Why & how we use the Neti pot

Nasal Cleaning with Neti pot is one of the tools used in Ayurveda as part of basic daily hygiene for thousands of years. Simply put, it cleans out the nose and sinuses with salt water and ensures they stay clean. It is such a simple technique that I sometimes forget how impactful it is until I need it again. The cold season has begun and my sinuses have been acting up and my lungs have been filled with excess mucus so I reached for my Neti pot again and the magic of watching it clean me out reminded me of the importance.

On a deeper level, though, the function of nasal irrigation has to do with maintaining balance in the kapha dosha. A dosha is an energy pattern, and according to Ayurveda each day the body moves through a series of dosha changes, from predominance in kapha (earth/water) in the morning, to pitta (or the fire element) at midday, to vata (air) in the evening. The kapha-predominance of each waking morning often results in sluggishness and congestion residing in the upper part of the body. Using the neti pot as part of your morning routine helps relieve some of the kapha excess in the nasal area (manifested by mucus accumulation), and by extension, benefits the eyes, ears, throat, and entire body. This can also be very true when you are going through a Kapha imbalance like chest congestion or infection in the upper respiratory area.

The top 1/3 of the body is the home of Kapha dosha, so naturally the Gunas (qualities) of kapha can be aggravated easily as soon as we are sick.

You can get a Neti pot now-a-days anywhere in pharmacies or online. We sell the ones from Banyan Botanicals. So this is how you do it:

Fill the neti pot with the prepared water and hold it in the left hand. Bring the spout into the left nostril, lean over a sink, and as the head is tilted to the right side, tip the pot up to get the water to flow. Breathe through the mouth.

The aim is to get water to flow into the left nostril, around the area inside the nose and sinuses, and out the right nostril. Do this for 15 to 30 seconds, then change sides. It might take a couple of tries to get the right alignment.

Anyone can benefit from this practice, although it is especially recommended for people with chronic respiratory congestion, frequent colds, and sinus headaches or pressure.

It is then recommended to put a drop of Nasal oil in each nostril to further protect it from more bacteria entering the nostrils.

In Ayurveda it is said that the nostrils are the gateway to the brain so by doing your nasal cleaning not only do you clean and flush the sinuses but also you gain more clarity of the mind.

These Arte only some of the benefits: