Jala Neti

Tis the season of cold & flu! From the basic sniffles to the Big One (a little thing called H1N1) - everyone seems to be prepping their bodies and minds for an onslaught of sickness.

Enter the neti pot. Although not just for preventing and easing symptoms of cold and flu - this ancient yoga practice can soothe your sinuses all year long - the neti pot is definitely useful during this precarious season. We've had lots of people asking about them at the studio so I thought I'd provide a little info here.

Jala neti is one form of shat karma: yoga practices for body purification. These practices are ways of keeping the body clean and healthy so that we can feel comfortable when we practice asana (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation. In Western science, jala neti is becoming well-known and medical doctors frequently recommend the practice for people with sinus irritations.

For anyone new to jala neti, the practice can be a little daunting. However, it doesn't take long to feel the positive effects and people are often surprised by how easy it really is (I know I was when I started!). To help you get started, the Himalayan Institute offers this how-to video.



From personal experience, I'd say the hardest thing is getting used to breathing while you pour the water through the sinuses. As long as you relax and breathe through your mouth you'll be fine!

You can find neti pots at a few locations in St. John's. We carry the same ceramic pots you see in the above video from the Himalayan Institute. Natural health stores and even basic drug stores often carry them as well.

So before you concede to the winter sniffles and sinus stuffiness, try a neti pot. Once you get used to it, your sinuses can be cleansed as quickly as your teeth each morning!

Sun Salutations

Since adding two early morning classes to the schedule this week (7:15am), I've been thinking a lot about Sun Salutations. Known as Surya Namaskar in Sanskrit, this series of postures is a beautiful way to start your day; invoking the sun and greeting the morning. Physically, it also makes sense to practice Surya Namaskar in the morning. This series wakes up the whole body, lengthening and strengthening major muscle groups plus energizing the respiratory and circulatory systems.

Different schools of yoga teach different Sun Salutation series', but in general there are about 8 key poses, or asanas. Yoga Journal provides a nice step-by-step outline of a Sun Salutation, which you can find at this link. Here in the studio, we teach steps 5 & 6 in slightly different ways (raising the arms in lunge before plank, and moving to cobra pose instead of upward facing dog) but this is still a nice outline for anyone wishing to incorporate Sun Salutations into their home practice.

Another nice example is this video by Shiva Rae. Love that sunrise in the background!

If you're interested in the history and tradition of Surya Namaskar, Richard Rosen offers a good description here. He brings attention to the ancient roots of Sun Salutation (it's 2500 years old!) and it's intention as a means to honor the sun as the "physical and spiritual heart of our world...".

Next time you're up early try taking a few minutes to practice Sun Salutation before work or school. Find a deep connection to your breath as you experiment in the series, and enjoy the multitude of benefits of practicing Surya Namaskar before starting your day.

Om Shanti,
Meaghan