Nadi
Also known as: Subtle channels, Energy channels
Sanskrit: नाडी (nadi), meaning 'channel' or 'tube.'
Nadis are the subtle energy channels described in yogic physiology through which prana is said to flow. Classical texts describe thousands of nadis, with three considered most important: Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna, which form the basis for many pranayama and kundalini-related practices.
Ida and Pingala are described as running along either side of the spine, associated respectively with calming and activating qualities, while Sushumna runs through the center and is the channel through which kundalini is said to rise. Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing, is named directly after this concept.
Classical tantric anatomy describes 72,000 nadis radiating throughout the subtle body, though three are considered primary: Ida, associated with the left nostril and cooling qualities; Pingala, the right nostril and heating qualities; and Sushumna, the central channel. Alternate nostril breathing, or Nadi Shodhana, is specifically designed to balance Ida and Pingala, and several small studies have measured genuine physiological effects on heart rate variability and blood pressure from the practice, though nadis themselves remain a traditional anatomical model rather than a structure identifiable in dissection.
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Related Terms
Pranayama
Pranayama is the yogic practice of consciously regulating the breath, using specific ratios of inhalation, retention, and exhalation to influence the nervous system, mind, and vital energy (prana). It is the fourth limb of Patanjali's eight-limbed yoga and a foundation of most yoga and meditation traditions.
Kundalini
Kundalini is a subtle energy described in yogic and tantric traditions as lying dormant, often symbolized as a coiled serpent, at the base of the spine. Through practices such as pranayama, asana, and meditation, this energy is said to be gradually awakened and directed upward through the body's subtle channels.