Kundalini and Muladhara Chakra

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Nadis Nadis are astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry

Pranic currents. They can be seen by the astral eyes only. They are

not the nerves. They are 72,000 in number. Ida, Pingala and Sushumna

are the important ones. Sushumna is the most important of all.

 

Purification of Nadis Pranayama is said to be the union of Prana and

Apana. It is of three kinds-expiration, inspiration and retention.

They are associated with the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet for the

right performance of Pranayama. Pranava (!) only is said to be

Pranayama. Sitting in Padmasana (Lotus-posture) the person should

meditate that there is, at the tip of his nose, Devi Gayatri, a girl

of red complexion, surrounded by numberless rays of the image of the

moon and mounted on Hamsa (Swan) having a mace in her hand. She is

the visible symbol of the letter A (A). The letter U (u) has as its

visible symbol Savitri, a young lady of white colour having a disc in

her hand, riding on an eagle (Garuda). The letter M (m:Î) has as its

visible symbol Sarasvati, an aged woman of black colour, riding on a

bull, having a trident in her hand. He should meditate that the

single letter, the supreme light-the Pranava OM (!) is the origin or

source of these letters-A, U and M. Drawing up the air through Ida

(left nostril) for the space of 16 Matras, he should meditate on the

letter A (A) during that time, retaining the inspired air for the

space of 64 Matras he should meditate on the letter U (u) during that

time; he should then exhale the inspired air for the space of 32

Matras, meditating on the letter M (m:Î) during that time. He should

practise thus in the above order again and again.

 

Having become firm in the posture and having preserved perfect self-

control, the Yogi should, in order to clear away the impurities of

the Sushumna, sit in Padmasana, and having inhaled the air through

the left nostril, should retain it as long as he can and should

exhale through the right. Then drawing it again through the right and

having retained it, he should exhale it through the left, in the

order, that he should draw it through the same nostril, by which he

exhaled it before and had retained it. To those who practise it

according to these rules, through the right and left nostrils, the

Nadis become purified within three months. He should practise

cessation of breath at sunrise, at midday, at sunset and at mid-

night, slowly, 80 times a day, for 4 weeks. In the early stage,

perspiration is produced; in the middle stage the tremor of the body;

and in the last stage, levitation in the air. These results ensue out

of the repression of the breath, while sitting in the Padma posture.

When perspiration arises with effort, one should rub his body well.

By this, the body becomes firm and light. In the early course of

practice, food with milk and ghee is excellent. One, sticking to this

rule, becomes firm in his practice and gets no Taapa (burning

sensation) in the body. As lions, elephants and tigers are gradually

tamed, so also the breath, when rigidly managed, comes under control.

 

By the practice of Pranayama, the purification of the Nadis, the

brightening of the gastric fire, hearing distinctly of spiritual

sounds and good health result. When the nervous centres have become

purified through the regular practice of Pranayama, the air easily

forces its way up through the mouth of the Sushumna, which is in the

middle. By the contraction of the muscles of the neck and by the

contraction of the one below, viz., Apana, the Prana goes into the

Sushumna, which is in the middle, from the west Nadi. Sushumna Nadi

is between Ida and Pingala. The Prana which alternates ordinarily

between Ida and Pingala, is restrained by long Kumbhaka; then along

with the soul, its attendant, it will enter the Sushumna, the central

Nadi, at one of three places where it yields space for entrance

through such restraint of breath, and in the navel, by the Sarasvati

Nadi, on the west. After such entry it is that the Yogi becomes dead

to the world, being in that state called Samadhi. Drawing up the

Apana and forcing down the Prana from the throat, the Yogi free from

old age, becomes a youth of sixteen. Through the practice of

Pranayama chronic diseases, that defy Allopathic, Homeopathic,

Ayurvedic and Unani doctors will be rooted out.

 

When the Nadis have become purified, certain external signs appear on

the body of the Yogi. They are lightness of the body, brilliancy in

complexion, increase of the gastric fire, leanness of the body, and

along with these, the absence of restlessness in the body. They are

all signs of purification.

 

Shat-Karmas (The Six Purificatory Processes) Those who are of a

flabby and phlegmatic constitution only, should practise at first

these six Kriyas to prepare themselves for the practice of Pranayama

and their success comes in easily. These six Kriyas are: 1. Dhauti,

2. Basti, 3. Neti, 4. Trataka, 5. Nauli and 6. Kapalabhati.