Ida, Pingala, Sushumna

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Ida, Pingala, Sushumna and Shat-Chakras Ida and Pingala There are the

two

nerve-currents one on either side of the spinal column. The left one

is called

Ida and the right is known as Pingala. These are Nadis. Tentatively,

some take

these as the right and the left sympathetic cords, but they are

subtle tubes

that carry Prana. The Moon moves in the Ida and the Sun in the

Pingala. Ida is

cooling. Pingala is heating. Ida flows through the left nostril and

the Pingala

through the right nostril. 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. A

Yogi tries

his level best to make the Prana run in the Sushumna Nadi, which is

known as the

central Brahman Nadi also. On the left of Sushumna is situated Ida

and on the

right is Pingala. The moon is of the nature of Tamas and the sun is

that of the

Rajas. The poison share is of the sun and the nectar is of the moon.

Ida and

Pingala indicate time. Sushumna is the consumer of time.

 

Sushumna Sushumna is the most important of all the Nadis. It is the

sustainer of

the universe and the path of the universe and the path of salvation.

Situated at

the back of the anus, it is attached to the spinal column and extends

to the

Brahmarandhra of the head and is invisible and subtle. The real work

of a Yogi

begins when Sushumna begins to function. Sushumna runs along the

centre of the

spinal cord or spinal column. Above the genital organs and below the

navel is

the Kanda, of the shape of a bird's egg. There arise from it all the

Nadis

72,000 in number. Of these, seventy-two are common and generally

known. Of those

the chief ones are ten and they carry the Pranas. Ida, Pingala,

Sushumna,

Gandhari, Hastijihva, Pusa, Yusasvini, Alambusa, Kuhuh and Sankhini

are said to

be the ten important Nadis. The Yogis should have a knowledge of the

Nadis and

the Chakras. Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are said to carry Prana and

have Moon,

Sun and Agni as their Devatas. When Prana moves in Sushumna, sit for

meditation.

You will have deep Dhyana. If the coiled-up energy, Kundalini, passes

up along

the Sushumna Nadi and is taken up from Chakra to Chakra the Yogi gets

different

sorts of experiences, powers and Ananda.

 

Kundalini Kundalini is the serpent power or sleeping Sakti, that has

3 1/2 coils

with face downwards, in the Muladhara Chakra, at the base of the

spine. No

Samadhi is possible without its being awakened. The practice of

Kumbhaka in

Pranayama produces heat and thereby Kundalini is awakened and passes

upwards

along the Sushumna Nadi. The Yogic practitioner experiences various

visions.

Then the Kundalini passes along the Six Chakras and eventually gets

united with

Lord Siva, seated on the Sahasrara or thousand-petalled lotus, at the

crown of

the head. Nirvikalpa Samadhi ensues now and the Yogi gets liberation

and all the

divine Aishvaryas. One should practise control of breath with

concentration of

mind. The awakened Kundalini that is taken up to Manipura Chakra may

drop down

again to Muladhara. It has to be raised again with effort. One should

become

perfectly desireless and should be full of Vairagya before he

attempts to awaken

Kundalini.

 

Kundalini is like a thread and is resplendent. When it is awakened it

hisses

like a serpent beaten with a stick and enters the hole of Sushumna.

When it

travels from Chakra to Chakra, layer after layer of the mind becomes

open and

the Yogi acquires various Siddhis (psychic powers).

 

Shat-Chakras Chakras are centres of spiritual energy. They are

located in the

astral body, but they have corresponding centres in the physical body

also. They

can hardly be seen by the naked eyes. Only a clairvoyant can see with

his astral

eyes. Tentatively they correspond to certain plexuses in the physical

body.

There are six important Chakras. They are: Muladhara (containing 4

petals) at

the anus; Svadhishthana (6 petals) at the genital organ; Manipura (10

petals) at

navel; Anahata (12 petals) at the heart; Visudha (16 petals) at the

throat and

Ajna (2 petals) at the space between the two eyebrows. The seventh

Chakra is

known as Sahasrara, which contains a thousand petals. It is located

at the top

of the head. Sacral plexus tentatively corresponds to Muladhara

Chakra;

Prostatic plexus to Svadhishthana, Solar plexus to Manipura, Cardiac

plexus to

Anahata Chakra, Laryngal plexus to Visuddha Chakra and Cavernous

plexus to Ajna

Chakra.

 

 

 

Kundalini and Muladhara Chakra

 

Nadis Nadis are astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry

Pranic

currents. They can be seen by the astral eyes only. They are not the

nerves.

They are 72,000 in number. Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are the

important ones.

Sushumna is the most important of all.

 

Purification of Nadis Pranayama is said to be the union of Prana and

Apana. It

is of three kinds-expiration, inspiration and retention. They are

associated

with the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet for the right performance

of

Pranayama. Pranava (!) only is said to be Pranayama. Sitting in

Padmasana

(Lotus-posture) the person should meditate that there is, at the tip

of his

nose, Devi Gayatri, a girl of red complexion, surrounded by

numberless rays of

the image of the moon and mounted on Hamsa (Swan) having a mace in

her hand. She

is the visible symbol of the letter A (A). The letter U (u) has as

its visible

symbol Savitri, a young lady of white colour having a disc in her

hand, riding

on an eagle (Garuda). The letter M (m:Î) has as its visible symbol

Sarasvati, an

aged woman of black colour, riding on a bull, having a trident in her

hand. He

should meditate that the single letter, the supreme light-the Pranava

OM (!) is

the origin or source of these letters-A, U and M. Drawing up the air

through Ida

(left nostril) for the space of 16 Matras, he should meditate on the

letter A

(A) during that time, retaining the inspired air for the space of 64

Matras he

should meditate on the letter U (u) during that time; he should then

exhale the

inspired air for the space of 32 Matras, meditating on the letter M

(m:Î) during

that time. He should practise thus in the above order again and

again.

