Basti - Yogic Enema

 Sitting in utkatasana, naval deep in water, insert

a tube in the anus and contract the anus.
 This cleansing with water is called basti karma.
(Hatha Yoga Pradipika 2:26)

 The Sanskrit word 'basti' (written as 'vasti' or

'wasti') is a general word that relates to anything
pertaining to the lower abdomen, belly, pelvis
and bladder.
 The practice of basti karma is a process of
cleaning the lower abdomen, especially the
colon.
 The word 'sthala' means 'ground'. Sthala basti is
a practice where one stands on dry ground, i.e.,
one sucks air into the anus instead of water- The
technique is also called 'sushka basti', 'sushka'
meaning 'dry'.
 Another name for air basti is vata basti where
the word 'vata' means 'air'.
 It is the practice which cleans the colon by
sucking air into the body. In this practice, no
external aid in the form of a catheter or tube is to
be used.

 The word 'jala' means 'water'.

 Jala basti is the practice whereby one sucks
water into the anus.
 It is also called 'vati basti' which also means
water.
 Vari basti is the process of cleaning the colon
with water.
 The method for both sthala and jala basti is
exactly the same, the only difference being that
sthala basti is practised in air and jala basti in
water.
 In this practice, unlike sthala basti, hatha yoga
permits the use of a catheter tube.

Technique

Jala basti
 If a river is not available, the practice can be
done over a bucket or basin of water.
 Beginners will have to start by inserting a 0.8cm
catheter into the rectum.
 Traditionally, a bamboo tube was used.
 Plastic tubing or a catheter are suitable but
organic material is always preferable.
 The tube should be at least 13-15cms long,
preferably smooth and hollow.
 Lubricate it with beeswax or a non-irritating oil
such as Vaseline or ghee.
 Insert 4cms of the tube into the anal passage or
as much as possible, then squat over the bucket
or basin in utkatasana.
 Exhale and perform uddiyana bandha. If the
water is not sucked up through the tube into the
bowel, then do madhyama nauli and hold.
 If the water is still not sucked up do vama, or
dakshina nauli.
 When you can no longer hold kumbhaka,
remove the catheter or tube without exhaling.
 Then stand up and exhale slowly through the
nose.
 When you expel the water it is best to squat
over the toilet because stool in the lower
intestine will also come out.
 If the catheter is not removed before exhaling,
the water will pass out and the tube may get
blocked by pieces of stool.
 After much practice the catheter will not be
necessary as you will be able to suck water into
the bowel directly, but that is a very advanced
stage which may take years to perfect.
 When practicing without the catheter you have
to push the rectum out as far as possible, then
draw it in with uddiyana.
 First you open the sphincter muscles with the
fingers, perform uddiyana and remove the hand.
 Maintain kumbhaka for as long as possible and
then slowly exhale.

 After the practice, make sure all the water is

expelled.
 Then lie in shavasan on a blanket. Slowly
assume pashinee mudra, placing the knees
beside the ears and balancing or the backs of the
shoulders, hands clasped behind the back of the
knees.
 This releases air from the bowel and induces a
bowel action if there is any water remaining.

 Come out of the position slowly and lie in

shavasana again.
 Then fold the knees to the chest, hold them and
slowly rock from side to side, or rock with the
arms stretched out to the sides at shoulder level.
 Lie in shavasana again, and when you are ready,
perform bhujangasana slowly 3-5 times.
 This exerts pressure on the lower intestines and
releases any remaining water or air.
 Those who are able should perform
mayurasana.
 Pashinee mudra is the most suitable counter-
pose.
 It is extremely important that the water used in
basti is perfectly clean and neither too hot nor
too cold.
 In cold weather lukewarm water should be used.
 It is not necessary to add salt to the water but
the catheter must be sterilized before and after
use.
 Basti car be done in warm or hot weather,
especially if you are also doing intense
pranayama and bandhas.
 Basti generates energy but also removes heat
from the system.
 It must not be done during cloudy, rainy, windy
or stormy weather.
 Sthala basti

 Sthala or dry basti is performed while lying on

the back.
 Assume Vipareeta karani mudra but position the
back at a 60° angle to the floor.
 Then bring the knees down to the chest.
 Push the sphincter muscles out and in, so air is
sucked into the bowel.
 This is not an easy practice and jala basti has to
be perfected first.
 Sthala basti can also be practiced in pashinee
mudra or paschimottanasana, performing
ashwini mudra.
 Uddiyana may also be required in the
beginning. In paschimottanasana it is not easy to
suck in air as there is pressure on the anus, so it
is best to start in an inverted asana.
 The 'Hatharatnavali' says "After practicing
basti, do not take food for three ghatis (72
minutes).'

