Guest guest Report post Posted September 1, 2004 Sat Nam! Does anyone have advice about one's diet after Shanhaprakshalana (Varisara Dhauti) - especially about eating fruit. All input will be appreciated. Thank you Santie Pretoria South Africa. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted September 1, 2004 Sat Nam Peter, Kitcheree aka Mung Beans and Rice is the proper way to go. More details five paragraphs down. Dharam COMPLETE INTESTINAL WASH (SHANKHA PRAKSHALANA) (http://www.yoga.com/yyh2a02.htm) Drink two glasses of warm salty water as quickly as possible. Perform the following five asanas dynamically, eight times each in the correct sequence i.e. Tadasana, Tiryaka Tadasana, Kati Chakrasana, Tiryaka Bhujangasana and Udarakarshanasana. This completes the round one. Make sure not to rest between the rounds. Drink two more glasses of warm salty water and again repeat the five asanas eight times each. Repeat the same process a third time. After the third round, is completed go to the toilet and see if there is any movement in the bowels, if they have not yet been emptied. It is very important to make sure not to strain yourself. After a few minutes or so, come out, regardless of whether there has been any movement or not; it is not essential at this point. Drink two more glasses and repeat the five asanas eight times. Again go to the toilet, but do not use force to produce a bowel movement. Continue drinking the water, performing the asanas and going to the toilet when the pressure builds up. Spend, as little time in the toilet as possible, a minute or so is enough. The aim is to build up the internal cleansing pressure. At first solid stool will be evacuated followed by a mixture of stool and water. As the practice progresses more water and less solid stool will be excreted. Eventually cloudy yellow water and, finally, almost clear water will be evacuated. Sixteen glasses are generally required before perfectly clean water is evacuated, but it varies from person to person. The speed at which one completes the practice should not be compared with that of others. This stage of the practice should be performed in a relaxed way at one's own pace. Supplementary practices: Kunjal Kriya followed Byjala Neti should be performed fifteen minutes after completing the internal wash. Once these have been performed, then rest. Complete and total rest is essential. Lie down in Shavasana for fifty minutes, but do not sleep as a headache or cold may result. It is very essential to keep warm during this resting period. Try to maintain silence. During this time the whole digestive system is given a chance to revitalize itself. Passing urine at this time is perfectly normal. Exactly fifty minutes after completing Shankha-Prakshalana the specially prepared food, khicheri, must be taken. Eating this meal at the correct time is essential. The rhythm of the body has been temporarily disturbed; however, fifty minutes after completion of the practice the digestive organs resume their functions. The three components of khicheri are helpful in the restoration of correct digestive function. The clarified butter is necessary to coat the intestinal walls until the body produces a new lining. The rice provides a simple, easily digestible packing material in the form of carbohydrate, and creates mucus, which also protects the inner lining of the alimentary canal. The lentils supplement the diet by giving the body an easily digestible source of protein, and make for an all round nutritious meal. A sufficient quantity of khicheri must be eaten to reline the intestines and keep the walls of the gut stretched; otherwise they may cramp due to the absence of the bulk to which they are accustomed. This bulk not only maintains the tone but also aids the intestines to resume peristalsis. It is also important in order to prevent indigestion, diarrhea, and constipation. Having eaten, further rest is necessary. However, it is important not to sleep for at least three to four hours after the initial meal. Sleep during this period may lead to physical lethargy and headache. Complete rest should be taken for the remainder of the day and also the following day. During this period it is advisable to keep silence and avoid physical or mental work. Khicheri should also be prepared for the late afternoon or evening meal, about seven hours after the first special meal. The stomach must be filled to capacity at both meals, even if there is no feeling of hunger. The best place to practice Shankha-Prakshalana is in the garden or in an open area where there is plenty of fresh air. Make sure that adequate toilet facilities are nearby. The practice is best undertaken with a group of friendly people. The atmosphere should be relaxed and lighthearted, with no apprehension concerning the practice as this can create tension and prevent free bowel movement. Shankha-Prakshalana should not be performed when the weather conditions are extreme. Those who live in cold climates should practice in the summer when the days are warm and dry. This is important, as it is easy for the stomach and intestines to become chilled. On the other hand, do not practice when it is very hot for this would produce too much sweat and the experience would be exhausting. Very cloudy, windy or rainy weather is also to be avoided. The best time to practice is at the changeover of seasons. This practice should not be performed more than twice a year. The whole day should be put aside for this practice and the following day for rest. It is important not to exceed the point beyond which almost clear water is being passed, as the system may start producing bile, indicated by bright yellow water. It is better to stop when the water is still slightly cloudy. While resting for fifty minutes after terminating the practice, one should not sleep as a headache or cold may result. No water or other fluids should be taken until at least three hours after the first special meal. Cold liquid will chill the digestive