Hatha Yoga prescribes certain home therapies for maintaining a healthy respiratory system; Neti being one of the six purification systems of Hatha Yoga. Cleaning of the nasal passage to get rid of mucous, bacteria and to ease allergies and asthmas of some types is recommended via several different methods. You may have heard of Sutra Neti or Jal Neti – both are methods of cleaning the nasal passage. Today we look at Jal Neti – what it is, its benefits and how to perform Jal Neti. Sutra Neti is more advanced so we will look at that in my next post.
Jal Neti for nasal cleansing
Jal Neti has become quite popular in many western countries, especially among yogis who want to use natural, holistic therapies for dealing with common colds, allergies and some types of asthma. Jal of course is water and neti or niti refers to a prescribed system or process.
Jal Neti, also known as nasal irrigation, requires the passage of water from the each of the nostrils, via the nasal passage and out from the other nostril or the mouth. This stream of water dislodges mucous, flushes away bacteria and clears the sinuses. It is thought that Jal Neti also helps in easing headaches and can restore sense of smell and therefore taste in some cases. It is also believed to help improve eyesight. At a spiritual level the Neti kriyas are thought to help in advanced meditation because of the way they impact the psychic chakra (Ajna Chakra).
How to perform Jal Neti
Sterilized warm water with isotonic salt added to it is used for Jal Neti –ideally a proportion of one tea spoon to half a litre of water is ideal. This will taste less salty than sea water; more or less like the taste of our tears. A kettle-like pot with a spout, usually made from copper, steel or ceramic is used to pour the water for this kriya. Water is placed in the pot and then poured via the spout into the nostril while tilting the head sideways at an angle so that the water enters the nasal passage. The water will pass through and come out of the other nostril. The same process is then repeated via the other nostril. While doing the kriya, remember to breathe calmly through the mouth. After the kriya, blow your nose to remove any remnant water, followed by about 30 Kapalbhati movements.
You can also sniff the water into the nostril while tilting the head back so that the water then comes out of the mouth, which is then to be spat out. Once these types of Jal Neti are mastered, it is also possible to perform the kriya in reverse so that water is taken in via the mouth and snorted out via the nostrils.
Jal Neti – some precautions
Rather than trying it by yourself it may be best to learn now exactly to perform Jal Neti from a practicing yogi so that you know about the correct angle to tilt the head, the right balance or ratio of salt to water to use and so on. Not using sterilized water or using the wrong angle could cause discomfort or even in cases, infection. So it is best to follow the tutelage of someone experienced to get the best benefits of Jala Neti.
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