SHANK PRAKSHALANA Digestive system cleaning

SHANK PRAKSHALANA
Digestive system cleaning

It is a purification technique which cleans the digestive system in Hatha yoga (cf.table in Kriyas / Yoga)

1. Prepare a quantity of warm salty water (5 to 6 grams per liter.This technique is practiced in the morning on empty stomach, one day off. Not other practices for this day. Drink one glass of warm salty water (like a soup).
   
2. Practice the movements below
   
3. Drink another water glass, followed by the series of movements. Then drink in alternation water/movements until the absorption of 6 glasses, at this time, you must to go to the toilet. Normally a first evacuation occurs. If during 5 minutes nothing occurs, remake the movements without drinking water again, then go to the toilet. If nothing occurs (but it is very unusual) it will be necessary to do a rectal injection. When the siphon is started, the first solid waste matters passed, and then remainder follows. Wash the anus with fresh water after each passage to the toilet and if it burns because of salt, lubricate the anus with a little oil.
   
   
4. Drink again another glass of salty water, after each glass practice the movements then go to the toilets, and each time there will be evacuation. Continue drinking the warm salty water (approximately 10 to 14 glasses) with the alternation water/movements/toilet until water becomes as clear as the one you drink.
   
   
5. At this stage you stop drinking and go to the toilets in the hour until no more water passes out of your system.
   
   After the practice of SHANK PRAKSHALANA
   
   Eat as soon as possible half an hour after the exercise and at the latest one hour after the end of the practice. Not to leave the digestive tract empty during more one hour. The first meal will be composed of white rice (not brown rice), cooked with water (not with milk), this rice must be very cooked. It can be accompanied by well cooked carrots. Add a good knob of butter. Rice can be replaced by a pulp of wheat or oats, or by pastes and grated cheese. During the 24 hours which follow the exercise, don’t take dairy produces, acid drinks, fruits, raw vegetables. Don’t drink anything before the first meal, but after drink fresh water or tea herbs. Practice this exercise to the maximum one time per month or from 2 to 4 times per year (recommended in case of constipation)
   
   exercises:
   
   Postures :
   

• Stand and stretch your arms on the top of the head, bend to the right then to the left.
  
• Half spinal twist posture standing- begin the bending on the right side
  
• Cobra pose on the toes, arms stretched, turn your head first on the right then on the left
  
• with keeping one knee up. Twist first with the right knee.
  
  This description of the postures can be consulted more in detail in the book of Andre Van Lysebeth: "I improve my Yoga".