The latter is most suitable for doing neti over a sink while the former may be performed outside. After some practice a full neti lota may be used for each nostril.

Variations: Advanced practitioners may suck water up the nostrils directly from a glass or bowl. This is the original form of this practice and is called usha paan which literally means 'water of the dawn'.

Other liquids are also used by hatha yogis instead of water in the practice of neti. These include warm milk - dugdh neti, warm clarified butter or ghee - ghrita neti, or even yogurt may be used. If oil is used instead of ghee it must be natural and without added chemicals. However, the most powerful form of neti is practiced with urine, amaroli, and is known as swamootra neti. This form is particularly useful for alleviating inflammation of the nasal passages, sinusitis and migraine. Each liquid bestows a different benefit. None of these variations, however, should be attempted unless specifically instructed by the guru or teacher.

SUTRA NETI

Sutra Neti (nasal cleansing with thread)

Preparation: This practice involves passing a length of cotton thread through the nose. Traditionally, a specially prepared cotton thread was used. Several strands were tightly wrapped together and dipped in melted beeswax. The width was about 4 mm and the length 36 to 45 cm.

Nowadays, however, the practice is more conveniently performed by using a thin rubber catheter lubricated with butter or saliva so that it slides easily through the nasal passage. The size of the catheter depends on the individual nasal passage but sizes 4, 5 or 6 are generally suitable.

Technique I: Basic practice

Take any comfortable standing or sitting position, or squat. Relax the whole body. Tilt the head slightly back. Gently and slowly insert the narrow end of the catheter or waxed end of the thread into whichever nostril is flowing more freely. As the thread is inserted twist it so that it enters the nostril easily. Always keep the tip pointing downward towards the floor of the nose. Never push it straight up.

When the thread reaches the back of the throat, insert the index finger and thumb, or the middle and index fingers, into the mouth. Pull the catheter or thread gently and slowly out through the mouth, leaving a few inches of thread hanging out of the nose. This action may cause retching at first but with practice it will become easier. Hold each end of the sutra or catheter with the fingers.

Very slowly and gently pull it backward and forward, no more than 15 times on the first attempt. Remove it slowly through the nose and repeat the process with the opposite nostril.

Technique 2: Advanced practice

After completing technique 1, the thread should be left so that it still passes through one of the nasal passages with one end passing through the mouth and the other through the nostril. Gently insert the waxed end emerging from one nostril into the other nostril and pull the end through the mouth. In the final position both waxed ends emerge from the mouth. Loosen the hard wax at the tip of each end so that the individual strands again become separated. Push the two ends together so that they merge with one another, and twist the thread so that the two ends become joined. If the join is too thick some of the threads may be cut away so the join may pass easily through the nostrils. The thread is now circular. Slowly draw the join into the mouth, progressively sliding the thread through the nostrils. Eventually the join should be located between the entrances to the two nostrils.Disconnect the join. The thread now enters one nostril and emerges from the other; it no longer passes through the mouth. Gently pull the sutra to and fro, a few times only to begin with. If there is the slightest discomfort, stop the practice immediately. Pull one end of the thread and slowly withdraw it from the nose.

(This is an advanced technique which requires the guidance of qualified Yoga teacher)

Breathing: Breathing is performed through the mouth.

Duration: With a catheter the practice takes less than 5 minutes. With a sutra it takes about 10 minutes.
Once every few days or once a week is more than sufficient.

Awareness: Physical - on relaxing the body and moving the catheter or thread smoothly and slowly. Spiritual - on ajna chakra.

Sequence: Sutra neti should be performed before jala neti as the latter will flush out all the impurities and particles in the nose which have been dislodged by sutra neti.

Precautions: Do not use force under any circumstances. The interior of the nose is very delicate and any undue force could cause damage. After persistent attempts, if the thread or catheter will not pass through the nose, consult an experienced yoga teacher. Make sure that the sutra is perfectly clean before inserting it into the nostril. It is best not to try sutra neti until jala neti has been perfected.

Contra-indications: Those people who suffer from chronic bleeding in the nose should not do sutra neti. Anyone with nasal ulcers, polyps and severe malformations of the nasal septum or turbinates should first seek the advice of a yogic or ayurvedic doctor.

Benefits: The benefits are the same as for jala neti. In addition, however, sutra neti can rectify the problem of deviated nasal septum. If one or both nostrils are not flowing freely due either to deformed bone or fleshy outgrowths, the regular friction of sutra neti causes these obstructions to disappear within a few months.

Practice note: Although the catheter is easier and quicker it does not clean the nasal passages as effectively as the cotton thread. Also, the advanced stage of sutra neti is virtually impossible if a catheter is used.

By Swami Satyananda Saraswati

from " Asana Panayama Mudra Bandha"