🔘 SHAT KARMA

*SHAT KARMA:-* 

👉🏻 Introduction:-

- There are six cleansing procedures advised by great yogis to purify the Internal body from impurities.

- Person having excess of Kapha and Meda should practice Shat karma.

• धौतिर्बस्तिस्तथा नेतिस्त्राटकम् नौलिकम् तथा।

कपालभातिश्चेतानि षट् कर्माणि प्रचक्षते।।

- Six karma are:-

1. Dhauti

2. Basti

3. Neti

4. Trataka

5. Nauli

6. Kapalabhati

1. DHAUTI:-

- It means a series of cleansing techniques for digestive system.

- Types:-

a. Vamana Dhauti

b. Vastra Dhauti

c. Danda Dhauti

d. Varisara Dhauti

(Shankha prakshalana)

a. Vamana Dhauti:-

• Procedure:-

- Consume salty, lukewarm water till the stomach is full.

- Stand in bending posture.

- Press first 3 fingers at the bottom of tongue.

- Water will start coming out from stomach.

- Continue the process till almost all water comes out.

• Benefits:-

- Cleaning the stomach, removes gas, acidity and indigestion.

- It removes extra mucous from food pipe or esophagus.

- It helps to relieve asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems.

- It cleans the digestive tract of any undigestial food lingering in stomach & oesophagus and prevent the formation of toxins.

b. Vastra Dhauti:-

• Procedure:-

- Take a soft, clean cotton cloth which is 7-8 m long and 7-8 cm wide.

- Soak the roll in the cloth in lukewarm salty water.

- Slowly swallow the cloth.

- Completely swallow the cloth with the last end in the hand outside the mouth.

- Perform Uddiyana and agnisara.

- Slowly pull the cloth outside the mouth.

c. Danda Dhauti:-

• Procedure:-

- Soft rubber tube is inserted through mouth, oesophagus in to the stomach.

- Stand in bending posture.

- Water will come out from stomach through the tube by Siphon.

- Continue the process till almost all water comes out.

• Benefits of Danda Dhauti and Vastra Dhauti:-

- It removes impurities from intestinal tract, thereby detoxifying the stomach and esophagus.

- It helps to remove gas, acidity, indigestion and enlargement of spleen.

- It helps to relieve asthma, bronchitis, cough and other Kapha related problems.

d. Varisara Dhauti:-

• Procedure:-

- Warer is filled in the mouth up to the throat.

- This is drunk slowly

- Then moves to stomach.

- It should be expelled through rectum.

• Benefits:-

- It cleans the body

- By practicing it carefully, one gets shining body.

2. BASTI:-

- It means washing and toning the Latge intestine. In modern called as enema.

- Types:-

a. Jala Basti

b. Sthala Basti or Shushka Basti.

a. Jala Basti:-

• Procedure:-

- Rubber catheter is inserted in anal canal.

- Water is sucked in through the anus through catheter by doing Uddiyana.

- It cleans the Anus and rectum.

b. Shushka Basti:-

• Procedure:-

- Same as Jala Basti but with Air.

• Benefits of Basti:-

- It relieves gas formation in large intestine.

- Common practice for detoxification of body.

- It removes impurities from Large intestine and cleans the colon.

- It helps those who go in long fasts.

• Contraindications:-

- High blood person, hernia or any serious digestive ailments.

- Dysentery patients

3. NETI:-

- A process of cleaning and purifying the nasal passages.

- Types:-

a. Jala Neti

b. Sutra Neti

a. Jala Neti:-

• Procedure:-

- Stand with some distance between your feet.

- Bend your spine 60° angle and neck tilted on right.

- Now put spout of Jala neti pot into your nostril and keep your mouth open so that the water passes easily through your Right to left nostril.

- If you tilted your head too much or try to breadth from your nose, then water enters your throat instead of going to left nostril.

- But it will not cause you any harm.

- Now repeat the same process with the neck tilted to left side.

• Benefits:-

- It helps to get rid of all the bacteria and dirt that been trapped by mucus within nose.

- It helps to relieve asthma, bronchitis, infection, excess heat within the body, migraines, hysteria, mental tension, hypertension and depression.

- Certain eye disorders i.e. Tinitis, middle ear infections and glue ear.

