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As an alternative to nauli, agnisar kriya may be practised. The cloth may be left in the stomach for 5 to 20 minutes
but no longer or it may start to enter the intestinal tract. Removing the cloth: Now the cloth must be slowly removed from
the stomach. Sit back in the squatting position once more. Take hold of the cloth and gently but firmly pull it. Do not pull too hard or it may damage the delicate walls of the stomach and oesophagus. There may be some resistance to the withdrawal of the cloth at first, but this will go after a few seconds and the cloth will be easily extracted. Remove the whole cloth and let it fall into the mug or
bowl. Time of practice: This practice should be performed in the
morning before any food or drink are taken. The stomach
must be completely empty before commencing. Precautions: Do not talk while practising. Do not attempt this
practice without expert guidance. Contra-indications: This practice should not be performed by
people suffering from hypertension, heart disease, stroke, during a time of general illness or when the body is in a weakened state. It should not be practised until two or three months after
surgery. Benefits: Vastra dhauti induces strong reflexes in the throat
and chest region. The practitioner has to wilfully control the urge to vomit which, as a result, tones the autonomic nervous system. The mucus from the chest is loosened and expelled, while the muscles of the bronchial tubes relax, alleviating the symptoms of asthma. According to ayurveda, the chest and stomach are the seat of the mucus element or kapha dosha. Cleansing these areas with a cloth removes excess kapha, relieving all associated ailments. This practice also balances the pitta dosha, bile element, alleviating biliary disorders and improving the function of the upper gastro-intestinal tract.
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