What I am missing in jalaneti?

Question

While i was doing jal neti some amount of water comes out from other nostril and some amount of water comes out of my  mouth can you tell me whether I am doing right or wrong because i have sinusitis too? This is my first time I am doing the jal neti.

Answer 1

Dear Ankit,

Take these imperfection in the beginning as normal. By regular practice, the flow of water from one nostril to the other nostril will be smooth and normal, as you will then come to know by your own about the proper angle of your neck and hand holding the neti pot. But keep ensure that you note the following points in mind while doing jala net:

• Any shatkarmas including jala neti should be practised on empty stomach and in the morning preferably.
• The Jala neti water should be luke warm and salty. How much? That you can measure by putting few drops of jala neti water on the back of the palm, if it is comfortable, use it.  Similarly, you can taste the water, if it is comfortable, use that much amount of salt only.
• During jala neti, when you insert nozzle of neti pot, keep ensured that your mouth is opened and you breath through mouth and not nostrils; only then the water will flow smoothly from one nostril (to which nozzle is inserted) to other nostril out. If you breath through nostril during jala neti, it will harm you.
• After you are done with jala neti, do kapalbhati to dry out your nostrils that are irrigated with water. Any water remained in the nostril after jala neti may cause headache or discomfort for the whole day. To check whether your nostrils are dry enough, just exhale forcefully over the back of your palm, check if the exhaled air contains the water droplets, if not, stop kapalbhati.