The Shat Karmas and Hatha Yoga Kriyas

The Shat Karmas and Hatha Yoga Kriyas CONTENTS Preface: the Context of the Kriyas in Modern Times Introduction Ajna Kriya or Kapalarandhra kriya Ear Cleansing: Karna Dhauti Tratak Kapalabhati Nadi Suddhi Neti Tongue Cleansing (Jivhanirlekhan or Jivha Kriya)) Upper Palate Massage including Khechari Mudra Danta Dhauti (Teeth Washing) Nauli Kriya, Nauli Chalana, or Laulika Agnisara (Vahnisara) Kriya Vamana Dhauti (sometimes called, jal dhauti, kunjal Kriya, or Gaja Karni) Hrid (heart) Dhauti, Danda Dhauti (stick) Dhauti and Vastra (cloth) Dhauti Vastra (cloth) Dhauti (also sometimes called Hrid Dhauti Vatasara Dhauti (Internal Air Washing): Bhujangini Mudra Shankha Prakshalana Kriya: varisara or sahaj basti kriya Jal Basti Aswini Mudra and Sthula Basti Citra, Mulasodhana kriya, and Ganesh Kriya Vajroli Mudra The Hatha Yoga Kriyas, Preliminary Actions and Purification Actions Such as the Shat karmas (six activities) or the Ashta karmas (the eight activities) According to Traditional Hatha Yoga Preface: The Context of the Hatha Yoga Kriyas in Modern Times “We are like springs of water which no longer run because they have not been watched and have gradually become choked with rubbish.” Albert Schweitzer, “The Decay and Restoration of Civilization,“ translated from the German by C. T. Campion, Macmillan, 1932 What are these ancient purification exercises called the shat (six) karmas (activities) or sometimes more simply called the kriyas (preliminary purification activities) which open the pathways of the body, the nadis, the energy body, the mind, and heart? Following a discussion of these ancient yoga techniques will be described in a practical method as they were taught in India for over a thousand years. These purification practices are mentioned in many ancient yogic texts such as the “Hatha Yoga Pradipika”, the “Gherand Samhita”, the “Siva Samhita”, the “Satkarma Sangraha of Raghavira", and many others. Originally they were taught as part of the ancient hatha yoga oral tradition, from adept to student. The Special Relevance of the Hatha Yoga Kriyas Today In ancient times it was believed that the human mind and body becomes negatively programmed and conditioned through negative experiences that reinforce ignorance and confusion (avidya). The object of this conditioning then becomes seduced and aligned to this perverse and polluted orientation and attitude. As a result addictive dependence upon bad habits, tendencies (vasana), negative emotions (kleshas), and further negative karma become reinforced in a cyclic pattern called bondage. Key to these negative propensities toward suffering and bondage are the kleshas, which are the negative emotions or mind toxins. This mental pollution also has physical correspondence in the human body. Since yoga is a spiritual practice that reconnects all of “reality” body, mind, breath, nature, and Source as an intimate wholistic synergistic synchronicity, a major practice has been to remove that which was blocking/obstructing these connections. Thus the many yogic techniques were thus designed to break up

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blockages, obstructions, and poisons of the bodymind. While negative conditioning creates further afflictive emotions because man’s normal behavior is governed by the normal mind governed by kleshas and karma, a purified bodymind creates positive karma and is no longer governed by kleshas or toxic thought. Especially today, the earth is polluted, our food, air, water, physical body as well as psychic atmosphere is polluted. Why? Because the common man’s mind and heart has become polluted and corrupted through negative programming. That negative programming is what hatha yoga is designed to reverse. A tremendous aid in that respect is the shat karmas. The link between man’s pathological destruction of the earth and hence his pathological attitude to his own external life support systems is of course intimately linked to his pathological attitude toward his body (his inner life support system). It is this inner and outer harmony which hatha yoga harmonizes organically. It is not only because of man’s blood stream is toxic which in turn toxifies the nervous system and brain, but this toxic state extends to man’s social institutions in general extending to his coarse and careless unfeeling treatment of other life forms as well (his fellow man and all other species including habitat). This destruction attitude of the immature man toward his environment is a reflection of his low state of spiritual evolution. Yoga on the other hand is designed to quicken this evolution through augmenting man’s inherent abilities toward self purification, self activation, and Self integration. In short hatha yogis found that the processes and techniques of hatha yoga produced a genuine purification which positively affected