It was almost a year ago when I decided that I should attempt the full ‘colon cleansing’ technique called "shankhaprakshalana" (SP). I heard about this technique almost fifteen years ago when I was trying to find a yogic way to help me with my constipation problem.
When I look back, I recall that I had been dealing with constipation right from my school days. In those days I used to drink one or two cups of tea first thing in the morning to help me with bowel movement. Sometimes even after two cups of tea I would have to wait about a half hour before the tea would have its effect.
Laghu Shankhaprakshalana (short version of colon cleanse)
It was in the mid to late nineties that I learned about the "laghu shankhaprakshalana" (LSP) technique. The word "laghu" means short or abbreviated; so LSP is a much shorter version of the full SP technique. Around 1997 I tried LSP and it seemed to give excellent results. I gave up on my morning tea and started the LSP practice each morning. Within a few days I started feeling much lighter and more energetic since now my stomach felt very clean and I developed a much healthier appetite. Since then I have continued the practice of LSP every morning.
So, what is Laghu Shankhaprakshalana (short version of colon cleanse)? I found details about the technique in a book from the Bihar School of Yoga. incidentally, I am really fond of books from BSY; they have books on almost every aspect of yoga and they are all extremely well written. Essentially, LSP involves drinking four to five glasses of lukewarm, saline water, first thing in the morning. After drinking water, you are supposed to do a sequence of five postures, each eight times. Within a short time, this routine helps in bowel movement. As I mentioned, I have been practicing the LSP routine on a daily basis for nearly fifteen years. Even though the text strongly recommends using salt water, I have been using plain, unsalted water since I am on medication for high blood pressure and I feel using salt water can do some harm to my BP situation.
Shankhaprakshalan (Deep Colon cleanse)
Now coming to my experience of the full SP (full colon cleanse) routine. The word Shankhaprakshalana is a composite of two words – shankha meaning "conch" and prakshalana meaning to wash completely. The word shankha is used to represent the stomach which is roughly the shape of a conch. In practice, however, shankha represents the entire alimentary canal from mouth to anus. This practice is also known as "varisar dhouti", dhouti being one of the six cleansing routines mentioned in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Shankhaprakshalana is the process to cleanse the intestinal tract by removing the impurities with lukewarm, saline water.
As I mentioned above, I started thinking about it almost a year ago. However, given that the whole procedure takes 3 to 4 hours and then the whole day you can’t do any physical activity, I kept postponing it until I could find that ‘perfect’ day that I could devote just to this activity. So, it was Friday two weeks ago when I had no planned commitment that I finally decided to try it out. Please write to me if you would like to get the full details of the procedure. Here is a brief summary of the procedure:
- Eat a very light, sattvic dinner the previous night.
- Prepare a large amount of lukewarm water, adding about two teaspoons of salt per gallon of water.
- Start the practice early morning, around 6 to 7 AM.
- Drink two glasses of the prepared water quickly and perform the prescribed five asanas (stretching poses), repeating each asana eight times.
- Go to the toilet and try to empty the bowels. If no movement happens, don’t worry, just come out and repeat the process of drinking two glasses of water followed by the five asanas, as mentioned above. Once again go sit on the toilet for bowel movement.
- After a few rounds of this procedure, you will notice that only liquid begins to come out. Initially the liquid is brownish in color but gradually it begins to get clearer.
- The procedure is supposed to be completed when perfectly clear water, similar to what you drank, comes out.
- After completing the procedure, rest for about 50 minutes to an hour. Avoid sleep during this time.
- After the rest period, eat a nice helping of ‘khichari’ a cooked preparation consisting of rice and lentils.
- During the day, you are supposed to eat nothing but another helping of khichari toward the evening.
- For the next full week, maintain a very light, sattvic diet. Avoid milk, yogurt or any other dairy product, any citric juices etc or anything too heavy to digest.
My Own Experience
In order to prepare for the colon cleanse, I had to take a very light dinner the previous night. On that Friday morning, I started the procedure at 5 AM. I started with drinking two glasses of lukewarm saline water and did the full set of the prescribed stretches. At that time I had the regular bowel movement.
I repeated this sequence 3 or 4 times and the results were quick and I was pleased with the cleansing that was happening. In each round the stool was getting softer and after about 10 glasses I started getting the liquid stuff out. However, after about 12 glasses, the bowel movement was not very quick and I had to wait several minutes for results.
After each repetition of the routine, I kept getting brownish colored liquid out. After about 18 glasses, I started feeling a little bloated and the output reduced significantly compared to the intake of water. I was a little disappointed at the end as I did not see "clear" water coming out as mentioned in the book. At the end of almost four hours, I had consumed about 22-24 glasses of water but it seemed as if the last 5 or 6 glasses were still in my stomach. Despite waiting for several minutes, no more water would come out. This is when I declared to myself that the procedure was over and it was time for the prescribed 45-50 minutes of rest.
I have to admit that by the end of it all, I was totally exhausted, physically and mentally. Even though in the beginning the exercises don’t seem too demanding, but when you have to do 8 rounds of each exercise and do the whole routine 22-24 times, it really takes a toll on your energy resources. All I wanted to do at that point in time was to just crash into my bed. Since falling asleep is prohibited as a part of the instructions, I had to make extra effort to stay awake for fifty minutes.
At the end of the rest period, I had the prescribed "khichadi" (a preparation of rice and lentils cooked in ghee or clarified butter). The rest of day I just completely rested, mostly in bed. For the first few hours I didn’t seem to have the energy or the desire to even read anything while in bed. It was later in the afternoon when I started reading a book and also listened to some music.
Because I had consumed much more water than what came out in the morning, the excess water came out through very frequent urination throughout the day. In the evening, for dinner I once again had a bowl of khichadi. As per the instructions, one is supposed to eat nothing but khichadi on the day of the procedure. For the next seven days, one is supposed to avoid all dairy products, fruit juices and anything that can be considered acidic. Given that I am very fond of milk and yogurt it was quite a challenge for me to stay away from dairy for a whole week.
Now, coming to the best part of the experience. Yes, the overall feeling the next day was pretty amazing. It was a feeling of being light, clean and full of energy. Because I had spent so much time and energy into the cleansing routine, psychologically I did not feel like putting any more "garbage" into my system. In order to maintain that feeling of lightness I was very careful in eating only light and ‘sattvic" food for the next several days. Of course, now I am back to my usual routine diet which includes milk and yogurt.
In the book it is strongly recommended that one should practice shankhaprakshalana under the guidance of a teacher. If you would like to go through this experience, I will be glad to help you with it.
If you have any experience with shankhaprakshalana, I would love to hear about it. I would welcome your comments and feedback.
This was recommended to me as a way to help with long Covid symptoms.
I’m interested in LSP and SP
I have sent you the two documents via email. Please follow the guidelines for the practice. It would be great if you could share your experience here.
I’m afraid I didn’t receive it. I’ve checked in the spam section too. Maybe there was a typo when sending the email?
Actually never mind, strangely it wasn’t showing in the email but when I searched for your name it came up. Thank you
Hi, does anyone anyone suggest a application that can convert a recorded sound file off a smartphone or, even better, ideally YouTube and turn the audio to text and then allow the user to search the transcribed text? Appreciate it!
Hi Subhash, can you please send me the documents as well? I am interested in LSP and have been suffering from IBS for a few years now.
Thanks
Mayank
In your email …
Hello I am extremely interested in LSP.
I have emailed you links to the docs. Please follow the guidelines and share your experience here.
Hello, Can you share related documents? Thank you!🙏
Hello, Can you share related documents? Pls, and the diet after shanka? Thank you!🙏
Just sent you an email with the links.
Hi,
I want to do Shankha prakshalan. Can you share related documents?
Also, can you suggest if it has to be done under guidance, are there any resources available ? (in online mode)
Madhu, I have sent you an email for the docs. These are excellent resources and you can use them to do the practice. However, as is always the case, it could be helpful if you can find a yoga teacher close to you who can offer guidance.
Many thanks for sharing your experience. I performed this technique a couple of times with amazing results. From your text I have the impression that your instructions are slightly different than mine, at least regarding the days after. For me was just 2 days of special diet before back to normal. Even though, I didn’t feel like eating anything for many days. I would be interested in reading your documents as well, if you could share it with me
Links to the docs in your email.
Namaste Subhash Ji,
I’m genuinely grateful for all the wisdom and advice you’ve shared. Could you please send me the LSP and full SP?
Oya, so good to see that you’d like to practice LSP/SP. I’ve sent the docs via email.
Please send me the LSP and SP documents
In your email …
Hello could you please send me the mini version. Thank you nourishgc@gmail.com
Just sent it via email.
Hi Subhash,
Can you send me the document for SP diet to be followed?
In your email …
A good day to anybody reading this!
This practice of cleansing has really attracted my attention and I want to do it at the earliest. I have been suffering from a digestive problem which is strange. My stomach functions great for a few months where I can digest everything and without any change in diet or lifestyle, it suddenly starts having problems where I feel bloating, indigestion, acidity, and constipation for a few weeks or months before again recovering to a nice gut function. Moreover, I get recurrent urinary tract infection.
I have decided to follow the guide here and try the practice on a day off from work. If anybody could suggest a professional to guide me, it would be appreciated. I live in Gujarat, India. Also, should I attempt it without guidance, following the technique thoroughly? Any suggestion or advice is welcome!
Shaina, try the LSP first a few times and see how you feel. Try the full SP when you are comfortable with LSP. Also, it may be a good idea to find a local yoga guru who can guide you in person for full SP.
Hello Subhash,
I have SIBO with constipation and would like to try the LSP. I’m nervous to try SP because I am already extremely bloated from fermentation in my small intestines because my gut motility is slowed down. In case several glasses of salt water bloats me further, I’d like to try LSP before SP. Can you please share the document? Thank you!
I am glad you’d like to try LSP. Let me know how it goes. I have sent you the docs via email.
Hi 👋
I have the same issue “bloating” thus tried Shankprakshalana yesterday.
I would like to hear from you if this kriya helped you with reduction in bloating.
Looking forward for your answer.
Thanking in advance.
Thanks Subhash Ji for sharing your experience of Shankhaprakshalan, I read it from your website few weeks back and did it today as was suffering from gastric troubles since last few weeks, The whole process went well for me. Can you please share the details of LSP and SP with me.
Thanks for sharing your experience with LSP – glad it works well for you. I have sent an email with links to the docs.
Hello Subash, please send me document thnx a lot.
Sent you an email with the links.
Hello sir, I have undergone this yoga two days before but I am feeling slight pain in my lower abdomen and lower back. I don’t know whom to ask about it as I tried it only after seeing few you tube videos. Please help me regarding this.. should I wait for sometime or consult a doctor about it
Shweta, I have sent you the links to two documents. Please follow the guidelines given there. As you know, some of the videos on youtube may not be authentic. It is important that you don’t struggle or strain while doing the exercises prescribed for LSP. Once you recover from your stomach and back ache, you may want to try the LSP again. Let me know how it goes.
Hello Sir,
Thankyou for helping us all with your Guidance.
I did The Full SP yesterday 24th July’23. It went well and I could cleanse my body. I woke up well today and could pass gas. which to me was unexpected as I was cleansed it only yesterday.Not having the complete knowledge of what should be avoided I took my morning khichdi with milk (2nd meal Post LSP). also a cup of chai few hours later.I Have mild headache now. Could this be related to the activity.I did plan to eat all satvik food for a week and strictly avoid tea now.
Should I be doing something to cleanse this. Please help!
Please share the giude to LSP as well.
Appreciate the knowledge you are sharing with this thread. Namaskar!
Hello Sir,
Thankyou for helping us all with your Guidance.
I did The Full SP yesterday 24th July’23. It went well and I could cleanse my body. I woke up well today and could pass gas. which to me was unexpected as I was cleansed it only yesterday.Not having the complete knowledge of what should be avoided I took my morning khichdi with milk (2nd meal Post LSP). also a cup of chai few hours later.I Have mild headache now. Could this be related to the activity.I did plan to eat all satvik food for a week and strictly avoid tea now.
Should I be doing something to cleanse this. Please help!
Please share the giude to LSP as well.
Appreciate the knowledge you are sharing with this thread. Namaskar!
In continuation to my post above my headache got intense as the day passed and i do not feel the best. I avoided taking the medicine and used ointments to treat it.(I had a case for headaches from past one year which doctors have not been able to identify the root for.
My apologies for the late response. Experiencing headache after LSP and SP is not uncommon. For diet, you need to follow the guidelines strictly. I have sent you the links to the two documents. Please follow the guidelines given in the SP document. For example, milk and tea should both be avoided for the first few days after SP. You may want to practice LSP more frequently, say, once a week. That may actually help you with your headache situation as well.
