“All know that the drop merges into the ocean, but few know that the ocean merges into the drop.”
― Kabir
Sushamna - Atmanism
Talon Abraxas
Nadis: The Energy Rivers of Human Body
A student of the great Indian poet Kabir once asked him, “Kabir, where is God?” His answer was simple: “He is the breath within the breath.
” To understand the profound implications of Kabir’s reply, we need to look beyond the physical components of breath—the oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other molecules that stream in and out with our every inhalation and exhalation. Beyond this breath—yet within it—is prana, the universal vital energy that is quite literally the stuff of life.
For those of us who practice yoga, the challenge is to harness this energy so it can fuel our physical, mental, and spiritual development. To do this, we need to look deeply into the mysteries of the mind and the subtle body.
Fortunately, the early practitioners of Tantra voyaged into this inner landscape, mapping the many ways energy circulates within us. Among their most important discoveries were the Nadis, the vast network of energy channels that makes each individual an integrated, conscious, and vital whole.
The Sanskrit word Nadi derives from the root Nad, which means “flow,” “motion,” or “vibration.” The word itself suggests the fundamental nature of a Nadi: to flow like water, finding the path of least resistance and nourishing everything in its path. The Nadis are our energetic irrigation system; in essence, they keep us alive.
According to many Tantric texts, the human body contains 72,000 Nadis that channel prana to every cell. Some are wide and rushing; others are a mere trickle. When this system flows freely, we are vital and healthy; when it becomes weak or congested, we struggle with poor mental and physical health. The practices of hatha yoga are so effective because they strengthen the flow of prana in our bodies, invigorating the current so that it carries away obstructions that block the free flow of energy.
Because Nadis like the chakras (psychoenergetic power centers), prana, and other aspects of the subtle body—don’t show up under microscopes, medical science has relegated them to the realm of the merely metaphorical. But traditional yogis believe that the subtle body is real and that understanding it and working with it complement and counterbalance the emphasis on gross physical anatomy that predominates our current yoga culture.
Night and Day
Three Nadis are of particular interest to yogis. The Sushumna (most gracious) Nadi is the body’s great river, running from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, passing through each of the seven chakras in its course.
It is the channel through which kundalini shakti (the latent serpent power) —and the higher spiritual consciousness it can fuel—rises up from its origin at the Muladhara (root) chakra to its true home at the Sahasrara (thousand-fold) chakra at the crown of the head. In subtle body terms, the Sushumna nadi is the path to enlightenment.
The ida (comfort) and Pingala (tawny) nadis spiral around the Sushumna nadi like the double helix of our DNA, crossing each other at every chakra. If you visualize the caduceus, the symbol of modern medicine, you’ll get a rough idea of the relationships among the ida, Pingala, and Sushumna nadis. Eventually, all three meet at the Ajna (command) chakra, midway between the eyebrows.
The Ida Nadi begins and ends on the left side of Sushumna. Ida is regarded as the lunar Nadi, cool and nurturing by nature, and is said to control all mental processes and the more feminine aspects of our personality. The color white is used to represent the subtle vibrational quality of Ida. Pingala, the solar Nadi, begins and ends to the right of Sushumna. It is warm and stimulating by nature, controls all vital somatic processes, and oversees the more masculine aspects of our personality. The vibrational quality of Pingala is represented by the color red.
The interaction between Ida and Pingala corresponds to the internal dance between intuition and rationality, consciousness and vital power, and the right and left brain hemispheres. In everyday life, one of these Nadis is always dominant. Although this dominance alternates throughout the day, one nadi tends to be ascendant more often and for longer periods than the other. This results in personality, behavior, and health issues that can be called Ida-like or Pingala-like.
Ida-like individuals have lunar, or nurturing, qualities but may lack the verve to sustain a strong yoga practice. They are full of potential, but unless they develop their Pingala side may never manifest that potential in either worldly affairs or spiritual development. Pingala-like individuals have solar qualities: type A personalities, lots of creativity, abundant vitality. But unless they develop their Ida side, they may lack the quietude, introspection, and receptivity necessary to yield to the grace of spiritual awakening.
Posts about sushumna written by ॐ मानसपुत्री सर्व स्वरूपिणी क्वांटम्सचा नायकेफोरोस एथेना
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