‘Shank prakshalan’ can have amazing physical and emotional health benefits, but it’s not for the faint hearted. The word ‘laghu’ means small, but this is a complete cleaning of the stomach and the intestines. (There is a more intense version but we won’t go into that here). The word ‘shankh’ means ‘conch’ or shell and the word ‘prakshalana’ means ‘to wash completely’ (This process replicates the sea washing a conch). It’s a process of cleansing the entire alimentary canal from mouth to anus.
This should only be done under the guidance of a trusted knowledgeable teacher. The information given here is to help deepen the understanding of the practice for those already familiar with it.
Why try it, and how does it work?
As you know the intestines are very long with many turns, it’s easy for small pieces of food to get stuck or even dried on. Stuck for an extended time, it will start to rot and become toxic to your body. Laghu Shankh Prakshalan is done to remove this ‘ama'(toxins) from your intestines and for other benefits.
By using salt water having concentration of salt more than that of your body, water will be ‘sucked’ out from the kidneys into the digestive tract to balance the level (by the process of osmosis). This flushes the system completely. The concentration of the salt is very important because if it is not enough, then there is a chance that salt will get absorbed, increasing your blood pressure, and/or leave you with extra salt in the body.
You might feel a little weak initially so this should be done when you have a free day, you will regain strength after a few hours. Things that can help after the cleaning is done, having pro-biotic drink to help the ‘good bacteria’ return as they might have been affected by the salt water. Stay hydrated and eat simple food throughout the day.
Before You Start:
- Make sure you have access to toilet facilities
- We have mentioned a preparation of 2 litres (6-8 glasses) of water, some people can manage more than this, some people less. It is quite difficult to drink but try to finish at least 1.5 litres for the process to work properly.
- • Do the practice first thing in the morning BEFORE ANY FOOD OR DRINK (yes that includes you coffee lovers)
- Wait at least 30 minutes after the practice before eating. You should eat something un-spiced and easy to digest. Traditionally this would be ‘khicdi’ made from basmati rice and mung dal with a little turmeric and some ghee. But anything like plain porridge would be fine (depending on what is available where you live).
Technique:
- Prepare 2 litres of lukewarm salty water solution (2 teaspoon salt per litre).
- Quickly drink two glasses of water one after the other, and perform the below mentioned dynamic asana (postures) 8 times each.
Tadasana, Tiryak Tadasana, Kati Chakrasana, Udarakarshansana, Triyak bhujangasana
- Quickly drink two more glasses of warm salty water, then 8 repetitions of the dynamic postures. Repeat the process, until the water is finished or until you cannot drink any more.
- Try to relax as much as possible (the stomach may feel uncomfortable) and wait for the pressure to come then go to the toilet.
If you are quite blocked it might take a while for all the water to come out of the stomach. It can be slightly uncomfortable but try to be calm. Initially solid stool will come. then a mixture of water and stool, and then clear yellowish water. It may take 5+ trips to the bathroom to clear everything out.
- Once all of the water has come out, rest in shavasana for 10-20 minutes.
Postures:
There a number of valves in the alimentary canal between the stomach and the anus, which open and close to allow the controlled passage of food during the digestive process. These five asanas (postures) relax the muscles of these valve and allow the salt water to pass freely and quickly to the anus for discharge.
Tadasana – Palm Tree Posture
- Stand with the feet hip width apart, interlace the fingers
- Inhale, lift the arms up come onto the toes
- Exhale, bring your heels and arms down
- Repeat 8 times
Tiryak Tadasana – Swaying Palm Tree Posture
- Stand with the feet hip width apart, interlace the fingers bring them above the head
- Exhale, bring your torso and arms to the right side, look up
- Inhale, come up to the centre
- Exhale, bring your torso and arms to the left side, look up
- Repeat each side 8 times
Kati Chakrasana – Waist Twisting Posture
- Stand with the feet hip width apart
- Inhale arms straight out to the sides
- Exhale, twist bringing the left hand to the right shoulder, and the right hand behind the back
- Inhale, come to the centre, arm out to the sides
- Exhale, twist bringing the right hand to the left shoulder, and the left hand behind the back
- Repeat each side 8 times
Udarakarshansana – Spinal Twisting Posture
- Squat down with your feet hip width apart
- Shift your weight left to bring your right shin to the ground, and place your hands on your knees
- Use your hand to push the left knee across the body and twist the torso round and look over your left shoulder
- Come back to the squatting position
- Repeat with the left shin down.