Hello, I thought I left a message here, not sure what happened there. Could you please share the SP document with me?
Just sent you an email with the links.
Hi! Could you please share the diet with me too? thanks!
I have sent you an email with links to the SP and LSP docs. Please follow the diet in the SP document.
Sir can you sent me a docum8
In your email …
I m intrested in diung SP, pls send me the details, thank you
Email sent.
Hello Subash ji, can you send me the links to the 2 documents, you mention, in earlier comments. thnx and god bless
sent to your email address.
The reason you got bloated and the water didn’t end up clear is most likely because you didn’t add enough salt and your body was therefore retaining it.
Most descriptions of this technique advise 2 teaspoons of salt per liter of water, whereas you did 2 per gallon, a quarter of the recommended amount. Hopefully all the people you’ve sent instruction to havnt been misled with the information you’ve sent out! Ever heard the expression ‘knowing just enough to be dangerous’? This is serious health advice you’re giving out and you could seriously mess with people’s bodies if they got it wrong, don’t pretend to be more qualified than you are sub Hash
Here is a direct quote from the book, “A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya”, from the Bihar School of Yoga, the text that I have followed for this practice – “Then you must add salt to this water so that the water tastes salty. In other words, don’t add too much salt so that the water is undrinkable, but at the same time add enough so that it can be tasted. As a guide, we suggest that you add salt in the proportion of two teaspoonsful per litre of water. This need not be exact. You must use your own discretion.” As you can see, it says clearly that the amount of salt should just make the water salty. It also adds that one must use discretion.
Thank you so much for this. I have been planning to do this and would love to read the literature. Could you please email it to me. Thank you so much
Email sent.
The email bounced back. Could you provide your correct email address?
Subhash ji , I had my shankaprakshalan 6 days ago.
For first two days, I had no motion but from 3 rd till today, I still see loose motions
Swetha, I apologize for the late response. As you may notice from some of the other comments, everyone’s experience after the practice seems different. Hope all is well with you by now.
Can you please email the instructions.
Regards
Shalabh
Check your email for the links.
Many thanks Subhashji for your guidance.
Hey Subhash,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I have done several mini shank prakshalans but i usually stop at 10 glasses even if clear water doesn’t come out. Would like to try the full version. Could you email the literature to me. Would be very helpful
Sent via email.
Hi Subash!
Thank you very much for all the information you are sharing with us. This is very helpful. Could you please share the documents of LSP and SP to my email too? Thank you very much!
Sent via email.
Hello Subhash, I’d like to receive the 2 documents. Thank you so much for your guide.
Sorry for the delay in response. Just sent you the email with the links.
Hello dear Subash
Today is my 5th after doing Shank Prakshalanan. I didn’t get totally clear water out, I stopped when it was little yellowish, like urine. But I haven been constipated since then, no evacuations at all. I don’t suffer chronic constipation, only when I travel, or have changes in my routine.
Also I didn’t rest after the asanas and eat after about 20 minutes. Did I do totally wrong? What could I do to evacuate? Enema?
Laura, yours seems to be an uncommon experience. Not resting and eating too soon is not recommended. However, I am not sure if that could cause your problem. Hope you were able to use enema and evacuate.
Hey i saw one video of the yoga institute channel and there it was mentioned that u can drink lemon juice. but in the blog u mentioned no citric foods. so should i drink lemon juice or not? and can i perform this activity if i don’t have any guru?
Purv, different teachers may have a different approach to the same practice. I am following the guidelines provided in the texts from the Bihar School of yoga. I am sending you two documents, one of LSP, and one for SP.
As for the need for a guru, yes, it is helpful if you have a guru to guide you. However, given the detailed instructions in the texts, it is easy to do the practice even without a guru.
Dear Sir,
Can I perform Full SP with Plain water
For full SP, my suggestion would be to add a small amount of salt for best results. If you plan to do LSP on a regular basis, then you can skip the salt and use plain water.
I have suffered from constipation since childhood, and it has gotten much worse. I’m 67 and would like to try this method and follow up with the short version. I think you said you do this daily? I’m wondering about developing a dependency. Will I ever be able to have regular bowel movements on my own? Can you please send the links for both versions? Thank you so much for being so patient and willing to help so many for so many years!
I have sent you the links to the two documents. Please try out the LSP version. Dependency? possible. Having suffered constipation since childhood, what’s wrong with some dependency if it helps the situation? I have done LSP daily for over 20 years and feel good about it. Not only it helps with bowel movement, it also provides some much needed exercise early in the morning.
Hi Subhash,
Feels good to see that you are following up on a thread even after 10 years. I am planning to do water only fasting during navratra this year. Meanwhile I am also preparing myself with small interval fasts. I had been doing SP once in one or two year. I wanted to know should I do full SP before or after the long upvas. And how should I prepare myself.
Thanks a lot.
Regards,
Subhash
Subhash, I have not been through this type of a situation myself – so, really can’t give you much of a guidance. My feeling is that you should do the SP before the upavas. That way, you’ll have a very clean inside and the upavas could be much more effective. You will need to strictly follow the diet guidelines given in the text. Please share your overall experience here. All the best.
Hello
I want to try the SP process mentioned in blog.
However currently I dont have any guru to observe me.
But I feel it should go well for me
Also can we have toor dal or masoor dal in the khichadi, instead of moong dal in food after the SP process and rest is done.
Also can we eat fruit later, after around 4/5 hours ?
please suggest
thanks
Sheetal, I have sent you the links to the two documents. Please follow the diet guidelines mentioned therein. Wish you all the best in your SP experience. Please share your experience here for the benefit of the other readers.
Dear Subhash,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I tried to execute SP till it was bright yellowish and it felt super light from next day. It’s been a month and I still feel good but the only problem is, post lunch I feel bowel movements and my stomach starts growling which is quite embarrassing. Can you please suggest the problem and what should I do?
Shweta, I am not sure what might be causing the situation that you are in. You may want to try different foods for lunch – maybe it is something in your lunch that may be causing it.
Dear Subhash,
Thank you for responding! I highly appreciate your perseverance for maintaining this blog. I’ll try to figure it out.
Dear Subhash
Today morning I tried doing LSP.
I started with almost 2 glasses of water ( just normal water, not saline) and then did the sequence of Asana – only one set. I kept on doing it till 10-12 glasses but dint feel any bowel movements.
Infact, I am feeling a little bit constipated after the process.
How can I achieve the desired results. Just to add I had my dinner last night at 9pm – 2 eggs and a bread loaf.
My yoga teacher suggested that my digestion is very slow, that is why I am not successful in doing LSP.
Also, my bowel movements are not regular and I am more towards constipated side on regular basis.
Can you please send me the complete guide for LSP and how frequently should I do this.
Dear Kamya, I have sent you an email with links to the LSP/SP docs. It is hard to determine why the LSP process did not produce the desired result. If you don’t have any issues with BP, you may want to try adding a little salt to the water next time. All the best.
Hello sir,
Could you please share diet plan with me.
Regards
I’ve sent an email with links to docs that have diet guidelines.
Hi Subhash, I did the procedure yesterday as part of a Yoga therapy training. I didn’t feel sufficiently informed and I’m feeling really weak and sick today as the diarrea has not stopped since yesterday and I still have a terrible headache. The teacher just recommended doing Paschimotanasana for half an hour to stop the diarrea. I did today, but as soon as I eat some rice crackers it comes out like water. The headache is also still there. I’m really worried since my body doesn’t get any nutrients and I’m not sure what to do now and why this happens. I understand that the headache is due to excess salt in the water I had, but why does the diarrea not stop? Do you have any information or recommendations? I would very much appreciate!
Hello Conny, I am sorry to learn about your situation with diarrhea as a result of the practice. As you can see from other comments here, not many people seem to have reported a similar outcome. I wonder if it has to do with what you had for dinner the previous night. The text from the Bihar School mentions that you should have very light, semi-liquid diet the previous night. Also, after the practice, you should have only “khichadi” for about two days. There is no mention of eating rice crackers. I think it is important to follow the diet guidelines as prescribed, both before and after the practice. Headache is a more common occurrence after the practice. It is unfortunate that you have had this reaction. If it stays longer, you may need to visit a medical practitioner. I wish you all the best.
Dear Subhash, Thank you so much for your reply! I believe I used too much salt and didn’t follow the correct diet as you wrote. We were just instructed to have a “light meal”, but this might not have been precise enough (I had whole grain rice, for example, and coffee the day after the Shank). It is really reassuring to have this forum and get help from the community, so I will definetely try it again although my first expereince was not a good one. I wish you and everyone here a beautiful week and clear sjies whereever your life takes you. Best Conny
Yes, Conny, we learn through experience. I suggest you try and repeat it in about six months time.
Hello I could not find ghee in my location..what is the next best alternative for it to line the intestines please? Also keen to get the documents and links for further guidance on the next time I do this. Thank you for your wonderful work
You should be able to buy ghee online at Amazon. If not, try making it at home – pretty easy. Boil butter on low heat for a while until clarified – don’t stir.
I have sent the links to the docs via email.
Can you please send me the procedure for LSP and SP, that would help me a lot
I sent you the links in an email on 8/18/21.
Thank you ☺️
Dear Subhash Ji, I am a diabetic for 12 years. Can LSP on daily basis will give the positive result.
I don’t believe LSP alone can help you get relief from diabetes. To control diabetes, you need a full practice of asana, pranayama and meditation, and then add LSP as a supplement. As you know, diet also plays a huge role in managing diabetes.
Thanks to Subhash ji for providing this platform to share the learning from LP practice.
Practicing every day morning on empty stomach LSP after drinking four glasses of luke warm water ( without salt as it is not needed) clears the bowels whether constipated or not.
I have been doing this for many years first thing in the morning .
This LP practice helps a lot.
I think it has even beneficial effect on those who may be suffering from diabetes as well.
Since these are yoga pose- they will all have their associated benefits on the body.
Ravi Suryadevara
Thanks, Ravi, for sharing your experience.
I have depressive disorder for which I’m taking medicine from last two years. I’m 21 yrs old and I am having digestive issues like indigestion bloating , abdominal pain after eating etc. Can I practice LSP and SP?
Also few months back I showed myself to Ayurvedic doctor he did nadi parikshan and told me there is problem in my liver, my body is weak and he gave me medicine for that. What do you suggest for healthy liver?
Please do reply
Hello Ojaswi, yes, LSP/SP should be quite helpful in your situation. To find relief from the various issues you have, you need to establish a full practice of yoga including asana, pranayama and meditation. In the asana practice, try to include twisting poses from the standing, sitting and reclining positions which will help with the liver function. Pranayama and meditation will help you with your depressive disorder.
Thank you so much! I will start practicing yoga daily…. Also can you please send me the detailed procedure of LSP and SP. It would help me a lot.
Hi!
Can you please send me an e-mail for the detailed procedure of SP and LSP.
Due to the current lockdown my digestive system has degraded quite a lot.
Would love to try this.
Regards.
Just emailed to you.
Hello
I left a comment a while ago asking for the links for the LSP and SP. I think my message got deleted. Could you please share it with me.
I have sent an email with the links.
Dear Subhash,
It was very interesting to read your article. I live in California, US, Not sure where you live in US. I have learnt yoga for years in India and practice it by myself here. I am diabetic and have constipation issues. I want to try SP however need guidelines from you. Here is my email id – sheelavasanth@gmail.com, can you please send me the documents and will you be able to guide me?
Hello Sheela,
I have sent an email with the links. I am glad that you would like to try out the LSP procedure. The guidelines for the practice are described in detail in the docs. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me. All the best.
Dear Subhash,
I have been struggling with Constipation issues, and wanted to explore the LSP method. Can you share some detail with me too.
P.S, since you last wrote the blog in 2012, have you tried LSP again?
Mansi, I have sent the links to the two docs. Since I have chronic constipation, I have been doing LSP everyday for several years now. It is working fine for me.
Mr.Subash,
I Have done the sp for the first time in my life today. I am non vegiterian. The experience was good. I started to get head ache by evening and had a banana and a glass of coconut water. I am guessing its because I did not have my black coffee for the day. My question is,Can i have my regular food and black coffee from next day on.
Regards
I have sent you an email with links to the two docs. Please follow the diet guidelines for SP in that doc.
