sandeyeThe Theory: The Kriyas 5: Nauli & Basti
May 5th 2008 15:28
Nauli can be much easier to perform if you have had some experience of Agni Sara, which I covered in my former Kriya posting. You might also want to flip back a few postings to refresh yourself on Uddiyana Bandha before proceeding into this piece.
To fully cleanse the internals of the body, two more Kriyas are included within the Yogic lifestyle. Nauli is not so terrible, but if Dhauti and Neti left you gagging and cringing, Basti may be the last on your list of things to attempt. Once you seriously get to feel the benefits of the basics, it is natural to want to search the deeper core of Yogic life and you may feel more able to handle the gritty grottys. Once, I read these pages and thought that I would never even consider trying such things as the Kriyas, but now I am seriously looking at attempting all but Basti. It is not because Basti is the most disgusting to read about, nor that I think it would be unhelpful, but because I am not sure that I could feel OK about wasting water if firstly having a shower, and then also filling the bath tub enough for performing Basti. Apart from local water shortages and costs, we usually have a tap or pipe needing attention due to leaking or dripping, and my efforts currently tend in favor of using as little water as possible. Maybe my feelings will change in a year or so, or water will be less scarce in our district then, and it will become a regular essential.
As in Agni Sara, stand with your feet apart and hands resting supportively upon your thighs, your knees bent partially. This time, hands should point downwards, rather than inwards. Firstly, exhale and execute Uddiyana Bandha. Try to locate your central abdominal muscle by contracting the sides and concentrating both physically and mentally on the central area of the abdomen. When you have done this successfully, it should look like a ridge from the center of your ribs running down your belly towards your hips, with indented valleys on either side. You might choose to practice topless in front of a mirror, to help you when first practicing Nauli. Once you have your central ridge, the idea of Nauli is to push down with one hand, moving the highlighted muscle sideways, then with the other, moving it to the other side. The ridge should move towards the side you are not pushing down. When you are experienced, Nauli becomes a fluid motion as you alternate between the two sides. It is reportedly helpful for intestines, liver, stomach, relief of menstrual discomfort and assists with increasing the pranic flow. It is also useful for Basti…
Basti is the Yogic variation of an enema. First, partially fill your bath tub with water and climb in. Whilst sitting in the tub, one is expected to rectally insert a tube of around four inches. I assume that these can be purchased at the same online sources which sell Neti Pots and other Yogic accessories, but if you have difficulty searching you could try your local health and sports store or Yoga Center. Once this tube has been inserted, one should suction water inside of one by performing Uddiyana Bandha and Nauli. Next, remove the tube but continue to practice Nauli in order to move the water about inside of you before expelling it.
To fully cleanse the internals of the body, two more Kriyas are included within the Yogic lifestyle. Nauli is not so terrible, but if Dhauti and Neti left you gagging and cringing, Basti may be the last on your list of things to attempt. Once you seriously get to feel the benefits of the basics, it is natural to want to search the deeper core of Yogic life and you may feel more able to handle the gritty grottys. Once, I read these pages and thought that I would never even consider trying such things as the Kriyas, but now I am seriously looking at attempting all but Basti. It is not because Basti is the most disgusting to read about, nor that I think it would be unhelpful, but because I am not sure that I could feel OK about wasting water if firstly having a shower, and then also filling the bath tub enough for performing Basti. Apart from local water shortages and costs, we usually have a tap or pipe needing attention due to leaking or dripping, and my efforts currently tend in favor of using as little water as possible. Maybe my feelings will change in a year or so, or water will be less scarce in our district then, and it will become a regular essential.
As in Agni Sara, stand with your feet apart and hands resting supportively upon your thighs, your knees bent partially. This time, hands should point downwards, rather than inwards. Firstly, exhale and execute Uddiyana Bandha. Try to locate your central abdominal muscle by contracting the sides and concentrating both physically and mentally on the central area of the abdomen. When you have done this successfully, it should look like a ridge from the center of your ribs running down your belly towards your hips, with indented valleys on either side. You might choose to practice topless in front of a mirror, to help you when first practicing Nauli. Once you have your central ridge, the idea of Nauli is to push down with one hand, moving the highlighted muscle sideways, then with the other, moving it to the other side. The ridge should move towards the side you are not pushing down. When you are experienced, Nauli becomes a fluid motion as you alternate between the two sides. It is reportedly helpful for intestines, liver, stomach, relief of menstrual discomfort and assists with increasing the pranic flow. It is also useful for Basti…
Basti is the Yogic variation of an enema. First, partially fill your bath tub with water and climb in. Whilst sitting in the tub, one is expected to rectally insert a tube of around four inches. I assume that these can be purchased at the same online sources which sell Neti Pots and other Yogic accessories, but if you have difficulty searching you could try your local health and sports store or Yoga Center. Once this tube has been inserted, one should suction water inside of one by performing Uddiyana Bandha and Nauli. Next, remove the tube but continue to practice Nauli in order to move the water about inside of you before expelling it.
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