The six purification practices
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika prescribes six purification techniques (shat = six, karma = action) that prepare the body for advanced pranayama and meditation. These practices cleanse the nadis (energy channels), balance the doshas, remove ama (toxins), and create the internal purity necessary for prana to flow freely. They are the physical foundation upon which the subtler practices of yoga are built.
Nasal Cleansing
Purification of the nasal passages — the gateway of prana into the body. Neti clears the sinuses, removes excess Kapha, sharpens the senses, and prepares the channels for pranayama. It directly affects ajna chakra (the third eye) and is one of the most accessible and immediately rewarding shatkarma practices.
Warm saline water poured through one nostril and out the other using a neti pot. The most common and gentle form. Practice daily, especially during allergy season or congestion.
A soft rubber catheter or waxed cotton thread passed through the nostril and out the mouth. A deeper cleansing that massages the nasal mucosa and removes stubborn blockages. Requires guidance to learn safely.
Kapha ↓↓ (primary), clears Vata stagnation in the head
Sinus health, allergy relief, improved breathing, mental clarity, enhanced pranayama
Active nosebleed, acute ear infection, nasal surgery recovery
Directly clears the primary prana entry point — the nasal passages. Dramatically improves prana absorption.
Sharpens mental tejas by clearing the channels connecting breath to brain.
Protects ojas by preventing upper respiratory infections and sinus-related depletion.
Internal Cleansing
A family of techniques for purifying the digestive tract from mouth to stomach. Dhauti removes accumulated mucus, toxins, and stagnant bile from the upper GI tract, dramatically improving agni and reducing Kapha-related conditions. These are powerful practices that require proper instruction.
Drinking several glasses of warm salt water and then gently inducing vomiting by tickling the back of the throat. Thoroughly cleanses the stomach lining. Best done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Slowly swallowing a long strip of clean, wet cotton cloth, allowing it to absorb mucus and bile from the stomach walls, then gently pulling it back out. An advanced practice requiring expert guidance.
Using a smooth, flexible tube to cleanse the stomach. Advanced and less commonly practiced today.
Kapha ↓↓ Pitta ↓ (clears excess mucus and bile)
Clears stomach congestion, improves digestion, reduces acidity, clears skin, alleviates asthma/bronchitis
Hernia, ulcers, heart conditions, hypertension, pregnancy. Always learn from a qualified teacher.
Resets prana vayu in the upper GI tract, clearing energetic stagnation.
Powerfully reignites digestive tejas (agni) by removing accumulated residue.
Temporarily reduces ojas during the cleanse — must be followed by nourishing rasayana foods.
Abdominal Churning
The crown jewel of shatkarma — an isolated rolling and churning of the abdominal muscles that massages every organ in the abdominal cavity. Nauli is described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika as the foremost of all hatha yoga practices. It powerfully stimulates agni, tones the organs, and awakens manipura chakra (the solar plexus center of personal power).
Isolating and contracting the central band of rectus abdominis while creating uddiyana bandha (abdominal vacuum). The foundation practice.
Rolling the isolated abdominal muscles to the left (vama) and right (dakshina), creating a churning wave. When mastered, a continuous rotation that deeply massages the intestines, liver, spleen, and kidneys.
Kapha ↓↓ (strongly reduces stagnation), kindles Pitta (agni)
Powerful digestion, organ massage, core strength, manipura activation, constipation relief, hormonal balance
Pregnancy, hernia, recent abdominal surgery, acute inflammation, hypertension, heart conditions. Must be learned progressively.
Activates samana vayu — the prana governing the digestive center and solar plexus.
The most powerful tejas-igniting practice — directly stokes the digestive fire (agni).
Strengthens the ojas-producing capacity of the GI tract through improved digestion.
Yogic Enema
Cleansing of the lower intestines — the seat of Vata dosha. In the yogic tradition, basti involves drawing water into the colon through muscular control (using nauli and uddiyana bandha), then expelling it. This is distinct from Ayurvedic basti (medicated enemas), which uses herbal decoctions and oils administered therapeutically. Both traditions recognize the colon as a key site of purification.
