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| Hello Yogafreaks 
Has someone here experiences with this dhauti? I have some difficulties...
Thanks
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| i know a little about it. it's for cleansing your esophagus and stomach. it involves swallowing a 5-metre strip of gauze which has been soaked in water or milk to soften it, and then pulling it out again so that deposits left on your stomach walls are removed. it stimulates the digestive system and helps alleviate the symptoms of asthma.
your post concerns me as this cleansing method is strictly done under expert supervision. once you become experienced and are given a go by the instructors, it is safe to proceed on your own. please dont tell me you are trying this out at home on your own. if so - STOP.
what do you mean by you "have some difficulties"? |
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| easternsun - 2005-07-31 12:47 AM
i know a little about it. it's for cleansing your esophagus and stomach. it involves swallowing a 5-metre strip of gauze which has been soaked in water or milk to soften it, and then pulling it out again so that deposits left on your stomach walls are removed. it stimulates the digestive system and helps alleviate the symptoms of asthma.
If you say you know a little about it, do you mean you did it yourself?
My first tries I did with the guidance of a Yogacharya and he motivated me to do it allone. But we only had very thick cotton strips and there was no way to swallow them down. However, even a bit of gauze is tricky to swallow enough instead of folding it together in the mouth...I`m wondering if there is any little trick to make this easier.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
  
Location: A Blue State |
I really wouldn't recommend doing this alone... |
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| Mr.Dream - 2005-08-01 5:38 PM
If you say you know a little about it, do you mean you did it yourself?
My first tries I did with the guidance of a Yogacharya and he motivated me to do it allone. But we only had very thick cotton strips and there was no way to swallow them down. However, even a bit of gauze is tricky to swallow enough instead of folding it together in the mouth...I`m wondering if there is any little trick to make this easier.
i took a course in kriyas and shat karamas in india. it was part of my teacher training. i saw vastra shauti demonstrated but i did not try it myself. my knowledge is strictly from what swamji taught and my obsevations/reading - not from personal experience.
that said, may i clarify your statements? you tried a few times with thick gauze and were never successful - is that correct?
that would imply that you have not done vastra dhauti.
you say he motivated you to do it - does that mean you decided to do it alone?
do you have a medical condition for which you think it will help?
please be aware that most indian yogi and swamis no longer practice or teach this dhauti. when they do teach it, they are quite clear on the fact that it should not be practiced unsupervised.
sri swami sivananda has written several articles on yoga cleansing methods - google around and try to find them. in fact google anything on vastra dhauti and read the part where it says you should not attempt it on your own.
sorry for coming across so harshly (really, i am lovely  )but someone needs to point out the potential damage that could be done without proper instruction/supervision.
who was your yogacharya?
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| Thanks for your answer. Well, I don`t know why the practice isn`t recommended this days, but I guess it`s because of the *not- so- easyness* in the beginning...
I`m on my way to learn sapta-yoga.
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| well, the reason why it is not practiced these days is bacause of lack of time and proper yagacharyas . we still practice in india a lot all the kriyas like jalneti, sutra neti, gajakarni and vastra dhouthi. but as a matter of fact any kriya is not recommended to perform alone unless you gain perfection. when i was in brisbane, i did not hear about kriyas at all.
also just for your information, vastra dhouti should be practiced only after continously doing jala dhauti/ gaja karni for seven days. also we should take warm milk after the kriya compulsorily. but anyway please`do not attempt at home alone. |
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| Mr.Dream - 2005-08-02 2:54 PM
Thanks for your answer. Well, I don`t know why the practice isn`t recommended this days, but I guess it`s because of the *not- so- easyness* in the beginning...
I`m on my way to learn sapta-yoga.
ok, so this is part of your sapta yoga training...
you mentioned that the gauze was too thick. your yoga charya should know that the gauze should not be thicker (wider) than your tongue. he/she should be coaching you to swallow a bit of gauze (dipped in milk first) and then wait, then a bit more, then wait. and so it goes....
broken record, blah blah blah...get a mentor and practice with supervision.
my esophogus hurts just thinking about it.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State |
I'm with you on the aching esophogus....  |
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| I have been performing this dhauti regulary for over 2 years. In the beginning I did it once a week. Now I am down to once every two weeks.
This dhauti compliments other dhautis I perform such as vasti and neti etc. Additionally, I practice Ashtanga (Sri Pathabi Jois) 4-5 times per week.