the body, the nervous system, the brain, the mind -- opening up man’s heart and eventually opening up the previously blocked channels between heaven and earth – between spirit and nature – between mind and body – crown chakra and root chakra, and the like. Dormant evolutionary circuitry were unearthed, resurrected, and opened up, activated, and integrated. As such the purifying effects of asana, pratyaya, pranayama, dharana (concentration), and meditation (dhyana), the yam/niyams, life style changes, and so forth all acted synergistically to augment the process of complete and final union beyond practice (samadhi). As such the hatha yoga kriyas were seen as a great benefactor in speeding up this process, while in many schools of hatha yoga it was seen as an essential prerequisite. In Ayurvedic medicine as well in yogic therapy, these kriyas were also applied for a wide variety of ailments of the body/mind. Within yoga therapy and Ayurveda the kriyas are especially beneficial for those who suffer from symptoms created by irritations (such as the presence of toxins (called ama in Ayurveda) as well as stagnant diseases which are the result of obstructions of any kind such as what are called diseases caused by an excess of kapha. Today there is widespread pollution of mother’s body (the earth), chemicalized food, toxic air, toxic water, toxic bodies and toxic dysfunctional minds. Are foods that have been irradiated, chemicalized, denatured, pesticide ridden, chemically colored, textured, and genetically modified healthier? No such evidence supports such a claim, but rather the opposite. Do genetically modified foods produce better yields? No, the evidence is that intensive organic farming methods, permaculture, double digging, and biodynamic farming produce a higher yield of food as well as much higher quality, but such methods are more labor intensive to harvest and produce. Here man’s unemployment and separation from the earth can be healed in moving towards a clean agri-culture reflecting a cleaner culture as a whole. A cleaner culture in turn reflects a purified heartmind. “real work” What comes first, a toxic mind, leading to toxic behavior, which in turn poisons the body as well as the environment; or does it start with a toxic body, blood stream, and nervous system? Does social and environmental “disease” start with a toxic body and work backwards toward toxic activities or really aren't’t all these processes interconnected, due to man’s alienation from natural creation and the creative spirit which underlies it? Hence we get back to ignorance and confusion – a disconnect from the grandeur of Reality as it is in its vast boundless Integrity being the same cause for all man’s afflictions. Thus by respecting and honoring our own inner environment by helping the body to rid itself of toxins, we also pay respect to mother nature and other life forms as well, This way we can truly understand at a gut level how nature cleans and heals herself from toxic influences and how we can help ourselves as a team by helping her. Nature as God’s creation has great intelligent wisdom behind it, and that same wisdom is found within man as a apart of nature. When man finds himself disconnected from creator/creation, that limited knowledge is called ignorance (avidya). It is within that wholistic context where the hatha yoga shat karmas finds its basis. Indeed the testimony of the yogis is that such is a powerful catalyst. Today the pollution not only emanates from a toxic and denatured food, toxic and conditioned air, toxic and altered water, toxic psychic environments, vaccines, and polluted allopathic medicines, but also from manmade electronic pollution (prompting some to make life style changes to a more natural and clean environment). But can we really escape from this manmade madness? Indeed in nature one finds quiet; one’s sense organs are bombarded less, the mind is quiet (as long as we have not become addicted to the noise). Just as focused radiological techniques can disrupt and kill cancer cells, just as laser surgery used intelligently can be a

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sanguine tool, just so can irresponsible and reckless misuse of electronic radiation create a toxic environment. What we can do is make the best of what we can to avoid pollution in the first place, and then utilize intelligent and customized purification techniques. These shat karmas yogic practices are meant to wake us up and get over “the hump” -- they remove obstacles. They are not designed to be used exclusively, but rather are kriyas (preparatory activities) that are intended to be integrated with the other practices such as yam/niyam, asana, meditation, pranayama, and the rest of the yoga practices capable of creating a profound synergy and synchronicity (of body, nature, breath, mind, and spirit). These kriyas create space