Activating SUSHUMNA Nadi

There is a current within you that is neither pushing nor softening, neither activating nor withdrawing. It is the space where both can exist without conflict. In the yogic system, this is known as Sushumna Nadi, the central channel running along the spine, representing balance, integration, and the potential for deeper awareness. Where Ida cools and Pingala energises, Sushumna harmonises. It is not something we force open, but something that reveals itself when the system comes into equilibrium.

Sushumna is described as the pathway through which meditation deepens and perception becomes clear. When awareness begins to move through this channel, there is a steadiness that isn’t dependent on external conditions. The mind quiets, the breath refines, and the usual inner fluctuations begin to settle.

Unlike Ida and Pingala, which we can influence more directly, Sushumna is accessed indirectly through balance. Too much activation leads to agitation, too much passiveness leads to dullness, but when both are refined and held in harmony, there is a sense of alignment where body, breath, and mind move together.

In practice, this is cultivated through a steady, balanced approach. We move through all pose categories with equal attention to effort and ease. The spine becomes a central axis of awareness, creating a sense of length and continuity through the body. Practices such as Nadi Shodhana and Padadhirasana help harmonise the system, while stable inversions like Viparita Karani support the stillness and integration required for Sushumna to become more accessible. The breath is observed and allowed to naturally balance, rather than controlled.

As this balance develops, the inhale and exhale begin to meet evenly, and the nervous system settles into a more integrated state. Meditation then becomes less of a technique and more of a natural expression. Awareness turns inward without force, and stillness arises on its own.

Working with Sushumna is not about chasing an experience, but about creating the conditions for clarity. When there is less interference and less internal noise, awareness naturally settles into itself.

This week, let your practice explore balance. Refine both effort and ease. Stay with a steady breath, and bring awareness to the spine as your centre. In that meeting point, Sushumna is not something you activate, but something you begin to experience as what has always been there.