Sitting in water and drawing it into the colon through muscular suction created by nauli and uddiyana bandha. An advanced technique requiring mastery of nauli first.
Drawing air into the colon through similar muscular control. Even more advanced and rarely practiced today.
Vata ↓↓ (primary seat of Vata is the colon)
Colon cleansing, Vata pacification, improved elimination, reduced bloating, lower back relief
Rectal conditions, hemorrhoids, pregnancy, diarrhea. Advanced practice — learn from expert teacher only.
Calms apana vayu — the downward prana governing elimination, reproduction, and grounding.
Indirectly supports tejas by removing ama that was obstructing metabolic intelligence.
In Ayurveda, basti is considered the most important therapy — it directly nourishes and rebuilds ojas.
Skull-Shining Breath
Rapid, rhythmic exhalations driven by the abdominal muscles, with passive inhalation. The name means 'skull-shining' because it literally brightens the forehead — clearing the frontal sinuses, energizing the prefrontal cortex, and creating a luminous, alert state of mind. While commonly practiced as a pranayama, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika classifies it as a shatkarma — a purification practice that prepares the body for deeper breathing techniques.
The standard form — rapid abdominal pumping with forceful exhalations through both nostrils. Start with 30 rounds, gradually increasing to 120 per set.
Drawing water in through the nostrils and expelling through the mouth. A nasal cleansing variation.
The reverse — taking water in through the mouth and expelling through the nostrils. Clears the nasopharynx.
Kapha ↓↓ (strongly clears congestion), kindles Pitta (agni), may aggravate Vata if excessive
Mental clarity, sinus cleansing, increased oxygen, metabolism boost, abdominal toning, energizing
Hypertension, heart disease, epilepsy, hernia, pregnancy, vertigo, recent abdominal surgery. Practice on empty stomach.
The supreme prana-activating practice — rapid exhalations pump prana through every channel.
Strongly ignites tejas — creates mental brightness, alertness, and clarity.
Mildly depleting if overdone — best practiced in moderation and balanced with rest.
Concentrated Gazing
Steady, unwavering gazing at a single point — typically a candle flame — without blinking, until the eyes water. Trataka purifies the eyes, strengthens the optic nerves, develops concentration (dharana), and is the bridge between the physical shatkarmas and the subtler practices of meditation. It is the simplest shatkarma yet perhaps the most profound in its effects on the mind.
Gazing at an external object — a candle flame, black dot, rising moon, or the tip of the nose — without blinking until the eyes water naturally. Then close the eyes and observe the afterimage.
Closing the eyes and gazing at the internal afterimage, or visualizing a point of light at the ajna chakra (third eye). This is the meditative phase that develops inner vision.
Tridoshic (balances all three when practiced gently)
Improved eyesight, concentration, willpower, memory, insomnia relief, third eye activation, preparation for meditation
Glaucoma, cataracts, acute eye inflammation, epilepsy, psychotic conditions. Start gently with 1-2 minutes.
Focuses and concentrates prana in the ajna (third eye) center.
Directly cultivates tejas — the practice is literally gazing at fire to internalize its quality.
Gentle on ojas — a deeply sattvic practice that builds vitality through concentrated awareness.
For daily maintenance, Jala Neti, Kapalabhati, and Trataka are safe for most practitioners. Neti and Kapalabhati are best done in the morning before pranayama and asana. Trataka can be practiced in the evening as preparation for meditation.
Dhauti (Kunjal Kriya) and more intensive practices are traditionally performed during seasonal transitions — especially at the junction of winter and spring when Kapha accumulates. They are best done under the guidance of an experienced teacher.
The shatkarmas build upon each other. Master Neti and Kapalabhati first. Then explore Dhauti and Trataka. Nauli requires significant abdominal control (begin with Agnisar Kriya). Yogic Basti requires mastery of Nauli. This progression can take years — there is no rush.
The shatkarmas are powerful practices that must be learned under qualified guidance. Incorrect technique can cause harm. This page is educational — not instructional. Seek an experienced yoga teacher who has personal practice of these techniques before attempting anything beyond basic Jala Neti and gentle Kapalabhati.