Neti: How to do Nose Cleansing - Neti

By Joachim Rodenbeck

How to do Nose Cleansing - Neti

To clean the nose, you use a neti-pot, a small pot with a spout that fits into the nostril and seals it. You fill the pot with luke warm water and dissolve a teaspoon of ordinary salt there in.

Sea salt is unsuitable for nose cleansing. We have repeatedly experienced that people got a strong allergic reaction when they had sea salt in the pot - with ordinary salt, on the other hand, there were no problems. This might be due to the increasing pollution of the seas or a pollen content of the sea water.

The water in the pot now has the same salt concentration as the body (0.9%), and will feel comfortable when it runs through the nose.

Do neti over a sink. Hold the pot in one hand and place the spout against one nostril, so that it fits tightly. Lean forward, breathe relaxed through the mouth and turn the head to one side (see picture). Now the water will flow by itself, in through one nostril and out of the other.

When half of the water has run through one nostril, gently blow out any remaining water and mucus. Then repeat this process in the other nostril.

In the end the nose should be dried. You bend forward and let your head hang loosely down, so that the remaining water can run out of the nose. Close one nostril with the index finger and turn the head alternating from side to side. Blow gently (not forcefully) through one nostril at a time - until the nose is dry. This exercise to dry the nose is an important part of nose cleansing, and should be done thoroughly every time.

After nose cleansing one can benefit from breathing exercises, first of all "The blacksmiths bellows" and "Kapalbhati", they cleanse the lungs and the respiratory passage and supply the blood with more oxygen. As a harmonic conclusion of such a small program, you can do "The alternate nostril breathing" to gain an even better balance and clarity in the brain.

We would be pleased to send you the brochure on neti, free of charge, or you can order neti pots directly from our shop. Please visit http://www.scand-yoga.org for more information.

Breathing Exercises

"Begin by closing the right nostril with the thumb and inhale deeply through the left. Then close the left nostril with the ring finger, open the right and exhale. Inhale again through the right and out through the left ... Breathe slowly, deeply and silently, without any interruption between rounds ..."

Tensions can be held in our muscles and in the way we breathe. In everyday life, we tend not to notice irregularities and unconscious reactions in our breath, because we are accustomed to them. Our muscles and our pattern of breathing store those experiences which have left traces in our unconscious mind.

When we work with the breath, it becomes possible to gradually let go of such tensions - this gives us strength to deal successfully with problems, and energy to leave depression behind. Having had one bad experience in life does not mean that we cannot accomplish anything further.

The bodyÕs finer energy flows are cleared of blockages and inhibitions which hinder the free passage of thoughts and feelings. Such hindrances often dull our senses and are the cause of a troublesome emotional life. We lack the strength and harmony which an ample and evenly distributed energy gives us. We say that a person has a strong and radiant glow. If we stop and think about it, the words reveal that we are speaking of energy; of being present without diminishing ourselves, of being creative and receptive - able to experience and communicate.

Please visit http://www.scand-yoga.org for more information.