Jala Neti - nasal cleansing technique for peace of mind

Jala-Neti (Sanskrit :जलनेति; Jala - Water;Neti - Nasal Cleansing ; Nasal cleansing using water) is a cleansing technique performed to cleanse the nasal cavity which helps in bestowing clairvoyance. Neti provides mental clarity. It is seen as a tool to awaken higher mental faculties as one advances in the practice of yoga.

When to practice Jala-Neti :

It can be practiced on morning, afternoon or before going to bed. Doing Jala-Neti before hitting the bed, brings peace of mind while sleeping. Since Jala-Neti is a cleansing technique, it precedes breathing techniques.
 

Procedure:

Jala Neti requires a "Neti pot" with a nozzle designed to fit into the nostrils.
1) Take lukewarm water in the Neti pot.
2) Stand with legs apart (at shoulder distance).
3) Till your head to right side and place the neti pot on the left nostril.
4) Keep the mouth open and breath through it.(Do not breath through nose during this activity)
5) Keep your body relaxed.
6) Gently pour the water through left nostril
7) The poured water will come through the right nostril for most of the people. If it is not coming, stop pouring water. Close your left nostril with thumb and blow gently through left nostril. This will force out the water.
8) Practice this for right nostril by interchanging the pot to other nostril.


Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes Sutra Neti (Sanskrit :सूत्रनेति; Sutra - Thread;Neti - Nasal Cleansing ;Nasal cleansing using a thread), in which a smooth thread or cloth is passed through one of the nostrils and taken out from the mouth. As many people finds it difficult to perform Sutra Neti, Jala Neti is a good substitute for it.

Benefits:

1) Cleans the cranium and helps to attain clairvoyance
2) It destroys all diseases that manifest above the throat
3) Clears sinus problems4) Clears phlegm and diseases borne of phlegm
5) Wards off cold, cough, rhinitis and tonsillitis
6) Prevents myopia and deters headaches
7) Clears off Otitis (ear infection)
8) Relaxes facial nerves and beneficial for those who suffer from depression, epilepsy, hysteria,etc..,
9) Stimulates the frontal lobe of cerebrum (the seat of learning).
10) Improves memory and concentration.
11) Imparts clarity of mind
12) Has profound effect on body, mind and personality.

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Vayusaar - A cleasing exercise to cure gastric problems

Vayusaar ( Sanskrit : वायुसार , वायु = Gas/Air, सार=extract/expel, Vayusaar = Force out gas from stomach) is a cleansing technique to force out the gas (that cause gastric troubles) accumulated in the stomach.

Before learning this technique, lets discuss what causes gas in the stomach.

What causes Gas ?^[1]

There are two sources for gas.
1) Undigested food in the large intestine
2) Swallowed Air.

Source 1: Undigested Food :^[1]

Main source of gas in human body is carbohydrates. Fats and Protein cause little gas.Human body does not digest some types of carbohydrates - like fiber,starch,sugar (raffinose, lactose, fructose, and sorbitol) due to lack/shortage of enzymes in the small intestine. The undigested food passes to the large intestine where harmless bacteria breaks them into hydrogen,carbon-dioxide and methane (in some people). This is main source of all gastric problems.

Source 2: Swallowed Air:^[1]

Swallowed air or aerophagia is a common source of gas in the stomach. Some amount of gas gets swallowed when we drink or eat. More air is drawn into the stomach during rapid drinking/eating, smoking and chewing gum. Belching or burping is a common way by which the swallowed air - containing nitrogen,oxygen,carbon-dioxide leaves the stomach. Remaining air gets absorbed in the small intestine and the residue passes to the large intestine and gets expelled through the rectum. The swallowed air will not cause any gastric problems.

Problems caused by gas:^[1]

1) Belching (sometimes with bad odour)
2) Too much flatulence
3) Bloated stomach
4) Abdominal pain/discomfort.

Vayusaar:

Vayusaar is a cleansing technique that utilizes the technique of swallowing the air (source 2) to expel the excess gas out of stomach. In vayusaar , the air is swallowed intentionally. The swallowed air gets mixed with the gas in the stomach (caused by undigested food) and gets expelled through belching/burping.

How to do Vayusaar:

1) Sit in Padmasan (with eyes closed)
2) Swallow air in small portions till your stomach is full.
3) Gently press your abdomen with your palm and you will belch/burp.
4) Continue belching till you fell comfortable/till it stops.
5) Do not worry about the remaining gas in the stomach as the swallowed air will not cause any harm and it will exit through the other way.

Benefits:

Clears all types of gastric problems in due course of time.

Reference:

[1] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - USA - "Gas in the digestive Tract"

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Jala Dhauthi - Cleansing digestive tract

Dhauthi :
The term "Dhauthi" refers to one of the six cleansing techniques described in Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Dhauthi  is performed to cleanse the digestive tract (stomach ,esophagus-food pipe,intestines ) which is accumulated with toxic substances from food leftovers/phlegm. There are several variants of "dhauthi". The one delineated in Hatha Yoga Pradipika is Vastra Dhauthi ( Sanskrit :वस्त्रधौति; Vastra - Cloth; Dhauthi-Cleansing; Cleansing with help of a moist cloth). In Vastra Dhauthi, a strip of cloth of sufficient length,moist with tepid water, is swallowed through the food pipe and taken out. This act cleanses the food pipe and stomach. An alternative to Vastra Dhauthi is Jala Dhauthi. ( Another similar technique called Danda Dhauthi (Sanskrit :दण्डधौति; Danda- Stick; Dhauthi-Cleansing;) also exists in practice, which aims at cleansing the digestive tract by lowering a flexible smooth stick made of rubber,turmeric,sugarcane or banana stalk, into the food pipe).