Dear Subash,
Thanks for the wonderful article and for taking the time out to respond to each comment. I learnt a few things reading the comments. I have done LSP a few times in the last 10 years with isotonic saline. Generally, a few days before and after extended fasts. Never had Khichdi afterwards as it is the short version, but still kept the diet light. Has always been a good experience. Today, I did it after a couple of years and thought I will do the khichdi with a teaspoon of ghee without salt. I have a mild persistent headache that started a couple of hours after eating. I know headache happens with electrolyte disturbances. So I am quite interested in reading as much about the diet part of the practice for LSP and SP, especially with respect to the addition of salt following LSP and SP. I would really appreciate if you could send me the details. I would also like to know if you have faced this in your experience with LSP over the years.
Hello Srikanth, as you mentioned, there are no strict diet guidelines prescribed after LSP. In my own case, after LSP, I spend about 2.5 hours in my own yoga practice. Then I have my regular breakfast. Your headache could be just a one-time unusual occurrence. I don’t think it has a connection with eating khichadi with ghee.
I share my experience here:
Every morning I do LSP but with just luke water of 4 glasses drunk first thing in the morning followed by 10 rounds of each of five Asanas.
I also do three rounds of peacock posture ( one round for 30 breaths ).
I do regularly get bowel movement after this practice.
One need not be discouraged if on given day one does not get bowel movement.
Still one gets benefited from these asana series as it involves stretching of spine, bending, twisting and exercising digestive track- whole of it.
It will therefore lead to long term benefits for digestive system as a whole – not just to rid oneself of constipation problem.
That has been my experience over many year and continue to enjoy the practice.
We must thank Mr Subhash for popularising this LSP among yoga enthusiasts and others through this site .
Regards,
S.Ravi
Thanks, Ravi, for sharing your experience and your valuable advise for the practitioners.
thank you Subhash and Ravi. i will keep doing LSP practice.
oh, I reread this part again on the top article:
LSP involves drinking four to five glasses of lukewarm, saline water, first thing in the morning. After drinking water, you are supposed to do a sequence of five postures, each eight times. Within a short time, this routine helps in bowel movement.
WOW, Is there health benefit doing it every morning?
did you get bowel movement right away after every practice ?
Yes, usually the bowel movement happens soon after the full practice. Occasionally, however, you may have to wait for a short while. But, the experience varies from person to person. There is no way to generalize it. Try it out and see how it goes.
hi,
I have tried shankhaprakshalana yesterday morning and it didn’t work for me at all, the way it supposed to be.
Here is how i did:
8AM: i got up and boiled 4 liters of water and added 4 tsp himalayan pink salt, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tbl baking soda and 40 ml lemon juice.
8:20 AM: i started drinking warm saline water by 500 ml mug (approx 2 cups) followed by the asanas exercises.
and i started drinking my second 500 ml right after the first exercise. on this one i got really sick and vomitted. i continued with the exercise . i was super dizzy and sick .
i drank another (3rd)500 ml and did my exercise. i puked again on this one.
on my 4th 500 ml water i stopped puking and i drank all of my 4 liters of saline water until 12:00PM and did the asanas exercises right after the drinks as it is instructed .
i didn’t poop at all during the practice. Around 6pm, i had very little stool. nothing until now i feel very heavy inside my stomache and i gained 1kg this morning compared to yesterday morning.
After i finished drinking 4l saline water , i felt super thirsty, exhausted and tired. i had to drink some plain water and laid down for 50 min and relaxed my body. After the 50 min, i took a nap for an hr or so. i tried not to fall asleep for the whole 50 min.
Anyways, when i got up i had severe headache and not feeling alright for the whole day. My eczema got very bad. i took some Zyrtec & Advil.
i made couscous with Ghee and 3 times , had couple cup of herb teas and went to bed around 9 pm and woke up very heavy this morning too.
Severe headache, and my stomache still hurts, my head is kind of light & dizzy.
i am not sure what i should do now.
the instructor said i should stop if i feel really sick and also today my period started too. she said not to do it during period.
today i ate :
maple brown sugar oatmeal 1 cup
supergreen smoothie: almond milk, banana , berries and some supergreen mix.
and i drink a lot of coffee and was having caffeine withdrawal (didnt drink yesterday ), so i drank coffee after i ate those today
i am planning not to eat meat today. try to eat veggies and kitchari too.
but still confused whats the right thing to do.
and why my body didn’t make me go to toilet like everybody else doing.
do you have any thought and advise?
thank you
Uka
Hello Uka, first of all, thanks for sharing your SP experience. I am sorry to learn that you had such a negative experience with the practice. I must say that what you went through is certainly not common. If you have severe constipation, you may need medical intervention. If not, my suggestion would be to try LSP first a few times and see how it goes. In LSP, you do the practice only once. If the bowel movement doesn’t happen, you move on with your daily life.
Hi, thanks for the reply.
Does one practice LSP mean drink only 500 ml saline (2 cups of salted water) in the morning on empty stomache?
how soon can i do? i am little worried if we can take or drink this much salt in our body? i always try to eat healthy and lowered the usage of salt in my daily life.
my mom also tried it after 3 days which was yesterday. she didnt have any symptoms too. just sweating little bit. maybe it is our blood hehe.
but we take some laxatives , magnium sulfate or take some plums etc things once in a while clean our stomache of we feel constipation.
otherwise i dont have too big constipation issue at these days especially.
i just tried to do SP to detox and clean my organs for the summer but failed 🙁
Dear Sir:
I went through most of the experiences on this page. Great to see the impact of LSP & SP. Also I salute the service you ar rendering o many people through promoting LSP & SP. I want to practice LSP & SP, can you please share the documents/link for LSP and regular SP.
Thanks
Sanjay
I have sent the links via email.
Thank you Subhash, I have done SP three times in the past, just feeling very low of energy at the moment and wasn’t sure if I should do it.
When you say SP, did you do the full version or the LSP version? Also, did you feel loss of energy after each session or just the last one?
Hi, are there any contraindications for peri menopausal or menopausal women to do SP please?
Hello Ashka, I am not aware of any such contraindications for menopausal or pre-menopausal women to do the SP practice. Start with the LSP practice first and see how it feels.
Thank you Subhash, I have done SP three times in the past, just feeling very low of energy at the moment and wasn’t sure if I should do it.
Dear Sir:
Can you share the documents/link for LSP and regular SP, since I started LSP practice today and want to be more informed/educated on same practice and following restrictions?
Thanks
Vj
Sent via email … Enjoy!
Dear Sir, I would love to receive the documents. Thank you in advance. Wishing you health and happiness. S.
thankyou so much for the link that you’ve sent …
And shankhaprakshalan has been really a good experience to me personally
And I also suggest not to do if one can’t follow the diet or control cravings and cannot rest for 2 days
Can I please know the diet to be followed after SP?
THANKYOU IN ADVANCE 🙂
I did shankhaprakshalan yesterday…the whole process took me 3 hrs and I felt so exhausted and I had no energy to do anything and as suggested I laid down in shavasan and then I had khichdi for lunch and dinner
And today I feel light and active
Can I eat fruits on the second day?
Dosa or roti?
Thanks, Pavani, for sharing your experience with SP. I am sending you the links to the documents for LSP and SP. Please follow the diet guidelines given in the SP doc.
You mentioned that you felt energetic the next day but what about rest of days.
Have you heard of any patient whose digestion problem vanished permanently after doing this practice?
Yes, Jaideep, I felt fine afterwards also – no sign of weakness or fatigue. No, I am not aware of anyone whose digestion problem was completely resolved as a result of this practice.
Can people with thyroid and pcos do conch cleansing at home
Hello Pavani, I am not aware of any contraindications for people with thyroid or pcos problems for the LSP and SP practices. Make sure to follow the guidelines in the articles when doing these practices.
Hello sir ! I’m a 21 year old and I have thyroid and pcos. Can I do conch cleansing at home?
After LSP, I would advise you to do Sarvang Asan – the next day onwards.
Also do LSP with sendha namak and one lemon squeezed – strictly 1tsp salt in 1 litre of water
Thanks Subhash ji for building and sharing the knowledge through practice of LSP in this site.
For many years I have been doing LSP with only luke warm water of 4 glasses without any salt added. As I do everyday , I don’t like to add salt – just not to load the system with salt unnecessarily.
One should never worry about constipation once he/she practices this LSP.
Even if one day it does not appear to work- it should not matter- it works in due course- but keep practicing without giving up-
It has beneficial effects on preventing diabetes or reducing diabetes as well-
Just as we breath in fresh air and after utilizing some Oxygen in it – we breath out waste products like Carbon Dioxide and water vapor and other constituents of air breathed in.We don’t make any effort for it.
Similarly eat right food, exercise, sleep well – constipation will be taken care of . It won’t be a problem.
LSP helps not just to prevent constipation it helps as exercise for body parts as well-It helps body to be healthy-
Once one does it every day- no need to do SP with long gaps- as LSP done regularly tones the digestive system in a better manner because of daily periodicity.
Our Subash ji is an example for this. I also tell it from my experience of decades.
Wishing best of health to every one of the aspirants.
Ravi Suryadevara
Thanks, Ravi, for sharing your LSP experience. Very helpful.
I am a kidney dialysis patient. I am doing dialysis since 4 years. I dont have any urine output. I found on internet that laghoo shankaprakalshana is effective in reducing creatinine and increasing urine ouput. Can i do this therapy ? Please guide me through this .
Hello Yash, the six cleansing practices in yoga are known to have multiple benefits. However, I have no firsthand experience in dealing with dialysis patients with the LSP practice. If you are comfortable doing all the stretching asanas involved in the practice, my suggestion would be to go ahead and try it out. In my opinion, it can do no harm in your situation.
Dear Subash! thanks a lot for the publication. I have expirienced a couple years ago, was fine. I was with more people. that helps ,otherwise I couldn´t keep going because for me was intense for my mind.
I would like to do it again by my own, could you please share with me the tecnics and yyour instructions. thanks a lot!!!
Sent the docs through email.
Dear sir
Namaste.
Thank you so much for sharing these procedures and experiences.
I have been doing simple yoga asanas following some books of guru B.K.S. Iyenger. I want to do these LSP initially and later on SP kriya as they clean the colon thoroughly. Would you please provide me with the guidelines, steps and dietary requirement for these two?
Thank you.
Durga Prasad
Sent the links via email.
Thank you, sir.
Namaste.
Estimado Subhash; el articulo me ha resultado muy completo e inspirador.Muchas gracias!mi experiencia fue hace unos años, me costo evacuar pero una vez que lo hice ya empezó el proceso de salir el agua y me sentí animada, pues en un momento no evacuaba y me sentí hinchada, también noté el agotamiento al final. Si bien no recuerdo nada especialmente energizante me gustó la experiencia. la hice en grupo y creo que eso es de mucha ayuda pues por momentos quería abandonar la práctica pues es un tanto austera.la contención del grupo ayuda! Ahora quisiera practicarla en mi casa,me gustaría recibir sus instrucciones y desde ya muchas gracias!!!
Unfortunately, i don’t understand the language!
Hello, Thank you for your detailed exposition. Could I have the link to your diet guidelines after doing the SP? Many thanks in advance, Radhika
Sent the links via email.
I’m impressed you’ve maintained this post for so long OP. Let’s say I wanted to perform SP on my own. What are the risks? What are the side negative side effects that people have experienced?
I’m a healthy 27 year old right now and since hearing about this exercise wanted to do SP into a fast like someone else I read about. I believe they did full SP into a 5 day dry fast. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Hello Ash, as I mentioned in the article, I follow the guidelines provided by the book from the Bihar School of Yoga. You can find instructions about the procedure and the diet guidelines before and after the practice there. I am sending you via email a link to a document that describes the technique.
I did not. But on the 4th day everything normalized. Thank you for your help.
Hi Subhash, thank you for your quick reply. It does not cause me any problem. The only thing that i still did not have a bowel mowement since my SPK on Tuesday, today its Friday. I read that its common not to have it up to 3 days. Do you have any recommendations for this? Thank you very much!
Have you tried the LSP process? Maybe that might help.
Hello, I did the full shank prakshalana at home, and I did not know that lemon juice is not aloud to take after the procedure. So i was adding lemon juice to my steamed veggies and drinking lemon water during 2 days. What can I do now to help my gut? Thank you, Mari
Hello Mari,is it causing you any kind of problems? If not, I don’t think you can do much at this stage. Just allow the system to adjust itself.
Every morning – almost- I start drinking three glasses of salted water. In between some exercises. That is enough to empty myself. All water get out when I change to cool water without salt – filing the stomach and vomitting.
It takes 1½ to two hours, in order to assure, that all saltwater has left the body. In between I also do the dishes and so forth, bending and bowing to help the water find its way through the system.
Lars
Thanks, Lars, for sharing your experience.
Yes I think I had a normal bowel movement during SP. I will try LSP, thank you.
