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Duration: This practice should take about 5 minutes.
Neti may be practised once daily or as recommended by a yoga teacher or therapist. To relieve severe colds, nasal catarrh or other ailments, it may be performed up to 3
times daily. Awareness: Physical - on relaxing and positioning the body,
making sure no water leaks from the nozzle of the lota, and on relaxed breathing through the mouth, especially for beginners.
Spiritual - on ajna chakra. Sequence: Jala neti is ideally practised in the morning before
asanas and pranayamas. However, if necessary, it may be
performed at any time except just after meals. Precautions: The water should only pass through the nose. If
any water enters the throat or mouth it is an indication that the position of the head needs to be adjusted. Make sure that the nose is properly dried after the practice, otherwise the nasal passages may become irritated and manifest the symptoms of a cold. Do not blow the nose too hard as the remaining water may be pushed into the ears.
If necessary, perform shashankasana for several minutes. Contra-indications: Those people who suffer from chronic
bleeding in the nose should not do jala neti without expert advice. Those who consistently have great difficulty passing water through the nose may have a structural blockage
and should seek expert advice. Benefits: Jala neti removes mucus and pollution from the nasal
passages and sinuses, allowing air to flow without obstruction. It helps prevent and manage respiratory tract diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and pulmonary tuberculosis. It helps to relieve allergies, colds and sinusitis, together with various disorders of the ears, eyes and throat, including myopia, allergic rhinitis, hay fever, certain types of deafness such as glue-ears, tonsillitis and inflammation of the adenoids and mucus membranes. Mouth breathing in children can be reduced by practising jala neti. Jala neti relieves muscular tension of the face, nervous tics, and Bell's palsy and helps the practitioner to maintain
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