Nasya

Overview

Nasya is the Ayurvedic practice of giving a herbal preparation, most often a medicated oil, through the nostrils. It is one of the cleansing and nourishing procedures the tradition groups under Panchakarma, the set of classical body therapies.

The reasoning behind it is simple, and the texts state it plainly. The nose is the way into the head. Ayurveda calls the head and the area above the collarbone the seat of the senses, and Nasya is the route it uses to care for that whole region: the head itself, the sinuses, the throat, the eyes and ears, and the clarity of the mind. An old line from the Ashtanga Hridayam sums it up: the nose is the doorway to the head.

The kinds of Nasya

The classical authors do not treat Nasya as one thing. They sort it by what it is meant to do.

There is a cleansing kind, which uses stronger powders or juices to clear the head. There is a nourishing kind, which uses ghee, milk or oily preparations to feed and settle, and this is the form reached for in dry, Vata-type states. There is a gentle kind, using mild oils or light decoctions for everyday support.

Above all there is the smallest form, the daily one. The texts call it Pratimarsha Nasya, and it is just two drops of oil in each nostril, taken as part of the morning routine. It is considered safe for most people to do, year after year, as ordinary self-care for the nose and the senses.

How it is done

In a full therapeutic Nasya, the preparation matters as much as the oil. First the face is warmed and softened: a gentle massage of the face with warm oil, then a little steam or a warm cloth over the cheeks and forehead. This opens the passages.

Then the person lies back with the head tilted gently downward. Warm oil is put drop by drop into each nostril. A daily Pratimarsha dose is two drops a side; a stronger therapeutic dose is a few drops more, according to what the practitioner judges. Afterwards the bridge of the nose and the brow are gently massaged, the mouth is rinsed with warm water, and the person rests for a while, out of cold draughts and dust.

The daily form

The everyday practice is the one most people will meet. Pratimarsha Nasya is two drops of plain sesame oil, or a classical Nasya oil, in each nostril in the morning. The texts describe it as suitable for ordinary use through life, a quiet way of keeping the nasal passages comfortable and the head clear. It belongs alongside the other small daily acts of Dinacharya, the Ayurvedic daily routine.

When it is not done

The tradition is careful about timing. Therapeutic Nasya is not done straight after a meal, a bath, or alcohol. It is set aside during fever or an acute illness of the chest or nose, and the stronger forms are held back in pregnancy, in very young children, and in great age, where the gentle daily form may still be acceptable under guidance.

This entry describes the classical Ayurvedic understanding of Nasya. It is not medical advice, and therapeutic Nasya should be done under the care of a qualified practitioner.

Frequently asked

What does Nasya actually do, in Ayurvedic terms? It carries oil and herbs through the nose to the region above the collarbone, which the texts treat as the home of the head and senses. The aim is to keep that region nourished, settled and clear.

Can I do it at home? The smallest form, two drops of oil a morning, is described as everyday self-care. The stronger, fuller procedure is a clinical one and belongs with a trained practitioner.

Which oil is used? A classical Nasya oil is the usual choice, but the texts allow plain warm sesame oil for the simple daily form when a prepared oil is not to hand.