Hi Subhash, I did my LP on Monday. I stopped when the water was coming out yellow but not clear because I felt sick and didn’t want to drink more water. It’s Friday today and I still havent had a bowel movement. Is it normal? Thank you.
I meant SP not LP
Hi Ashka, I don’t believe that is a normal situation. Did you have good bowel movement during SP? You may want to try LSP to get bowel movement.
Hi Subhash, I am planning to do SP on Monday and I am wondering whether it’s a good idea to do it when we know that Corona virus is spreading. Woukd SP compromise my immune system?
Thanks
Ashka
Hello Ashka, I don’t see how SP can compromise the immune system. Because of the cleansing and detoxification that it does, I would assume that, if anything, it should strengthen it.
Thank you.
Hello Subash,
I did today for the first time the short versión of Shank Prakshalana ( 6 water glasses) but I forgot to avoid dairy and had some yogurt. My stomach is heavy and feeling acidic. I wonder if it’s a good idea to reapeat it again tomorrow being more mindful about the after diet
Thanks a lot!
Hi Amanda,
As per the book from the Bihar School, there is really no major restriction of diet for LSP. Your feeling of heaviness etc. is perhaps just a first-time reaction. Please try it again and see how it goes. LSP can be practiced as often as needed, even daily.
Dear Subhash
Thanks so much for starting and keeping up this blog. I have been reading a lot of things about how to go through SP. There are a lot of different descriptions out there. They usually vary on some details like how long after you should start eating kichari (from 45 min to 2h), whether water is allowed the first day or when / what kind of food you can start eating the following days (potatoes, corn and wheat-based products in particular for which I have read opposing recommandations).
Could you give me a bit of clarity on these specific items and also send me the detailed procedure by email ?
Thanks a lot for your help
JR
Hello JR, I suggest following the recommendations given in the book from the Bihar School of Yoga. I have sent you an email with links to the two docs.
Did it today.
I am a diabetic and have high BP. Feeling good. The whole process started at 7, and by 10 am, clear water was noticed. I subsequently stopped.
Lets wait for the results.
Thanks, Atul, for sharing your experience. Hope everything worked out OK.
Subhash
Namaste Sir Subhash Ji.
Thank you for helping us to understand the process and answering for our questions
Today I did my third long Shankprakshalan and for he first time I felt very bad after the practice. During my last round (I think it was 8, after drinking 6 litres of water) I had to run to vomit the water, it happened by itself like if some big amount of water was stocked in the abdomen.
During last three rounds I had big headache performing Tiryak Bhujangasana what happened to me also in my previous two times but this time it was much stronger.
After finishing the practice I drunk extra two glasses of water to do a proper Kunjal and I
The extreme headache and feeling of nausea, like I should vomit again made me really scared. In the same time I felt all my body very strongly vibrating.
I ate two times Kitchari in the advised time but I was not able to eat a lot.
Just now, 7 hours after completing the practice I’m getting better but the headache is still there.
Do you have Ji any knowledge or explanation about it? In my last two times I felt perfectly
fine after the practice.
Best greetings,
Anna Rutkowska
Hello Anna, I am sorry to learn about your experience. It is surprising that you had much more positive experience in your previous attempts. it is really hard to determine what could have caused it. I hope you are feeling better by now.
Hi Subhash,
Can you please send me instructions for full shankh prakshalana?
Thanks
I have sent the docs in an email.
Hii, Mr. Subhash Pranam I did my laghu sankha prakshalana today in morning it went like that
Last night I Dafecated so in morning after 4 glass of water and two rounds of Set of 5 Asanas i had my first bowel lil bit of solid stool and most of the liquid then i came and drank 2 more glass and practiced asanas tjen agaim liquid passed Sometimes it would be yellow or Wgitish and again yellowish then i repeated the same after two two glass of Water i would go to toilet i wasnt still feeling light as i expected since the liquid is already passing by but maybe due to bloating i didn’t feel light then after 11th after coming back from washroom i had two glass of water but tummy was already bloated i couldnt take it in amd vommited the water so Basically my vaman was done and i put the end to my progress it felt little light after vamana after 1 hour i had khichdi with plenty of ghee but i didn’t eat sufficient of it i just couldnt
Now my question to you is i still felt bloated after few hours of the practice moreover flatuelence happened, now I AM really confused as to why the gas is produced when the entire GIT is cleaned or it a sign that some of malas are still their in my intestines, please reply as soon as possible, you can reach to me on mail i’d be very grateful nishikamalkania@gmail.com
Hello Nishika, what you are describing seems not just LSP but more like full Shankha Prakshalana. Everyone’s experience is different from this practice. I have a feeling that your sense of bloatedness should go away in a day or so. Again, from your description it seems like you did not have a very complete process and that is why some gas may still be in the body. I suggest you should allow a day or two for your system to settle down.
Did you do Shashank Asan after LSP, Kunjal and Neti ?
I too would like instructions. I think this will be perfect for me as I have digestive problems and very low energy
Sir,
I am in Norway and would like to do Shankh Prakshalan when I come to India. I want procedure for laghu prakshalan. Please share me on my email.
You do not need to go to the toilet right after your first two glasses of water and first session of 5 x exercises if your body doesn’t call for it, only if and when your body calls for you go.
For me drinking a total of 2 litres mixed with 4 teaspoons of sea salt and consuming 2 glasses at a time, followed by 5 exercises x 10 reps each, repeated until I ran out of water solution (4 sets of exercises, 8 glasses of solution).
Also my feeding schedule is I fast 20 hours of the day from Mon-Thursday with a 4 hour feeding window then I fast from Thursday night through to midday Sunday (64-70 hours) consuming over 10,000 calories on Sunday eating mostly junk food and my weight every Sunday morning before I feast is a lean 80kg (7-8% bodyfat) and Sunday night I go up as much as 88kg, then drop back down to 80kg the following week.
This cleanse I perform on occasion on Saturdays having been almost 48 hours fasted so it basically totally eliminates me and it’s a total myth that you should avoid heavy, bad foods after this cleanse as I do it often and have no issues with digestion.
Another important aspect of all this is that this cleanse will NOT make you lose body fat or really improve your overall health. Overall health comes down to body composition and muscle to fat ratio.
If you want to lose body fat and gain muscle you MUST lift weights. There is more to it I won’t go into detail but basically the goal is to deplete glycogen levels in the body so it can then use fat as energy and this is done through a combination of carb cycling, weight lifting, and extended fasts.
Thanks, George, for sharing your SP experience. Your procedure seems to differ from the standard given in the book by the Bihar School. Is it based on some other text or by your guru’s guidance? Please advise.
Thank you for sharing experiences and facilitating a dialogue of experiences.
I also want to consider SP and LSP. You would be so kind to send me the detailed instructions for LSP and SP. Gratitude.
After doing this kriya. It was urgent for me to go outside the home. My friend was sick and had to go to see him. Still I avoided eating anything else except khichari. But i am having diarrhea whenever I go to to the toilet and top of that my stool is completely yellow just like turmeric. Is this normal?
Your experience is not normal but definitely can happen, especially since you did not rest for the recommended period of time after the practice. I hope things get better for you soon.
How long after SP 8do you suggest to wait before doing LSP? Thanks
After the intense SP practice, I suggest waiting for at least two weeks before doing the LSP practice.
Dear Subhash,
I seem to have developed thick white coating on my tongue few days after SP. Do you have any idea what it could be? It’s still there almost two weeks after the practice.
Thanks
Best wishes
Ashka
Hi Ashka, I haven’t heard of this condition before. You may just want to use a tongue scraper to clean the tongue and see how it does.
Namaste dear Subhash.
I have done Shankh Prakshalan so far two times and it was great.
I would love to repeat it but the issue is that since few months I started to eat mostly raw food and I don’t want to change this diet (raw vegan) because I feel it’s very beneficial.
The problem here are the restrictions after Shank Prakshalan: do you think that there is any solution to do it if i want to keep my raw diet? What could I eat instead of Kichari? And in the next weeks maybe I can eat some soft and not acidic fruits like bananas, dates, pears? What do you think about it? There is any healthy chance to perform Shankh Prakshalan without heating cooked food after that? I could do exception for Kichari but I don’t want to eat cooked food after this.
I would be extremely greateful for sharing your knowledge,
Best greetings,
Anna
Hello Anna, you ask a difficult question. I don’t have any experience with raw vegan diet. My suggestion would be to make an exception for khichadi for a week after the practice. The diet restrictions mentioned in the book apply for one week only. You can add fruits and nuts as you have mentioned to your khichadi diet for the week. After one week, I am sure you can go back to your original raw diet. As you may notice, the book also doesn’t make any mention of raw diet restrictions.
Hi,
I also want to perform LSP. you would be so kind to send me the detailed instructions for LSP and SP. Thanks in advance.
I have sent the links via email to you. Please share your experience here.
Update 5 days after SP practice: I feel light, have mental clarity, feel more energetic, stable emotionally, generally full of joy. I love that lovely feeling in my abdomen of satiety but not uncomfortable fullness which used to be an issue after eating. I also lost 3 pounds in 6 days.
Hello,
Here is a description of my first SP practice which I did yesterday.
I had a bowel movement before the practice.
I prepared 4 litres of saline solution with a juice of 1 and a half lemon. Did three rounds of asanas and went to the toilet. Had a very small BM.
While drinking the next set of water had to go to the toilet again and had a very loose BM, then again after finishing the second glass brown water started coming through me.
All together I did 7 rounds of asanas, 14 glasses ow water, just under 3 litres of water.
Last few rounds I had a yellow water coming out. Had to go to the toilet couple of times during doing the asanas. I wanted to carry on till the water gets clear but at the 14th glass I stared to gag and felt sick and I couldn’t finish it. I decided to finish the practice as I was quite pleased with the result for the first time. Couldn’t finish with Kunjal Kriya as planned as just thinking about drinking more salt water made me gag, although afterwards I read somewhere that you can also do it with plan water.
I felt good, not tired, when lied down to rest for 45 min I felt quite cold.
I enjoyed my big helping of khichari with a little bit of salt and turmeric and ghee.
I spent the rest of the day resting, had a slight headache and felt soreness in the area of my stomach. Slept very well.
This morning woke up feeling light, my abdomen feels a little sensitive. I don’t feel big difference from how I felt before the practice, except for the lightness in my belly and flatter stomach, but I do eat pretty well, practice yoga daily and generally look after myself. I would like to keep my diet light after that, as it almost feels wrong to eat anything that is not in a pure form.
Thank you Shubhash for this blog, I wanted to do this practice for years but felt discouraged after reading that you can only do it under supervision. I am planning to do it again in six months and would like to make it part of my yoga practice.
Best wishes
Ashka
Thank you, Ashka, for sharing your SP experience. I am so glad that you had a positive experience and plan to repeat in six months. All the best.
Thanks. I very much look forward to it!
Thanks Filip. I was just curious about the reason why my friend would urinate most of the water she drunk instead evacuating it through a bowel movement. From further research I see that it might have been because the water was not salty enough.
It might be the reason. I think 2 teaspoons per litter can solve this. Good luck with shankhaprakshalana.
Thank you. Would you mind to answer my previous question please?
If you are talking about diet, you will get the information from the links that I sent you.
Can I also get links to both practices and the diet please?
I have sent the links via email.
Did you have a need to urinate during the practice? Is it possible that the water comes out through a urinary tract? I knew someone who said that it happened to her. Should I stop myself from urinating?
Thanks.
If I can answer for myself. You follow the instruction and you will be ok and if you feel confused about something, then you can better take proper guidence and follow his instructions. When I did Shanka I was quite busy to even think about urinary. Anyway if it will happen you can go for urinating.
My experience with Shanka. This time I did for 3rd time. First it worked the same way as today. Second time I did something wrong, ptobably add not enough salt and just have drunk the liquid even it was salty fot me. Not easy to say I don’t use much salt. Anyway I describe now my 3rd time. I drunk about 3,6 l of saline water with lemon. I used also 2 tsp of salt per litter and 3 lemons in 5 litters. After every 600ml I practised 5-6×6 postures for SP. At beginning I did it faster in the end trying to breathe more in position. After 12 glasses I stopped without going for restroom. Then I took a rest half hour for lying position and watching a movie. Trying to relax the body. Then felt some movement and a little pain in a stomach from time to time as a good sign. After I emptied my bowels I feel good. The colour is more brown then yellow, next time I will try 5l. Total time until finishing bowels like 2 hours. Really for everyone works differently. I think is also possible 2-4hours. Now I feel a bit tired but good. And now will do kunjal kria as recommended in hatha yoga pradipika I think. Then rest and eating rice with ghee.
Thanks, Filip, for sharing your SP experience. As you said, it works differently for different people. Glad to hear that you felt good after the experience.
