Balance the Masculine & Feminine within

 Deeper Symbolism of Pranayama   

IDA is the main channel on the left side of the body and is symbolically identified as the lunar channel (chandra nadi).  This channel has a cooling quality. Like the moon, it is also thought to have a changing character. It represents materiality, which is always changing. Symbolically, it represents the feminine quality.

PINGALA  is the main channel on the right side of the body and is symbolically identified as the solar channel (surya nadi). This channel has a heating quality. Like the sun, it is thought to have a steady, unchanging character and represents consciousness, which is unchanging and eternal.  It symbolically represents the masculine quality.

SUSUMNA is the central channel located in the center of the body. It extends from the root of the spinal column up to the top of the head. It is known as the ‘path of freedom’.

According to this symbolic system, when there is either too much or too little energy in either the right or left channels, our whole system will be imbalanced.  Character defects are related to conditions of excess or deficiency in either lunar or solar channels.  Specifically, insecurity, instability, depression, grief, and disillusionment may be connected to defects in the lunar channel.  On the other hand, anger, arrogance, impatience, and fanaticism may be connected to defects of the solar channel.  These imbalances are the result of blockages that obstruct the flow of prana in the susumna, and that keep prana out of balance in the lunar and solar channels.  From this perspective, the purpose of yoga practice is to bring the system into balance and remove the obstacles that prevent prana from entering the central channel.

Following this system, the lunar and solar channels (nadis) terminate in the left and right nostrils, respectively.  Thus, stimulating the lunar channel is said to cool the system down, but stimulating the solar channel is said to increase the heat in the system. The Nadi Shodna breathing technique (see August 27th post for technique) balances the right and left nostrils so that we breath equally from both sides.  In turn this balance of the nostrils brings balance to the right and left sides of the brain, resulting in a more balanced personality.