So this is how it works.
You take this
thing and it looks something like this:
And you fill it up with warm water. Warmer than your body, but not hot. And you put some salt in it. Just a little, to break the surface tension. Like a big pinch.
Then you put the spout in your nostril and lift, allowing the gravity to let the water into your nostril. Then you tilt your head slightly sideways and if you do it
just right, the water fills up your nasal cavity and comes pouring out your other nostril.
It takes a little time to get it right initially and there is this strange vacuum-like feeling that feels like it's grabbing everything out your sinuses.
And then the water comes out your other nostril. And you can even breathe through your mouth while that goes on.
And the water comes out with some pretty unbelievable gunk.
Then you reverse the nostrils and do it again.
Sounds yucky?? I thought so too. How horrible is the whole concept, lol.
Strangely, it's Indian. It is a part of Yoga. It comes from here and we don't do it. And an Indian guy goes to Germany and learns about the Neti Pot from a German who does it religiously. Every single day.
I wonder if I should do it. I wonder...
That evening we're sitting round the table, playing games. My friend has arrived and we're chatting and eating and drinking. It's nice.
For everyone else. I'm not really fine. It's a mix of sickness and the fear of flying with these blocked ears and nose and oh...
Come on, let's do it.
What?
The Nasenspüler.
What? Hahahaha. My friend is laughing. He knows how yucky it is.
No.
Come on, trust me says the BIL,
it will make it better.
I'm not going to do it in front of you.
We're practically family he says, to everyone's amusement.
Let's go.
And so it was that I found myself holding a warm pot of salty water, trying to pour it down my nostril, choking and laughing and breathing all together.
And you know what? Round 1 and I felt a whole lot better already.
The next morning I woke up to a better nose. I did it again and felt even better. That evening one of my ears popped open. The next morning the other ear popped open and that evening, I was fine again.
Was it the Neti Pot that cured me? I think so.
Mumbai is a dirty-air city. We always have dirt in the air and I've always felt like I don't get enough Oxygen into my nose.
And so when I returned to Mumbai I started hunting for a Neti-Pot. And no, much as I would have liked it, I was not able to walk into a chemist's and buy it. Many did not know what I was talking about.
Then I went to a larger chemist that supplies homeopathic and ayurvedic medicine and he didn't blink an eye when I asked for a Neti-Pot.
He pulled this out.
And now I use this everyday too. It has been almost 2 months now. My nose feels fantastic. It feels like I had a clogged nose for all my life -- and now I breathe easy.
And so ends my rather strange post about using an ancient Yogic technique to keep your breathing system clean. You may laugh about it if you like, I laugh too.
But I had to share.
And if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
God, what kind of information I put out, really, lol.