Thursday, 22 January 2009 18:17

As I wrote before, too hot or to cold is not ideal, not balanced. So what is the effect of unbalanced Ida & Pingala and how do we balance it?

Ida is the symbol of slow and subtle, some scriptures refer it as feminine. Too dominant with this type of energy can make people too lazy, slow and passive. And the opposite is Pingala, the symbol of passion and movement, scriptures refer it as masculine. Too dominant with it can make people reckless, temperamental.

The best exercise to overcome this would be Alternate Nostril Breathing or so called Nadhi Sodhana in Yoga. Why? Because when Ida & Pingala is not balanced, one of the most obvious ways in which this is seen, is in the way you use your nostrils for breathing.

The Ida's dominant person will unconsciously use their left nostril more and so do on the contrary. As we know that breath are related to the prana, the energy of life.

Nadhi Sodhana can be done by simply inhale with your left nostril and exhale with your right. And then inhale with your right nostril and exhale through your left nostril. That is one round. you can do this a few rounds every session of exercise. Do it 3 rounds or more.

For beginner it is hard to realize which nostril that we are using, that's why we use our finger to close one at a time. Don't stick it in the hole, that would be gross.. not hygiene, and if seen by others they would think you are picking your nose

Put your finger on the side of your nose and push mildly, enough to make one nostril closed without being tired or causing pain. In Yoga we use this palm posture called Vishnu Mudra to do it (look at the image above), but you can use any form you like the way you feel comfortable. After some exercises you will have the ability to do this without fingers involved, you have total control of your breath via your nostrils, nice..