- Twist on each side 8 times.
Tiryak Bhujangasana – Swaying Cobra Posture
- Lie on the stomach, with the feet hip width apart, place the hands on the ground beside your ribs
- Inhale, lift the chest up, keeping your elbows in and slightly bent
- Exhale, look over your right shoulder
- Inhale, look to the front
- Exhale, look over the left shoulder
- Repeat 8 times on each side
Food During This Kriya:
One should takes light dinner on the previous day not later than 8pm. Nothing should be taken in the morning of the practice.Preparation of foods to be taken on the day after the practice: Rice with sufficient pure ghee for 2 meals. Use more water than usual to cook rice, so that it becomes semi liquid. The rice should be served hot. About 100ml pure ghee should be taken along with rice. Pure ghee act as a lubricant to coat the intestine walls, which has been washed out by the practice, until the body produces new lining. Rice provides packing material (carbohydrate) which will create mucus and protect inner lining of digestive system. Even if you don’t feel hungry after the practice, sufficient rice must be eaten to reline the intestine and keep the wall of the guts (intestines) stretched otherwise they may cramp due to the absence of the bulk.
Benefits:
- Relieves chronic constipation and gas
- Reduces acidity, indigestion and other digestive upsets
- Can also be used to clean the kidneys and urinary system, helping to prevent urinary infections and formation of kidney stones.
- Improve blood circulation.
- Helps in weight control.
- Increase awareness and consciousness of body and mind.
- Prevent urine infection and formation of stones.
- Beneficial in treatment of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, allergies, skin diseases, asthma, pimples, sinusitis.
- Laghu Shankh Prakshalan alleviates digestive problems and tones the liver and other digestive organs and glands.
- It strengthens your immune system, reduces excessive mucus and purifies the blood.
- It will recharge your pranic body, remove blockages from the nadis (channels) and purifies the chakras.
Contraindications:
- Anyone suffering from stomach or duodenal ulcers,
- Do not practice if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, pregnancy, menstruation, strokes, stomach ulcer, colitis (inflammation of colon), serious gastric, weak person or never practice yoga, age below 16 or above 60.
Precautions:
- Avoid cold liquid and air- condition on the day. Body must be keep warm to prevent chills and fever. Cover the body with blanket if necessary.
- Avoid hardwork and housework on that day. Also avoid journey, hot sun exposure, sitting near fire, any form of exercise and mental stress.
- Avoid caffeinated drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, all chemically processed, non vegetarian, and spicy foods for at least a week.
- Avoid all fruits especially acidic fruits such as oranges, pineapples, grape fruits, milk and milk products for 3 days.
My experience with Laghu Shankh prakshalan (Deep Colon cleanse)
It was almost 7 years ago when I decided that I should attempt the full ‘colon cleansing’ technique called “laghu shankhaprakshalana” (LSP). I read about this technique when I was in MA Yoga. From that time I usually have been doing this laghu sankh prakshalan kriya once in a year before navaratra (Durga puja).
When I look back, I recall that I had been dealing with constipation right from my graduation days. I had been also stress about my study, career. After doing this kriya I felt its really worked amazing effects on health problems like constipation, indigestion, acidity, IBS (irregular bowel syndrome), gas problems and many more. That’s why I always suggest to my patients to adopt this kriya and at least do once in a year under supervision.
