Category: Dhauti

How to Cure – Laryngitis

An inflammation of the larynx of which there are numerous forms. The ordinary cases are produced:

  • by continuous talking – lecturers and teachers are the chief sufferers
  • by excessive smoking, especially cheap tobacco containing much dust
  • by living in a dust laden atmosphere – people in certain factories fall victims in this way; and
  • by exposure to wet and cold.

The symptoms of laryngitis are huskiness or loss of voice, a cough, expectorations often tinged with blood, pain in the throat, feverishness and a general feeling of being unwell.

The inflammation of the larynx can be cured by Vamana Dhauti and Vyut krama neti with milk, sipping through the nose about a quarter litre of milk mixed with twenty drops of almond-oil.

How to Cure – Adenoids & Tonsils

The inflammation of tonsils and adenoids by repeated colds though seem a minor disease to some people yet when they have become infected furnish a particularly advantageous location for the multiplication of bacteria and sap the health of the patient.

Adenoids can be very easily cured by means of ‘Sutraneti‘ followed by ‘Jala-neti‘ with luke warm saltish water.

A regular practice of ‘Vastra-Dhauti‘ and ‘Sutraneti‘ for a fortnight is enough to subside the inflamed tonsils. Both these practice should be done weekly for a few months afterwards to ensure total eradication of the trouble.

How to Cure – Asthma

The prolonged Catarrh is likely to penetrate further downwards affecting the muscles of the inner air-passages and their mucous linings. This results in Asthma which is characterised by difficulty in breathing and constant wheezing and coughing. This disease is dangerous for life and extremely troublesome*. Medicines afford temporary relief to the patient but the permanent cure is in Yoga which eradicates its root cause, the Catarrh.

The treatment of Asthma by Yogic methods extends over two to six months according to the condition of the patient.

Nourishing diet at regular intervals only should be taken. Cough producing objects such as rice, buffalo’s milk, ‘mas ki dal’, cabbage; and such other things and sour objects should be avoided. Hard exercise, exertion and worry are harmful. Morning Sun-baths and doing the ‘Asanas’, prescribed below, in open Sun-shine help the treatment.

‘Sutra-neti‘ should be regularly done every day in the morning. This should be followed by ‘Vyutkrama neti‘ but cow’s milk should be substituted for water in this case.

After this, ‘Vamana-Dhauti‘ with luke warm water in which a piece of ginger has been boiled should be practised. Then take a quarter litre of milk with a piece of ginger boiled in it and sip it when it is luke warm through the nose.

Then, prepare a comfortable seat on the ground by spreading a mat and a carpet in the open sunshine. Practise the ‘Kapala-bhati Pranayama‘ for five minutes. After that, sit in the ‘Baddha-Padmasana‘ for as long as you can upto the length of half an hour. Its process is described as under : –

Baddha-padmasana

Sit with the legs stretched forward. Then lift the right foot and place Its heel at the root of the left thigh. And similarly the left heel at the root of the right. Now, cross the hands behind the back and take hold of the toes, the right toe with the right hand and the left toe with the left. Place the chin firmly on the breast and look the tip of the nose. This strengthens the lungs and cures Asthma.

After the ‘Baddha-Padmasana’ ‘Sarvangasana‘ should also be done.

In place of ‘Vamana-Dhauti‘ there should be substituted ‘Vastra-Dhauti‘ after every fourth day. Its process is as under :

Vastra-Dhauti
Take a clean piece of muslin three inches broad and about 25 feet long. Soak it in water and slowly swallow it. Swallow a span the first day and increase it daily by a span. Draw it out again.**

During the course of the attack of wheezing the electuary (अवलेह, चटनी) preparation of honey mixed with ginger powder is very useful to lick. It should be kept ready for use.

*Cf. कामं प्राणहरा रोगा बहवो न तुते तथा ।
यथा श्वासश्च हिक्का च हरत: प्राणमाशु वै ॥
(Yoga Ratnakar p. 589, Verse 3)

Tr:- Every disease is dangerous for life, without doubt, but not so much as Hic-cough and Asthma which kill a person in no time.

**Cf. Hatha Yoga Pradipika II 24, 25
चतुरंगुलबिस्तारं हस्तपंचदशायतम ।
गुरूपदिष्टमार्गेण सिक्ंत वस्त्रं शनैर्ग्रसेत्‌ ॥
पुन: प्रत्याहरेच्चैतदुदितं धौति कर्म तत्‌ ॥ 24
कासश्वासप्लीहकुष्टं कफरोगाश्च विंशति: ।
धौति कर्म प्रभावेन प्रयांत्येव न संशयः ॥ 25

Tr:- Take a clean wet piece of cloth 4 fingers broad and 15 spans long and slowly swallow it according to the instructions of the Guru.

Draw it out again. This is called ‘Dhauti’ and removes Cough, Asthma, ‘Pleeha’ (splenetic diseases), leprosy and other diseases brought on by phlegm.

How to Cure – Ear-trouble

If the necessary precautions are not taken to cure the catarrh there is the possibility of the mucous being blown into the ear-passages and cause the irritation, inflammation and finally deafness.

This ear-trouble is very much different from one resulting from the congealment of wax in the external ear or earache and singing in the ears caused by small abscesses in the outer passage which soon burst and discharge, leaving no ill effects, though very painful while they last. The ear-trouble caused by catarrh is much more serious and should be immediately attended to lest it should result in further complications. Its most effective cure is by Yogic methods. The catarrh has made its way through the delicate paths – the sinuses and the Eustachian tube. No surgical operation can draw it back, and few medicines can obstruct its flow. The subtle Yoga practices are the only recourse and the patient should patiently and firmly commence these under an expert guide if available.

