Capacity Stool

purification of the body through Yoga

(1) Tadasana :
Stand erect keeping a distance of half a foot between the two feet. Join (Intermingle) the fingers of one hand with those of the other hand and raise the hands up. Raise the

heels from the ground and bending the head backwards look at the fingers. Stretch the body upwards. Keep this position for a few seconds and then bring the body to its

original position.Repeat this asana eight times.
( 2) Tiryak Tadasana :
First of all, hold the position of Tadasana. Keeping the heels raised from the ground, bend the body first to the right of the other hand and raise the hands up. Raise the heels

from the ground and bending the head backwards look at the fingers. Stretch the body upwards. Keep this position for a few seconds and then bring the body to its original

position.Repeat this asana eight times.

( 3) Kati Chakrasana :
Stand keeping a distance of two feet between the feet. Raise both the arms on the sides of the body to the level of the shoulders. Turn the body by the waist to the right ide,

bring the left arm to the right shoulder and take the right arm to the back. Then bringing the body to its original position, turn it to the left side.Repeat this asana eight times.
( 4) Tiryak Bhujangasana :
Lie on the stomach on the ground. Place the palms on the ground beside the shoulders. Stretch the trunk and the head upside with the help of the muscles of the back. Try

to minimize the weight on the arms. Now turning the head and the trunk to the right side, look at the heel of the left foot. Then turning the head and the trunk to the left side,

look at the heel of the right foot. Then bring the body to its original position.Repeat this asana eight times.
( 5) Udar Karsanasana :
Sit erect on the ground bending the knees. Keep the palms on the knees. Lower the left knee to the ground, bend the trunk to the right side as much as possible and look

back to the right side. Then come to the original position. Repeat this asana on the other side.Repeat this asana eight times on both the sides.

Practising the above-mentioned five asanas in the order explained above, sphincter muscles gradually become loose with the result that the saline water drunk through the

mouth flows to the anus carrying with it waste food and stool. Drink again two glassfuls of water and practise the above five asanas eight times.Now go to the toilet. Do not

force the stool to come out of the bowels. Keep the muscles of the abdomen relaxed. If the stool does not come out, wait for a minute and then come out of the toilet.Drink

two glassfuls of water again and practising the above-mentioned asanas eight times, go again to the toilet.Never give force to the stool to come out.Continue this technique

(kriya)-drink two glassfuls of water, practise the five asanas and then go to the toilet.At last, you will be relieved of the stool. In the beginning,the stool will be hard and then

the stool mixed with waterwill come out.To drink water, to practise asanas and to go to the toilet- if this technique continues in that order, only water would come through the

anus. It means that the whole gastro-intestinal tract is completely evacuated.To reach the condition that only water should come through the anus, one has to drink 16 to 20

glasses of water.As this varisar dhauti is tiring, one who practises it should, after completing it, take rest practising Shavasana for 45 to 60 minutes.Note :
(1 ) Varisar dhauti should be practised on an empty stomach after evacuating the bowels.
( 2) This kriya should be practised under the supervision of an expert.
(3) Persons suffering from peptic or gastric ulcers should not practise varisar dhauti. Persons suffering from high Blood Pressure or having ailments of the kidney and the lood

circulation are advised to practise varisar dhauti under the supervision of an expert.
(4) One who practises varisar dhauti should eat khichadi one hour after the kriya is completed.Repetition : This kriya should generally be practised once in two or three nths.

If needs be, ‘laghu Shankhprakshalana’ kriya should be practised during the days that follow varisar dhauti. In ‘laghu Shankhprakshalana’ one has to drink two glassfuls of

water and practise the abovemen-tioned asanas three times. This kriya helps one to evacuate the bowels and avoid abundant urine.
Benefits :
(1) Varisar dhauti gives rest to al I the organs of the digestive system with the result that the organs become more active.
(2) Varisar dhauti is an unfailing remedy for chronic constipation, acidity, gas, indigestion and other ailments of the digestive system.
(3) This kriya reduces the quantity of sugar in the blood and so it is useful for those suffering from diabetes.
(3) Nauli : Nauli gives exercise to the abdominal organs.Stand keeping the distance of about a foot between the two feet. Stoop slightly forward and bend the feet from the

