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Basti

     This practice is for the purpose of cleaning the bowels. Traditionally a small piece of bamboo was used to draw water into the colon by getting into a lake or deep enough river and contract the abdominal muscles, then the water is expelled through the anus, cleaning particles that might have been stuck to the interior wall of the large intestine. Today this practice is known as an enema and is very easy to get an enema kit.

    Other technique in Yoga to clean the intestines is called Sankha Prakshalana and involves drinking about five liters of slightly warm salty water. The salty water does not get absorbed by the intestine. Instead it pulls out waste and toxins from the intestinal walls and throws it out through the anus.  

    A common practice today is to do the smaller version of Shanka Prakshalana called Laghu Shanka Prakshalana where only two liters of salt water is used. One has to go to the toilet three - five times until plain water comes out of the rectum. This gives a complete cleaning of the intestinal tract.

Practice - Variation 1 water Yogic enema

  • Stand or sit is pure water up to the belly button.

  • Lean forward placing the hands on the knees.  

  • Expand the sphincter muscles while preforming Uddiyana Bandha and Nauli, allowing water to be drawn into the anus.

  • Hold the water in the bowels for sometime and expel the water through the anus.

    • Practice - Variation 2 Sthal Basti meaning dry Yogic enema

  • Preform Paschmottanasana or back stretch pose.

  • Preform Ashwini Mudra 25 times allowing air to be sucked into the bowels.  

  • Hold the air in the bowels for sometime and expel the air through the anus.

    • Practice - Variation 3 Mula Shodhana meaning anal cleansing

  • Insert a soft raw turmeric root gently into the anus. The index or middle finger can be used in place of the turmeric root.

  • Rotate the turmeric root or finger abound the inner surface of the sphincter ten times starting clockwise then ten times the opposite direction. 

  • Remove the turmeric root or finger and wash the anus with cold water.

    • Note

  • Advanced practitioners of Pranayama can use this practice to cool the heat that is produced in the abdominal area caused by some practices.

  • With the first variation of this practice, the practitioner needs to master the practices of Uddiyana Bandha and Nauli.

  • With the first variation of this practice it was traditionally preformed in a clean flowing river.

  • If the three variations of this practice is not ready to be preformed by the practitioner, an enema kit may be used instead.



    • Precautions with Basti

  • Do not practice if you have high blood pressure, heart related issues, bowel blockage, hernia, or a serious digestive disorder.



    • Benefits of Basti

  • Old fecal matter and any gas is expelled.

  • Strengthens the solar plexus.

  • Cures constipation and nervous diarrhea.

  • Tones the abdominal muscles.

  • Purifies the blood.

  • May benefit suffers of colitis, but seek the advice of a medical doctor before practice.

  • With the second variation, any excess gas in the bowels before the practice is removed.

    • Related Hatha Yoga Practices


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