This summer while living at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains of Western MA I was blessed to share living quarters with my fellow yogis for an entire month. Each morning as I awoke before sunrise – rolling out of my bed and onto my mat for morning Sadhana – I was witness to many morning rituals. From tongue scraping to nasal irrigation, all signs pointed to ayurveda, the sister science of yoga.
Though I was introduced to the idea of nasal irrigation many years ago, it was not until about one month ago that I finally caved in to try it myself. Something about spending so much time upside down in water and the familiarity of water rushing up the wrong way made me turn my head. One day I came face to face with a Neti Pot staring at me from across the isle at Whole Foods when I said, “why not?”
I can’t say that use of my new neti is part of my daily routine (yet or perhaps ever), but lately once or twice a week I am compelled to use it – usually when I feel stuffed, dry, or sneezy. My sneezing stops and clogged passages open up instantly. I have to admit, in my first try with the thing my angle was all wrong and I used too much salt… ouch, seriously!! Sure enough I learned quickly and ever since then the process has been easy and actually enjoyable. Each time I go for it I feel like I can breathe deeper and am invigorated by the effects.
The nasal passages contain one of our body’s first line of defense against disease. Visit www.netipot.org, a great resource for nasal irrigation demonstrations and more information on this 5,000 year old practice.
Five Reasons Why a Neti Pot Makes Sense
Soothes dry nasal passages- Gently washes away dust, pollen, and environmental irritants
- Offsets the effects of breathing dry indoor air (especially in winter)
- Removes excess mucus naturally
- Helps you breathe freer when practicing yoga or meditation
Taken from: www.netipot.org
