Various types of cleansing procedures in Yoga are known as Shuddhi kriyas. They are classified as Dhauti, Neti, Basti, tratak, nauli, kapalbhati. They are not only cleansing procedures but also play a very important role in reconditioning of the system.

Vaman Dhauti :

Drink as much as warm saline water as possible. Lean a bit forward, insert the middle three fingers into the mouth and tickle the soft palate and pharyngeal wall. Automatically one starts vomiting and water comes out on gushes. Repeat the tickling when the reflex stop, till the last drop of water is out. All the Dhauties are to be done with fully empty stomach, better early in the morning. It should be done strictly under the guidance and expert supervision. After the Dhauti is over one should rest for a few minutes and at least for half an hour one should not eat and drink anything.

Jal Neti :

Normal saline water and a feeding cup, is required. Fill the cup with water, stand or take a sitting position, bend the head sideways and slightly downwards, insert the nozzle of the cup into the upper nostril, open the mouth and breath out while pouring the water into the nose. Keep the mouth open all throughout and never inhale through the nose. Repeat the same process with the other nostril.

Indications :

Allergic Rhinitis, chronic colds, headaches.

Agnisar :

Agni means Gastric Fire, Sar means of a best quality. By practicing Agnisar Kriya, Gastric Fire i.e. secretion of the digestive chemicals becomes best, hence the name.

Stand straight with the legs apart - approximately 1 to 1-1/2 foot distance between them. Bend the knees a little, slightly directing outwards. Place the hands on the thighs and flex the elbows and bring the shoulders little forward and give a little curve to the trunk. Inhale and then exhale completely and hold your breath out. Maintaining the exhalatory phase, push the front abdominal muscles, especially of the portion below and slightly above the umbilicus out. Hold the position for 2 - 3 seconds, then contract the muscles and again hold the position 2 -3 seconds. Repeat the process as many times as possible under one exhalation. As you feel that you can't hold the breath any longer, inhale slowly. This is one round of Agnisar. Take rest till breath is normal and then you can repeat it again. One can do so 3 to 5 times. This should be done strictly with an empty stomach.

Indications :

It is very good practice for overcoming constipation, dyspepsia, flatulence, certain menstrual problems. It tones up the abdominal wall to provide strong support to the intra abdominal organs.

Contra-indications :

children suffering from hyperacidity, any kind of inflammation or injuries, tumors in the abdominal organs should avoid this practice.

Tratak :

It is cleansing of the eyes as well as practice for improving the concentration. It is done by fixing the eyes on one minute object, without blinking till the eyes start watering. It is done on the close object which is placed at 3-4 feet distance or done on the distant object like sun, moon, stars etc.

Kapalbhati :

Kapal means skull and Bhati means to shine. Hence the name Kapalbhati, since it cleanses nasal passages contained in the skull along with the remaining parts of the respiratory system. Sit in a meditative asan, especially in Padmasan with feet locked, spine erect, neck and head straight and hands resting on the knees. Sudden jerky expulsions of breath is the main characteristic of the process. One should throw the breath out forcefully with a sudden and vigorous contraction of the front abdominal muscles - more of the lower abdomen. This should be done within fraction of a second. Inhalation happens automatically. One should allow the breath to come in, after every stroke of Kapalbhati. At the time of passive inhalation abdominal muscles are left relaxed. Kapalbhati is done as fast as two strokes per second. While giving jerks to the abdomen, one should not allow the movements of chest, it should remain firm. Facial muscles or eyes should not get affected with jerky expulsions. To begin with, one should do it 5-20 times and repeat 3 to 5 times. With practice one can do it 100 to 120 strokes at a stretch and repeat 3 to 5 times. But everything should be done essentially according to the capacity and under proper guidance.

Kapalbhai is done after Neti Kriya to get more benefits of Neti. Also it is done before Pranayamas as it helps to control the breath.

Indications :

Certain kind of headaches especially because of the congested sinuses, allergic rhinitis, chronic cold, indigestion, constipation, dyspepsia, flatulence.

Contraindications :

Injuries, tumors of the abdominal organs, congested nose.