in the human temple for living spirit -- they detoxify the body, the blood stream, the nervous system, brain, nadis, mind, thought patterns, and negative tendencies. By opening up these pathways, less distracting energetics are present and more positive, healing, and evolutionary creative energy is able to flow. The kriyas thus serve as power synergists in the purification of the bodymind, its activation, and integration. Thus the benefits of opening up and clearing out accumulated toxins from the body, irritants, physical impurities, energy channels (nadis), mental thought patterns, toxic thought, and negative emotions (kleshas) are even more valuable today than ever, not just as an augmentation of hatha yoga asana practice where the body can move more freely and unobstructed, but toward opening of the energy body, activating our creative/evolutionary potential, alleviating the past resistances to the clear thinking of a open mind, and the enlightened activity of the unburdened and boundless open heart. It is to that end that this book is ultimately dedicated! Jai Ma! Introduction "These kriyas, as an indispensable tool, lighten the burden, quicken the cells and atoms, bring brilliance and dance, transform the dross, and pave the highway with gold. The kriyas heighten our sense-ability, they strengthen the nerves, and open the HeartMind.Thus the inner wisdom shines forth on its own. I bow down to the inventor, Siva, the master of Yogis, the indwelling Source within All of Creation." The author Purification is a central theme in yoga, along with empowerment, activation, and integration. As such it is abides at the first stage of yoga, but also at the last, simultaneously. This is a lab book to the inner laboratory -to mother's holy child born out of sacred wedlock with Infinite spirit -- thus the manifestation in Reality of infinite love. May this love be widely known. This is a book about purification, not only of the body and the psychic nerves, but also of the mind, the kleshas, the vasana, and past karma. The ultimate kriya being the burnt offering of all karmic existence as a surrender to the natural spontaneous all encompassing universal Self or Divine Leela. It is here which the kriyas emanate and it is to here the kriyas lead. It is her extremely intelligent dalliance and brilliance which is revealed, as Siva's mate. It is mother Durga of infinite radiance who shines through illuminating the entire earth and cosmos with her innate goodness. Simply put, when our past conditioning and programming no longer dominate and limit our present creative potential, we are then allowed to be engaged in and enter upon the sublime portal of the sacred present having become completely liberated from the energetic dynamic bonds of the past. Because yoga does not validate the separate existence of body, mind, nature, and Spirit these yogic cleansing activities work on both the body and mind simultaneously as well as our relationship with creation, causation, our future karma, and spiritual well being. In particular hatha yoga kriyas stimulate and accelerate body/mind/spirit change and evolution so we become a more powerfully embodied vehicle of evolutionary love, healing, and consciousness. Here the dross of the body, the impurities, and constrictions of the nervous system and psychic nerves (nadis) are washed away. These practices will be found specifically valuable to asana, pranayama, and meditation students because spiritual and physical progress can be severely hampered in the presence of physical toxins, irritants, impurities, congestive/constrictive habituations, pathway (nadis) blockages, contractions around imbedded irritants, and other similar obstructions of the energy body or physical body. As these processes affect the blood stream in a sanguine manner, a burden is lifted from all the organs including the brain and nervous system allowing them to function more efficiently and with greater lucidity. As the asanas liberate evolutionary energy permitting them to circulate in the activated or evolved body/mind, the presence of toxins will cause shut down systems while in many cases create disease patterns

