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L.
Breathing: Breathing is performed through the mouth. Duration: The practice takes about 10 minutes. Once every
few days or once a week is sufficient. Sequence: Sutra neti should be performed beforejala neti as
the latter will flush out all the impurities and particles in
the nose which have been dislodged by sutra neti. Precautions: Do not use force under any circumstances. The
interior of the nose is very delicate and any undue force could cause damage. After persistent attempts, if the thread or catheter will not pass through the nose, consult a competent teacher. Make sure that the sutra is perfectly clean before inserting it into the nostril. It is best not to try sutra
neti untiljala neti has been perfected. Contra-indications: Those people who suffer from chronic
bleeding in the nose should not practise sutra neti. Anyone with nasal ulcers, polyps, or severe malformations of the nasal septum or turbinates should first seek the advice of
a yogic or ayurvedic doctor. Benefits: The benefits are the same as for jala neti. In addition,
however, sutra neti can rectify the problem of deviated nasal septum. If one or both nostrils are not flowing freely due either to deformed bone or fleshy outgrowths, the regular friction of sutra neti causes these obstructions to
disappear within a few months. Practice note: Although the catheter is easier and quicker, it
does not clean the nasal passages as effectively as the cotton thread. Technique 2 is possible with some types of catheter only.
Agnisara Kriya or Vahnisara Dhauti (activating the digestive fire or cleansing with the essence of fire) This practice may be performed as a preparation for bhastrika and kapalbhati pranayamas. The words agrii and vahni both mean fire; sara means essence, and kriya means action. The essence or nature of fire is attributed to the digestive process. If the abdominal organs are not working properly, the digestive fire smoulders and needs to be stoked or fanned to
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