system. Drinking or eating anything before the prescribed period will dilute and wash away the new protective layer, which is being reproduced by the body on the stomach and intestinal wall. Fans and air conditioning should not be used until the evening, as the body must be kept warm to prevent chills and fever. If it is at all cold the body should be covered with a blanket to maintain the inner body temperature. Sitting in the hot sun, near a fire or doing physical exercise should also be avoided. Rest periods should be maintained very carefully. Mental strain and stressful situations should be avoided. Food restrictions: For at least one month after the practice, all chemically processed, synthetic, pungent, spicy, acidic, rich and non-vegetarian foods must be strictly avoided. No pickles, sweets, chocolates, ice cream or soft drinks should be taken. Milk, Buttermilk, Yogurt and all fruits, especially acidic fruits such as lemons, grapefruit, oranges or pineapples are restricted. Cigarettes, Tea, Coffee, Betel nut preparations such as Pan, and any other type of intoxicant or drug should also not be taken. The diet should be as pure, simple and as neutral as possible. It may include foods such as Rice, Wheat, Bread, Vegetables with low acidic content, Nuts, Lentils, Soya Beans and other Pulses. Common sense must be used in this regard. After Shankha-Prakshalana the digestive system is very vulnerable and extra care should be taken to protect the body. This practice should only be attempted in a Yoga Ashram or Yoga center under expert guidance. All guidelines and restrictions must be followed strictly to avoid experiencing harmful side effects. Those who are unable to follow these restrictions should not practice Shankha-Prakshalana. They will find the simplified version, Laghoo Shankha-Prakshalana( Short Intestinal Wash), more appropriate to their needs. People suffering from any medical condition should seek guidance from a qualified Yoga teacher before attempting Complete Intestinal wash, especially those taking medications. This practice should also be avoided during pregnancy. Physically, Complete Intestinal wash alleviates digestive problems such as Indigestion, Gas, Acidity and Constipation. It generally tones the liver and other digestive organs and glands. It has been used in the cure of diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, obesity, high blood cholesterol and high lipid levels. It strengthens the immune system, alleviating allergies and immunological problems. It helps relieve the symptoms of arthritis and chronic inflammatory diseases. Excessive mucus is reduced relieving asthma, chronic colds and sinusitis. It purifies the blood and alleviates skin problems such as pimples, boils and eczema. Pranically, Shankha-Prakshalana recharges the entire Pranic body, removes blockages from the Nadis and purifies all the Chakras. The harmony of the five Pranas is restored and the energy level is raised. It prepares the way for higher states of consciousness. Any Sadhana performed after this cleansing practice gives manifold results. The five asanas, which form the core of the practice, activate peristalsis and the sphincters or valves, muscles and nerves of the digestive tract in order to enhance the cleansing process. When performed in the correct sequence they progressively open the pyloric valve at the outlet of the stomach, then the ileocecal valve at the exit of the small intestine and finally the sphincter, which forms the anus. Tadasana acts mainly on the stomach and stretches the colon; Tiryaka tadasana acts on the small intestine and colon; Kati chakrasana massages the small intestine; Tiryaka Bhujangasana and Udarakarshan asana squeeze and massage the Caecum, sigmoid colon and rectum, and also stimulate the Rectosphincteric reflex or the urge to defecate. Pete Walters wrote: > Sat Nam! > Does anyone have advice about one's diet after Shanhaprakshalana > (Varisara Dhauti) - especially about eating fruit. All input will be > appreciated. > Thank you > Santie > Pretoria > South Africa. > > * > > > Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted September 2, 2004 Next is the translation from my yoga course about shankprakshalana: After shankprakshalana it is compulsory to respect the folowing indications: - to eat at least after half an hour after the exercise. it is absolutely forbiden to leave the digestive tract empty more than an hour. - first meal will be: white rice very well boiled in water. The rice can be served together with carrots well boiled. At this first meal it is absolutely necessary to eat at leat 40gms of butter. The butter can be melted in the rice or eaten directly with a spoon. - Under any circumstances the rice will NOT be boiled in milk. 24 hours after shankprakshalana it is absolutely forbiden to drink milk or to eat yogurt. More, during the same 24 hours acid food or drink, fruits or raw vegetables are forbiden. Bread is allowed at the second meal which follows the exercise. ps: sorry for my bad english - "Pete Walters" <pjw <Kundaliniyoga> Wednesday, September 01, 2004 21:17 Kundalini Yoga Shankhaprakshalana > Sat Nam! > Does anyone have advice about one's diet after Shanhaprakshalana (Varisara Dhauti) - especially about eating fruit. All input will be appreciated. > Thank you > Santie > Pretoria > South Africa. > Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted September 2, 2004 Hi Pete! I am not familiar with this practice but found this great link about it! http://www.yoga.com/yyh2a02.htm Not sure how valid the advice is but it sounds good to me. They are quite detailed about diet following the practice. It all sounds fascinating! Please share your experiences with it! Namaste, Malinda NJ, USA Pete Walters <pjw wrote: Sat Nam! Does anyone have advice about one's diet after Shanhaprakshalana (Varisara Dhauti) - especially about eating fruit. All input will be appreciated. Thank you Santie Pretoria South Africa. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