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unless eradicated. This is obvious in severe cases of liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal syndromes, but it can be applied to the health or stress upon any cell of the body, since the blood stream is affected. Some areas and systems that have been asleep, de-energized, or not used for along time may be atrophied, congested, full of toxins, or in need of being flushed and cleaned out while other areas are sources of chronic irritation, inflammation, stress to the immune system, anxiety, mechanical sources of spasm, clumping, and contraction, and the like until their associated obstructions or toxins are loosened and excreted. The hatha yoga kriyas (cleansing activities) are specifically designed to clean the body, energy body, and chakra systems quickly and painlessly. They are often broken down into six or eight divisions of action such as the shat (six) or ashta (eight) karmas (actions). Most of these purification exercises are designed to remove stagnant internal toxins, inner filth, or inner blockages (called ama in Ayurvedic medicine) consisting of both matter and its associated energy, but they also correspondingly clean out energy paths (nadis) and allow more energy to flow within the body/mind complex. The kriyas will sometimes also release and thus expunge some negative emotional contractions (kleshas) and holding patterns (vasanas) such as pride, fear, anger, greed, jealousy, possessiveness, secretiveness, neurotic desire, attachment, and so forth. On a physical level accumulated physical wastes are eliminated. Their presence irritate the nerves, slow down function, numb sensitivities and higher function, and burden the energy body by inviting unwanted parasites whose presence create unusual cravings and demands for additional nutriments as well as creating nervous agitation. So with mere physical removal of accumulated toxins the body becomes less sluggish, lighter, less agitated, and more sensitive as both the afferent and efferent nerve impulses are less burdened. Along with these physical cleansings many of the kriyas specifically work on certain nerve plexi strengthening and activating them increasing function. Other kriyas (such as nadi shodhana) restore balance in the psychic energy channels (nadis) clearing away causal obstructions which govern the health and balance of the entire nervous system including the brain. In general, the hatha yoga kriyas such as the shat karmas (six actions), open up obstructed energy pathways, enliven previously sluggish or stagnant areas, activate dormant circuitry and function, and in general augment the transformation process of hatha yoga in order to allow the evolutionary healing and creative energy its natural expression. It is not necessary for everyone to do all of these procedures, as each of us is unique. By experientially performing these, certain effects will be experienced and one who has become even slightly attuned to their own energy will know soon afterwards (through their innate awareness) to which specific exercises they are specifically well suited. How do we know which kriyas will be best unless our inner wisdom is opened? Indeed such is an excellent question. Yoga answers it thusly. Yoga is not a religion, a set of blind belief, mechanical rules, a dogma, or ideology. Rather yoga says that the answers are inherent in the practices. Just try it and you will see for yourself. Indeed a wise and suitable diet along with an active asana practice is meant to along with these kriyas. All together such yoga practices are designed (along with meditation) to disclose the secret which abides in the "the field". "Arjuna said: 'Oh Krishna, I wish to know Nature Prakrti) and Consciousness (Purusha), the field (kshetra) and the One who Knows the field (kshetrajna), wisdom, and what should be known.'" "Krishna said: 'This body is the field (kshetra), Oh Arjuna. He who knows this is called the One who knows the field by those who truly know. Know Me as the One who knows all fields. I am the knower of the field in all fields. This wisdom of the field and the knower of the field, that is true wisdom. Wisdom of the field and of the one who knows the field of all fields constitute true wisdom, said Krishna.'" Bhagavad Gita Chapter XIII.1-2 In the beginning sometimes the kriyas that we are most averred to are the ones that are the best for us. If you experience a specific revulsion against one, it will be instructive to observe where this repulsion, aversion, fear, or feeling is coming from. Indeed many areas of the body and their mechanisms are closely keyed into old habits, fears, emotional patterning, and often hold what are called samskaras (psychic imprints) which when they are being dislodged and exorcised (purified) their corresponding emotional associations also may be loosened. According to yoga and India's ancient Ayurvedic medicine, the ability of the kriyas to remove heaviness, sloth, fatigue, dullness, confusion, torpor, chronic illnesses associated with imbalances of excess kapha and/or tamas, deficient pitta and/or rajas are common reports. At the same time these exercises calm excessive pitta and rajas thus leading the practitioner to a balanced (sattvic) state. Lightness, buoyancy, happiness, acuity, clarity, peacefulness, suppleness, concentration, and poise are accelerated. In this sense the kriyas are self instructive, opening up the disconnected pathways from the body to the mind. It is all interconnected, but the brain is mostly not listening (ignorant) and needs to be instructed (by the body).