Benefits

 According to the 'Hatha Yoga Pradipika',

'Enlargement of the glands and spleen and all
diseases arising from excess wind, bile and
mucus are eliminated from the body through the
practice of basti.'
 With reference to jala basti it states, "By
practicing jala basti the appetite increases, the
body glows, excess doshas are destroyed and the
dhatu, senses and mind are purified."

 Basti completely washes the bowel and removes

excess bacteria, old stool, thread worms and heat
from the lower intestines.
 Most importantly, it pushes apana vayu upward.
 When the apana, rises it can be felt in the navel
and as a great pressure on the stomach.
 Basti cures digestive disorders and is
particularly useful for removing constipation,
controlling nervous diarrhoea and strengthening
the solar plexus.
 It also improves muscle tone and blood supply
as well as purifying the blood.

 Basti should not be practiced by anyone with

high blood pressure, hernia or any serious
digestive ailments.
 It is useful in treating ailments such as colitis
and dysentery.
 However, in some cases it may be too drastic,
so if you suffer from these types of disorders
you should seek expert guidance.
 Why must basti not be done during cloudy,
windy or stormy weather?

Swami Niranjan :
 Do you know how to do the practice of basti?
 It you do, then you will know that the intake of
water through the anal passage and rectum into
the large, intestines is like a self-help enema
where the water goes in and cleans the large
intestines and is eventually discharged.
 Now, as a rule the water that is used for basti
should not be cold or hot but of body
temperature, so that the sensitive internal parts,
the intestines, do not get a shock, causing the
muscles to contract.
 The practice of basti induces a lot of pranic
energy.
 It stimulates the pranic energy and one feels
very active and dynamic afterwards.
 However, it also removes the physical beat or
energy.
 The water absorbs the heat of the body and
brings it out when it comes gushing out.
 This discharge of physical heat cannot be
recuperated immediately if the weather is cold.
 It has been the experience of many people that
during cloudy, windy or stormy weather, when
the external temperature is fluctuating between
hot and cold, and is unstable, then some people
can get constipation because of the loss of body
heat and the inability of the body to recuperate
that loss.
 Therefore it has been suggested that the practice
of basti should be done in warm or hot weather
only.
 Also, proper rest must be given to the body (at
least forty minutes to one hour) before going
headlong into the daily activities where the body
is not given any rest.
 Why do many commentaries refer to the
'violence' of hatha, yoga, saying, 'for hatha
yoga gives rise to pain'.

Swami Niranjan:

 There used to be, and still is even to this day, a

prevalent belief that hatha yoga means to treat
the body violently or to practice yoga violently,
and this violent practice of yoga is considered by
many to be hatha yoga as per the literal meaning
of the word 'hatha' which means 'hardship' or
'violence'.
 Therefore many people believe that the practice
of hatha yoga gives rise to pain.
 Tradition speaks about the practices of raja
yoga which are performed with an awareness of
the various states of body, the result that a
particular practice has on the body, and
 maintaining the body in a state of relaxation,
harmony and flow within the practice.

 The other aspect of hatha yoga is that in which a

practice is done without considering what kind
of pain the body is having, because hatha yoga
believes that, if one has to rise beyond pleasure
and pain, then yoga should take the form of
tapasya - wilful control over the body, senses
and mind, because it is the nature of the body
and mind to seek pleasure and comfort.
 So whereas in raja yoga one is asked to follow
the body and mind, and by following them to
bring them under control, hatha yoga
emphasizes the need to enforce a discipline in
the physiological and psychological structure.

 However, this enforcing of discipline in hatha

yoga is followed by an awareness of the
limitations of body and mind.
 Being aware of the limitations and capabilities
of the body is the first stage of hatha yoga, and
then according to that, enforcing a discipline or
state of yoga, is the second stage.
 People who do not realize this point and who
take the term hatha yoga literally, and the
practices of hatha yoga as part of the violent
treatment, experience excruciating pain,
physically and also mentally.
 When the practitioner is weak this can induce a
state of apprehension for and rejection of the
practice.