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What is a Nadi Anyway?



The holiday season is the perfect time to purchase a Nadi Ball for yourself or a loved one. After all, there is no better gift to give than the gift of wellness. Before you add the Nadi Ball to the top of your list, though, you might find it helpful to learn more about the “Nadi” itself. So, let’s jump straight into the question: what is a Nadi anyway?


Energy Flow

“Nadi” is a Sanskrit word meaning “flow,” “stream,” “channel,” or “little river.” We have talked at length about how our Nadi Balls work the fascia, which are the connective tissues surrounding bones, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels in our bodies. However, while fascia pertains to the physical body, the “nadi” and “nadi lines” refer to the energetic body. Nadis are considered to be omnipresent in the body. They hold no physical presence, meaning that someone who cuts into the body would not see these lines physically. However, they have an energetic presence and intense importance in maintaining wellbeing.


Some texts indicate that there are around 72,000 different nadi lines flowing throughout our beings. Each of these lines travels through the body to channel life force, otherwise known as “prana,” to every cell. They run mostly along the fascial lines, sen lines, and meridian lines in acupuncture. In other words, nadis are our energetic irrigation system; they serve as tributaries flowing into rivers, which flow into the ocean.


This is why it is so important to pay attention to our nadi lines and keep them clear. Without clear nadi lines, your body (and you) are not living your best life!


Noteworthy Nadi Lines

Considering the quantity of nadi lines in the body, it is not possible for us to go into detail about each nadi line individually. However, you can find more information below about some of the most noteworthy nadi lines: the Sushumna, Ida, and Pingala lines.

The Sushumna, Ida, and Pingala are three main nadi lines that run along the spine. Our chakras are where these lines intersect. As Swami Niranjanananda explains, “As Ida and Pingala cross over at each chakra, their energy currents branch off via the network of nadis to all the respective organs and parts of the body. In this way, the matrix of nadis carries these two opposite forces to every cell, organ, and part of the body.”


Sushumna: The Sushumna line is considered the most important nadi. The channel begins in the Muladhara chakra at the base of the spine. Sadhguru describes the Sushumna nadi line as the space where life truly begins, saying, “Once the energies enter into Sushumna, you attain to a new kind of balance, an inner balance where whatever happens outside, there is a certain space within you which never gets disturbed.”


Ida: The Ida nadi runs alongside the Sushumna nadi up the spine and ends at the left nostril. It is considered the lunar, cooling, and feminine energy channel. Yin Yoga explains that the “Ida refers to the Chandra (yin) energies of the moon while Pingala refers to the Surya (yang) energies of the sun.”


Pingala: Finally, we approach the Pingala nadi. Like the Ida nadi, the Pingala also runs alongside the Sushumna nadi up the spine, though it ends at the right nostril instead. It is considered the solar, masculine, and heating element of the two—or the yang element as described by Yin Yoga.


What It All Means

Being aware of your nadi lines can help you sense how your body and mind are feeling. In moments of stress or high tension, you can calm yourself by coaxing the lunar, cooling energy from the Ida nadi. If you’re feeling tired during a long drive, on the other hand, you might invite more breath and awareness into the solar Pingala nadi.


We have developed our Nadi Ball Method to encourage you to work through the physical stress of your myofascial system while also connecting these sensations with your emotional energy lines.


Get in touch today to learn more about our unique approach to the nadis, or purchase a set of Nadi Balls here.


Photo by Dane Wetton on Unsplash

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