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Modern Western man has for the most part become dissuaded, distracted, and externalized outside of their body -- "out there" somewhere. We rarely live inside of it and pay attention, but the kriyas call us back home -they open us up -- they make room -- they empty us so that we may become filled. Spirit lives in the body, your body, as long as we are alive; but if our consciousness is preoccupied outside, always escaping the reality of the body, then we act as inattentive hosts. While body negative and nature negative ideologies proposes that we escape death by escaping life -- by fleeing from the vicissitudes of nature and embodied existence through ignoring, denying, or demeaning the body and nature -- authentic yoga sees the body as a necessary and natural ingredient of embodying spirit. Again this is not saying that we are only the physical body, but rather that the body is part of an all inclusive creative spirit which is not only essential for embodied existence, but which exists as creation's evolution from Source. As such it a sacred vessel and representative of the creator when it is viewed in context of its true history and place. (See the essay on neti neti at www.rainbowbody/HeartMind/netineti.htm and also Toward an Earth Inclusive Spirituality ). More detailed philosophical details about the kriyas and purification in relationship to spiritual evolution, healing, and well being is the profound topic of another book that was completed in the seventies, but has not yet been uploaded. Additional context may be helpful, but the author here wishes to present the primary practices in an easily accessible manner. The kriyas and purification have been a fundamental part of authentic hatha yoga for over a thousand years which combine synergistically with diet, asanas, pranayama, bandha, meditation, lifestyle changes, self study, and sometimes Ayurvedic procedures to catalyze our evolution into an integrated body/mind -- into wellness, wholeness, and the sacred integrity of All Our Relations. The father of Western medicine, Hippocrates, used purification such as emesis, enema, purgation, sweating, diet, fasting, hydrotherapy, and massage as a first line of defense. Hippocrates resorted to herbal medicine only if the disease was already too far neglected. So too did the other physicians of ancient Greece and Egypt as well as the ancient Romans, Hebrews, Arabians, American Indians, and indigenous physicians and shamans from around the world for millennia. Such a fundamental idea of inner pollution and obstructions of energy flow has been considered a primary cause (or at least a primary breeding ground for disease) since the earliest of times and thus the use of purification methods to rid the body of this burden has been a dominant theme of medicine everywhere up until the twentieth century. It is not surprising to see the external manifestations of modern man's misguided mind-set caused in part by inner pollution and inner energy ignorance be reflected in environmental and political situations where humankind is poisoning their own air, water, food and body (environment) and fighting wars about energy resources and usage instead of valuing and conserving their own expenditures or moving toward earth friendly, nonpolluting, nontoxic, less dangerous, and renewable methods. Indeed it is rare to find anyone who is clean inside of body and mind who will defile nature, the environment, or others. In order to practice these ancient kriyas effectively, we need to implement profound balance, sensitivity, and awareness. Like authentic asana practice never force these exercises, but rather explore their possibilities as an opening to life's healing energies. To be effective we must stop taking in or creating poisons. This means that we must eat pure foods, drink pure water, inhale pure air, ingest only pure medicines, listen only to sattvic sounds, and think pure (sattvic) thoughts. This includes not exposing ourselves to toxic mouthwashes, soaps, toothpaste, clothing, solvents, fumes, perfumes, chemicals, or situations that cause stress, upset, or a toxic reaction. In other words to be successful we must surround ourselves within a sattvic environment and we must exercise purification techniques in our daily life by not suppressing sweat or mucus with chemical suppressants, antihistamines, chemical deodorants, etc. We should not suppress the urine, feces, instinctual emesis, deep breathing, sneezing, coughing, and other natural instinctual purification processes that are healthy for the body. Likewise we should wisely drink adequate pure water and eat a diet containing adequate natural fiber by avoiding denatured, artificially colored, pesticide ridden, refined, preserved, and otherwise adulterated food. We must not only eliminate waste products in a timely manner to avoid self intoxication of the bowels, blood, lymph, tissues and cells but also we must pay attention to the food combinations that are easily digested and do not cause toxic indigestion. The major organs of purification are the lungs (through the throat and nose), tongue, skin, sinuses (through the nose), large intestine (through the rectum/anus, and the kidney (through the urethra and bladder). We can also discharge toxins through the eyes, ears, or genitals. Usually when we detox through pustules, lesions, or swellings which can be located internally or externally we are suffering from a toxic overload or elimination crisis which may be helped greatly through judicious use of the following kriyas. A major source of toxins is