Can i practise LSP when I am trying to concieve?
Hello Nancy,
The text doesn’t say anything about LSP during pregnancy or while trying to conceive. My gut feeling is that it is safer to avoid it while you are trying to conceive. The moment you are pregnant, the body goes through sudden changes. The intensity of LSP and SP practices may not be appropriate for the body at that time. You may also want to check with you doctor.
Dear subashji I was diagnosed with Tb meningitis recovered very fast but then home problems slowed my progress,lots of medication my face has become black,previously when I did slp I regained my texture now have mild emphysema kindly don’t ignore I used to do lot of social service kindly give some advice,thank you in prayers,god bless
I don’t have direct experience with your condition, emphysema. In general, I recommend the practice of asana, pranayama and meditation on a regular basis for maintaining good health – mental and physical. A regular practice will help with most ailments.
Please be advised ghee has the lactose removed thus making it ghee.
Greetings Subhash and posters,
I was given SP as part of my ayur veda treatment for type 1 diabetes and I follow it to the letter because who wants risk injury while performing yoga?
I have done this practice many times and these are my personal results.
When I first began with severe constipation and extreme gas….I had to use a tube to get started, later just candle pose while waiting . After many practices I have found this is not necessary and the siphon begins quickly, my body actually recognizes it and feels thankful. In the teachings I received it was taught after 6 glasses one should wait if if siphon does not begin. also if you eliminate a lot as the bowels reshape you can lose the siphon which has happen to me also,two glasses in one sitting, usually later or in higher cup counts. I have done it both ways sometimes to find clear water or sometimes with yellow water.
I was taught that well cooked rice with ghee preferred or butter and carrots was best meal. if this is not available also it was recommended hard cheese(never soft cheese) of Parmesan and pasta for first meal in my experience i prefer to eat that after two bowls of rice . great success. often i eat this for 24 hr . i was taught you can begin to drink water or green tea after first meal. this is what i do if experiencing head ache but try not to until later in the after noon. i avoid dairy and acid especially citrus and was told anything that can ferment or is fiberous is very dangerous for the cell membrane in intestines especially when the salt water has removed the mucus membrane. I have tried eating other things or had to drink juice or maple syrup or honey from low blood sugar and i can tell you extreme gas is a result from not following the guild lines and often regret. my teach told me of a man going to the hospital from eating meat afterwards…
remember that intestines are very sensitive look how much work goes in teeth saliva mastication swallowing stomach churning with acid and then into the intestines to be absorbed. later to have the water absorbed out in the large intestines.
after the practice I often rest as you have mentioned although i was not aware of not sleeping. what i can tell you is that it may take up to 48 hours to eliminate depending on the amount of ghee rice and carrots i have eaten. i find it is best to eat as much as possible(within my normal values) even if not pleasurable or hungry.
I learned this from a Romanian yoga teacher and am very thankful. Although I must admit when in the ashram no one else did sps in Romania.
A great teacher taught me that kriya was first in order to purify nadis for asana mantra yantra practice. he said they taught sps first before any asana -Dorje Vajra Rama Rama aka Andrey Lappa . He has an amazing book you all should check it out!!
I believe there was a question about which bihar book has sps and i believe it to be hathayogapradipika.
SP is a wonderful treatment that works on many mayakoshas not just physical. I am thankful for this forum and sharing with others experiences and questions. I am always feeling so wonderful after completing this although it has been challenging sometimes I always feel way better because of the effort and dedication. All levels.
Remember there arent two blue guys sitting on that mountain.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience with SP and the suggested guidelines for the readers.
HI Subash,
I have got Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth and body dryness specially in my penis. also i feel my body heat is always high and really uncomfortable with a headache and acidity. i used to do Vamana Dhauti and i felt bit good. do you recommend to continue Vamana Dhauti very frequently ?
Thank you and highly appreciated
Hello Sam, even though I am familiar with the practice of Vaman Dhauti, I do not have direct experience with it or the benefits it can provide. If the practice makes you feel better, I suggest you should continue with it. How frequently? I suggest checking with a local knowledgeable yoga teacher or a reliable, authentic text. As per the book, “asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha” from the Bihar School, you can do this practice once a week.
Namaste,
thank you for all this informations and for shared experiences.
Three days ago I did Shankprakshalan for the second time.
First time was in an ashram with a competent teacher, this time at home.
And first time and now I didn’t get clean wate, it was still brownish. This time I drunk 5 litres of water and did around 10, maybe 12 rounds of exercises. I wonder if in the situation that the water is not clean, the décroches is much smaller? How do you think? I would be very great full for opinion.
The fact is that I feel amazing, rejuvenated and my skin is already getting more beautiful. Also in the last year i traveled a lot, changing time zones and daily routines, so I had since few months little time imbalance and Iin the last two months was waking up not before 10/11 am. After Sankprakshalan something happened, my biological clock kind of get fixed and I started to jump out of bad with the sun!
I have also another question: in the book published by Bihar Yoga School they write that at least one month after the cleansing we cannot eat any fruit (specially lemons, oranges etc), any spicy and pungent food, no milk and yogurts, no sweets, no tea or coffee. I can keep this restriction (mostly that generally in everyday life I eat only healthy vegan food), but i would understand what is the reason. Why no spicy, no pungent, no any fruits? It’s a physiological or also pranic reason?
When I was doing this in the ashram, the teacher didn’t tell as about food restrictions for one month period.
Also I don’t know what is the reason to not do it more than once in six months. Could anyone explain the exacts reasons please?
🙏
Thanks, Anna, for sharing your experience. I think the most important aspect of the practice is that you felt “amazing, rejuvenated and my skin is already getting more beautiful”. A slight brownish color of the water is perhaps not very significant. You mention about the book from BSY. From what I remember, it talks about the food restrictions only for a week, not for a month. Please double-check your book. The recommendation to do it no more than twice a year is only because it is a very intense practice and brings about a major transformation to the whole system. You want to allow the system to settle down for six months and enjoy the benefits during that period.
Dear Subhash Ji, thank you for your answers, it’s very helpful.
The book is called “Asana, Pranayama, Musra, Bandha” and they wrote: “For at least one month after the practice, all chemically processed, synthetic, pungent, spicy, acidic, rich and non vegetarian food must be strictly avoided. No pickles, chocolates, ice creams or soft drink should be taken. Milk, buttermilk, yoghurt and all fruits, especially acidic fruits such as lemons, grapefruit, oranges or pineapple are restricted. (…)”
In other sources I don’t see so long period, my teacher also was not telling us about it (and he is modern and Ayurvedic doctor), so that confused me a bit.
Dear Subhash, thank you for your answers. The book is called “Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha” and they wrote: “For at least one month after the practice, all chemically processed, synthetic, pungent, spicy, acidic, rich and non vegetarian food must be strictly avoided. No pickles, chocolates, ice creams or soft drink should be taken. Milk, buttermilk, yoghurt and all fruits, especially acidic fruits such as lemons, grapefruit, oranges or pineapple are restricted.
Yes, Anna, I am familiar with that book. I was, however, referring to the other book from Bihar School, “A Systematic Course in The Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya”. I am sending you a link to the article from that book. Therein it says that the strict diet guidelines needs to be followed for one week.
Thank you very much for the links and all informations.
Maybe in the book that I mentioned they gave longer period simply to make people aware how it is important.
All the best!
Next day how to start the day with..& what type of things we can eat for lunch & dinner..Please let me know soon
Hello Meghana, please follow the guidelines given in the text. I am sending you a link to documents via email.
Dear Sir
I have not received the email with details. Can I request you to resend the same ?
Namaste
Satya
I apologize for the oversight. I have just sent you the email.
Dear Sir
I am grateful for the posts on this website. May I request you to kindly send me the link on how to perform LSP ? I am a novice at Hatha Yoga – should I learn and practice the Asanas for a period of time before trying out LSP ?
Many thanks in advance!
Namaste
Satya
Hello Satya, I am sending you links for downloading the docs via email. The asanas associated with LSP are reasonably simple and you should be able to do them without any prior yoga experience. Give it a try and let us know your experience.
I have been doing LSP, once a week for more than a year. My question is how much gap is suggested to have after last LSP to do full SP? Also, does full SP bring any other benefit, if already doing LSP on weekly basis?
Hi Varun, you can actually convert one of your LSP sessions to the full SP session. Since LSP can be done on a daily basis, there is no guideline for any specific gap between LSP and SP.
Hello sir…Can u send me the links for SP and LSP.?
I have just sent the links via email.
Hie sir,
What do you suggest me to eat … I have done it 4 days back …. Till today i just ate rice with munge dhal …. Now what changes can i bring in that …??
What do you suggest me to eat from today ..??
You can start eating regular food as long as you eat fresh and light food. Follow the guidelines given in the text for which I have sent you an email.
Hi Subash ji,
Namaskarams from Ravi Suryadevara.
I have been doing yoga since 1991. ( Asanas and Pranayam ).
I am delighted to see the sharing of experiences on yogic practices ( LSP/SP ) on this blog.
My experience is :
1. I have been doing LSP daily for many years first thing in the morning.
2. Before starting LSP I just drink few glasses of warm water ( without any saly ) first thing in the morning.
3. My LSP consists of these asanas followed by Mayurasana:
a) Tadasana
b)Tiryak ( swaying ) Tadasana
c) Kati chakrasana
d) Tiryak ( swaying ) Sarpasana
e) Tiryak ( swaying ) Bhujangasana
f) Udara akarshaa asana
Each of the above asana are done ten rounds each – only one set.
These are followed by :
g) Mayurasana ( Peacok posture )- each round lasting for 30 breaths followed by short rest ( few breaths in vajrasana )
This asana is done for six rounds.
I never feel I am constipated. Bowels get automatically evacuated without your doing any thing – at any point in the above sequence-from a) to f)
if not definitely during sequence g) as it has six rounds- each round applies pressure on the required parts-
In the past only once I had full sp- after that I never felt that I need to go for sp as I do lsp every day with the above modified sequence.
One word of caution for those who do lsp often:
Please don’t use salt – just use only warm water-
The reason is: Every day ingesting salt – some of it would go in to blood- blood density increases- of course bp increases- it is science- heart has to pump more dense blood ( with more salt ) – hence more BP-
I guess one of the reasons for Subash ji’s High BP may be use of salt every day to ingest along with warm water –
Subashji- You can decrease your BP -through yogic prcesses/ walking – may be we can discuss this separately.
This salt has to be excreted by the system wither through sweat or other means – excretory processes- more load on the system-
I would be glad to discuss any thing related to yoga and how it can help people. I would be happy to share any experience that may perhaps be useful to some one somewhere.
Regards,
S.Ravi
Thanks, Ravi, for your kind, thoughtful and informative comment. It is great to know that LSP has been working for you for a long time. I have also been doing LSP for many years on a daily basis. I too don’t use salt in the warm water. I do have a mild case of high BP which is very well controlled with a small doze of daily medication.
Please continue to post more useful hints and suggestions so the readers of the blog can benefit from you experience and knowledge.
Hi! I did the whole process yesterday. I have a very healthy diet, raw vegan. My experience was like this:
I prepared the 4 lt of water with 1/2 teaspoon per litre drank about 8 glasses and after each glass the asanas.
I evacuated at first but then stopped evacuating.
I finished the process I was feeling constipated. Still had a lot of water inside. I usually evacuate 2 or 3 times in the morning. But my body started asimilating the water ‘cus I started peeing a lot!! Already ate lentils+ rice+tumeric…
So I dont know if it was successful or not.
That does not sound like a successful experience. Maybe you should try it one more time after a gap of a month or so and see how it goes.
Hi! Can you share the documents of the long and short shanka prakshalana?
Sounds like maybe you did not add enough salt. I added 2 teaspoons of himalayan pink salt per liter, and that was definitely enough.
My mistake was that I continued after my output was yellow. And i drank 6 liters… I thought it had to be clear, but I had already passed the clear stage and was releasing bile. Was so shaky at night almost went to the hospital.. Feel ok today, will post my whole experience soon.
yes, please do share your complete experience here. It will be very valuable for other readers.
Hey Subhash, Namastey!!
I wish to know what could be an alternative for ghee after SP, for a lactose intolerant person.
Hello Madhurima, these days a lot of people are using either coconut oil or olive oil instead of ghee/butter. My suggestion would be to try coconut oil and see how you like it.
Hi Subhash,
I did this morning the SP for the first time. Because I suffered of constipation for a very long time is not that easy for me but I managed. After 10 glasses of salty water and kept going to the toilet eventually stuff started to move. I had to drink 24 glasses of salty water. After I finished I kept going to the toilet and then the water was clear with some particle of food residue. I could still drink more salthy water but in the book says between 16-24 glasses so I don’t know if is ok to drink more then that.
