As a child, I suffered from a lot of minor health issues from tonsillitis to stomach troubles. Well and after trying many many super specialists in mainstream medicine who advised surgery as the only solution for my constant tonsillitis and cold and cough my parents finally took me to a homeopathic doctor who I recently came to know is a Reiki Master too.
He took it up as a challenge to cure me and well within about 6 months of my treatment I was perfectly alright. Only one thing I remembered as a part of the discussion with us was he said she has Nadi imbalance causing the problem. He said he’ll take care of all of it through his homeopathic medicines and healings.
Months passed and turned into years and as an adult, I was drawn to Reiki eventually becoming a Usui Reiki Grandmaster. Once while having a meaningful conversation with my Reiki Master in 2015 she introduced me to the concept of Nadis. Since then I researched it, discussed with other fellows Reiki Masters and have prepared a detail tabular study for anyone and everyone who wishes to know about Nadis.
What are these Nadis and how do they influence?
The word Nadi comes from Sanskrit word meaning stream. Nadis are the astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry psychic currents. The Sanskrit term ‘Nadi’ comes from the root ‘Nad’ which means ‘motion’.
There are many Nadis in the human body. Different authors state the number of Nadis in different ways. Many theories even say the presence of 16108 Nadis. The ancient Hindu mythology talks about Lord Krishna who had 16108 wives – which in fact is a metaphor for Krishna(Consciousness) to have 16108 wives(energy channels). Theories also talk about 72000 to 350000 Nadis in human subtle body or energy body of which there are 14 primary ones. Note that these Nadis are not visible to a naked eye as they are part of subtle energy body (sukshma deha) and not physical body (sthoola deha)
The 14 chief Nadis
1. Sushumna
2. Ida
3. Pingala
4. Gandhari
5. Hastajihva
6. Kuhu
7. Saraswati
8. Pusha
9. Sankhini
10. Payasvini
11. Varuni
12. Alambusha
13. Vishvodhara
14. Yasasvini
3 Primary Nadis
The 3 primary Nadis are Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna. All 3 originate at the Root chakra or Muladhara – the place where they originate is called the Kanda. Then Ida begins its course from left alternating its route to right and left at each chakra – whereas Pingala begins its course at right alternating left and right at each chakra. Sushumna, on the other hand, goes straight up the spine.
Within Sushumna are secondary Nadis – Vajra and Chitrini and within Chitrini is the Bramhanadi the conduit for Kundalini. It is said that Kundalini the serpent Goddess resides and sleeps on the Root chakra. However many times Sushumna is also addressed as the Bramhanadi.
Ida and Pingala indicate time, the past and the future respectively. Sushumna is the destroyer of time. It is the present moment and it is timeless.
Let us know their details from the tabular representation below:
Ida | Pingala | Sushumna | |
Location | Left of spine | Right of spine | Central straight running through the spinal channel and through each of the chakras |
Alternative names | Shashi or lunar channel or Chandra Nadi |
Mihira or solar channel or Surya Nadi |
Absolute channel or Bramha Nadi |
Meaning | Comfort | Tawny or Tanned or Golden |
Joyful or gracious |
Nature or Temperament | Introverted and calm | Extroverted or active | Balanced |
Brain | Right side of the brain | Left side of brain | Both sides |
Body Side | Left side of the body | Right side of body | Central |
Corresponding River | Ganges | Yamuna | Saraswati |
Course Begins | Left of Muladhara | Right of Muladhara | At center of Muladhara or base |
Course ends | Left nostril | Right nostril | Crown Chakra |
Temperature | Cooling | Heating | Salvation or enlightenment |
Energy | Feminine Energy | Masculine Energy | Neutral |
Colors | White or Cool colors | Red or Warm colors | Colourless |
Controlling functions | Controls all mental processes thus calming the mind and relaxing the body. Its function is cooling (tamas), inertia. | Control essential life processes and imparts vitality efficiency and strength. Its function is burning (rajas), action | Its function is Agni, Fire (sattva), illumination |
Temperament | Nurturing and Creativity | Vigour and Vitality | Enlightenment |
Time indication | Past | Future | Present – timeless |
As Sadguru says “Fundamentally, Sushumna is attribute-less, it has no quality of its own. It is like empty space. If there is empty space, you can create anything you want”
The Journey
- Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna all 3 originate at the Root or Muladhara chakra – thus it is the meeting place of the three main Nadis and is known as Yukta Triveni
- From the Root chakra, Ida and Pingala alternate from the right to left sides meeting and crossing each other and mirroring each other at each chakra until they reach Third Eye or the Ajna chakra where they meet Sushumna Nadi
- At the third eye or Ajna chakra, the meeting of the three main Nadis is called Mukta Triveni
- Continuing beyond Ajna chakra, Ida and Pingala end in the left and right nostrils respectively
- Sushumna travels till the Crown chakra or Sahasrara and terminates there
What happens when Nadis are imbalanced
If Pingala flows, the body will be restless; if Ida flows, the mind will be overactive. Both Nadis mirror each other temperaments and extremity can lead to what we call as polarity. The key is to balance both Nadis to get an equilibrium in life.