knees. Place the palms on the thighs just above the knees. Inhale deeply, then exhale slowly and pull the whole abdominal region back towards the spine. This is known as
‘uddiyan bandh’. Now giving pressure on the thighs with the palms push the contracted abdominal muscles downwards. The vertical muscles in the abdomen will now appear
forward. This is called ‘madhyam nauli’. Maintain this position according to your capacity. Then inhale slowly and relax the abdominal muscles.During this process, if nequal

pressure is given with the palms on the thighs, that is, if more pressure is given on the right thigh, the muscles on the right side will be protruded and if more pressure is

given on the left thigh, the muscles on the left side will be protruded. These positions are called ‘dakshina nauli’ and ‘vama nauli’ respectively.After having practised for several

days, one can practise these three kinds of ‘nauli’ which is called ‘nauli chalan’.
Note :
(1 ) Practise nauli on an empty stomach after evacuating the bladder and the bowels.
( 2) First get mastery over ‘uddiyan bandh’. Then gradually learn ‘madhyam nauli’, ‘dakshina nauli’, ‘vama nauli’ and ‘nauli chalan’ in that order.
( 3) Quring the whole process of ‘nauli’, ‘uddiyana’ bandha should continue.
( 4) In this technique, a guidance of an expert is necessary.
( 5) Persons having pregnancy, High Blood pressure,heart disease or severe diseases of the digestive system should not practise nauli.Repetition : Nauli should be practised every morning.

Benefits :
(1 ) Nauli gives exercise to the abdominal organs.
( 2) ‘Nauli’ causes the stool inhibited in the intestines to move towards the anus. Thus, ‘nauli’ is an unfailing remedy for constipation.
(4) Basti : Basti is the washing of the intestines with water.To practise ‘basti’ successfully, it is essential to get mastery over ‘nauli’ first. Stand in a river or pond keeping

water level upto the navel (or sit in the ‘Utkatasana’ position). Then practise madhyam nauli and the water will immediately rise into the large intestine. When you are unable

to hold back breathing (when nauli is to be released), close the anus with the finger so that the water may not come out. Again, practise nauli and take the finger away from

the anus. The water will rise again into the intestine. If this ‘kriya’ is practised five to seven times, a good quantity of water will rise into the intestine. If possible, practise’nauli

chalan’ and hold back the water for some time. Then come out of the water and go to stools at some proper place.
Note :
(1 ) It is necessary to practise this ‘kriya’ under the guidance of an expert.
( 2) Basti should be practised on an empty stomach early in the morning.
( 3) Those who are unable to practise nauli can get the benefits of ‘basti’ through enema.
Repetition : Once or twice a week.

Benefits :
(1 ) Basti washes away the stool accumulated in the intestine. Thus, ‘basti’ is a sure remedy for constipation.
( 2) Basti activates the intestines.

( 5) Tratak : Tratak is an exercise in which sight is fixed on a particular object.Sit in the’Sukhasana’ position. Place a burningcandle or a small picture or a black dot at a

istance of one and a half or two feet away from the face. Look at that object without straining the eyes. Hold back the winking of the eyes. When the eyes are tired or they

shed water, shut them and imagine the picture of that object. Open the eyes after some time and practise tratak again. Do this exercise four to five times.
Note :
(1) If tratak is not performed properly, the eyes may be damaged. It is, therefore, necessary to practise this exercise under the guidance of an expert.
( 2) If you practise tratak on the flame of a candle, sit at such a place as is not airy and is dark.
Repetition : Once or twice a day.
Benefits :
Tratak strengthens the sight and the eyes become bright. Indirectly, it has a beneficial effect on the brain and the mind.

(6) Kapalabhati : Kapala means ‘skull’ and ‘Bhati’ meansto’shine’. Thus, kapalabhati is an exercise the practise of which imparts glow to the skull.Sit in either the admasana

or Sukhasana position, keep the body erect. Place the hands on the knees. Inhale and exhale rhythmically and quickly. Then pull in the abdominal muscles and forcefully

exhale. Practise this kriya rapidly (60 to 120 times a minute). Then, after about two minutes, stop practising kapalabhati). Let the breathing be normal.

Note :
(1) While practising’kapalabhati’, keep the chest and the shoulders steady.
(2) ‘Kapalabhati’ should be practised on an empty stomach.
( 3) Those who suffer from high blood pressure or heart disease should not practise kapalabhati.
Repetition : Every day, before practising Pranayama.
Benefits :
(1 ) This kriya is beneficial to the respiratory system. Blood becomes purified when this kriya is practised.
( 2) Kapalabhati makes the mind calm.