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negative emotions (adhis) and they in turn not only affect our prana but also create disease (vyadhis) often in the form of toxins. In our practice of the following kriyas, approach them in a light hearted manner -- not that you are dirty, bad, or that something is wrong, but rather with a sense of humor and a positive happy mood. Ajna Kriya or Kapalarandhra Kriya Procedure: Place the pad of the thumb of the right hand on the third eye with the nail pointing down and the four other fingers pointing straight up. Vibrate and massage the third eye region pressing firmly but with no strain or pain. Keep the scapula from raising up toward the ears, but rather allow it to release down toward the sacrum. Keep the armpit/chest open and the occiput raised so that the chin falls down and in toward the notch above the sternum (in a relaxed jalandhara bandha). This will keep tension out of the neck, Sandalwood oil or paste although not at all necessary is often used as an adjunct. Variation: Lying prone on stomach with the forearms or palms crossed on the ground palms facing down, lay the forehead on the knuckles or wrist bone of the top hand and press without any strain or pain (be careful of any neck stress) so as to massage the third eye region, faux cerebi, and fascia under the frontal bone. Here the fascia of the scalp may also be stretched and mobilized. This practice is called kapalarandhra (cleaning the orifice of the skull). Kapala is skull and randhra means orifice or opening. Here one places the thumbs at the bridge of the nose on the bony cavities above the eye balls, finding its hallow or crater. Place pressure there or massage (be careful not to put any pressure on the eye ball proper). This helps the optic nerve, astigmatism and other diseases of the eyes. It is excellent for sinus headaches and to relieve sinus congestion. This is also the name of a similar skull massage technique that creates a self massage at the temples. Some say that it refers to the massage at the top of the skull at the bregma and/or lamda spots. Benefits: This awakens and purifies the third eye region, is stimulating, clears congestion of the head and sinus, improves circulation, clarity, energy, and the eyesight. A similar practice is called kapala randhra prayag which stimulates the third eye region by massaging cold water on the forehead, temples, and bridge of the nose. Traditionally these ajna kriya exercises are performed daily. Ear Cleansing: Karna Dhauti Karna Dhauti or ear cleansing is performed simply by inserting a well manicured finger (usually index finger) in one ear and vibrating it rapidly. This effect can be augmented by placing the palms over the ears and gently massaging in clockwise and counterclockwise circles. Similarly special herbal lavage are syringed into the ears as well as ayurvedic herbal oils. An ancient Indian cleansing technique utilizes special metal utensils administrated by skilled practitioners who mechanically remove the build up of wax and other waste materials that may have become deposited in the conch of the outer ear. Care should be used as to the correct amount of pressure or force. This is best learned from a qualified practitioner. Karna dhauti traditionally is performed when needed or on a weekly basis. Tratak Works on the ajna chakra or third eye. It is a preliminary for sambhavi and unmani mudras (see mudra appendix). Tratak is defined as focusing the eyes or "gazing" at an object for a prolonged period without blinking. This creates tears to flow in many people, thus washing and cleansing the eyes from the inside out, without the need for eyecups or eye washes. The usual and sufficient procedure is to stare at a candle for three to five minutes without blinking. At first you will feel like blinking, but you will soon get used to it after some practice.

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Techniques: Tratak is most often preformed on a candle placed about three feet in front. Gaze steadily without blinking at the candle-flame without blinking or moving for 20 minutes (average). If the eyes feel strained visualize a light moving from the center of the ajna chakra above through your eyes to the candle. Relax the eyes and rest the mind. One may mentally repeat if need be: "Just the flame. Just the candle. Just the breath. Just the light. Just this breath. Relax. etc" Afterwards close the eyes and look for the subtle form of the candle inside (antara). This is said to help lead one to antaranga taraka. Begin with external objects which will steady and strengthen the eyes while increasing the power of dharana. If an image appears to move, bring it back to the central space without moving the head or eye balls. Other objects besides a candle can be used such as the ishta devi (personal deity), a yantra, AUM symbol, third eye (ajna chakra), the sun, etc. Make sure that the object is sanguine. After trataka bring cupped palms to the eyes and and apply a soft inward motion around the eye (cupping them but not creating any pressure on the balls of the eye). Tratak is also often performed on the setting sun or rising sun, on one's shadow at noon, on a black point, on the written symbol, om