The nose is the doorway to the brain and it is also the doorway to consciousness. The nasal administration of medication is called nasya.

An excess of bodily humors accumulated in the sinus, throat, nose, or head areas is eliminated by means of the nearest possible opening, the nose. Prana, life force as nerve energy, enters the body through the breath taken in through the nose. Prana is in the brain and maintains sensory and motor functions.

Prana also governs mental activities, memory, concentration, and intellectual activities. Deranged prana creates defective functioning of all these activities and produces headaches, convulsions, loss of memory, and reduced sensory perception.

Thus nasal administration, nasya, is indicated for prana disorders, sinus congestion, migraine headaches, convulsions, and certain eye and ear problems. Breathing also can be improved through nasal massage.

For this treatment, the little finger is dipped into ghee and inserted into the nose. The inner walls of the nose are slowly massaged, going as deeply as possible. This treatment will help to open the emotions. (Nose tissue is tender and for this application, the fingernail must be kept short to avoid injuring the delicate mucus membranes.)