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Yogic Physiology of the Nose
The nasal passages play a vital role in pranayama practice.
Yogis state that the nostrils are control mechanisms for the flow of breath as well as the pranic energy that flows through nadis. The nostrils also have a direct connection to the brain and are doorways to the total mind-body system. Control over the breath in the nostrils allows one to guide the internal environment without the need for external aids such as drugs and chemicals. The internal processes can be influenced by the breath in order to improve health, change states of the mind or attain higher levels of consciousness. Physiology of the nostrils The two nostrils allow air to enter and leave the body. They are lined by coarse hairs which act as an initial barrier against dust and other foreign objects. The two nostrils are separated by an osteo-cartilaginous tissue, called the nasal septum. Bones called turbinates protrude from the sidewalls of the two nostrils. They greatly increase the surface area inside the nose, which is exposed to incoming air, and cause eddies in the air, so that dust and foreign particles can settle down.
This in turn allows the moist and warm mucous membranes to clean, humidify and regulate the temperature of air entering the lungs. Dust is trapped by the mucus and pushed back into the pharynx by tiny hairs called cilia, which line the mucous membrane of the nose. The cilia have a whip or
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