Shat Karma

Shat Karma is derived from the Sanskrit/Hindi language and means six procedures. These are six procedures or yogic sadhan which are performed to remove toxins and waste from the body and can be performed very easily when needed. Our body is an excellent self sustaining system like an automatic super computer which controls a large number of functions. But sometimes it needs service. That service to the body can be provided through shat karma. It is the perfect yogic procedure to clean the body. If waste products are not removed properly and regularly, they lead to stagnation and ultimately various diseases. These six procedures (Kirya) are:

  • Neti Kirya
  • Dhoti Kirya
  • NauliKirya
  • BastiKirya and Ganesh Kirya
  • KapalBhati
  • Tratak

Neti : Neti procedure has two types: Jal Neti(Water Neti Kirya) and Sutra Neti (cotton thread netiKirya)

Jal Neti is performed with water. It is like cleaning the drain in a house. Here we clean the upper respiratory track with water.

Procedure: It can be done in crow pose or in a standing posture. Neti can be performed in the morning after brushing the teeth. Take 250-400 ml of clean water and add salt ( 1gm:100ml ratio) in neti pot. Now put the spout in an open nostril and breathe in. Water will start flowing from the pot to your throat. Tilt your head slightly downward and let 100 ml water flow out of your mouth. You can also drink water by raising your head. Clean your face as needed. Fix the spout in one nostril. When water reaches the throat, tilt your head sideways so that the water starts flowing from the other nostril. Now repeat the process through the other nostril. With practice, one can take water from both nostrils and let it flow from mouth. After jalneti wash your face and blow your nose gently to clean the passages of remaining water. Even after this process, some water remains in the sinuses. This must be clean otherwise it may lead to sinus infections. For this purpose, lie down in shav asana for few minutes; tilt your face to one side. The water from opposite sinus will come out, clean it. Repeat the process by tilting head to other side.

Types of water to be used:

  • Plain water causes some pain and stinging sensation in nose and throat. So add some salt approximately 1 gm in 100ml of water
  • Use fresh water in summer and warm water in winter.
  • Those suffering from sinusitis or other URT infections use warm water
  • Hypertension patients should use glucose powder or plain water but not salt.

Age limit: Any person six year or older can use jalneti

Caution: One may start sneezing or experience some irritation in the eyes. This is normal and there is no need to panic.

Advantages :

    • It cleans the upper respiratory track, so you breath clean air
    • It is very useful in cases of headaches and migraines
    • Eyes become very clear and bright
    • It keeps the brain cool, calm and active
  • Clears the phlegm from throat and the voice becomes clear and sweet.

Surtra Neti

Sutra Neti:

As the name shows, it is done with a neti made of soft cotton thread woven like a rope. It is 18” to 24” long and the thickness of the neti varies from 1/5 th of an inch to ½”. Neti can be classified as thin, medium, moderately thick and thick. Different numbers of thread are taken to make different thickness. One end of the neti has some loose threads.

Principle: When you clean a drain in your house with only water and examine it, you will find some unwanted material remains attach to the walls of the drain. Now use a stick to clean the drain and then flush the drain with water. You will find that drain becomes very clean. Similarly if we clean the upper respiratory tract with sutra neti and then we do jaldhar, the respiratory passage from nose to throat becomes very clean.

Method: Sutra neti is done in crow pose. Keep the neti dipped in water so that it becomes soft. Pull both ends to straighten it. Now bend one of the ends and insert it in one of the nostrils. Slowly push it up the nostril with the fingers of one hand and support the neti with the other hand. When you feel that the neti has reached the throat, pull it gently out of mouth with the help of your thumb and index finger while continuing to push the other end towards the nose with the other hand. When one end of the neti is out of the mouth and the second end is out of the nostril, let it stay in this position for few seconds. Now hold each end pull it little from the mouth and then pull it little from the nostril. Pull gently 2-3 times and take it out from the mouth gently. Wash the neti and repeat the procedure from the other side. Now clean the neti and put it aside and let it dry. Sutra neti should be done daily and it should be replaced after six months. The beginners can use rubber catheter (neti) .