Thank you for the link. You are helping a lot of people through this forum and motivation.
Namaste!
Hi Stefania, thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with SP. I think you did the right thing – stopping after 24 glasses. Let us know how you feel after the first day or two.
Hello,
Can you please email me the procedure for LSP?
Thank you very much!
I scrolled very quickly after reading just the first few questions and answers in the hopes that this thread was still going. You are very helpful in providing this information and making this forum possible for so many people to benefit. Thank you for that. Please be so kind as to send me the instructions on the short version the one you do daily so that I may begin. Thanks again and looking forward to having a wonderful experience to share after I’ve done the practice for a few days. Be well. Lena.
Thanks, Lena, for your kind feedback. Check your email for the document requested.
I have progressed now to POORN SHANKH PRAKSHALAN – drinking more than 16 glasses of lukewarm Sendha Namak yukt water – also Amla Churan added to it.
Its an amazing feeling to do PSP as opposed to Laghu Shankh Prakshalan (LSP).
Hello Vishal, thanks for sharing your practice of PSP.
Hi Subhash,
I would like to buy the book and practice and LSP and SP. Could you please share me the BSY book details. In addition to this, I leave in CA wanted to see if I can practice under your observation.
Thanks
Raj
Hi Raj,
The title of the book by Bihar School is “A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya” by Swami Satyananda. You can buy it on Amazon. Once you read the instructions in the book they are easy to follow. I live in North Carolina so personal instruction will not be feasible.
Hi Subhash,
I read through the steps described in the book and started learning the exercises. However, I have a doubt on the food restriction. How long should we observe the restriction, the book says one week. Should we eat the special kichari for one week and beyond.
Could you please let me know, how did you manage for one week and beyond ? And when did you return to normal eating habits ?.
Raj
The restriction to eat khichadi alone is only for the first day. If you read the instructions carefully, it tells us that you can start eating more normal food after the first day as long as you avoid certain prohibited foods. You can start eating chapati or other breads but keep it very light. Here is an excerpt from the book – “You must eat a simple, pure and reasonably neutral (that is not over-acidic) diet. You may include most foods such as rice, wheat, bread, most types of fruits and vegetables with low acid content, nuts, lentils, pulses, soybeans, etc. You must use your discretion and common sense in this respect.”
hi sir can sp be done by those who don’t practice yoga ?
Yes, Praveen, SP can be done by anyone. Make sure you follow the diet and exercise guidelines given in the texts.
After I initially commented I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment
is added I receive four emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is a means
you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks
a lot!
Unfortunately, I can’t find a way to shut these emails off. Maybe at the bottom of the email there is an option to unsubscribe …
Dear Shubhash ji,
Please send me documents for SP and LSP.
Thanks in Advance.
please check your email…
Namaskar subhash ji
i did SP for the first time. i had 9 glasses of lukewarm salt water and id the asnas as prescribed. i had 6 evacuztions in total . from the third evacuation light yellow fluid came out.it turned lighter but did not become clear. As it was the first time i stopped after that. i wanted to ask..was the SP complete..or i left it midway…i mean is it essential that absolutely clear fluid comes out?
Could you please send me link to some complete infoprmation.
That will be helpful
And thanks for your blog
Dear Shishu, thanks for sharing your experience with LSP/SP. I cannot make an assessment as to whether your SP was completed or not. The text says the water that comes out should be clear. But much depends on how you felt after the practice. I am sending you the link to the two texts via email.
Dear Guruji, I am suffering from constipation and used to drink 4-5 warm glass of water every morning but it did not help me , only if have breakfast then pressure is initiated but not always. Then i found LSP practice by you on website and tried to to do it without salt water but now i always feel pressure on daily basis but still i have urge to go only after breakfast.
Please can you share the correct practice of LSP that can be followed on daily basis like how much glass of water is needed..etc.
Thanks,Kuldeep.
Hi Kuldeep, it is hard to assess what could be causing your situation. I have sent you links to the two documents for LSP and SP practices. Try to follow the guidelines given and see if it helps. All the best.
i do twice a year, i got cured from deadly HCV doing this.
hard part is to know when to stop drinking water.
Thanks, Munish, for sharing your experience.
Namaste Subhash ji. I live in Pune and I’m keen to do Shankha Prakshalana. I’ve been drinking a few glass of water before my morning call for a few years now (not regular but on and off). However I cannot say it was systematic. Just a few asanas after I drink plain water at room temperature and I visit the toilet.
I realise that after many years of undisciplined eating (even though I’m vegetarian and always prefer to eat sattvik), I need to detoxify my digestive system and improve overall body functioning.
Is there any way I can go through guided practice of Shankha Prakshalana? Where would I need to visit for the same ?
best regards
Janardhan
Hi Janardhan, I am glad to see that you would like to practice the full version of SP. As you know, I am located in USA and am not familiar with yoga in Pune. I am aware of Kaivalya Dham institute which is close to Pune. You may give them a call and find out if they can guide you. All the best,
Hi Subhash
Thanks you for your blog. I have become increasingly interested in yoga and meditation and have been doing a lot of reashearch online. I would really appreciate your document on the LSP, could you please email me the link. I believe it will be very beneficial to my husband and myself.
Thank you so much,
Louise
Thanks, Louise, for visiting the blog. I have sent the links in an email.
Dear Shubhashji,
Please send me documents \ links for SP and LSP…very useful blog…thank you..
Sent via email …
Hi
I will definitely try and share my experience.Only thing I am concerned is that I get very gassy with dal.Can I substitute lentil with something else?
Please let me know
Thankd
Pooja
Pooja, you can try some light, clear soup which contains small amount of lentils but also some veggies. If that also causes gas, you may avoid lentils and take only clear veggie soup.
Hi Subhash
Is it safe if I have hiatus hernia to do full kriya.
Also cannot digest lentils .can I substitute with something else?
Hi, I have a question regarding Kunjal Kriya. I have been practicing it for few days now. Work very well. However after drinking 6 glasses of water, I start getting strong urge to empty my bowl. After vomiting, when I empty my bowl, it is like loosemotizon, which happens after ShankPrakshalan.
Any suggestions on what am I doing wrong?
Varun, I don’t think you are doing anything wrong. I believe it is a sign of good cleansing. It is a problem only if you don’t feel good after the practice.
Thanks. Would you be able to suggest how often Kunjal kriya be done? I have high acidity. Have been practicing it from last one week.
Hello Vary, Kunjal Kriya can be done on a daily basis, as long as you feel comfortable with it. My suggestion would be to do it daily for a week or so and then switch to doing it on alternate days. Let me know how it goes.
Hello,
could you please send me the instructions for Shankhaprakshalan and Laghu Shankhaprakshalana? I would like to try with a vegetable clear soup and only a bit of salt; I read this is helpfull as well.
Thank you
I have sent the links via email.
Hi
I just did the full kriya today.I am suffering from Hiatus Hernia,wasn’t able to complete until clear water evacuated.Stopped after 18 glasses of water where I could still see stools coming out.
Should I do it again and is it safe in my condition?
Can you send me the link and ans
Hi Pooja, I suggest waiting for at least two weeks and then try it once again and see how it goes. I am sending the links to the documents via email.
Hi Subhash
Can you please reply my question?
Thanks
Pooja
Yes, Pooja, I don’t believe LSP/SP can cause harm in your situation. Give it one more try.
Hello,
I would like to practice Shankaprakshalana for the first time. I have the possibility to participate in a group, where they will prepare the first meal for us called kicheri. As I am a vegan, so I don’t eat ghee – is it possible to replace it with any other vegetable oil (coconut oil or olive oil?) while having the same positive results?
Thank you very much for your help!
Sure, Eszter, feel free to sub coconut or olive oil for ghee in the khichadi preparation. Let us know how it goes. All the best.
Can you also send info regarding diet for the full SP?
Thanks
Please check your email.
Hi subhash, can you send me the instructions for LSP as well as full SP via e-mail?
Thanks,
Gajodhar
Sorry, I meant instructions for both LSP and sp
Hello subhash Ji,
Can you send me instructions for LSP and so both. Shall be grateful
I have sent the links to the two docs via email.
Hi Shruti,
Thank you very much for your site and advices. I have been wanting to do this cleanse for a long time but some instructor told me my state of healt wasn’t goog anough few years ago (important depression, anxiety, belly pain headache). So I dit lot of colonic irrigation in a clinic and my condition improved a lot on the side of the migraines and mental healt. So I was thinking anout doing the total digestive system cleanse now since my gastroenterologist thinks the proble is more in the small intestine (amibiase infection). The infection is not completly cured now (very hard to heal at this important level) and I am still experiencing a important symptom tireness. Do you think being very tired and parasite infection could be contre-indications for this clease or on the opposite the cleanse could help? Thank you very much in advance, Marie-Ève
Hello Marie,
Thanks for your kind feedback about the site. Unfortunately, I am not qualified enough to answer your question as to whether the practice of SP/LSP is safe for your condition. My suggestion would be to try the LSP practice for a few times and see how it feels. Since you already did colon irrigation at a clinic and got some help with it, I feel it should be OK to try LSP. If you see no adverse effects, then you may want to to try SP. Let us know how it goes. All the best.
Hi! Thank you so much for answering! Yes, this seems like a good approach, doing the LSP first and then perhaps the SP. Could you send me the instruction for both by email? I will perhaps start that process within the next days… Thank you! Marie-Eve
I would like to get details on full shanka prakshalana and lag hi sp practice.Please mail me.Can u share name of the book from bsy where this method described.my email address is vadodara2577@yahoo.com
Please check your email for the links.
After starting Laghu, I could bring down my sugar level substantially. I found that the effectiveness of Laghu depends on the amount of sea salt you mix with water. Water should be luke warm and not hot. Little bit of anuloma viloma pranayama will help after Laghu to clear out the colon.
Prabhakara,
thanks for sharing your experience and the benefits.
Sir,
plz suggest some naturopathy procedure for people having diabeties & thyroid both.
Shruti, I am not a naturopath so cannot help you with your question. However, I would suggest a regular practice of yoga consisting of asana, pranayama and meditation and that should help.
sir,
can you please provide full detail of SP procedure and aasanas. I am a big fan of yoga/ayurveda.
I am having finger tip eczema since last 2 years. Plz guide what can be done for the same. I am a working lady with 8 hrs sitting job(sedentary life style) and my kids are not allowing me to do much yoga at home.
Hi Shruti
I have sent you the LSP and SP docs via email. I am not familiar with any yogic practice that can cure eczema. In general, I have heard that you need to keep the effected area clean and lubricated. Your best bet to find time for yoga is to wake up early and practice yoga before you get involved with the kids. Best of luck.
I would like to get details on full shanka prakshalana practice.Please mail me.
Hi Rohit, just sent them via email.
Please send the details of both form to my mail I’d hello2jha@gmail.com. VIVEKANAND JHA
You should have received it in an email. Please confirm here.
Hello,
I did the Shankhaprakshalan 2 days ago. I finished the whole process within about 2 hours. I managed to drink 7 glasses and couldn’t drink anymore because the last one I just puked out completely. However, I believe it was enough because the water was coming out almost clear. I felt tired on the day itself and the next day. However, I did some light physical activity (walking around, cycling very lightly – downhill or straight). Everything seemed to have passed smoothly except for one side effect. On the next day and till now I feel as though my stomach (and probably the entire digestive system) is slightly bloated. I don’t know how to get rid of this feeling. I’m eating quite diet food: mainly rice with cooked vegetables or oats. I did have a bit of fresh carrot in my first and second meal. I also had a bit of milk yesterday (24 hours after the completion of Shankhaprakshalan). Is this feeling of bloated stomach normal? What should I do?
Hello Marketa,
thanks for sharing your experience. I am not sure why you have the feeling of being bloated after SP. Are you getting regular bowel movements? Some yoga teachers recommend that you should do “gajakarani” after SP. In this practice, you drink a large amount of water and vomit it out. Maybe that will help.
[…] My experience with Shankhaprakshalan (Deep Colon cleanse … – To Yoga with Subash, 1. Satyananda Yoga Academy Ltd (SYA) is the duly authorized representative of the exclusive rights holder of all literary, dramatic, musical and … […]
Dear Subhash 🙂
Thank you for sharing your history.
I would like to try the shanka prakshalan at one time, however would like to try the short version a couple of times first. Would you please send the full details of the procedure on both? Also what books do you recommend and where can they be bought online?
What have your body reactions been after performing the shanka prakshalan? Has your constipation diminished or is it the same?
