Our bodies are amazing machines which have many inbuilt response mechanisms to protect us. In our nostrils for example, have you ever wondered why one nostril is more congested than the other and why this changes over a period of time?
Air passes through the decongested nostril where the air is ‘prepared’ (warmed up, moistened and cleaned) while the congested side is resting. If both nostrils acted together then both would be vulnerable all the time to drying out of the membranes and infection. To protect us our nervous system activates the production of more mucus in one nostril for a period of time so that it processes less air therefore protecting the membrane.
Imbalances in the nostrils can affect the electrical charge of the breath and spine creating a need for compensation in the energy system.
In Touch for Health we refer to this as ionisation and we can use muscle testing to check for an imbalance but I’ll save all of that for another post!
In yoga, ‘Nadi Shodhana’ is the practice of alternate nostril breathing. Nadi is a Sanskrit word meaning “channel” or “flow” and shodhana means “purification.” Nadi Shodhana therefore is a practice aimed purifying or cleansing the main energy channels of the body to bring them into balance.
This yoga nidra that I have recorded for you incorporates a very short Nadi Shodhana practice.
Please make sure you are in a place where you won’t be disturbed and have the following items with you:
- yoga mat or something to lie on for comfort!
- 2 x bed pillows or cushions – for your head and beneath your knees so your lower back can really relax.
- 1 x eye pillow or light scarf to cover your eyes
- 1 or 2 blankets – or something to cover yourself as your body temperature will drop as you relax.
I hope you enjoy it.
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