- It helps to alleviate upper respiratory complaints which includes post nasal drip, inflammation of tonsils, sore throats and cough.

• Contraindications:-

- Nose bleeding and difficulty passing water through nose may indicate structural blockage.

b. Sutra Neti:-

• Procedure:-

- Carefully insert the sutra into one nostrils and gently push it through nasal passage until it reaches back of the throat.

- Reach far back into throat with the first two fingers, using fingers as a pincers to hold the sutra.

- The sutra is grasped between the first two fingers and drawn out of mouth but still leaving some sutra outside the nose.

- Hold each end of Sutra and then gently floss back and forth a few times.

- Rinse off the sutra and perform the same on the opposite nostril.

• Benefits:-

- It helps to maintain nasal hygiene by removing dirt and bacteria.

- It de-senitizes the sensitive tissue inside the nose which alleviate rhinitis, allergies and some types of asthama.

- Sinusitis, migraine, headaches can be reduced.

• Contraindications:-

- Enlargement of adenoids and tonsils

- Nasal bleeding and high blood pressure

- Inflammation of nasal septum, nasal polyps, congestion of nasal mucosa.

4. NAULI:-

- It means massaging and strengthening the abdominal organs.

- Types:-

a. Madhya Nauli

b. Dakshina Nauli

c. Vama Nauli

a. Vama Nauli:-

- When rectus abdominal muscle is isolated to the left, it is called as Vama Nauli.

b. Dakshina Nauli:-

- When rectus abdominal muscle is isolated to the right side it is called Dakshina Nauli.

c. Madhya Nauli:-

- When both right and left muscle are concentrated to the center it is called Madhya Nauli.

- Nauli must be learned in presence of yoga instructor.

- Best time to do the practice is early morning when stomach ans the bowels are empty.

- After heavy meal one should wait for atleast 5-6 hours before attempting this practice

- Over do may cause indigestion and loose motions.

• Benefits:-

- Improvement of venous outflow.

- Stimulation of large intestine and peripheral blood circulation.

- Strengthening of respiratory muscles.

- Lowering arterial pressure

- Stimulation of Endocrine system and bile expelling effect

- Improvement of blood circulation in pelvic organs

• Contraindications:-

- Hernia

- Pregnancy

- Hypertension

- Heart disease

- Ulcers

- GI ailments

- Pain when or after practicing.

5. TRATAKA:-

- Intense gazing at one point or object to develop power of concentration.

- Types:-

a. Bahiranga

b. Antaranga

- Bahiranga is easier to practice because one simply has to gaze at one object or symbol.

- Antaranga involves clear and stable inner visualisation of an object.

• Procedure:-

- Place a candle at eye level

- Gaze steadily at candle frame till tears start coming out from eye.

- To close eyes, observing light spot without allowing its movement and bifurcating.

- To cover eyeballs by warm palms, strengthening brightness of light spot.

- Gaze at the after-image of flame in space in front of closed eyes before its disappearance.

- To repeat 2-3 times.

• Benefits:-

- Purifies the eyes

- Strengthens the eye muscles.

- Improves vision and memory

- Improves willpower

- Develops intuition

• Contraindications:-

- Psychic problems

- Schizophrenia or hallucinations

6. KAPALABHATI:-

- It means breathing technique for purifying the respiratory tract.

• Procedure:-

- Sit on the flat floor and fold your legs.

- Keep the spine straight and close the eyes

- Keep the right palm on right knee and left palm on left knee.

- Exhale out completely

- Take a deep breadth

- Do active inhalation. Exhale will all force so your stomach will go deep inside.

- Do not stress on inhaling

- Should not practice very fast.

• Benefits:-

- Improves the function of Lungs, respiratory and reproductive system. 

- Cures erectile dysfunction naturally

- Improves the function of pancreas and kidney

- Calms the mind and brings stability

- Very effective in weight loss

- Cures constipation, acidity, diabetes, asthma, lower down high creatinine level

- It removes toxins from body.

• Contraindications:-

- Artificial pacemaker

- Backache due to slip disc

- Abdominal surgery

- Epilepsy or hernia

- Hypertension and heart problems

- During and shortly after pregnancy

- Stent is inserted.