Also what is regarded as normal amount of times needed to go to the bathroom? 1-3 times/day or?
Best regards
Henrik
Henrikvnielsen@hotmail.com
Hello Henrik,
I am sending you the documents via email. Since I have suffered severe constipation right from my early childhood days, I practice the LSP (short version) of this practice every day. Now I don’t have any constipation; however, I do need this practice on a daily basis.
How often you go to the toilet is purely personal. I know people who go once in two days and they find it “normal” and I know others who go three times a day which is normal for them. I go once a day. Hope this is helpful.
Hello Sir Good morning i am happy by ur replays and helping ppl thanks.. am Bharath i have a doubt plz tell me what food one should take strictly after shanka prakshalan (colon cleansing) & entire Day…? cant we take bath after prakshalana ? can we drink coconut water ? can we eat Upma with out spice ? plz send ur valuable suggestions….. thanq sir
Dear bharath,
I suggest following the guidelines given in the book by Bihar School of Yoga. Try not to modify it to suit your individual taste.
namaste,
I am practising Dhanda dhauti still my sugar level is not decresing .can you help me in this regards?
Hi Samaresh,
As you may have seen from my other replies, I don’t recommend a single practice to help with ailments. You need to practice the full sequence of asana, pranayama and meditation to heal the whole body and mind. Then practicing Danda dhauti may be more effective. Nothing comes easy!
I am on dialysis for last 8 months due to reason that creatine is hgh as 10. Can you help in order to cure kidney aliment. I am suffering from IgANephropathy
Hi Manoj,
I suggest a regular yoga practice consisting of light asana, pranayama (about 20 minutes), meditation (about 20 min) and proper diet (consult a nutritionist). This should help you in your situation.
Hello subhash, thanks for the interesting article. I would very much to know about the details of Shankhaprakshalan, so if you would be so kind you could sent some info to my mail.
Thank you very much
Hi,
I have mailed you the links to the two documents.
Hi subhash,
Good afternoon. I came to know about prakshalan only a few days back and on googling was frightened by the facts that it should only be done under an experienced guru. Fortunately, I found your blog and your testimonial regarding the successful usage of LSP.
Please share the steps, so that I can start doing it at the earliest.
Hi Srinivas, I have sent the links via email.
In addition to above could you please help me to identify which type of Soup i can have. Carrot, Beet ? and when can i resume my regular diet? such as Milk, Yogurt, Fish, Chicken?
Hi Subhash,
Thank you for prompt reply and links you have provided. One thing i noticed that documents mentioned generic content as Fruits less acidic. But not sure due to other properties following fruits are allowed or not. Apple(green and red), Watermelon, Papaya, Banana, Pear and Grapes (not grape fruit). Also can i eat very less spicy food as in while preparing subji can we use green chilly just to add test?
Once again thanks for your help and guidance.
Hi Subhash,
Y’day I have clear my colon using SP or LSP i am not sure which method i have used as i am not aware difference between them.
Here what i have done :
I have started at around 8.30 in morning with 2 Glass of Sea salt and water then perform all five asanas (stretching poses) then again 2 glass of water and repeat asanas.. After 8 glasses of water I had a bowel movement and I went back and drank another 2 glass and continue to perform asan. After 10 glass of water motion was very watery and after 12 glass it was only yellow water. After that i stopped drinking water. And finished my asan exercise where i left and give up as totally being exhausted. i do not remember exact time but i guess i perform until 10.15 – 10.30 then i lie down for 30 min(thanks to my wife for keeping me awake) after that went one more time for watery motion. Then had my khichari .. Good experience overall
I was not aware of strict diet. So had tomato soup in evening followed by sheera and apple in night. Could you please help me with what diet I should follow. Today in lunch i had chapati and Sprout sabji. Which fruits can i eat as i have habit of eating on regular intervals.
And please let me know whether i have done SP or LSP 🙂
Hi Rajesh, what you practiced was SP. I am glad that you were able to go through the program and that you felt good. I am sending you links to the two documents for SP and LSP. Please go through the SP document carefully for complete diet guidelines. All the best.
Hi,
Thanks a lot for our post. I did SP and I felt good after that. The next day I did LSP, and I am not sure of the resting period and food after that. It would be great if you could share what you generally do in this regard.
Thanks,
Hems
Hi Hems,
I suggest you wait about one week after full SP to try the LSP. The LSP can be done on a regular basis – weekly or even daily. However, SP should be done maybe once or twice a year.
SIR PLEASE SEND ME A LINK OF YOGA
MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS Fanu143nufa@gmail.com
THANKS SIR.
Hi Farooq, I am sending the links via email.
Hi Subhash,
I was really happy to see this site. Thanks for sharing. I have been intermittently doing LSP since 2000 when I went for a naturopathy retreat due to gout. Since then I have had no symptoms at all and I think its due to kunjal and LSP which I practise once every few months. Unfortunately for a variety of reasons, I was unable to do LSP for the past three years and my attempts to restart the practice this summer was a flop. Nothing came out after drinking 6 glasses of water intermixed with asanas and I was really disheartened.However, I think it was due to the severe heat here and the body was generally borderline dehydrated by the time I woke up to do LSP successfully – I really recommend people doing it for the first time, or after a time lag, may want to keep the weather in mind and plan accordingly. Its cooled down considerably due to rains and I just tried it yesterday and am happy to report that it was successful! I didn’t know there was a difference between LSP and Poorna SP so I decided to just drink 2 glasses of water (300 ml each glass) followed by the 5 asanas 5 times each until I completed 10 glasses of water. I had a bowel movement and I went back and drank another 4 glasses along with the asanas (therefore I drank a total of 14 glasses of water which is slightly more than 4 litres). I went some 20 times to the loo. The entire process took only an hour and fifteen minutes ( I started at 545 a.m. and finished by 7). The last few BMs were only yellow colored water. It was tiring. I rested for a couple of hours and ate idlis for breakfast as the naturopathy place I went to had said we could go on with normal diet. Next time I will stick to khitchdi as you suggest but I have not had any problem with the food – just had rice gruel and sabji for lunch and a cantaloupe for dinner – I was very comfortable though tired. Today I feel great, lighter and thinner of course but mentally calmer too. I was concerned about the yellow colored water in the last BMs. Do you know if that’s alright? I know yellow colored urine could indicate jaundice so I wonder if you could clarify this.
Thanks, Dhanu, for sharing your experience. Thanks for pointing out the caution related to the weather. Of course, much of it is very individual and probably does not apply to everyone universally. Everyone should experiment and see what feels good.
Subhas ji
thanks for the valuable advise.i ll try to follow the same
Muthu
Before I started pratcising lsp, then also I had to go to the loo around 2-3 times but at that time experience was different. I used to feel constipated and bloated but after starting lsp Ithough I have to go with same frequency but the stool is soft and most of the times it feels like diarrhea type but not complete loose motion…lsp has given me great results..but I dont know this frequency and softer stool is because of it ornot…now ill follow subhas ji’ advise and c the results
Hi Subhash,
Should I use mild laxative for complete evacuation and continue LSP till the time LSP start showing good results?
Kindly advise
Regards,
Devendra
Hi Devendra, in general, laxatives are not recommended. In fact, the reason LSP is highly beneficial is that we avoid the use of laxatives. Stay with the practice and hopefully it will become more and more effective.
Hi Subhash,
Greetings !!!
I did LSP for a week and got very good result but due to some reason a gap of one month happened. I restarted again last week but seems its not giving any result. I did almost 5-6 rounds
with 6 glasses of Luke warm saline water. Should I continue practicing , hoping after few days of practice situation will improve.
Kindly suggest. Also when you had started :-
1)Did you experience the same failure and success?
2)How many rounds should I do in LSP before stopping ?
3)How much water to drink for success . I am taking one glass in one go, so a total of 1.5 liter I consume.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Devendra
Hi Devendra, for LSP only one round is recommended. That is why it is a practice that can be done everyday. You should continue the practice on a regular basis. You should start getting good results soon.
Hello subhas ji..
I have been doing one round of laghu shankh prakshalan daily since the last one year without any break…the only problem i face in the morning in emptying my bowels is that it gets 90% empty then after having breakfast in about 2 hours i again feel the urge of going to the toilet ..thereafter in the whole day i have to go again one more time…so in short in a day i have to go to the toilet about 3 to 4 times…i want to ask whether is it because of d daily practice of lsp?..is practicing lsp daily without any break leaves any side effects…kindly suggest with ur experience as in is causing anxiety to me
Thanking you
Harsh
Hello Harsh, as long as you are not feeling any ill effects of your LSP practice, I’d say go ahead and keep doing it. If you don’t need to practice daily, you may want to try reducing the frequency to maybe 2-3 times a week and see how you feel. You can always to go back to daily practice if needed. I personally have been doing LSP daily for over 15 years and feel great about it.
Harsh ,
I have a question.
Did you start going to toilet thrice daily , after starting shankhaprakshala.
What was the frequency before shankhaprakshala.
Regards,
Muthu
Hello Subhash,
I just found out about this procedure and I want to do it as quick as possible as I have allergies, permeable intestines (leaky gut), atopic eczema… I once did a colon cleansing but different from this and it took 7 days . For years my allergies seemed to be gone but 10 years ago they came back and I am trying very hard to be healthy again. I think this could be a wonderful way to heal my intestines! Anyway, I was wondering if you could send me the full program and the everyday program guidelines and also the dietary recommendations. If you think that there is anything else that could be of value to do this cleaning process, please send me.
I want to leave a comment of appreciation for sharing your knowledge with all of us! Thank you so much!
Lara
Hi Lara, I am glad to see that you are looking to yoga and the practice of LSP and SP to help you with your health issues. I am sending you links to the documents via email. Start with LSP first, following the guidelines in the text. Let us know how it goes – share your experience here. Thanks.
Good morning!
Thank you a lot for sharing all your experiences.
I’ve been looking through the comments and a thought came to me. This practice is a good thing to clean the body, still, it is no excuse for not taking care of the body in the remaining days of the year. chronic constipation, skin issues and so on also depend on how you treat your body on the overall time, that means also in what you put into your body. Foods like meat, dairy and eggs, highly processed foods and drugs like alcohol, cigarettes or coffee, (also stress) have a major influence on the digestive tract and should be avoided (completely) if you wish to have an overall good health.
It was very helpful to read all the comments, in preparation for my try at the sp. thank you very much! i wish you all the best for the future.
Hi Celia,
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment. So true! What we eat and drink, what kind of lifestyle do we have – all have a tremendous impact on our digestion, constipation and, indeed, overall well-being. Let us know about your SP experience.
Agreed Subhash. Overall my constipation seems to be under control. Only thing I am experiencing is a little fatigue. Is that normal?
Yes, Devendra, light fatigue is not uncommon in the beginning. With practice. over time, it should go away.
Hi Subhash,
What is the difference between LSP
and SP?Is that safe to do LSP on daily basis? I tried LSP a couple of days back and got very good result but afraid to do it daily as most of sites recommend once in 2-3 months for constipated people.
LSP and SP are essentially the same technique. The difference is in the number of rounds practiced. In LSP you practice only one round and then visit the toilet for bowel movement. In SP, you repeat the same process multiple times until what comes out on the other side is the same clean, colorless water that you drank.
My suggestion is to start doing LSP about once a week or once in two weeks, as needed. Only if the constipation persists should you increase the frequency.
Hi Subhash,
Thanks a lot for the reply.
I tried LSP continuously for a week as I am having chronic constipation.It gave me result almost everyday except one when I had eggs in the previous night.
I am doing 3 -4 rounds of Asanas and taking saline luke warm water in between.It that fine or there can be side effects?
Also is that common that LSP does not give result somedays?
Kindly suggest.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Devendra
One of the most oft ignored tenets of Yogic philosophy is the food we consume which should be saatvik.
Eggs are Tamasic.
Remember if yog is done incorrectly, it does more harm than good.
Doing Jal Neti/LSP with normal iodised salt can cause High BP. Use Rock Salt (Sendha Namak).
If you do not follow the principles in yog, you will end up doing more harm than good.
Thanks, Vishal, for sharing your thoughts – always helpful.
Indeed, Devendra, the experience could be different from one day to the next. A lot depends upon diet, sleep pattern, level of activity/inactivity during the day etc. Also, we learn from experience – if you find eggs might have had a negative effect, you may avoid eggs at night in the future. Wishing you the best in your practice.
Subhashbhai, I would like to try one of the two Kriya’s. Can you send me the links pls.
Thank you very much for such a through information you have provided. Seeing you reply to every post here, shows your dedication to helping others.
Keep it up. and Thank you.
