In yoga the idea of ​​balance is very important.

There are two very important energy channels or nadis in the human body of the 72,000 nadis that exist in every human being. Both important nadis flow symmetrically. One is known as ida and the other as pingala. Ida represents the creative feminine qualities within you and pingala represents the energetic masculine qualities within you. Bringing balance to the body through the use of balancing postures brings balance between ida and pingala and thus balance is achieved not only physically but also energetically within ourselves. Between ida and pingala is the sushumna nadi, which exists parallel to and slightly in front of the spinal cord.

Ida nadi begins and ends on the left side of sushumna nadi. Ida represents the lunar energy within us, that is the energy within us that is related to the moon. It is a fresh energy and is nourishing in nature. The color white is sometimes used in yogic teachings to represent the subtle vibratory qualities of ida. Ida is also active on the right side of the brain. Pingala represents the solar energy within us, which is energy related to the sun. It begins and ends on the right side of the sushumna nadi. It is warm and stimulating by nature. Pingala is responsible for all vital somatic processes within our bodies. The subtle vibrational qualities of pingala are sometimes represented by the color red in yogic teachings. Pingala is active on the left side of the brain.

The interplay between ida and pingala is related to the interplay between intuition and rationality, consciousness and vital power, and the left and right hemispheres of the brain that takes place within us. In everyday life, one of these nadis is always dominant. Although this dominance changes throughout the day, a nadi is usually more dominant. This generates personality, behavior and health factors that can be described as ida or pingala. One of the goals of yoga practice is to achieve balance between ida and pingala.

The idea of ​​balance in yoga is seen when yoga is described as hatha. ‘Ha’ relates to the sun or solar principle of pingala and ‘tha’ relates to the moon or lunar principle of ida. So in hatha yoga, the goal of our practice is the balance between the solar and lunar energies within us.

It is said in many yogic teachings that balancing the sun and moon, or pingala and ida, allows for the awakening of kundalini and thus the awakening of higher consciousness that is felt in sahasrara, the seventh chakra. In fact, certain yoga teachings say that as long as ida or pingala are dominant, sushumna nadi remains dormant or dormant and the kundalini power cannot be awakened and therefore you cannot feel the awareness of sahasrara.

If we look at these definitions in scientific terms, we see that the left and right hemispheres of the brain are responsible for different functions. The left hemisphere of the brain controls the functions of the right side of the body and is also responsible for scientific thoughts. The right side of the brain is responsible for creativity, as well as the functions of the right side of the body. In yoga we are looking for a balance between the left and the right and therefore the balance between the left and right side of the brain and the right and left side of the body contribute.

The balance between ida and pingala occurs in the ajna chakra, which is represented as a lotus flower with two petals in the center of the forehead. One of the petals is represented by the ida energy channel and the other petal by the pingala energy channel.

In addition to this, yoga theory states that there is a connection between the mind and the body, so when there is balance in the mind, between ida and pingala, between the left and right hemispheres, there is also balance in the body. Therefore, it is important to work on balance in the mind in order to develop balance in the body. This can be achieved through meditation (dhyana) or breath control techniques (pranayama).

However, the opposite is also true: when there is balance in the body, balance can also be created in the mind. Therefore, working on the physical asanas of balance also helps to create balance in the mind, especially when we focus on the breath, as when we focus on the breath, we also focus on the prana or life force within us. .

Important balancing poses in yoga practice include standing balances such as:

Garudasana (eagle pose)

Vrikshasana (tree pose)

Natarajasana (dancer’s pose)

Utkatasana (fierce pose)

Arm balance poses include:

Bakasana (crane pose)

Mayurasana (peacock pose)

Tolasana (balance pose)

Pinchamayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose)

Bhuajapidasana (hand press pose)

In all balancing poses, you should focus your attention on your core muscles as they help stabilize you and also on your ajna chakra as your ajna chakra is the command center for the body and mind.

Therefore, by working on the balancing poses, you are not only bringing balance to the body, but also to the mind and to your nadis. A balanced life is always a happy life.