While meditating, we have often felt some tingling sensations around different places on Spinal column or pelvis area. Some western meditators confuse this with enlightenment, which is wrong. A yogi doesn't achieve enlightenment until his/her Kundalini Energy or Serpent energy reaches Sahasrara Chakra. But, this is just the tip of the iceberg and the actual human sadhana begins.

Have you ever questioned how these chakras and petals work?How are chakras able to hold pools of energy in them which can be channelised?

The answer is Nadis,there are over 72000 Nadis in the human body but all nadis connect to 3 primary nadis in the human Spine. There are 14 major nadis around the spinal coloumn, 4 in Ida side, 4 in pingala side and 6 in sushumna nadi. Ida Nadi is in the left side or Feminine Side of Human body, Pingala Nadi is in the right side or the Masculine Side of Human Body, Meanwhile, Sushumana Nadi is in the Central column which goes along the spine to the Sahasrara Chakra. There are many more nadis in the human body which is discussed in detail.

The number of nadis which branch out from chakras differ in number. From the muladhara,56 nadis branch out. From the Svadhistana,62 nadis branch out. From the nabhi, 52 nadis branch out. From the Anahata, 54 nadis branch out. From the vissudhi,72 nadis branch out and from Agya Chakra,64 nadis branch out. The sum of all nadis is 360 which form a 360 degree sphere of influence around us. It signifies that when we have proper transition of energies, enlightenment is achieved.

Ida-Nadi/[इडा नाडी]

1. Ida: Known as "Inspirer" as it carries emotion of inspiration and visionary speech.It starts from muladhara chakra and branches out from the pineal eye, goes to the left nostril, which is its orifice, and supplies prana to it, it also governs the left nasal passage. It causes the entire left body to be nourished through prana.

2. Hastijihva: Known as "Elephant's Tongue" [Hasti-Elephant, Jihva-Tongue] . It runs from the muladhara chakra to the navel chakra where it branches out. Supplies prana to the left foot. Its energy involves the middle of the hand and foot and from there branches on the five fingers or toes, ending primarily within the thumb and large toe. Its apertures are the tip of the thumb and large toe.

3. Gandhar: A musical note - Branches out from the third eye and responsible for dream and inventive vision. It goes to the left eye, which is its orifice, and supplies prana to that.

4.Shankhini: Means "Similar to Sea Shell" - It branches out from the third eye, goes to the left ear, which is its orifice, and supplies prana to it. It makes us receptive to higher influences and visions.

Pingala Nadi/[पिंगला नाडी]

1. Pingala: "The Red" -It starts from the muladhara Chakra, goes in spiral from the right side and branches out from the sense organ, goes to the right nostril, which its orifice, and supplies prana.

2. Yashasvati: "Abounding in Glory" runs from root chakra to the navel chakra where it branches out.There Supplies prana to right foot and hand

3. Payasvini: "Full of Juice".It branches out from the pineal eye[third eye], goes to the right ear, which is its orifice, and supplies prana to it.

4. Pusha: "Nourisher" ,it branches out from the sensory receptors, goes to the right eye, which is its orifice, and supplies prana to it. This is an important nadi because the soul [Atman] dwells within the right eye during the waking state.

Sushumana Nadi

Sushumana is the most important Nadi in the human body.It is also the central nadi of the Chakra system and run straight along the spinal cord. Sushumana connect all the chakras to each other and the flow of energy through sushumna is what determines the health of the human body. It is through sushumna and only sushumna that your kundalini sergent energy can rise and when it rises and reaches the Agnya chakra, enlightenment is achieved.

Prana is the ultimate energy of the human body, the more unifrom prana inhalation/exhalation you have, the better your body functions. If Prana flow through sushumna is uniform, the yogi is said to be in a state of divine grace. All diseases start when a tissue, organ or body part loses blood supply, and that happens when prana is not reaching that particular organ.

The sushmuna is divided into 5 portion and considered separately in order of rising energy:

1. Alambusha: It runs from the base of the spine or center of the root chakra back to the tip of the rectum and supplies prana to the organs of waste elimination. It relates to the root or earth chakra and is connected to apana mahaprana.

2. Kuhu: It is called as The New Moon and it runs from the base of the spine to the Svadhistana chakra and forward to the end of the penis or vagina depeneding on the gender of the yogi, it supplies prana to the reproductive organs as well as to the urinary organs connected to them.

3. Vishvodhara: Known as The Carrier of All, it runs from the base of the spine to the navel chakra and to the stomach; it supplies prana to the digestive system.

4. Varuna: Known as The Pervader, It runs from the base of the spine to the heart chakra and supplies prana to the entire body, generally through the respiratory, circulatory systems.

5. Sarasvati: Known as The Goddess of Speech and Knowledge, it branches out from the vissudhi chakra. It goes to the tip of the tongue and supplies prana to it. It also covers the mouth and throat, It relates to the vissudhi chakra and to udana mahaprana.

6. Sushumna : Known as The Very Blissful, it goes from the base of the spine or center of the muladhara chakra to the top of the head. It also energizes the spine, the brain, the nerve tissue , the muscles and supports the bone. It collects the energy of all the other nadis, particularly the eight ida-pingala nadi and bring all of them to the Agnya Chakra. It is connected to prana among the five mahapranas.


This constitutes the entire Nadi system of the human body. Anyone who understand the Nadi system and how it works can heal any disease on earth upon conscious chanting of particular mantras. Many books have been written on Nadi system of the human body, out of which Nadi Shastra or "The Science of Nadi" is most studied by tantrics. All tantric healing is nadi healing in it's most basic form as all tantric practictioner focus on individual nadi to heal any human ailment.