Drishti :

Drishti means gaze. Fixing the eyes at one point is called as Drishti. Fixing the eyes on the tip of the nose is called as Nasagra Drishti. Fixing the eyes between the eyebrows is known as Bhrumadhya Drishti and fixing the eyes towards the shoulders is known as Jatru Drishti.

Drishti is practiced as a part of some other practices e.g. Meditative poses, Jhiva Bandha, Simha Mudra etc. or it is practiced independently also. While practicing independently one has to sit erect in any meditative asan.

For Nasagra Drishti one should take his head little backwards and then fix the eyes on the tip of the nose. One should stay in the position as long as it is comfortable without blinking the eyes. For Bhrumadhaya Drishti, after sittiing in an asan one should bend the head a little forward and then fix the eyes on the point between the eyebrows. For Jatru Drishti keep the head straight or slightly bent forward and fix the eyes towards one shoulder for a few seconds and then towards the other shoulder. Positioning the head helps to avoid undue strain over the eyes.

Indications :

Drishti is mainly done to improve the concentration.

Contra-indications :

Persons having weak optic nerves should take up this practice very cautiously.

Guru Stotra

“Salutations to the Guru who has made it possible to realise Him by whom all this world, animate and inanimate, movable and immovable, is pervaded.”

“Salutations to Omkara, which gives whatever one desires and also liberation to those who meditate always on Omkara that is united with the Bindu.”

“Salutations to the Guru who is established in Knowledge and Power, who is adorned with the garland of Knowledge and who grants both worldly prosperity and liberation.”

Devi Stotra

“I seek refuge in Tripurasundari, the wife of the three-eyed One, who lives in the Kadamba forest, who is seated on the golden disc and dwells in the six lotuses of the Yogins, ever flashing like lightning in the heart of the perfected ones, whose beauty excels that of the Japa flower and whose forehead is adorned by the full-moon.”

“O Thou Self of everything, of whatever thing existing at whatever place or time, whether cause or effect, Thou art the Power behind that; how canst Thou be praised?”

“Thou art the Supreme Knowledge, Maya, intellect, memory, delusion and the great Prowess of the gods as well as of the demons.”

Siva Stotra

“Sins committed in action—with the hands and feet or by speech, or by the body, or by the ears and eyes,—or by those done in thoughts,—forgive all these sins whether of commission or omission. Glory be unto Thee, Thou ocean of mercy! Glory be unto Thee O Mahadeva, O Shambho!”

— Sri Sankaracharya

The Four Stages of Sound :

The Vedas form the sound-manifestation of Ishvara. That sound has four divisions,— Para which finds manifestation only in Prana, Pasyanti which finds manifestation in the mind, Madhyama which finds manifestation in the Indriyas, and Vaikhari which finds manifestation in articulate expression.

Articulation is the last and grossest expression of divine sound-energy. The highest manifestation of sound-energy, the primal voice, the divine voice is Para . The Para voice becomes the root-ideas or germ-thoughts. It is the first manifestation of voice. In Para the sound remains in an undifferentiated form. Para , Pasyanti, Madhyama and Vaikhari are the various gradations of sound. Madhyama is the intermediate unexpressed state of sound. Its seat is the heart.

The seat of Pasyanti is the navel or the Manipura Chakra. Yogins who have subtle inner vision can experience the Pasyanti state of a word which has colour and form, which is common for all languages and which has the vibrating homogeneity of sound. Indians, Europeans, Americans, Africans, Japanese, birds, beasts—all experience the same Bhavana of a thing in the Pasyanti state of voice or sound. Gesture is a sort of mute subtle language. It is one and the same for all persons. Any individual of any country will make the same gesture by holding his hand to his mouth in a particular manner, when he is thirsty. As one and the same power or Shakti working through the ears becomes hearing, through the eyes becomes seeing and so forth, the same Pasyanti assumes different forms of sound when materialised. The Lord manifests Himself through his Mayaic power first as Para Vani in the Muladhara Chakra at the navel, then as Madhyama in the heart and then eventually as Vaikhari in the throat and mouth. This is the divine descent of His voice. All the Vaikhari is His voice only. It is the voice of the Virat Purusha.