Nadis of Yoga

According to ancient texts, the body has 72,000 nadis (channels) that extend from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head, encompassing all physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual realities. The nadis carry prana (the life force), which enters the body through breath, what we ingest, and our senses. Additionally, it embodies Atman (the soul) and is the home of Shakti, the cosmic energy of all creation and existence. 

In our yoga practices, especially pranayama (breath awareness), the three main nadis we access are Sushumna (the main channel of the spine), Ida (the right hemisphere), and Pingala (the left hemisphere).

Sushumna is the central channel of the causal body located in the spine. The nadis, Ida and Pingala, weave in and out of Sushumna through the seven energy centers (Chakras): crown, third eye, throat, heart, digestion, reproduction, and base chakras. Yogically, it is believed that awareness, balance, and enlightenment are achieved when the kundalini energy is awakened at the base of the spine, entering Sushumna and ascending through the chakras, leading to Samadhi (bliss).

The brain is divided into two hemispheres: the left side is Pingala, and the right side is Ida.  Physiologically, Ida and Pingala represent the two states of the autonomic nervous system- sympathetic and parasympathetic- embodying the duality of activity and rest.

Pingala’s qualities are solar, heating, masculine, extroverted, dynamic, and logical. It is linked to the sympathetic nervous system and biological functions on the right side and affects heart rate, circulation, digestion, respiration, and metabolism.

Ida's qualities are cooling, feminine, creative, emotional, and calming. It is associated with the parasympathetic nervous system, which signals the body to relax and rest and regulates the left side's biological processes and emotional and mental functions.

The left nostril connects to the right brain (Ida), while the right nostril connects to the left brain (Pingala). Ida becomes active when the left nostril and right brain are dominant. In contrast, Pingala is active when the right nostril and left brain take precedence.  These pathways can be manipulated during pranayama (breath practices) through the choreographed opening and closing of the nostrils, creating specific movements of energy through these pathways that ultimately bring prana into Sushumna, fostering balance and harmony, which can be used to achieve medicinal effects.