98. IDA and PINGALA

See: Post 91: The Shiva-Shakti

 

I had this piece in draft when I received a forwarded mail on the Ida and Pingala which said it better than I did, so I've reproduced parts of it. The source was not stated in that mail.

These are the two main energy channels that run through the body. They carry the life force (qi or prana) to various parts through sub-channels. They can be likened to two main rivers supplying water through various tributaries.

These two main channels represent the two primary aspects of ourselves.


The polarities........

Ida	Pingala
Feminine	Masculine
Left Nostril	Right Nostril
Right Brain	Left Brain
Sleep	Wakefulness
Energy	Consciousness
Night	Day
Moon	Sun
Cool	Hot
Melody	Rhythm
Yin	Yang
Introversion	Extroversion
Inaction	Action
Shakti	Shiva

Normally, one of the two channels is dominant. The goal of Yoga is to equalize or balance their flow. This balance brings about meditation, mindful relaxation and good health. Imbalance promotes disease. (dis-ease)

There is a third channel that starts operating when the flows are equalized. This third channel is the Sushumna - the central shaft. Sushumna represents the balance between Ida and Pingala.

For example, Ida represents night while Pingala represents day. Sushumna represents the time between the two - dawn and twilight.

Twilight has special significance in Kundalini Yoga. The particular style of Sanskrit used in most of these related ancient texts is called Sandhya Bhasha or literally, the Twilight Language

Typically, Pingala dominates during the day, while Ida during night. Pingala produces wakefulness. To balance this, Ida must dominate during the night thereby producing sleep. If the balance is not there, health problems and diseases will follow.

During dawn and twilight, the flow changes from one to another. Therefore, briefly Sushumna starts operating. These are the best times for spiritual practices and meditation. Those who are sensitive can feel movements in the perineum and a natural proclivity to perform the Shambhavi Mudra (focus on the space between the eyebrows)

The Yogi maintains prolonged flow of Sushumna for most of the time. Great Yogis require very little sleep and turn out incredible amounts of work.

Smooth, efficient operation of Sushumna also reduces aging. Death and aging occur when prana withdraws its flow or is reduced in Ida or Pingala. If the flow of prana in these two channels can be stopped and forced into Sushumna, then the Yogi 'cheats death'.

The three main nadis (Ida, Pingala and Sushumna) are Sanskrit in origin.

The 2 snakes symbolise the kundalini or serpent-fire, when set in motion along those channels, while the wings typify the power of conscious flight through higher planes which the development of that fire confers.

In a certain bible story, the snake was depicted literally and given a bad name as symbolic of satan the devil when what it tried to depict was all of the above.

Kunda means 'coil' signifying 'snake-like' for this energy does lie coiled up in the 'cave' that is the pelvic floor. During certain yogic practices, this energy is awakened and it rises crawling snake-like up and along the spine.

 
The Greeks 'hijacked' this and the symbol was widely used in Greek mythology, is depicted most often as the carduceus of Hermes, it was later adopted for use as the symbol for the healing arts and medical science.


 
It's interesting to note here that kung fu - so very Chinese - is Indian in origin. So too the various forms of martial arts traditional in South East Asian countries, in which the Indian martial arts form were fused with the indigenous martial arts and dance styles.