azurikai
USA
17 Posts
Posted - Jun 07 2018 : 10:34:06 PM Show Profile Email Poster Visit azurikai's Homepage Edit Topic Reply with Quote View user's IP address Get a Link to this Message Delete Topic
Namaste
I have been digging into shatkarmas more recently to add to my morning and evening routines.
I've discovered shanka prakshalana and it seems quite nice to integrate just after waking up to get things moving.
It is recommended to drink 250ml of saline water before this to help move things through the digestive system.
It has gotten me thinking about the practice of Amaroli, which I'm actively practicing now for the last month.
Some questions...
1) could urine be considered saline enough to act as the saline solution for shanka prakshalana?
2) if not, how would one best combine these two practices in a morning routine?
Thank you!
BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1482 Posts
Posted - Jun 08 2018 : 03:29:16 AM Show Profile Email Poster Edit Reply Reply with Quote View user's IP address Get a Link to this Reply Delete Reply
Hi Azurikai
It sounds like your practice is going well, since you are looking to add new techniques.
quote:
Originally posted by azurikai
1) could urine be considered saline enough to act as the saline solution for shanka prakshalana?
Definitely not! Your kidneys would very likely give up before that amount of salt passed through them.
The two practices do not combine. They can both be part of your yoga routine, but that's about it. Amaroli is (or can be) a daily practice.
Shanka prakshalana is an infrequent practice - twice a year is plenty. Which is just as well, since emptying your digestive tube completely is quite an undertaking and requires a long period of rest after it is done. If you are a relative beginner, you shouldn't plan to do shanka prakshalana in the morning and then go to work.
All the best
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azurikai
USA
17 Posts
Posted - Jun 18 2018 : 8:01:39 PM Show Profile Email Poster Visit azurikai's Homepage Edit Reply Reply with Quote View user's IP address Get a Link to this Reply Delete Reply
BlueRaincoat!
Practice is GREAT! I am eternally grateful for Yogani, Advanced Yoga Practices and the community here, including you of course! Spiralling bliss without bounds. I have been turning as many people on to AYP as possible and have a few friends that are avid meditators taking up spinal breathing daily.
Thanks for saving me before I jumped in to start Shanka Prakshalana on a frequent basis haha
I will continue with the amaroli as my daily practice and look into best integrations for Shanka Prakshalana.
Would you recommend doing a couple day fast on both sides of a Shanka Prakshalana practice? Is a single session sufficient during such a time period?
Thank you for the great insights my friend and I wish you all the best
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1482 Posts
Posted - Jun 22 2018 : 03:52:56 AM Show Profile Email Poster Edit Reply Reply with Quote View user's IP address Get a Link to this Reply Delete Reply
quote:
Originally posted by azurikai
Would you recommend doing a couple day fast on both sides of a Shanka Prakshalana practice?
It makes sense to do both.
I haven't personally fasted for more than 1 day before Shanka Prakshalana (i.e. I do not eat on the day I do it), but having a light diet, perhaps vegan (?) on the day before, could speed up the bowel transit and make it easier for the salty water to push out the bowel contents when the technique is performed.
After Shanka Prakshalana I am very strict with my first meal. Raw fruit and vege for instance are not good immediately after, as the digestive tube has to settle down. Meat is too heavy and best avoided for a couple of days.
I do think that, for this particular technique, you need more than Yogani's instructions in the Diet, Shatkarmas and Amaroli book. My impression is that Yogani includes the intestinal wash in there for completion, but he is not a fan of it. If you read that section yourself, you will remember that he recommends basti instead of shanka prakshalana.
I do practice shanka prakshalana myself because I was taught it in my early yoga days. But if I were to teach complete beginners, I would take the same stance as Yogani and recommend basti instead. Ingesting a couple of spoonfuls of salt is a little on the risky side. If the technique should fail (which can happen) all that salt will pass into the bloodstream. Not ideal. There have been cases of deaths caused by salty water ingestion by people who did not know what they were doing. A medic would strongly advise against the practice. Then again we are yogis and we do a number of things not recommended by medics (how many doctors would agree with amaroli, or tantric practices for instance?)
So if you are drawn to shanka prakshalana, by all means explore it. My advice would be to read a bit more than the section in Yogani's book.
Let us know on this thread if you are serious about doing this technique and I'll share more of what I know about it. Maybe others will chip in.
quote:
Originally posted by azurikai
Is a single session sufficient during such a time period?
Yes, you only do shanka prakshalana once, then typically let a few months pass before you do it again.
It is sometimes done once a day, for a week or so, in retreat mode. That is under supervision, and resting for all that time. This technique does not combine well with an active lifestyle.
Edited by - BlueRaincoat on Jun 22 2018 03:53:44 AM
