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The first Haṭha Yoga kriyā we shall take today is called Netī. Netī is about cleaning the nose. Our nose functions not only to take breath in and out but also as a filter. There is humidity, or liquid, in the nose which attracts all kinds of dust from the air when you inhale, much like a magnet pulls iron. There are also fine hairs in the nose which function as a filter. It is not good to pull them out, but some people stand in front of the mirror and wonder, "Why did God give us hair there?" They are very gentle hairs, but if you begin to pull them out constantly, they can become harder and thicker. Netī is a cleaning process. Imagine the channel from your bathroom: water flows through it, but some residue remains stuck on the walls. Similarly, in pipes, water flows but something can remain in the bends. You then clean it with water pressure or a brush. Netī functions in a similar way. Salt serves two functions. First, if there is salt in the water, the gentle skin inside your nose will not feel irritated. If there is too much salt, it will burn; if there is no salt, it will also burn. If the water is cold, you may get a headache; if it is too hot, it will be very unpleasant. Therefore, the water should be 2-3 degrees more than body temperature. Salt prevents unpleasant feelings, but its main purpose is for cleaning; it makes it easier to clean the nostrils. It cleans all the bacteria out. When the water flows gently, it acts like a gentle massage. All the fine nerves connected to the nose and the eyes are cleaned and gently massaged. You know that our tear channel is connected to the nasal stream; they are all interconnected. It is said to be good for eyesight as well. From time to time, you can practice Sūtra Netī. Sūtra refers to a cotton string. You make a cotton string about 40 centimeters long, very thin. Then you dip it into beeswax to make it softer. You insert the string into a nostril so it passes into the throat and out. In the beginning, it is a little unpleasant, but after two or three days you will get used to it. The string enters the nose, reaches the throat, and you hold it with two fingers, then move it gently. Then you take it out from inside and clean it with warm salty water. Do not clean it with washing powder, as that may cause an allergy. Then you insert it into the other nostril, catch it, move it, take it out, and clean it again with salty water. You should keep it individually; it is yours. Do not give it to someone else to use. Everyone should have their own Sūtra Netī. Alternatively, there is a rubber catheter—a small catheter you can find in medical shops. Doctors often use this catheter when someone has problems passing urine. Catheters have different numbers, and you should choose one according to your nostril size. Generally, they say number two and a half is suitable, but different countries or companies may have different numbering, so you should choose for yourself. It is said that practicing Netī is good prevention against allergies, especially those related to dust. It is also very good for preventing headaches. Those who have problems with sinuses can get rid of these issues. However, after practicing Jalā Netī or Sūtra Netī, you must do Kapālabhātī. If water remains somewhere in the sinuses, it can cause problems and lead to a sinus infection. Therefore, Bastrikā and Kapālabhātī—these two Prāṇāyāmas—are important. They may look similar, but there is a big difference. Kapāla means forehead, and this is the sinus area. There are three sinuses: two on the left and right, and four here. If you do Kapālabhātī incorrectly, water can go into the sinus towards your forehead, which can cause a headache and a heavy feeling in the head. Kapālabhātī is done by applying pressure on this part of the face. You inhale through the mouth and exhale through the nose, applying pressure from the abdominal muscles. This action helps press the water out. First, you do it about 20 times, then you tilt your head left and right. This means you direct the water left and right so that all water comes out from the sinuses. When you do this, do not inhale through the nose. Always inhale through the mouth; this is very important. Some people do it with a closed mouth, which is not good. If you do Kapālabhātī with a closed mouth, you press the water towards the forehead sinus, and it becomes difficult to remove the water from there. Such people often have constant sinus problems in the forehead. Therefore, do not do Kapālabhātī with a closed mouth. After doing this, practice it with each individual nostril. Close one nostril, for example the right nostril, by pressing it sideways. Bend a little forward, inhale through the mouth, and exhale two or three times through the nose. Then repeat with the other nostril. This is the correct way to do Kapālabhātī. Do not mix Kapālabhātī and Bastrikā together. Kapālabhātī is more about applying pressure from the nostrils to dry them and bring all the water out. Therefore, Netī practice should ideally be done before breakfast. If you have breakfast in the morning, then Netī should be done in the morning, or at least two hours before sleeping. This gives time for your sinuses to dry in case some drops of water remain. If you do Netī and then go to sleep half an hour later, you may wake up with a headache, flu, a cold, or a blocked nostril. So the best time is in the morning. Now, there is a question: in the outer world, there is a lot of physical pollution, especially in big cities. When you go to the office and come back, you might see your collar is completely dark. So, wouldn't it be good to also do Netī in the evening to clean all the pollution you inhaled? Yes, that is a very good question. When the Haṭha Yoga technique was developed, there was no such physical pollution. You can also do it in the evening, but maintain a minimum interval of two or three hours before sleeping. When you come from work and go to the bathroom to wash your hands, you can do Netī and then Kapālabhātī in the bathroom. Kapālabhātī will take about two minutes. Then you have time for your evening dinner and talking with family members, and so on. There will be a two- or three-hour interval before sleep, so you can do your Netī in the evening as well. It is advisable for everyone; it is good for the ears, eyes, nose, throat, and the respiratory system. Netī should be done every day. If you can obtain sea salt, that would be good. In some cases, people use different kinds of oil. You can do Netī with oil or with milk, and some do it with urine, but this is only in case of certain infections and the like. If you do it with urine, afterwards you must do it again with normal water—meaning warm, salty water.