Nauli Kriya is likely one of the Shatkarma strategies talked about within the historical yogic textual content, Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Shatkarma includes six yogic purification practices. Alongside Nauli Kriya, these strategies embrace:
- Dhauti – Cleaning of the meals pipe
- Neti – Nasal cavity cleaning
- Kapalbhati – Purification of the frontal mind
- Trataka – Strengthening workouts for the eyes
- Basti – Cleaning of the massive gut
Common observe of those strategies purifies the physique internally, facilitating simpler and simpler practices of pranayama (respiratory workouts) and meditation. This preparation helps the physique and thoughts change into alert and free from fatigue.
Which means of the “Nauli Kriya”
The Sanskrit time period Nauli is derived from two root phrases, “Nau” that means “boat,” and “li” that means “to cling to.” When mixed with “kriya,” which denotes an motion or a collection of actions geared toward reaching a particular objective, it kinds Nauli Kriya.
For Instance; Yoga Asana is part of kriya as collection of asanas are carried out to realize the soundness of physique & thoughts.
Which means: By referring these phrases, in nauli kriya, belly muscular tissues cling to the belly wall whereas being in steady movement, like a ship flows in rolling waves of the ocean.
Nauli can also be known as “lauliki karma” in Sanskrit scriptures. The phrase lauliki means “to maneuver hither and tither” or “rolling and agitation” which is strictly what this system does. It rolls, rotates and agitates all the stomach and the related muscular tissues and nerves.
What Precisely is Nauli Kriya?
Nauli kriya is a cleaning approach that entails the belly organs and muscular tissues transferring laterally and vertically in a wave-like movement. It’s effectively illustrated as a technique of up and down motion of a ship in a stormy sea.
In Nauli Kriya, belly muscular tissues particularly “rectus abdominis (abs muscle)” is used to therapeutic massage and stimulate the digestive organs e.g. the abdomen, liver, spleen, urinary bladder, pancreas, gall bladder, and huge and small gut by churning the muscular tissues of the stomach.
The muscular tissues of the stomach are projected ahead after which contracted constantly. This churning leads to a wave-like motion within the stomach, known as nauli kriya.
It helps the physique to improve “gastric hearth” or “bodily hearth” and get rid of toxins from the digestive tract and tones the core muscular tissues.
Chakra Concerned in Nauli
All yogic kriyas have an effect on Chakras in our physique in a sure means, Like Kapalbhati kriya is alleged to key within the awakening of the third eye chakra, which is the door of instinct in an individual.
With the assistance of nauli kriya, an individual can stimulate their Navel Chakra (manipura chakra).
The Manipura chakra is the storehouse of important life vitality current within the human physique i.e. Prana. The activation of this chakra helps to get clairvoyance, declutters the thoughts, boosts metabolism and strengthens the immune system.
What to Do Earlier than Performing Nauli Kriya?
Nauli is a sophisticated stage yogic observe. Earlier than performing it, an individual ought to have mastery over Bandha (bodily locks) observe.
The primary bandha utilized in Nauli kriya is “Uddiyana bandha” i.e. belly lock or “Jalandhara Bandha” i.e. throat lock.
1. Observe Uddiyana Bandha – The Belly Lock
That is the strategy of lifting up belly muscular tissues & then locking it on the lifted place.
To carry out Uddiyana bandha,
- On the finish of exhalation, suck your belly wall in and up.
- Whereas sustaining suction of the belly wall, maintain your breath.
It stretches the diaphragm and takes it to the very best attainable place, which finally locks diaphragm close to the junction between the stomach and chest. It’s known as Uddiyana bandha, the belly lock.
The Uddiyana Bandha together with its variations is practised effectively earlier than performing completely different yoga practices e.g. Nauli Kriya.
So, What Uddiyana Bandha Really Does?
In Uddiyana Bandha,
- The organs of the stomach are taken to the next than regular place within the trunk by sucking it and holding the breath. (This creates a partial vacuum within the chest cavity.)
- This vacuum attracts blood from the belly cavity into the chest and to the center. It improves the circulation to the belly muscular tissues.
- Additionally, because the stomach is locked at the next stage, the stress within the capillaries and veins is decreased which facilitates the blood circulation and fluid change.
2. Observe Jalandhar Bandha – The Throat Lock
That is also referred to as chin lock. The observe of jalandhar bandha is recommended earlier than practising nauli kriya because it creates flexibility in belly muscular tissues. Additional, this flexibility makes simpler to roll belly muscular tissues within the observe of nauli.