As quoted by Sivananda: The breath flows through the right nostril for one hour and then through the left nostril for one hour. Man is busily engaged in worldly activities when the breath flows through Ida and Pingala. When Sushumna operates, he becomes dead to the world and enters into Samadhi.
How to balance Nadis
- Pranayama :
Alternate Nostril breathing can help balancing both the Nadis. Yoga calls this practice as Anuloma Vilom or Nadi Shuddhi. Anulom Vilom or alternate nostril breathing is effective in balancing both Nadis (Caution: Anulom Vilom to be done only under guidance and supervision of a certified Yoga master) - Reiki to balance the energy
Regularly giving Reiki to the body and all Chakras will balance the flow of energy in both the Nadis. Reiki is a smart intelligent energy and can know where there is an imbalance working on intention to balance the Nadis - Physical Exercises
Any physical exercises can help open up nasal channels thus helping to balance Nadis. Typically yogic asanas involve both the yin and yang energy and breathing while performing asanas will balance both nostrils (Caution: Yogic asanas and exercises to be done only under guidance and supervision of a certified Yoga master)
Nadis in other culture:
In addition to the Yogic traditions, even other cultures talk about the Three Nadis
In European traditions, there is an entire theory about healing related to the Caduceus of Hermes: the two snakes of which symbolize the kundalini or serpent-fire
In Chinese and Eastern traditions they talk about Yin and Yang energy and Yin and Yang symbol which is very much the embodiment of the masculine and feminine
Conclusion
Well, all said and done the primary objective of this article was to reach out to you all and spread more awareness about your subtle bodies which if balanced can lead to an overall state of health, happiness, spiritual well being.
Thanks for reading!
Love and Reiki blessings to all my readers
References and Research sources:
- Upanishads
- Shri Bhagvad Geeta
- Shiva Samhita and Yogic texts
- http://www.sivanandaonline.org/
- http://www.tantra-kundalini.com/
- http://www.ishayoga.org
Article by Ashwini Chubé
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Dr Ashwini Chube is a Usui Reiki Grandmaster since 2014 and holds a Ph.D. in Energy Medicine. She practices Usui Reiki - Karuna reiki - Excalibur Reiki - Angel Medicine - Violet Flame Healing - Lavender Flame Healing and many more modalities.
Ashwini is also an Access Consciousness Bars, Body Process & Intro class Facilitator. Ashwini is an Angel Psychic - Divine Channel -Tarot Reader & Claircognizant and also the teacher of Angel studies. She is a Life Transformation coach and also a Twin flame coach. Ashwini is also an Ascension teacher with the Diana Cooper School of White Light and takes workshops on Ascension and also facilitates Spiritual retreats.
Ashwini works on Body movement as a therapy and is also a licensed Zumba Fitness instructor and takes in person and online sessions.
Being an ex-investment banker working previously in Mumbai & London - she is an impact speaker and Life Transformation Coach with corporates and groups.
Get in touch with Ashwini through her Website: www.unicorninsight.com or at [email protected]. Her Facebook page is: facebook.com/ashwinichubeofficial
Hi really it’s wonderful article and motivated one. Thanks for sharing.
This is very insightful. Thank you for such hard work on this post.
Very interesting article. It left me with wanting to know more! How does this relate to sen (sip) lines as hinted in the reiki rays intro in the email?
very insightful, where can one find more details on the topic…..
Very well explained , you made it easy to understand .
Psychosomatic causes of disease when any one of them is out of balance …. hyper or underactive .