My balance article last month (about our physical balance during a yoga class) led me to think about deeper levels of balancing. Centering and balancing the energies is one of the main intents and benefits of yoga. This affects the gross, physical body (regulating the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system), and more importantly, the subtle body.
"Nad" means movement. In yoga, nadis are the channels of energy carrying our Prana (life force) through the body, connecting at the chakras. The following three nadis are said to be the most important:
Sushumna Nadi is the column of energy which runs along the center of the spinal column.
The Ida Nadi starts to the left of Sushumna, is activated by breath in the left nostril, and stimulates the right side of the brain. White is the suble color used to represent its feminine, lunar qualities. The cool moon is the passive energy of Ida. It is said to control mental processes.
The Pingala Nadi starts to the right of Sushumna, is activated by breath in the right nostril and stimulates the left side of the brain. It is purifying like Ida Nadi, but also cleansing like fire. The sun is the active energy of Pingala. Red is the vibrational color that represents its male energy, adding vitality, physical strength and efficiency. Pingala controls the vital somatic processes.
Visualizing the DNA helix is a good way to imagine the spirals of Ida and Pingala, with Sushumna Nadi as the middle line.
There is a natural transition between Ida and Pingala from time to time during the day. When breath and energy feel stuck in either Ida or Pingala for a period of time, breath balancing practices can balance Ida and Pingala, allowing them to flow evenly. Nadi shodhana (literally translated as "channel clearing") a.k.a. 'alternate nostril breathing' is one of the best Nadi balancing pranayamas.
If you have a cold, or want to try a different challenge, you can practice nadi shodhana without the assistance of the hands. Notice just with your mind which nostril is flowing more, and which is flowing less freely. By focusing attention on the closed or less open nostril, it will gradually open, bringing an increased feeling of balance and calm.
Though we usually have busy lives and days, tapping into the energy of Ida and Pingala can be helpful in relation to your yoga practice. If you notice that Pingala feels more dominant, this can be a better time to do a more active practice. When Ida is predominant, more quiet or restorative asanas might be more beneficial.
In class, savasana usually ends by rolling to the right side before coming up to sukasana (easy seat). There are a few reasons for this:
In energy terms, rolling to the right keeps Ida active, encouraging a more receptive, open, and creative state.
Physiologically, since the heart is on the left, when you roll to the right there's less pressure on your heart.
Finally, there's the practical and aesthetic reasons: when everybody rolls to the right there's less chance of crashing into the person next to you! And when everybody rolls in the same direction, a nice wave of energy flows through the room.
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"Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat.
My shoulder is against yours.
You will not find me in stupas, not in Indian shrine rooms nor synagogues, nor in cathedrals:
Not in masses, nor kirtan, not in legs winding around your own neck,
nor in eating nothing but vegetables.
When you really look for me, you will see me instantly.
You will find me in the tiniest house of time.
Kabir says: Student, tell me, what is God?
He is the breath inside of breath."
~ The Kabir Book translated by Robert Bly
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