Jala Neti - The Yoga Practice of Saline Nasal Irrigation

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It's As Plain As The Nose On Your Face

Everyday, all over the world, people wake up and firstly go about their daily ablutions of washing their body. Some crawl out of bed and drowsily flop into the shower to soak off the night's slumber. Again, at the end of the day, many people soak in the warmth of soapy water to rid their body and mind of the day's accumulated tensions and dirt.

But how often would we consider cleaning the insides of our body? How much attention do we give to the gradual inner build up of environmental dirt, food toxins, as well as the superfluous mental particles that we would rather not be carrying within us? What would be a good way to cleanse these things out, or even better, filter them out before they invade our systems?

Our nose, apart from being that strange appendage which we stick into other people's business and wipe profusely with soft tissues, is in fact the body's primary pollution filter and without it functioning in the best possible way, all manner of grizzly nasties will get into the lungs and blood stream causing all manner of ailments. The evidence is there: rampant sinusitis, asthma, allergies, hayfever, headaches. You don't have to look far in spring or winter to find a nation of sniffling mouth breathers with their sleeves stuffed full of tissues. Sound familiar? Well, what can be done about it? What is an effective and natural way to fix these illnesses? The science of Yoga knows a way. It's called Jala Neti.

So What is Jala Neti?

Neti means cleansing, and Jala is water. That's right, nose washing! Now before you turn right off and turn the page, let me tell you that it takes just 3 minutes a day and is totally painless. Let me explain how simple and effective it can be for those people with all types of upper respiratory discomforts and ailments.

Jala Neti is an ancient technique that the wise old masters of Yoga have been using to help balance the energy structure of human behaviour for thousands of years. Not just for physical illnesses, but Neti is also good for treating mental tensions as well. It comes from that branch of yoga sciences called Hatha Yoga, where the Ha stands for the Solar Force, and the Tha stands for the Lunar Force. Ha + Tha, balance them both and, according to the Yogis, you have a balanced body and mind.

How Does It Work?

Within the nose exists a network of many things. There is the mucus lining, the blood vessels, the tiny hairs (cilia) swaying back and forth, the sinus passages, the Eustachian tubes, the tear ducts, the olfactory nerves and other numerous subtle mechanisms for maintaining health. To do their individual job well, and to interrelate with each other properly, each and all of these depend upon the basic human function of nose breathing. The nose monitors so many conditions of ourselves and our environment. So if the nose is not predominantly clear, and any of these functions are not working to the optimum condition, it is not surprising that some sort of disease will set in. Salt water is a great cleanser. You know how you feel after a good swim in the sea. It clears out junk and clears the head. Exactly the same can be said of Jala Neti.

Summary of the Benefits of Neti

* Neti removes all the dirt and bacteria-filled mucus from within the nose making it freer for breathing.
* It helps to drain the sinus cavities. This, in turn, will help to re-programme the body's natural mechanisms against nasal infections such as hayfever, allergies, sinusitis and other upper respiratory complaints like sore throats and coughs, post nasal drip, inflammation of tonsils and adenoids.
* It is beneficial for illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis as it reduces the tendency for mouth breathing which chills the lungs and only worsens the situation.
* It has a cooling and soothing effect on the brain, and is therefore beneficial for headaches, migraine, epilepsy, temper tantrums, hysteria, depression and general mental tension.
* Neti is of great benefit for problems associated with the eyes. It helps flush the tear ducts, encouraging clearer vision and gives a sparkle to the eyes.
* It can be beneficial for certain types of ear disorders such as middle ear infections, glue ear, tinitis.
* Neti improves sensitivity of the olfactory nerves, helping to restore lost sense of smell, and thereby benefits the relationship with taste and digestive processes.
* It has subtle effects on the pineal and pituitary glands which control the hormonal system. This has a harmonising effect on emotional behaviours.
* Neti affects the psychic centre known as Ajna Chakra which helps in awakening higher states of meditation.
* It helps to stimulate better powers of visualisation and concentration and gives a feeling of lightness and clarity to the mind.
* Neti is excellent for those trying to give up smoking. Neti re-sensitises the nose to the actual pollution of ingesting smoke, thereby de-programming the brain of the physical and psychological addiction.

How Is It Done?

A small cup called a Neti Pot (about the size of a one-person teapot), is filled with warm, slightly salted water. The tip of the spout is placed into one nostril and the head and pot is tilted to allow the water to run out of the other nostril. Obviously one must breathe through the mouth whilst the water is running through! After half a pot has run one way, you go from the other side. After that, the nose must be drained and dried properly. Then, with your squeaky clean hooter, rejuvenated sense of smell, clear and bright eyes, tingling face, two balanced energy flows, concentrated mind, relaxed nervous system, off you go to do your daily exercise, breathing and meditation regime. The sky's the limit - just watch the mind soar! Don't believe it all? Well read on.

