Cleansing and Purification:: Meltdown

Nauli kriyas

If you look around you, you’ll notice what happens as we get older. The middle of the body begins to lose shape and collapse. Gravity is pulling us downward. Unless we are practicing some type of opposing technique, the whole solar plexus area, a major nerve center of the body, will become squashed. Not to mention the toxins that get trapped, the poor digestion that results, and thelack of oxygen to the abdominal region. Naulis, in conjunction with the bandhas, bring everything upward, inviting vitality back into the middle of the body. These techniques keep the gastro-intestinal or alimentary system balanced and functioning smoothly. Naulis massage the internal organs, acting as an internal cleansing technique. Keeping you pure and clean, naulis remove sluggishness of the stomach, intestines, and liver, bringing back upward the evercaving-in abdominal region which is crushing and suffocating internal organs as gravity pulls us down.Don’t let the fire go out. Keep the channels of the body pure and open the pathway for the oxygen to keep feeding the fire. It’s best to practice on an empty stomach in the morning.

Practice

Nauli

1. Stand with feet one and a half to two feet apart. Bend the knees and rest the palms of the hands just above the knees, thumbs on the inside of the thighs, fingers touching the outsides. Keep the head up and eyes open. Breathe deeply through the nose and exhale quickly through the mouth, slightly pursing the lips. Perform jalandhara bandha while maintaining full exhalation retention . Suck the abdomen and stomach in by performing uddiyana bandha. Hold. Then release uddiyana bandha, raise the head, stand up and inhale slowly. Repeat three times.

2. Practice as in #1, but this time after pulling the abdomen in with the exhale retention bounce the belly gently in and out, thereby massaging the internal organs. Repeat three times.

3. Rolling – stand with legs apart, knees slightly bent with hands on thighs. Exhale and perform uddiyana bandha. Contract sides of abdomen, isolating the central muscle. Then press on alternate hands to move the muscle from one side to the other.

4. Notice any weak or tender areas. Breathe into them and pull upward

5. What happens the more air you exhale? Do you feel a tighter inward contraction?

6. Do you feel dizzy? Imagine what happens as the toxins move out of your system

7. Try practicing uddiyana bandha during naulis. Notice how much more control you have with the air fully exhaled.

8. Now try mula bandha.

9. Practice naulis everyday for at least ten minutes.

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