The dhauti has helped me tremendously in terms of improving my asana practice as it removed stress and tightness in my shoulders and arms. I typically feel extremely introverted after practicing this dhauti for about 6 to 8 hours. Also, sometimes I feel that it is easy to verbalize my emotions after this dhauti. Regular practice has definitely removed stress from my body and help me become stronger.
I practiced vastra without any expert guidance. I carefully read a few books about the details of this practice. I went to a local fabric store and purchased soft undyed cotton and made a strip for myself. I started with a 6 ft long strip but have moved onto a 12 ft long strip since then.
I must admit that it took a long time for me to muster the courage to do this. I studied and contemplated doing vastra for about 6 months. And then one day I just did it. And it was a life changing experience.
Obviously I am not recommending that people do this without expert guidance. However, there are some points to keep in mind. Make sure the cloth is soft, undyed, pure cotton. Boil the cloth thoroughly (for about 15 minutes) before starting the dhauti. Do the dhauti first thing in the morning with an empty stomach. I usually sit on a stool and keep the cloth in a bowl in front of me between my feet. I then hold the cloth from one end, and place it as deep in my mouth as possible. The gag reflex must be controlled. This helps to tone the autonomous system and also develops self control.
Once the cloth is in the canal, take a small sip of water to help the cloth along and then proceed to swallow. Chew gently because the saliva softens it and helps it go down. If you feel like gagging, then take a break for a few seconds and then proceed again.
It usually takes me about 15 to 20 minutes to swallow about 11 feet. I then stand up, massage my stomach, perform nauli and agnisar for about 5 minutes.
After this I sit back down and take a sip of water and then slowly start pulling the cloth out. It is covered with mucus. I keep pulling it out and let it fall into the bowl between my feet. After removing the cloth, I wash it thoroughly, boil it again for 20 minutes and let it dry in the sun for 4 to 5 hours and then put it away for next use. I use a strip for 2 months and then make a new one.
For me this is an incredible practice and an integral part of my yoga routine. At some point, when I feel that kapha is in a balanced state in my body, I will discontinue it. But until then, I enjoy the benefits of this powerful practice. |
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| Dear awais: Is it possible to know a) your condition of health b) your habits including food, rest, exercise, etc. etc. all these before 2 years? |
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| Neel-
I consider myself to be pretty healthy, although it was not always like this. I am 34 but had numerous health problems as a child. Up until the age of 14, I suffered from severe asthma, lung congestion, had pneumonia, regular high fever etc.
But thankfully my health has improved progressively and I have not been to an alopathic doctor for the last 18 years or so.
My health reached a new level once I started regular practice of Ashtanga yoga in 2001.
Eating habits - I only eat food directly purchased from a farm. My second choice is organic food store. I don't purchase anything from a regular grocery store. I used to eat meat daily. But since 2001, my meat consumption has declined consistently and I currently eat meat about twice a week. My diet consists of meat (fish/chicken), eggs, milk, bread, various farm/home grown vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately I still drink soda and eat chocolate. But overall, my diet is good.
Rest - I like to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep. But I have a toddler and an infant in the house so the level of rest varies.
Exercise - 4 to 5 times weekly of Ashtanga yoga primary asana series. Additionally, I walk about 2 hours a day. Instead of driving to work or doing errands, I walk. I am also just joining a rock climbing gym and will do that twice a week as well.
Condition before starting Vastra - I was failry health even before Vastra due to my ashtanga yoga regimen and eating habits. But the main difference now is that the level of stress in my body has been reduced significantly. I experienced this as a direct result of the dhautis which I started in the following progresion - Agnisar, Jala Neti, Vasti, Traatak and then Vastra. Each addition to my dhautis resulted in decreased stress and a change in my body. For example, with Jala Neti, my face muscles relaxed significantly and I breathed through my nose more comfortably. With Vasti, I lost about 5 pounds immediately and had a more calm demeanor than before. I also became even more conscious of my diet which helped improve my health even more. With Traatak, I developed clarity of mind and had a stronger focus. And with vastra, I relaxed in my shoulders, arms and chest which allowed me to get deeper into my ashtanga postures which in turn improved my health even further. In conclusion, I am thankful that I was able to be exposed to the dhautis as they have clearly improved my health and well being. |
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Vastra-Dhauti?