Jala Dhauthi :

Jala Dhauthi (Sanskrit :जलधौति ; Jal=Water; Dhauthi=Cleaning) is one of the three techniques of digestive tract cleansing techniques (the others being Vastra Dhauthi and Danda Dhauthi).

When to perform ?

Jala Dhauthi is performed early in the morning, after cleansing the bowels. For beginners : Do Jal Dauthi continuously for 15 days (only once in the mornings), pause for 3 days; continue the cycle for 3 to 4 times ( 1 cycle is 15 days Jal Dauthi + 3 days of pause). Do not attempt to do it for more than 15 days consecutively. Any act that is done for approx 21 days becomes a habit. So it not advisable to do Jal Dauthi for more than 15 days, since it may become an ingrained habit and may cause involuntary vomiting sensation whenever any food goes inside the food pipe.For advanced practitioners: Do Jal Dhauthi for 3 days, pause for 15 days and continue this cycle.

Procedure:

1) Take atleast 1-1.5 liters of luke warm water. If required, add a pinch of salt to the water.
2) Do a partial Squat on the floor with one knee touching the floor and the other pointing upwards.
3) Slowly drink the 1-1.5 liters of water, glass by glass.
4) Stand before a wash basin. Keep certain distance between your feet and comfortably lean forward towards the wash basin.
5) For beginners : Slightly tickle your tongue with your forefinger to stimulate vomiting sensation. This will make you regurgitate all the water consumed. At first it may seem a bit difficult to stimulate vomiting sensation and it may not be possible to regurgitate 100% of water that has been taken in.Once you become advanced in practice, you may find it easier to regurgitate at your will. Its absolutely fine, if you cannot vomit 100% of consumed water. 60% is more than enough. No worries !!! The remaining water will find its way through urinary tract.
6) Observe the turbidity of the water that is regurgitated. For those who has lot of toxic substances in the stomach, turbidity of water will gradually decrease and eventually only pure water will be regurgitated.
7) Once you feel that you have regurgitated to your maximum capacity, stop trying to vomit.
8) Drink 1/2 glass of water (this is to clean the walls of the food pipe after regurgitation and to get rid of sour sensation)

Caution :

Not recommended for persons with high blood pleasure and ulcer. Do not use cold water for this technique.

Benefits :

Cough, Asthma, enlargement of the spleen, leprosy, and 20 kinds of diseases born of phlegm, disappear by the practice of Jal Dhauthi.

Demonstration of Jala Dhauthi :


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Kapal Bhatti / kapalbhati - The power breathing technique

Kapal Bhatti / kapalbhati  (Sanskrit :कपाल भाति ; Kapal = Skull/head ; Bhatti = Shine ) is a breathing/cleansing exercise to clean the nasal passages. It is a power breathing exercise that involves breathing with force. It helps clean all the toxins and phlegm in the nasal passages. Practicing this exercises brings  tejas (Sanskrit : तेजस्;tejas = brilliance) to the face. That is why this technique is called Kapal bhatti.It also helps to overcome depression, stress and all other negativeness.

There are two types of Kapal bhatti.

1) Single Nostril Kapal bhatti

2) Double Nostril Kapal bhatti

Caution :

Not recommended for people with respiratory problems, high blood pressure and cardiac problems.

Procedure (Single Nostril Kapal Bhatti):

1) Sit in Padmasan  (Sanskrit : पद्मसन;Padma=Lotus,Asana=posture ; Lotus Posture)  

2) Exhale forcefully  and empty your lungs.

3) Inhale a little bit (half inhalation or shot inhalation)

4) Close your right nostril with your right thumb

5) Do rapid/forceful exhalation and passive inhalation alternatively using your left nostril. Do it for 54 counts.

6) During the last count (54th count), when you exhale , exhale completely.

7) Take your thumb off the nostril. and hold on with your empty stomach for 6-8 counts. This is called external retention, meaning that you retain the air outside and not allowing it inside your lungs.

8) Do a deep inhalation and a prolonged exhalation through both the nostrils. This completes brisk breathing on left nostril.

9) For the brisk breathing on right nostril, follow step 2 to 8 by closing your left nostril with left thumb.

This completes one cycle of single nostril kapal bhatti. 

Its good to do 3 cycles of single nostril kapal bhatti before performing double nostril kapal bhatti.

Procedure (Double Nostril Kapal Bhatti):

1) Sit in Padmasan  (Sanskrit : पद्मसन;Padma=Lotus,Asana=posture ; Lotus Posture)  

2) Exhale forcefully  and empty your lungs.

3) Inhale a little bit (half inhalation or shot inhalation)

45) Do rapid/forceful exhalation and passive inhalation alternatively using both nostrils. Do it for 108 counts.

6) During the last count (54th count), when you exhale , exhale completely.

7) Hold on with your empty stomach for 8-12 counts. This is called external retention, meaning that you retain the air outside and not allowing it inside your lungs.
8) Do a deep inhalation and a prolonged exhalation through both the nostrils. This completes brisk breathing on both nostrils. 

Do the double nostril kapal bhatti for one time only.

This techniques can be practiced any time. If you can't sit in Vajrasan, it is ok to do the technique by sitting on a chair or in any other comfortable position. Always the spine should be erect when doing this technique. It can also be practice while you are sitting at your workplace or at travel.

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