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Stage 4: Abdominal rotation or churning
This practice should not be attempted until the previous three stages have been mastered. Practise vama nauli, then rotate the muscles to the right, dakshina nauli, and back to the left, vama nauli. Continue rotating the muscles from side to side. This process is known as churning. Start by practising 3 consecutive rotations, then release the abdominal contraction. Next start with dakshina nauli first, this time rotating the muscles from right to left, left to right 3 times consecutively. Then perform madhyama nauli, isolating the muscles at the center. Raise the head and return to the upright position. Inhale slowly and deeply, allowing the abdomen to expand. This is one round. Relax in the upright position until the heartbeat returns
to normal. Time of practice: Nauli should be practised only when the
stomach is completely empty, at least 5 to 6 hours after meals. The best time to practise is early in the morning
before any food or drink is taken. Duration: Start with 5 rounds of madhyama nauli and work up
to 10. Vama and dakshina nauli should be performed together; 5 to 10 rounds each. Start abdominal churning with 5 to 10 rotations and slowly increase to 25 rotations over a period of months as more
control is gained over the muscles. Do not strain. Precautions: Nauli should only be practised under expert
guidance. If any pain is felt in the abdomen during nauli, stop the practice immediately. Try again the following
day or when the pain subsides. Contra-indications: Nauli should not be attempted by people
suffering from heart disease, hypertension, hernia, high blood pressure, gallstones, acute peptic ulcer, or those who are recovering from internal or abdominal surgery. Pregnant women should not practise nauli. However, four to six months after childbirth the practice is recommended
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