The stomach cleaning process or intestinal cleansing is also known as Varisara dhauti or Shankaprakshalana, it is an ancient cleansing technique widely used by most of the yoga practitioners.
The modern world we live in is full of pollution, but sometimes we are not aware of it. It is about the pollution with which we are bombarded on a daily basis, through the air, the water, the food we consume.
It is true that our own body, which is so intelligent, has natural ways to purify the body, thanks to the activity of the lungs, the kidneys, the sweat glands, or the intestines.
It is very useful that we help the body to perform those functions; that we are, to put it in a practical way. And a good way to achieve this is by periodically cleaning the body naturally.
Yoga Exercises For The Natural Cleaning Of The Body
The Hatha Yoga Pradiprika calls them “kriyas” and there are six different ways:
- Neti: The nasal cleansing
- Nauli: The abdominal shake
- Dhauti: The cleansing of the upper digestive tract
- Basti: The colon cleansing
- Kapalabhati: The cleaning of the lungs and bronchi
- Tratak: The stare
The intestinal cleansing also is known as Dhauti, Varisara dhauti, or Shankaprakshalana is an ancient cleansing technique widely used these days for a body cleanse. For purification to be more effective, it must be accompanied by some exercises that are related to it.
Dhauti / Shankaprakshalana
This technique provides a complete cleaning of the digestive channel. It is highly recommended that you do it in the company of an experienced yoga teacher or with people who have practiced it before, at least when you are going to do it the first time.
Benefits of Varisara dhauti
Varisara dhauti or shankaprakshalana is one of the best and most complete techniques for those who wish to begin a spiritual practice, they can do it to be purified as fast as possible. It is also highly recommended for those who practice kundalini yoga, kriya yoga, Mantra Yoga, etc.
Benefits of Stomach Cleanse Process
- Increase in concentration
- Eliminates asthma and other diseases caused by phlegm
- Decrease appetite
- It fights the impurities of the skin
- It cleanses the blood and detoxifies the body.
- Eliminate bilious diseases
- It cleans the intestine
- Cure bad breath
- Regenerates the intestinal flora
- Prevents tumors in the intestine
- Eliminate leprosy
- Eliminates constipation
- It gives strength and vigor to the organism
- Useful to prevent and treat blood diseases, hyperacidity, and diabetes
How can one practice Dhauti or Shankaprakshalana?
There are four ways in which Dhauti or Shankaprakshalana can be practiced:
- Purification by wind
- Purification by water
- Purification by fire
- Purification with a soft cloth
Below are each of these simple steps that will help you cleanse the digestive tract deeply.
1. Purification by Wind ( Plavini pranayama)
First, focus fully on the exercise. When you are ready, close the epiglottis and with an impulse, swallow a little air, taking it to the stomach. Do it as many times as necessary, until you feel your stomach full of air. Once this is achieved, it begins to belch the air, which will free you from the rarefied gases that are in your stomach.
2. Purification by water (Kunjar Kriya / Vamana Dhauti)
Pre-prepare between 4 to 8 glasses of warm water. Drink as much as you can. Then, with your left hand, put pressure on your stomach. With two fingers of your right hand, introduce them in your throat and vomit the water.
3. Purification by fire ( Agni Sara)
Sit in the uddiyana bandha pose, then, without inhaling, relaxes the muscles of the abdomen well. Take them in, quickly, again, and again, around 5 to 10 repetitions. To complete the round, perform 2 or 3 more, reaching up to 5.
4. Purification with a soft cloth ( Vastra Dhauti)
Prepare a strip of fine gauze, which is about 2 or 3 inches wide and 15 feet long. Then, dip it in cold water, but one of the ends in your mouth, and start to swallow slowly. You can help yourself by drinking a little water. The first time you do this cleaning, swallow only one foot in length. Keep it a few minutes and then take it out little by little.
In the next few session, increase the size of the cloth that you are going to swallow, and so on, until you manage to swallow it completely, leaving of-course a piece outside to remove the one you entered. In the end, take a little milk or warm water with a little honey so you can squeeze your throat.
General Recommendations
- It is important that before undergoing any of these cleanings or kriyas, you prepare mentally and have a healthy and light diet for at least a week.
- Do the practices on an empty stomach.
- Do not practice them if you have just passed some diseases, especially the stomach.
- Try to do them in the company of other people, never alone, and preferably with the presence of a teacher or person who knows these practices.
- In the case of water purification, you can do it on an empty stomach once a week.
- In the case of Fire Purification, you can do it every day.
- In the case of Purification by Vastra Dhauti, you can do it once a week, fasting.
- By doing the Purification by Vastra Dhauti cloth you can practice Nauli. The contraction of the right and left parts of the abdomen will take those muscles to a vertical line.
- If you perform Vastra Dhauti or purification by Vastra Dhauti.
- You should not do nauli if you are pregnant, or if you have recently had abdominal pain or cramping.
There are other different ways to perform kriyas or intestinal cleanings, which are, said to be a little more complex and require more time, utensils, and certain exercises. But these simple forms will be very useful, if you are willing to begin the path of purifying your body, and if you trust in its varied benefits.
Remember that the better you prepare your physical body, the more in tune it will be with your spiritual body and you will absorb the teachings and practices of yoga in a more efficient way.