 

Having become firm in the posture and having preserved perfect self-

control, the

Yogi should, in order to clear away the impurities of the Sushumna,

sit in

Padmasana, and having inhaled the air through the left nostril,

should retain it

as long as he can and should exhale through the right. Then drawing

it again

through the right and having retained it, he should exhale it through

the left,

in the order, that he should draw it through the same nostril, by

which he

exhaled it before and had retained it. To those who practise it

according to

these rules, through the right and left nostrils, the Nadis become

purified

within three months. He should practise cessation of breath at

sunrise, at

midday, at sunset and at mid-night, slowly, 80 times a day, for 4

weeks. In the

early stage, perspiration is produced; in the middle stage the tremor

of the

body; and in the last stage, levitation in the air. These results

ensue out of

the repression of the breath, while sitting in the Padma posture.

When

perspiration arises with effort, one should rub his body well. By

this, the body

becomes firm and light. In the early course of practice, food with

milk and ghee

is excellent. One, sticking to this rule, becomes firm in his

practice and gets

no Taapa (burning sensation) in the body. As lions, elephants and

tigers are

gradually tamed, so also the breath, when rigidly managed, comes

under control.

 

By the practice of Pranayama, the purification of the Nadis, the

brightening of

the gastric fire, hearing distinctly of spiritual sounds and good

health result.

When the nervous centres have become purified through the regular

practice of

Pranayama, the air easily forces its way up through the mouth of the

Sushumna,

which is in the middle. By the contraction of the muscles of the neck

and by the

contraction of the one below, viz., Apana, the Prana goes into the

Sushumna,

which is in the middle, from the west Nadi. Sushumna Nadi is between

Ida and

Pingala. The Prana which alternates ordinarily between Ida and

Pingala, is

restrained by long Kumbhaka; then along with the soul, its attendant,

it will

enter the Sushumna, the central Nadi, at one of three places where it

yields

space for entrance through such restraint of breath, and in the

navel, by the

Sarasvati Nadi, on the west. After such entry it is that the Yogi

becomes dead

to the world, being in that state called Samadhi. Drawing up the

Apana and

forcing down the Prana from the throat, the Yogi free from old age,

becomes a

youth of sixteen. Through the practice of Pranayama chronic diseases,

that defy

Allopathic, Homeopathic, Ayurvedic and Unani doctors will be rooted

out.

 

When the Nadis have become purified, certain external signs appear on

the body

of the Yogi. They are lightness of the body, brilliancy in

complexion, increase

of the gastric fire, leanness of the body, and along with these, the

absence of

restlessness in the body. They are all signs of purification.

 

Shat-Karmas (The Six Purificatory Processes) Those who are of a

flabby and

phlegmatic constitution only, should practise at first these six

Kriyas to

prepare themselves for the practice of Pranayama and their success

comes in

easily. These six Kriyas are: 1. Dhauti, 2. Basti, 3. Neti, 4.

Trataka, 5. Nauli

and 6. Kapalabhati.

 

 

 

Vastra Dhauti

 

Dhauti Take a clean piece of muslin cloth 4 fingers wide and 15 feet

long. Dip

it in tepid water. The borders of the cloth should be nicely stitched

on all

sides and no pieces of thread should be hanging loose. Then slowly

swallow it

and draw it out again. Swallow one foot the first day and increase it

daily,

little by little. This is called Vastra-Dhauti. In the beginning you

may have

slight retching. It stops on the third day. This practice cures

diseases of the

stomach, such as gastritis, Gulma (dyspepsia), belching, fever,

lumbago, asthma,

Pleeha (diseases of spleen), leprosy, skin-diseases and disorders of

phlegm and

bile. You need not practise it daily. You can practise it once a week

or once in

a fortnight. Wash the cloth with soap and keep it always clean. Drink

a cup of

milk after the practice is over; otherwise, you will feel a dry

sensation

inside.

 

Basti This can be practised with or without a bamboo tube. But it is

better to

have a bamboo-tube. Sit in a tub of water covering your navel. Assume

the

posture Utkatasana by resting your body on the forepart of your feet,

the heels

pressing against the posteriors. Take a small bamboo-tube 6 fingers

long and

insert 4 fingers of its length into the anus after lubricating the

tube with

vaseline or soap or castor oil. Then contract the anus. Draw the

water into the

bowels slowly. Shake well the water within the bowels and then expel

the water

outside. It is known as Jala-Basti. It cures Pleeha, urinary

disorders, Gulma,

myalga, dropsy, disorders of digestion, diseases of the spleen and

bowels,

diseases arising from the excess of wind, bile and phlegm. This Kriya

should be

done in the morning when the stomach is empty. Drink a cup of milk or

take your

meals when the Kriya is over. This Kriya can be practised while

standing in a

river.

 

There is another way of doing Basti without the help of water. It is

called

Sthula-Basti. Sit in Paschimottanasana on the ground and churn the

abdominal and

intestinal portions slowly with a downward motion. Contract the

sphincter

muscles. This removes constipation and all the abdominal disorders.

This is not

so effective as the Jala-Basti.