- Nāḍī– meaning ‘flow’
- Nāḍīs are the channels through which the Prāṇa flows through the body
- Nāḍīs are subtle flows of energy in the same way that electricity, radio and laser beams are subtle flows
- Nāḍīs are not nerves. Nāḍīs refer to the energy body and nerves relate to the physical body
- Nāḍīs are pathways of pranic, spiritual and mental currents, which are spread throughout the entire body
- Nāḍīs provide energy to the whole physical system – every single cell and organ
- Nāḍīs sustain life and consciousness
- Nāḍīs are not physical or measurable and you can not dissect them
- At the psychic level, nāḍīs can be perceived as distinct channels of light, color and sound
- There are said to be 72,000 nāḍīs in the body
- 72 important nāḍīs
- 10 major nāḍīs
- ida nāḍī– mental channel
- pingala nāḍī– vital channel
- sushumna nāḍī– spiritual channel
- gandhari nāḍī
- hastijihva nāḍī
- yashaswini nāḍī
- pusha nāḍī
- alambusha nāḍī
- kuhu nāḍī
- shankhini nāḍī
- Some text mention 19 major nāḍīs and include: jihva, korma, payaswini, saraswati, saumya, shura, varuni, vilambha and vishwodari
Ida, Pingala and Sushumna nāḍīare the three primary lines of energy distribution throughout the physical body, govern the entire system including all bodily processes
- Mūladhara cakra is the main seat from which the nāḍīs emanate. Ida, pingala and sushumna begin here and then ida and pingala coil around the spine from left to right with sushumna in the middle.
- Ida governs the left side and pingala the right
- Sushumna nāḍī rises straight up through the center of the spine and intersects ida and pingala along the way
Other major nāḍīs in the body
- Gandhari flows from corner of the left eye to the left big toe runs along-side ida and supports it Can be stimulated by baddha padmasana
- HastijihvaFlows from the right eye to the left big toeCarries energy to and from the lower bodyWith Gandhari, supports Ida
- YashaswiniFlows from the right big toe to the right earSupports pingala
- PushaFlows from the left big toe to the right earSupports pingala
- AlambushaBegins in anus and terminates in the mouthKuhuBegins in the throat and terminates in the genitals
- ShankhiniBegins at the throat and terminates in the anus
- Flows between Saraswati and Gandhari along the left side of sushumna
- SaraswatiSituated on the tonguePayaswiniFlows between pusha and saraswati on the right side and is complementary to pingala
- Terminates in the right ear
- VaruniTerminates in the anusPurifies toxins in the lower pelvic region along with kuhu
- VishwodariResides in the navel and flows between kuhu and hastijihvaRelates to the adrenal gland and pancreasActivated by Uḍḍīyana bandha and nauli kriyāImproves the flow of Prāṇa nad helps with the rising of Prāṇa along sushumna
Qualities of the three main nāḍīs
| Ida | Pingala | Sushumna |
| chitta | Prāṇa | kundalini |
| mental | vital | supramental |
| negative | positive | neutral |
| feminine | masculine | androgynous |
| yin | yang | tao |
| moon | sun | light |
| cold | hot | temperate |
| imagination | logic | wisdom |
| desire | action | knowledge |
| internal | external | centered |
| night | day | dusk/dawn |
| passive | dynamic | balanced |
| subjectivity | objectivity | awareness |
| parasympathetic | sympathetic | cerebrospinal |
| blue | red | yellow |
| Ganga | Yamuna | Saraswati |
| brahma | vishnu | rudra |
| subconscious | conscious | unconscious |
| sattwa | rajas | tamas |