Neti is an important part of Shatkarma

Shatkarma

Shatkarma , also known as Shatkriya, refers to the Yogic practices involving purification of the body.Shatkarm' is a compound word consisting of two components: shat meaning 'six' and karma meaning 'art' or 'process'. The word kriya or karma is used in Hatha Yoga in a special technical sense...

 (sometimes known as Shatkriya), the yogic system of body cleansing techniques. It is intended mainly to the cleaning of the air passageways in the head. Both the Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Hatha Yoga Pradipika

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classic Sanskrit manual on hatha yoga, written by Svami Svatmarama, a disciple of Swami Gorakhnath. Said to be the oldest surviving text on the hatha yoga, it is one of the three classic texts of hatha yoga, the other two being the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva...

 and other sources usually attribute to Neti many beneficial effects that range from profound physiological ones on the body, mind and personality to even clairvoyance

Clairvoyance

The term clairvoyance is used to refer to the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through means other than the known human senses, a form of extra-sensory perception...

. The two main variants are jala neti using water and the more advanced sutra neti using string.

Jala neti

For this technique, lukewarm isotonic

Tonicity

Tonicity is a measure of the osmotic pressure gradient of two solutions separated by a semipermeable membrane. It is commonly used when describing the response of cells immersed in an external solution...

 salt water is poured into one nostril, so that it leaves through the other. The procedure is then repeated on the other side, and the nose is dried by bending forward and by rapid breathing.

It is also possible to sniff the water in so that it runs into the mouth, and to spit it out. In a more advanced reverse variant, the water is taken in through the mouth and snorted out of the nose.

Sutra neti

In sutra neti, a length of wet string or thin surgical tubing is carefully and gently inserted through the nose and into the mouth. The end is then pulled out of the mouth and while holding both ends at once the string is alternately pulled in and out of the nose and sinus

Sinus

- Anatomy :In anatomy, where a sinus is a sac or cavity in any organ or tissue:*Sinus , description of the general term*Paranasal sinuses, air cavities in the cranial bones, especially those near the nose, including:...

es. It is used to clear the nose and also to remove nasal polyps

Nasal polyp

Nasal polyps are polypoidal masses arising mainly from the mucous membranes of the nose and paranasal sinuses. They are overgrowths of the mucosa that frequently accompany allergic rhinitis. They are freely movable and nontender.-Description:...

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Sutra neti is an advanced form of yogic nasal cleansing and requires an experienced teacher. Sensations of gagging, nausea, and weakness may occur. In case of persistent blockage after jala neti, sutra neti should only be performed after a medical consultation.