Age limit : Any person age ten year or older can use sutra neti

Caution:

  • One may start sneezing or experience some irritation in the eyes. It is normal.
  • Sometimes a little blood comes out of nose after the neti procedure. In such cases perform jalneti with salt and put one spoon of desighee(liquid form) in each of the nostril.
  • Sutra neti/Rubber neti and jalkirya should be done under the guidance of yoga acharya

Advantages : It is very a useful kirya and beneficial for various diseases above the shoulder region

  • It improves eye sight
  • It is excellent preventive and curative procedure for the easr, nose and throat
  • It improves hearing
  • It cleans thetongue and eliminates bad breath
  • It is very useful in cases of deflecteted nasal septums (DNS)
  • It is very useful in cases of chronic sinus infections, tonsillitis, pharingitis, gingivitis etc.

Note: After suterneti do jalneti and kapalbhatipranayam for better effects and do shavasan for few minutes before switching over to other asans

Dhoti Kriya

It is of two types:

  • Waster Dhoti Kriya
  • Dhand Dhoti Kriya
  1. Waster Dhoti Kriya

As the name indicates, it is done with a dhoti, made up of very fine cotton cloth, i.eMalmal  . It is about 3” broad and 15’-25” long. New sadhak starts with a 15’ long dhoti.

Method: Take a pot containing some water. Dip dhoti in it. Keep with you some milk, say 250 ML, and some water say 250 ML, in separate glasses. Now sit in the crow pose, hold one end of dhoti, flatten it and keep it above your tongue. Start swallowing thedhoti, it starts going into the stomach. For first few days swallow afew inches of the dhoti and increase it gradually to one feet. Then when you master the technique of swallowing, do it up to 14 feet. Always keep one foot of thedhoti out of your mouth. Now slowly pull out the dhoti until you reach theend. Do it slowly and gently. If the dhoti sticks, drink a sip of milk or water and it will come out easily. While the dhoti is in, drink 250 ml to 500 ml warm boiled water, before taking it out. It will help with easy removal of the dhoti from the stomach. The Dhoti can also be removed by doing NauliKriya and applying UdhianaBhand, after drinking warm boiled water.

  1. Dhand Dhoti Kriya

It is made of very soft raw cotton threads. It is about 2’ long and ½ “ to 1” thick woven like a rope. One end of dhand dhoti has 1” portion which is like threads and the other end has about 3” portion like this. Rest of dhand dhoti a thick rope or Dhand as the name implies. Some people use thick rubber tube instead of it, but dhand dhoti made from sutra is re-usable; it can be washed and reused for six months.

Method: It is like waster dhoti. Here we keep 2” to 3” part of dhoti out of the month while the other end is in the stomach.

Advantages:

  • It improves disgestion
  • It cures diseases relating to acidity. If sadhak has acidity, milk can be used instead of salted water.
  • It cleans the digestive tract up to the small intestine.
  • It is very useful for patients with asthma, chornic bronchitis and allergic bronchitis. It helps in removing phlegm from lungs while dhoti is being taken out.
  • It clears the lower respiratory tract and lungs, as phlegm and other mucus secretions are expelled out from lungs.

Precautions:

  • Sadhak doing dhoti kriya, should take light diet such as milk, yogurt, and porridge with pure ghee.
  • Dhoti kriya is done on an empty stomach and the above mentioned diet can be had as a breakfast ½ or 1 hour after dhoti kriya.
  • Always learn dhoti kriya from Yoga Acharya and don’t start it doing yourself, as it may get stuck or slip into stomach, as a whole if you are not cautious.
  1. Nauli Kriya

It can be done in three postures: standing, sitting and with some support, in standing posture. A & B are common postures.

  1. NauliKriya in Sitting posture

Method: Sit in sidhasana or padam asana. Keep left hand palm on left knee and right hand palm over right knee and press the each knee. Now bend your head forward so that you can see your abdomen. Now exhale forcefully and pull back the abdominal wall. Now relax the abdominal muscles around the navel. Now exhale and inhale in this position five times. Then bring back the abdominal wall to its original position. Increase its timing gradually taking 15 days or more. After mastering this technique, now give right movement to muscles around the naval, by relaxing pressure on left knee and increasing pressure on right knee, now give left movement to the abdominal muscles by increasing pressure on left knee and relaxing the pressure on right knee. Do it few times. Increase duration gradually taking few days more. Now you have mastered in giving rotational movements to abdominal muscles by controlling pressure on both knee, you can do naulikriya continuously.