Regulate your diet. Only light meals consisting of fruits, vegetables and bread are prescribed.

Sutra-neti (Gharasna variety) followed by all the three processes of jala neti, Vvut-krama, Shita krama and Siddha-jalaneti – with warm saltish water should be regularly practised in the morning.

After the ‘neti’ Vamana-Dhauti should be done. Its process is as under:-

Vamana – Dhauti
Take one and a half litre of luke warm water and mix a pinch of common salt in it. Sit or stand in an easy pose on your feet and drink the whole of the water rapidly. Then with light strokes of your right hand two fingers (in the throat) vomit out the water. Do not leave the attempt of vomiting till the last drop of salt water has been thrown out. This process will take you about ten minutes in the beginning but less after practice. The head and ears will feel extremely light after this practice.

After the ‘neti’ and the ‘Vamana-Dhauti’, ‘Kapala-bhati Pranayama‘ as it has been already explained, should be done for five minutes.

The ‘Pranayama’ should be followed by ‘Sarvangasana‘. This process is given below. The ‘Pranayama’ and ‘sarvangasana’ should be practised in the evening also before meals.

Sarvangasana

Lie flat on a carpet with the back downwards. Stretch the legs and raise them slowly and steadily till they stand vertically upwards with toes pointing to the sky. Now with the support of the hands raise the waist too. The forearms with elbows resting on the ground will help the waist to become erect in line with the legs standing in a vertical position. Press the chin against the chest and stretch the waist and the legs to your utmost capacity. Try to keep in this position for ten minutes and after that descend slowly and lie quietly for five minutes leaving the body perfectly loose and breathing deeply and slowly.

Vastra Dhauti or Cloth Dhauti

The Vastra Dhauti is practiced to clean the stomach and the food canal with the help of a long strip of cloth usually from five to seven meters in length.

Technique

Take a clean piece of muslin about nine centimeters broad and five to seven meters, long. An ordinary four inch, surgeon’s gauze of the required length can meet the requirement. First put the cloth in a basin of water, and after it is thoroughly saturated insert one end of it as far back in the throat as possible and go through the motions of eating and swallowing. This will encourage the throat to take hold. There may be some spasms, but they will soon pass, as will all soreness that is experienced. It will take only a few days for the throat and stomach to accommodate themselves. Do not try to accomplish the feat on the first day. One begins with a few inches and increases the length a little each day until the whole length is swallowed in about a fortnight.

One should practice  only ten to fifteen minutes each day.

In this way there would be no undue strain on the delicate lining of the throat. The first task is to accommodate the muscles to this foreign intrusion. When this has been done, time and practice will develop the needed strength to swallow the entire cloth. To overcome the difficulty encountered at the initial state, it would be found helpful to sweeten the water in which the cloth is moistened. It might also be soaked in the milk.

Extracting the cloth is the second part of the process. One is to bend on a basin and gently pull the loose end of the strip of cloth, while holding the mouth in a grasping position. If the throat contracts, pause for a few seconds and it will release its grip. A sip of water would also serve the purpose. Do not pull hard, for there is nothing to fear.

Precautions:

  1. The Vastra Dhauti must be practiced under the guidance of an expert.
  2. One must not try swallow up to the last quarter of an inch, for by chance one might let the end slip and find one self with a stomach full of cloth and no end to pull.
  3. Do not leave the cloth in the stomach for more than twenty minutes.

Benefits

  • Removes cough, Asthma, splenetic diseases, leprosy and other diseases brought on by phlegm.

Vamana Dhauti or Vomiting

Technique

This is done either empty stomach or after the meals. The former is the stomach wash by means of vomiting and the latter is the gargling for the throat wash. Vomiting is done early in the morning when the stomach is empty. Drink eight or nine glasses full of water, or enough so that it backs up into the throat. This will create a feeling of nausea making it easy to empty the stomach of its entire contents. In the beginning, in order to completely evacuate the stomach, one has to massage the root of the tongue with the fingers. After practice it becomes possible to empty the stomach voluntarily by churning or squeezing the stomach.

Gargling is meant to wash the throat for its through cleaning after every meals. Take a mouthful of water. Raise the head so that you could look at the sky or the roof. Produce the gargling sound in the throat and then throw out the water. Repeat it four times.

Benefits

  • First practice is highly effective in preventing most of the common ailments like ordinary fevers, skin-boils, bad throat, constipation, headache, loss of appetite and drowsiness.
  • Second practice prevents bad throat, foul smell and to some extent benefits the eye-sight also.

Kapalarandhra Dhauti or Head Passage Cleaning

The Kapalarandhra Dhauti is cleaning the nasal end located in the throat.

Technique

Enter the thumb into the mouth and rub with it the nasal cavity at the roof of the throat.  This is to be done in the morning after leaving the bed, in the evening before going to the bed and after the meals.

Benefits

  • Keeps the nasal passage clean.
  • One remains free from bad cold.
  • Benefits the eye-sight.

Karnarandhra Dhauti or Ear Duct Cleaning

The Karnarandhra Dhauti is the cleaning of the auditory canals, the Eustachian tubes, which are located in the throat just behind the tonsils.

 

Technique

This is done by combining the second and the third fingers of a hand and entering them into the mouth and rubbing them against the end of the auditory canal. The right side can conveniently be cleaned with the right hand and the left with the left hand.

 

Benefits

  • Prevents and cures  the defects of the ears.
  • Helps to some extent in production of the ‘Nada’ sound.