Pingala🔗

Pingala nadi crosses ida nadi at each of the six chakras, the last one being ajna chakra. At Ajna, it goes straight up the sushumna to sahasrara at the crown of the head. Pingala governs the right side of the body. When the breath is predominant in the right nostril, pingala flow is dominant. Pingala predominates during the day hours although ida also flows then. Pingala is associated with the left brain processes which are logic and analysis. Pingala and the left cerebrum enable daytime work and thinking.

Pingala flow controls the annamaya and anandamaya koshas. The awareness in the deepest state of meditation and in samadhi is pingala energy. Physical vitality is pingala energy.

Ida

Ida also originates at the muladhara chakra and crosses pingala at each of the six chakras. Ida flow is associated with right brain processes like visual and intuitive processing. It also stimulates creative, artistic, musical abilities, psychic and extrasensory perception. Ida governs the left side of the body. It gives a calming effect on mind and body and predominates at night. When the breath is predominant in the left nostril, ida flow is dominant.

Sushumna

Sushumna nadi originates from the base of the spine at muladhara chakra and follows a straight path up the spinal column. It represents spiritual awareness. It is the pathway in which the kundalini energy flows. In most people, sushumna nadi is mostly dormant, with no flow or minimal flow till a higher state of evolution or consciousness is reached.

When there are no blockages in ida and pingala, when both the nostrils are flowing equally (they are harmonized), it means sushumna is flowing. When sushumna flows you can meditate without any difficulty. Awakening of sushumna, making sushumna nadi flow, is an most important process which precedes kundalini awakening. When the opposing forces of ida and pingala, the mental and vital sides of the personality meet in perfect harmony, kundalini shakti gets awakened and flows up sushumna to the brain. The entire brain gets activated and new states of consciousness are experienced.

Blocks in the nadis

Blockages in the nadis are energetic blocks which may be caused by the energy of tension, mental patterns, unconscious and subconscious negative thoughts, tamas and rajas. The blockage results in an impedance to the pranic flow forward causing dis-ease in the affected organs and body systems with time.

All hatha yogic practices purify the nadis through pranayama is the main technique. Pranayama purifies at the pranic level, but its effects are reflected in the physical and mental levels. Even if one is unaware of the blocks, regular practice of pranayama clears them up and keeps the pranic circuit flowing freely.