  1. NauliKriya in Standing pose

Method: Stand with your legs apart so that distance between both feet is around 1½’. Bow little forward. Keep left hand on left thigh and right hand on right thigh. Rest of the procedure is exactly similar as in sitting pose.

Precautons:

  • It should be done in the morning on anempty stomach.
  • Before starting naulikriya, eat a light diet for about one to weeks, like fruit juices, vegetables, milk, curd(Yogurt), dalia porridge with pure ghee etc.

Contraindications: Nauli is strictly contraindicated to pregnant women and in post natel period after delivery up to 3 months

  1. NauliKriya with some support.

In this pose we take the support of some object like a table, back of chair etc.  The rest of the procedure is absolutely same as in standing pose.

Advantages of NauliKriya

  • It improves the digestive power.
  • It improves the circulation of abdomen wall and abdomen viscera. Abdomen becomes flat.
  • It is very effective for obese people in reducing abdominal girth
  • It helps proper excretion of facal matter as it starts the intestinal movements
  • The diseases due to the gas in abdomen are cured

BastiKirya

This simple kirya helps in cleaning whole of large intestine, rectum and also cures constipation which itself is the cause of many diseases. It is a yogic kirya resembling what these days is called an enema .

Method: This is done with a cylindrical wooden tube or a stiff rubber tube(with hole) of 6” to 8” long ¾” to 1” broad. Ther outer surface of the tube should be very smooth. Sit in crow pose in the water, water level should be up to the navel. Lubricate all sides of tube with liquid paraffin or glycerine or any oil and insert the lubricated end into the anus. Slowly and gradually push it up upto 2”-3” with the rest of the tube remaining outside the anus. Now contract the muscles of the perineum as in moolabandh. Some water flows into rectum. With practice sufficient water can be drawn into rectum and large intestine through the tube. Now take out the tube. Sit in Padamasan and do Naulikirya. It helps proper excretion of waste from large intestine and rectum It starts the intestine movements. When you urge to pas the stool, go to the toilet and pass it. Mastering the kirya may take a month or and after that procedure can be performed on monthly basis or as needed.

Advantages:

  • It improves the circulation of perinea muscles
  • It strengthens the perinea muscles thus prevents prolaps in ladies
  • Cures the disease of abdomen due to excessive wind and flatulation
  • Very useful in cases of intestinal spasms and pain due to wind in abdomen
  • Improves the quality of seminal secretions thus helpful in sexual disorders
  • Digestion is improved, body becomes strong and healthy

Ganesh Kirya

It is a simple process of removing hard scapulae and removing the retained facal matter from the lower part of rectum

Method: Lubricate middle or index finger of hand. Sit in the crow pose and put finger gently into the anus up towards rectal end. Remove any hard scapulae and facalmetter from the lower part of rectum. Wash hands properly. This kirya can be done as needed.

Precautions :

  • Nails of the finger used in kirya should be cut properly.
  • Do not attempt this kirya if you had anal fissure in last 1.5 months
  • Do not attemp this kirya if you have bloody stools
  • In dry piles, do it gently after proper lubrication

Advantages: It is very useful and easy procedure and can be perfumed when difficulty in passing scabulae in normal routine.

KapalBhati

This procedure is very useful in removing the foul gases from the lungs. It helps achieve proper oxygenation of the blood in the lungs. It is actually an art of proper breathing.

Method: Sit in sidhasan or padamasan or in any comfortable pose. Keep left hand on left knee and right hand on the right knee. Sit straight.

Principles of this procedure:

Breathing process is divided in 3 parts:

  • Inhaling or Purak
  • Holding breath or kumbak. Nostrils can be pressed with thumb and index finger for holding the breath
  • Exhaling or rechak

These purek, kumbak and raichak can be done in the ratio of 1:4:2. i.e. inhale for 4 seconds hold for 16 seconds and exhale in 8 seconds.