Survey Results

For the past 5 years, some yoga teachers in the western area of Sydney have been conducting a survey of Jala Neti practitioners. Of nearly 250 responses, 94% of users reported benefits in the first 2 weeks of use. Overall, 97% found the practice beneficial for some type of ear, eye, nose or throat condition.

In our yoga courses, a lot of students tried Neti "just because the teacher said it was a good thing to do". Some tried it for the "adventure" or "just because it was presented as part of the yoga course". They thought they would just do it once and never again, but after actually experiencing it, they were sold!

Often people do not recognise their day to day discomforts as medically defined illnesses. They just think such things are the usual ups and downs of daily life. Statements such as the following were common.

"I'm always a bit blocked up;
I get fuzzy in the head for days;
I've been continually dull and listless lately;
I always carry a tissue because I sneeze a lot/my nose runs a lot;
I get pretty regular headaches;
I've been nursing a sore throat for months;
I cough a bit most mornings". 

Such respondents did not name these conditions as illnesses or as being reasons for taking up Neti in the first place, but they did mention later on that such things had now ceased. They would probably not have considered that they were sick, but never-the-less, they received benefits from the practice and subsequently realised that they had been ignoring ill-health. This would explain the large numbers of what we have called "unexpected benefits". The following is a table of their responses after 2 - 8 weeks of Jala Neti practice.

Learning Jala Neti

Over the years that Yoga has been taught in the West, people have tried to learn it in different ways. Some have learned from books, some from amateurs, and others have searched out proper teachers, experts, masters, guides, gurus. In previous eras, before suburban yoga classes, books, cassette tapes, video tapes, international travel, advertising, the Internet, etc., the only way that Yoga was taught was by way of "direct teaching". It involved initiation by a master (be it male or female), and was a handing down of technique and knowledge given only to those deemed worthy of it and ready for it. The reasons for this strict code of teaching were to protect the student from any harm, to protect the science of yoga from misuse by charlatans and it also ensured that the techniques bestowed their full benefits. Specifically regarding the technique of Jala Neti, it has been our experience over many years, that greater success is assured when direct teaching has occurred. So for those wanting to learn Jala Neti, they should seek out a qualified teacher experienced in the practice and not just "self teach" these things.

In Conclusion

Jala Neti is so easy, natural, enjoyable, cheap, effective. Some water, some salt and a Neti Pot is all you need. Three minutes is all the time it takes, and the effects last all day. Some people have described it as the best legal high available! We believe that Jala Neti should be more widely accepted and practiced, and towards that end here are some of our future projections and hopes for better personal and planetary health.

Neti promotes better body awareness. Greater self awareness empowers people to take care of their own health agenda. You become more your own doctor, not just for cure, but also in prevention of illness. Jala Neti saves you money and may even help to lower the national health bill!

Public health. Over the years, many of our students have said to us, "I don't understand why more people don't know about Neti" and "Why don't doctors teach Neti to their patients?" Possibly in the future, Neti could become part of the curriculum for medical schools, nursing colleges, community health centres and alternative health practitioners, where, in just a few minutes, people with a need for such relief could be taught the practice. Then they would have that tool for life.

In the workplace. Where people work in airborne dusts, a cocktail of noxious fumes and other people's germs, Neti could reduce the incidence of occupational allergies and cross-infection. Staff would be more positive, concentrate better and need less sick days off work .

Around the home. How many simple daily activities around the home create dust which the nose has to filter out? A few minutes to flush it all out, and then you can continue the day with a clear nose, a proper sense of smell, and a clear head.

Educational enhancement. From primary school age up to university, Jala Neti has the potential to increase learning ability by sharpening the senses, increasing concentration and relieving mental tiredness. Jala Neti also helps to increase creativity.

An early start to respiratory health. Neti can be done by children from even as early as 2 years old, (with help of course). The earlier in life a child learns to appreciate that healthy feeling of nose breathing, the less tendency towards mouth breathing they will develop in later life. For those children who are already showing signs of mouth breathing, Neti can prevent growing into such habits.

Relaxation & stress management. Today many people are suffering ailments coming from the wide range of stresses in daily life. What ever the cause, stress takes it toll on the immune system, the cardiovascular system, the nervous system and many other areas of our health. Jala Neti should be considered very much as "First Aid" in stress management.

Increasing spiritual consciousness. For those who are interested in meditation, personal growth, raising the consciousness of humanity and saving the environment, Jala Neti should be a part of their own inner awakening. Looking after the internal environment is equally as important and makes one a better instrument for helping and serving others in daily life.