HOW TO PURIFY THE BREATH ?(JALNETI AND NASAGRA DRISHTI )

 

JALNETI

OUT OF THE SIX SHUDDHIKRIYAS, THE CLEANSING OF THE NASAL PATH IS KNOWN AS NETI. THE AIM OF THE PROCESS IF TO PURIFY THE BREATHING PATH RIGHT FROM THE NOSTRIL TO THE THROAT. IF THE AIM IS ACHIEVED USING WATER, THE PROCESS IS KNOWN AS JALNETI.

ACTION

TRADITIONALLY, THE PROCESS IS PERFORMED BY DIPPING THE FACE INTO THE RIVER WATER, INHALING THE WATER THROUGH THE NOSTRILS AND LETTING IT OUT THROUGH THE MOUTH. THE REVERSE PROCESS IS SUCKING THE WATER IN BY MOUTH AND EXHALING IT OUT THROUGH NOSTRILS.

IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO VISIT THE RIVER EVERYTIME, THEN THE PROCESS MAY BE PERFORMED BY TAKING THE WATER INTO THE FOLDED PALMS AND INHALING IT THROUGH NOSTRILS OR SUCKING IT BY MOUTH.

IF THE PROCESS IS TO BE PERFORMED IN THIS MANNER, THERE ARE TOO MANY DIFFICULTIES. IF THE WATER IS TO BE INHALED THROUGH NOSE, SNEEZES OCCUR AND THE WATER IS LET OUT THROUGH THE NOSE ONLY. OR IF THE WATER CANNOT BE THROWN OUT BY WAY OF MOUTH, IT GETS STUCK AND CAN CAUSE TROUBLE. THE WATER CAN DEPOSIT ITSELF INTO THE SINUS AND CAN CAUSE HEADACHES. HENCE, THERE IS ANOTHER METHOD WHICH CAN BE PRACTICED BY ALL WITHOUT MUCH DIFFICULTIES AND IT IS EASIER AND USEFUL TO PRACTICE IT.

PUT WARM WATER INTO THE UTENSIL ADD A LITTLE SALT IN IT. TILT THE NECK AND TOUCH THE TIP OF SPOUT TO ONE OF THE NOSTRILS. OPEN THE MOUTH AND CONTINUE BREATHING THROUGH IT. GRADUALLY POUR WATER INTO THE NOSTRIL. SINCE BREATHING IS CONTINUED THROUGH TEH MOUTH, THE WATER STRAIGHTWAY GOES THROUGH THE FOOD PIPE INTO THE MOUTH TO THE STOMACH. JUST AS WE DRINK WATER THROUGH THE MOUTH, IN THE SAME WAY IT CAN BE DRUNK THROUGH THE NOSE. WHEN SOME WATER IS DRUNK THROUGH ONE NOSTRIL, PERFORM THE PROCESS WITH THE OTHER ONE. THIS PROCESS IS NOT NETI, BUT WHEN ONE IS ACCUTOMED TO DRINKING WATER THROUGH NOSE, THEN PRACTICING NETI IS EASIER.

DURATION

THE DURATION OR THE REITERATIONS OF PROCESS CANNOT BE STATED. BUT THE AMOUNT OF WATER TO BE USED CAN BE STATED. FOR ONE NOSTRIL, GENERALLY HALF A LITER OF WATER IS TO BE USED. THE WATER SHOULD BE USED AT A STRETCH OR WITH SOME REST. SINCE THIS IS A SHUDDHIKRIYA, ONE SHOULD NOT INCLUDE IT IN DAILY LIFESTYLE. WHENEVER, THE NASAL PATH NEEDS CLEANSING, THE PROCESS CAN BE USED. HOWEVER, TILL THE PROCESS IS LEARNT THOROUGHLY, IT MAY BE PRACTICED DAILY. ONCE LEARNT, IT SHOULD BE USED AS PER THE NEED.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

THE NASAL PATH DOES NOT SUFFER FROM  ANY CHANGES IN THE SEASON, HENCE GET FREE FROM THE LONG DURATION COLD OR SINUS TROUBLES. IF THE WATER IS HEATED A LITTLE BIT MORE AND CONTAINS EXTRA SALT, THEN IT CAN ALSO ABSORB THE WATER FROM THE SWOLLEN PARTS OF THE NASAL PATH OR THE FLUID IN THE SINUS AND THESE PARTS CAN GET PURIFIED.

APART FROM THE PURIFICATION OF THE NASAL PATH, THE OTHER ATTACHED SENSORY PERCEPTIVE ORGANS SUCH AS EYES, EARS CAN ALSO BE AFFECTED IN A GOOD MANNER AND THEIR EFFICIENCY IS INCREASED.