3. Observe Agnisara Kriya
Agni means “hearth” and Sara means “wash” so actually it means to purify the hearth vitality situated on the navel middle.
Agnisara is a sort of dhauti kriya (belly wash), wherein belly wall is quickly expanded & contracted in a really brief interval of time. The train stimulates the immune system, will increase the ability of digestion and warmth within the physique.
Earlier than beginning the extraordinary observe of Nauli kriya, it’s recommended to grasp the Agnisara Kriya. It helps to scrub the hearth contained in the physique. It makes use of the interior vitality of the physique to supply vitality.
To carry out it,
- Stand with the legs barely aside, inhale deeply via the nostril and exhale absolutely via the mouth whereas barely bending ahead and bending the knees.
- Relaxation in your each fingers whereas inserting it over thighs. The again ought to be straight, the top upright, enable the belly muscular tissues to calm down.
- Now draw the navel inwards and upwards again to the backbone.
- Maintain navel for a second & then start stomach contraction and growth quickly 10-15 occasions whereas retaining the breath.
Breathe out earlier than it turns into too uncomfortable. That is one spherical, full 3 rounds. It’s quite common at first for the belly muscular tissues to tire rapidly, this can be a positive signal you’ve gotten the weak hearth vitality.
Kinds of Nauli Kriya
Nauli is principally categorised into 3 varieties based mostly on the place of belly muscle contraction.
- Vama Nauli: the contraction of the left facet of the belly muscular tissues.
- Dakshina Nauli: the contraction of the correct facet of the belly muscular tissues.
- Madhya Nauli: the contraction of each side of the belly muscular tissues.
The best way to Do Nauli Kriya(Steps)
Nauli Kriya entails contracting and isolating the rectus abdominis muscular tissues, that are two lengthy vertical muscular tissues situated on both facet of the center stomach, stretching from the diaphragm to the pubic bone.
To Carry out it, comply with the next steps.
- Stand together with your toes roughly 1-1.5 meters aside.
- Inhale deeply via the nostril and exhale via the mouth, emptying the lungs fully.
- Bend your knees barely and lean ahead, inserting your palms in your thighs simply above the knees. Level your thumbs inward and relaxation your fingers outdoors the thighs to keep up a agency grip.
- Maintain your arms straight whereas permitting the load of your higher physique to relaxation comfortably in your fingers above the knees.
- Carry out Jalandhara Bandha (throat lock) whereas holding your breath externally (Bahir kumbhaka)
- Then Carry out Uddiyana Bandha by pulling the decrease stomach in and up.
- Maintain your eyes open and observe the motion in your stomach.
- Raise your proper hand after which your left hand barely off your knees, one after the opposite.
After this, comply with the steps for Vama & Dakshina Nauli individually beneath.
1. The best way to Do Vama Nauli
Comply with steps 1 to 7. After that comply with the next steps.
To Carry out Vama Nauli,
- Raise proper hand barely off the knee in order that higher physique weight switch over the left hand & from the left hand to the left knee.
NOTE: Don’t lean your physique to the left facet whereas transferring weight over the left hand. - This motion of transferring weight over the left hand to the knee would mechanically isolate left rectus abdominis muscular tissues (left abs).
NOTE: The isolation of left abs muscular tissues is illustrated with a cavity in the correct facet and a muscle protrusion on the left facet. - Maintain the identical place of muscular tissues for just a few seconds. It’s known as Vama nauli.
- Now launch Uddiyana bandha first & then Jalandhar bandha by elevating the top up slowly. Then stand in an upright place, take just a few deep breaths earlier than the subsequent spherical.
2. The best way to Do Dakshina Nauli
After finishing the Vama nauli, isolate the proper rectus abdominis muscular tissues (proper abs). It’s known as Dakshina Nauli.
Steps to carry out dakshina nauli is strictly reverse as steps to carry out Vama nauli. Right here weight is transferred over the correct hand, which makes muscle protrusion on the correct facet & cavity on the left facet.
3. The best way to Do Madhya Nauli
In Madhya nauli, principally it’s important to contract each (left & proper) rectus abdominis (abs muscular tissues) to the centre navel line.
To carry out it, once more steps 1 to 7 (described in “how you can carry out nauli”) are the identical. After that comply with the next steps.
- Come within the place of Vama or Dakshina Nauli. Let say, you’re beginning with Vama nauli.
- Now begin rolling your left abs muscle (which truly was remoted at left facet until now) to the correct facet however earlier than it reaches the alternative facet, maintain it within the center.