Note : Perform moolband in inhale, holding and exhale. Perform jalandharbandh during kumbak. Perform udhiyan band during exhale. The duration can be increased but ratio should be maintained. Anybody age 8 years or older can do it and best time is early in the morning in a clean atmosphere

Advantages:

  • It strengthens the respiratory system. Lungs become stronger
  • Body gets more oxygen and perform all functions in a better way
  • Brain gets more oxygen and becomes calm, active and alert
  • Tracheal tube becomes strong. Voice becomes clear and sweet
  • It cleans the lungs. Any type of foul gases from lungs are removed
  • It is very useful and curative in asthamatic and chronic bronchitis

KapalBhati

This procedure is very useful in removing the foul gases from the lungs. It helps achieve proper oxygenation of the blood in the lungs. It is actually an art of proper breathing.

Method: Sit in sidhasan or padamasan or in any comfortable pose. Keep left hand on left knee and right hand on the right knee. Sit straight.

Principles of this procedure:

Breathing process is divided in 3 parts:

  • Inhaling or Purak
  • Holding breath or kumbak. Nostrils can be pressed with thumb and index finger for holding the breath
  • Exhaling or rechak

These purek, kumbak and raichak can be done in the ratio of 1:4:2. i.e. inhale for 4 seconds hold for 16 seconds and exhale in 8 seconds.

Note : Perform moolband in inhale, holding and exhale. Perform jalandharbandh during kumbak. Perform udhiyan band during exhale. The duration can be increased but ratio should be maintained. Anybody age 8 years or older can do it and best time is early in the morning in a clean atmosphere

Advantages:

  • It strengthens the respiratory system. Lungs become stronger
  • Body gets more oxygen and perform all functions in a better way
  • Brain gets more oxygen and becomes calm, active and alert
  • Tracheal tube becomes strong. Voice becomes clear and sweet
  • It cleans the lungs. Any type of foul gases from lungs are removed
  • It is very useful and curative in asthamatic and chronic bronchitis .

Tratak Kirya

Tratak means to focus vision on one point continuously without blinking the eyes.

The following objects can be used for tratakKirya:

  • Photo of OM
  • Photo of God or Goodess you believe in
  • Photo of your satgurudev’scharan or himself
  • Candle
  • Deepak
  • A point on the paper
  • Photograph of sun
  • Leaves of a young plant
  • Mirror
  • Moon
  • Sun
  • Water

Method using objects (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8):

If these objects are used, sit at a distance of 5’ to 6’ from the objects in the padamassa or sidhasan. Fix your eyes at the object. There should be proper light falling directly on the object. If you have chosen a candle or Deepak focus on the fire. First day perform tratak for 20 seconds and then increase the duration gradually. After looking at the object lower your sight and close the eyes, Massage lightly the upper eye lids for few seconds. Then move eye balls sideways and then up and downwards, while keeping eye lids close.

Using Moon as object :You can do tratak in sitting and standing posture. It should be practiced 7 days before and after full moon. The rest of the procedure is the same as written above.

Using water as an object: You can do tratak in a sitting or standing posture. Use source, stagnant water in a pool or river, tanketc can be used. The rest of the procedure is the same as written above.

Using Sun as an object: You can do tratak in a sitting or standing posture. Mornings are the best for this tratak. This tratak is done with closed eyes as looking directly into the sun can damage nerves. Face the sun keeping the eyes closed. Now let the light fall on your body and face. First day perform tratak for 20 seconds and then increase the duration gradually. The rest of the procedure is the same as written above.

 Using Mirror:

Sit at a distance of 3’ and fix your eye sight in the centre of your eyebrows. Light should fall on your face. The rest of the procedure is the same as written above.

Cautions: Never perform tratak on Sun with open eyes.

If eyesight is weak, wash your eyes with rose water before tratak.

How to wash your eyes: Take rose water in a clean eye glass. Bend your head forward and apply eyeglass on the left eye. Now blink the eye gently 10-15 times. This cleans the eye, Now keep the eye open in rose water for few seconds. Close the eye and remove the cup and rub the eye lid gently. Now wash the eye glass and fill it with rosewater and repeat the procedure for the other eye. You may feel a little irritation in the eyes. It is normal and will subside by itself.

Advantages of tratak:

  • It improves the eye sight
  • It improves the circulation of eye balls and muscles and the eyes becomes healthy and strong
  • Helpful for patients with weak eye muscles who squint
  • It cleans the eyes and lacrimal duct
  • It cures the redness of conjuctive.