IF THE MOUTH OF THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE IN THE THROAT IS SWOLLEN AND CLOGGED, IT ALSO GETS OPENED UP. IT IS ALSO EXPERIENCED THAT THE STUDY PROVES USEFUL IN CASE OF MANY DISEASES OF THE NASAL TRACT. FOR THE PRACTICE OF PRANAYAM, BOTH THE NOSTRILS SHOULD BE OPEN, THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

NASAGRA DRISHTI

NASAGRA DRISHTI IS NOT COVERED UNDER SHUDDHIKRIYA. THERE IS A SHUDDHIKRIYA KNOWN AS TRATAKA. IT IS USEFUL FOR PURIFICATION OF THE MIND. CONCENTRATING YOUR EYESIGHT ON A BINDU (POINT) WITHOUT FLUTTERING THE EYELIDS TILL THE EYES WATER IS KNOWN AS TRATAKA. SIMILAR TYPE OF EXERCISE OF THE EYES AND EYESIGHT IS ATTEMPTED UNDER THE PROCESS NASAGRA DRISHTI. HENCE, IT IS INCLUDED UNDER NASAGRA DRISHTI.

ACTION

1. IT IS EXPECTED TO KEEP THE BODY POSE FIRM AND CENTRE THE GAZE AT THE TIP OF THE NOSE.
2. INITIALLY, IT SEEMS DIFFICULT. SO ONE SHOULD DRAW A DOT (EITHER KUMKUM OR SANDAL PASTE) ON THE TIP OF THE NOSE, WHEN BOTH THE EYES CAN SEE THE DOT, THEN IT CAN BE SAIE THAT THE NASAGRA DRISHTI IS SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED.

IF THIS DRISHTI IS TO BE PRACTICED, THEN ONE SHOULD SIT IN PADMASAN. WHEN THE GAZE IS FIXED, IT CAN BE ATTEMPTED WITHOUT EVEN PUTTING A DOT ON THE TIP OF THE NOSE. IN THE LATER STAGES, IT CAN BE PRACTICED EVEN WITH THE CLOSEED EYES. THE PROCESS OF GAZING AT THE TIP OF THE NOSE WITHOUT FLUTTERING THE EYELIDS, HELPS TO ACHIEVE THE CONCENTRATION OF THE MIND.

DURATION

SINCE THE PROCESS IS RELATED TO THE MIND AND THE BRAIN, IT IS NOT TO BE PRACTICED FOR HOURS TOGETHER. WHILE LEARNING IT CAN BE PERFORMED EVEN FOR  A MINUTE OR TWO AT A STRETCH. WHEN IT CAN BE PERFORMED WELL, IT MAY BE PRACTICED FOR MORE DURATION. WHILE PRACTICING DHYANA, IF THIS DRISHTI IS PRACTICED INITIALLY, THEN THE WAVERING MIND CAN BE CONCENTRATED AND THE DHYANA CAN BE DONE EASILY.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

WE GENERALLY MOVE BOTH OUR EYES IN A PARALLEL FASHION. IF WE START GAZING AT THE RIGHT SIDE, THEN BOTH THE PUPILS TURN TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND WE GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF THE ARTICLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. IF ONE HAS TO GAZE AT THE TIP OF THE NOSE WITH BOTH THE EYES, THEN THE LEFT PUPIL GAZES AT THE RIGHT AND THE RIGHT AT THE LEFT. THUS, THE MOVEMENT OF BOTH THE PUPILS IS MADE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND NOT IN A PARALLEL MANNER. THIS CREATES STRAIN ON THE EYES WHICH IS GENERALLY NEVER THERE. THE MUSCLES ARE ALSO STRECHED IN A DIFFERENT MANNER THAN USUAL. THIS AFFECTS THE BRAIN. HENCE, IN SUCH A DRISHTI, THE CONCENTRATION OF THE BRAIN IS ACHIEVED FAST AND WITH MORE EASE. SO THE DRISHTI IS STUDIED WITH THE AIM OF ACHIEVING CONCENTRATION OF THE MIND.

PRECAUTION

THE RELATION OS THIS PRACTICE IS WITH THE BRAIN, SO IT SHOULD BE PRACTICED CAREFULLY. IT SHOULD BE PRACTICED ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME IN THE INITIAL STAGES AND WHEN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND THE BRAIN IS ACCUSTOMED TO THE STRAIN, THEN ONE CAN INCREASE THE STUDY. PERSONS SUFFERING FROM THE DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM SHOULD NOT PRACTICE THIS WITHOUT EXPERT GUIDANCE. IF IN NASAGRA DRISHTI, ONE CAN SEE ONLY WITH ONE EYE, THEN IT IS NOT CORRECT. IT MAY CAUSE EYE PROBLEMS. ALSO, IT SHOULD NOT BE PRACTICED WEARING SPECTACLES.