- Rolling of abs muscular tissues is achieved by shifting the load progressively from left facet to proper facet.
- After getting rolled left remoted muscular tissues to the centre, then you’ll be able to see each side of the centre would have cavity & muscle protrusion on the centre. It’s the Madhya Nauli place.
- Maintain this place for just a few seconds. Then launch the Uddiyana bandha & Jalandhar bandha one after the other.
Rolling abs muscular tissues for madhya nauli wants time to excellent so at first, strive with vama or dakshina nauli solely.
4. Belly Rotation or Churning in Nauli
After mastering the above-mentioned levels of Madhya, Vama and Dakshina nauli, the process of churning or rotating the stomach ought to be tried.
- Observe Vama nauli on the left facet, then rotate the muscular tissues to the correct, practising Dakshina nauli, and again to the left, vama nauli.
- Proceed rotating the muscular tissues backward and forward. This course of is named churning.
- Begin by practising 3 consecutive rotations, then launch the belly contraction.
- Subsequent begin with Dakshina nauli first, this time rotating the muscular tissues from proper to left, then left to proper, thrice consecutively.
- Lastly, carry out Madhya nauli, isolating the muscular tissues on the centre.
- Increase the top and return to the upright place. Inhale slowly and deeply, permitting the stomach to increase.
- This marks the tip of 1 spherical and it may be continued after stress-free in an upright place till the heartbeat returns to regular.
Observe Observe
- The observe of agnisara kriya and uddiyana bandha ought to be mastered earlier than beginning the observe of Nauli kriya.
- When nauli kriya has been perfected in standing place, it might be practiced in siddha yoni asana.
Time to Observe & Length of Nauli
Nauli ought to be practised solely when the abdomen is totally empty, not less than 5 to six hours after the meals if empty abdomen observe shouldn’t be attainable.
The very best time to observe is early within the morning earlier than any meals or drink is taken.
- A newbie ought to begin with Vama and Dakshina nauli one after different. At first, 3 rounds all sides.
- After 2 weeks of observe of Vama & Dakshina nauli, a newbie can begin with 5 rounds of Madhya Nauli and work as much as 10 rounds inside per week.
- Then one can begin the belly churning or rotation with 5-10 rounds and slowly improve as much as 25 rotations over a interval of months.
As you’re suggested to keep away from straining, it’s higher to extend rounds slowly with observe as extra management is gained over the muscular tissues with time.
Advantages of Nauli Kriya
Nauli Kriya acts as a robust inner therapeutic massage for the belly organs, together with the abdomen, liver, spleen, pancreas, and intestines. This stimulation enhances digestion, improves blood circulation to those organs, and helps in eliminating toxins from the physique.
- Core Energy and Stability
By concentrating on the rectus abdominis muscular tissues, Nauli Kriya strengthens the core, enhances muscular tone, and helps general posture and stability. It’s notably helpful for these trying to develop belly power and obtain higher muscular management.
- Energetic and Non secular Advantages
Past its bodily benefits, Nauli Kriya is believed to activate the Manipura Chakra (photo voltaic plexus), which is related to vitality, vanity, and willpower in yoga philosophy. This activation is assumed to reinforce psychological readability, increase vitality ranges, and facilitate a deeper reference to one’s non secular self.
A examine reported that the yogic kriyas resembling nauli kriya or agnisara kriya are useful within the therapy of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Illness (GERD).
Precautions
- Nauli Kriya is a delicate approach and may solely be carried out below a correct information or instructor.
- Should you really feel any ache or discomfort within the stomach throughout nauli kriya, it is best to instantly cease the kriya. With extra consciousness and fewer and managed pressure strive once more the subsequent day.
Contraindications
- Nauli Kriya shouldn’t be tried by folks affected by coronary heart illness, hypertension, hernia, hypertension, belly ache, gallstones, acute peptic ulcer, constipation.
- Nauli Kriya ought to be prevented post-surgery, particularly after belly surgical procedure.
- The pregnant girl shouldn’t observe or attempt to do nauli kriya.
Conclusion
Yoga is an historical science of other medication that goals very particularly on the preventive points of a illness. It is usually efficient in curing illnesses when used as an adjuvant to the essential observe of medication. Nauli Kriya is likely one of the most necessary yogic kriyas that comes below shatkarma.
So, the common observe of Nauli Kriya improves digestion and avoids the dysfunction arising within the belly space.
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In case you are a newbie in Nauli observe or you’re planning on doing it in your subsequent yoga session. Do it below the steering of an professional. Go away your remark beneath about your expertise of Nauli.