Hi Shilpa, I have sent you the links via email.
hello,
i am planning to do Shank-Prakshalan-Kriya on sunday, but i have my ekadashi fast on next day, kindly suggest me the diet for monday as you are suggesting to avoid fruits and milk. kindly reply.
Hi Sunitha, it is hard to suggest a diet when you are doing the ekadashi fast. You may just have to use your best judgment based on what is recommended in the text.
Hello!
I am planning to do Shank-Prakshalan-Kriya on Saturday under control of Yoga master.
I have one question: is it recomended a special diet also before this kriya? I mean ,today is Tuesday, do I need a special diet until Saturday?
Thany you for comment and I wish you all the best.
Mili
Mili, you may want to follow the guidelines for diet given in the full SP document that I am sending you via email. Essentially you need to prep only one day ahead of the practice. All the best.
Hello Subhash,
Hope this finds you doing well. Is it compulsory to have a “Khichadi” after LSP, if one wants to do it daily? What kind of breakfast/food can be consumed after LSP in the morning, say at 0900 hrs?
Regards,
Chidambar
Hi Chidambar,
No, it is not required to have khichadi after LSP. When you do LSP on a daily basic, you can do your regular meals, just try to keep them light, in general, especially after the practice. So, assuming you do the practice early in the morning (recommended), try to have a light breakfast and then go back to regular lunch and dinner.
Hello, please be so kind to mail me the link for the short and long versions of the colon cleansing. Thank you indeed!
Best regards,
Samia
Hi Samia, I have sent an email with the links. Please share your experience here.
Dear Subhash, thank you for sharing your experience and all the advise and encouragement to your readers. I am a long time sufferer of constipation with gas, bloating, and acid reflux. Was interested in trying colon cleansing some day, but never got around to it. Was so exited to know that there is a yogic alternative that can be done in the privacy of my home. Although, I am a bit concerned due to the fact that I have mild external hemorrhoids and fissure (non-bleeding). Could you tell me is there any risk that the LSP and SP process may aggravate the hemorrhoids? Another concern I have is what do I do if I vomit the first few glasses of water that I drink during the procedure? I am a bit sensitive and there is a good chance that I will. Also if you would be so kind to send me the detailed instructions for LSP and SP. Thanks in advance.
Hello Anitha,
It is nice to see that you would like to try practicing the LSP technique for inner cleansing. In my opinion, given your situation, you should only practice the LSP procedure. This will give you an idea whether it bothers your hemorrhoids or not. Since in LSP you are doing the bowel movement only once, it really shouldn’t be any different than your regular elimination. Let me know how it goes. I am sending the docs via email.
Dear Subhash, thank you very much for all useful information. Would you be so kind to send me instructions for both version of procedure? I would like to try Shankhaprakshalana. Thank you very much.
Sure, Carolina, sending via email.
Hi Subhash,
Very interesting topic, Could you please share short version(LSP) of this Procedure.
Karunasree@gmail.com.
HI Karuna, good to see your comment here. Once you try the practice, let me know how it goes.
Hello sir, first of all thank you very much for this thread, I have some problems witha my ears (ringing and pressure) and I think SP will help me. What is your advice on that?
Also, can you send me the two docs via email? Thank you.
Sure, you should try it out. It cannot do any harm to practice SP and LSP, if you follow the guidelines given. I have sent you the two docs via email. you may also want to try meditating on the ringing sound that you hear. Another practice that may help is Bhramari pranayama. All the best.
Hi, I would like to start with the mini version… can you send me some instructions? Thanks!
Highly recommen ORGANICS INDIA’s cow ghee for Khichdi post LSP.
Post LSP and Kunjal, always do SHASHANK ASAN to take out any excess water left in the stomach
Hi Subhash,
I recommend the following additions to this cleansing:
1. The previous night, take 5-10g of ‘Isabgol Husk’ with warm water/milk before sleep. This husk will help in easy bowel movement. People suffering from hemorrhoids will find it useful since this husk heals cracks n fissures/ rashes inside the rectum. Wont feel the burn while passing the salty water this way.
2. Adding lemon to the salty water makes it easier to drink and also lemon adds to the cleansing of heavy oily stuff stuck to the intestine walls.
I learnt following things ‘extra’ about shankhaprakshalana from your blog:
1. Unlimited intake of salt water (2-3 litres was my norm)
2. drinking only 2 glasses at a time and the entire process rather slowly
3. Vamana dauthi to be done at the end of the deep cleanse
3. Diary less/non-acidic diet for a entire week
thank u 🙂
Hello Pavan,
Thanks a lot for your feedback and your excellent suggestions.
I would highly recommend Aloe Barbadensis as it has a laxative yellowish substance at its base.
Alternatively Forever Living’s Aloe Juice is superb for cleansing the colon.
Isabgol is good too but then Aloe has several micro nutrients.
Hi Sir,
Can you, please send me the instructions for mini version to do everyday and the full version to do once a year.
Thank you!
Hi Elena,
Hope you got the links that I sent via email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Hi,
Can you please send me instructions for performing the laghu SP. Also, if you know of any links in UK or Mumbai where I can perform this with an instructor.
Many Thanks
Hello Poonam, I sent you the LSP instructions via email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Dear Subhash,
Thank you very much for the information you sent to me. It is very useful. Sorry for the late answer. Yesterday I did LSP successful and now I’m filling very well.
Thank you.
All my best wishes.
Sincerely,
Elena
That’s great, Elena. Thanks for sharing.
Sir ,
I tried Laghu Shankhaprakshalana today.
1. Went to toilet in the morning and had bowel movement. Stomach was not empty.
2. Drank two glasses of warn saline water.
3. Did eight asanas.
4. Went to toilet , bowel movement did not happen.
4. Drank two glasses of warn saline water again.
5. Did eight asanas.
6. Went to toilet , bowel movement did not happen.
7. Later water was passed through urine.
Please can you let me know areas of improvement.
Please let me know , what should be speed of asanas , how much time is required to complete 8 X 5 asanas. I took around 8-10 minutes to complete each set.
Thanks and Regards,
Muthu.
Sir ,
I did Shankhaprakshalana yesterday.
It was a success.
I followed all instructions mentioned in Hatha Yoga Book 3 Shatkarma – Yoga Publications Trust Munger Bihar.
I did not follow these instructions.
1. I could not do Shankhaprakshalana under the guidance of a Guru , because I could not find any teacher in Pune city who could teach Shatkarma.
2. I did not do this in warm weather , because I did not want to wait until summer.
3. I added some salt in Khichadi , because I forgot that salt is not to be added in Khichadi.
I could not see clear water at the end of this exersise.
My first evacuation happenned after drinking two liters of water. i.e. half litre water drank four times and four rounds of asanas.
I am planning to Shankhaprakshalana next time with following addtions.
1. I will do Pavanmuktasana before Shankhaprakshalana. Please let me know , if any other asana is advised.
2. My first evacuation happenned after four rounds of asanas. Hence I will keep doing asans even after all water is drunk. This will ensure that maximum possible water evacuated.
Thanks again for sharing your experience.
Please can you mail me SP and LSP instructions.
I will see how I can improve LSP.
Thanks and regards,
Muthu.
Dear Muthu,
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience here. I have sent you the LSP and SP docs via email. Wish you all the best with the practice.
Hari Om Subhash
Good to see you are inspiring many people in to these practices,
I came across a man who got me started on them years ago and felt I was almost on my own, they are excellent. Just need time and the right space. {1994 received} T.B.I (Traumatic brain injury) I was on my way to the air port. I have found yoga practices like Surya Namaskara, Kunjal, Nettie etc. life savers. Can I ask where you are based.
Thanks Paul.
Hi Paul,
Thanks a lot for visiting my website and finding if helpful. I am so glad to see that yoga has been helpful to you after your TBI injury.
I am located in the state of North Carolina, Raleigh area.
Hi subhash.i did shankh prakshalan today as I learnt it from an organisation. But I had headache the whole day and acidity too .my doctor advised to get BP checked .it was 140 by 90 whereas I am a person of low bp..I want to know that what precautions should I take next time while doing shankh prakshalan. Thanku
Hi Shalini,
Having a headache after SP is quite common, only because suddenly a lot of negative “stuff” has come out of the body and this change can manifest as headache. Rise in BP is also not uncommon since the BP usually rises slightly after exercise. In case of SP you probably end up doing a fair amount of exercise. It would be a problem it the BP remained high even after a couple of days. In general, though, you may want to cut down on the amount of salt in the water to help with BP.
Sir,
Thank you for sharing your experience with Shankhaprakshalan.
I am also planning to do Shankhaprakshalan.
Please can you let me know.
1. What should be the frequency of doing Shankhaprakshalan.
You have mentioned that you do Laghu Shankhaprakshalan every day.
Please let me know what frequency should be followed for Shankhaprakshalan.
2. We should do five asanas eight times.
Does it mean we have to do Tadasana eight times and then do Tiriyak tadasana eight times and so on.
Or it means do Tadasana once then Tiriyak tadasana once and so on. Repeat this seven more times.
Please advise.
Thanks and regards,
Muthu.
Hi Muthu, my suggestion would be to do the full SP once or twice a year. While doing the practice, you need to do each asana eight times before moving on to the next asana.
Sir ,
Thanks for your advise.
Sorry for late reply.
Thanks and regards,
Muthu.
Mr. Subhash, I am going to do SP in Yog Gram , Haridwar next week and after doing first time I will share my experience
Excellent, Piyush! We look forward to hearing about your experience.
A. I am 55 years old. I used to have severe Irritable Bowel Syndrome for many years. 4 years back, I started with regular Yoga practice for 90 mts, from 6 am to 7.30 am, including pranayama, Kapal Bhati, power yoga, sheesh asan, stretching yoga asans daily. Also started waking up at 5.30 am and drinking one litre of room temp non saline water every day. I don’t do any exercise after drinking the water but the pressure builds up immediately and have to literally rush to the loo and my Bowel clears up completely now. I have also started eating very light dinner, only daal, veggies, salad and dahi. No rotis!
1. However, after the yoga, and after breakfast, I feel very sleepy. As if I am drugged. Need to sleep for at least an hour everyday post breakfast. Pl advise.
2. Not doing any exercise but drinking 1 litre water to clear bowels every day. Is it ok?
B. Today, for the first time, did full Shankh Prakshalan with a group. Very successful.
Some learnings.
a. Went for the Kriya after the normal routine of drinking 1 litre of water and clearing bowels.
b. Started Full Shankh Prakshalan with 4 glasses of saline water, followed with 4 more. Subsequently 2 glasses a time before exercise and 2 after going to loo every time.
c. Had had 25 litres of saline water in 2 hours.
d. Water is to be gulped down, not drunk to be digested.
e. Clear water started coming after 14 glasses, though continued for full cleansing.
f. Ended with another 4 glasses of non saline water and did Kunjan.
g. This was followed with some 30 mts of Shav asana and then the Khichdi and ghee.
h. Felt quite light and sleepy later. But slept off only after another 3 hours at 2 pm, as advised
i. Have had no water later in the day. Only another round of Khichdi + ghee at 7 pm.
j. Slight head heaviness, maybe cause of coffee or tea withdrawal.
Will share how I feel tomorrow!
Please answer my questions 1 and 2.
Dear Ajay,
First of all thank you for sharing your SP experience. It is so nice that you practiced it in a group and that it was successful. Please update us with how you are feeling now.
Feeling sleepy after yoga and breakfast is not uncommon. If you have the time, taking a nap at that time is perfectly OK. It could also mean that you are not sleeping enough at night and may need to adjust your sleep pattern.
If you are getting good bowel movement with just drinking water, there is no need to do the prescribed exercises. Keep up with your full yoga routine. Looks like you are on a healthy path – no need to drift away from it. All the best.
Hello Subhash,
Can you pl shed some light on “Kunjal Kriya”? What should be the frequency ,its side-effects if any and experiences?
Regards,
Chidambar
Hi Chidambar,
I am not very familiar with the practice of Kunjal Kriya. As such, I am not in a position to provide guidance on its practice. My knowledge about it is from reading books and articles online. I have practiced it a few times but it is not a part of my routine. Hopefully some other readers of the blog can provide more information.
Also from last 1 year, even before eating in the morning I get acidic feeling, not sure why, even though I don’t eat anything acidic.
Thanks for this great info. Need help here. My problem is not sure how to solve it. But thought this is a good forum to get opinion.
1. I am a yoga teacher, and practice yoga in my life since last 30 years. I do asana 1 hour at least everyday.
2. Still I am chronically constipated, and do LSP everyday to get bowel movement and it take more than 1 hour everyday to get a bowel movement of any kind. Still stomach not clean.
3. I eat very normal healthy diet.
4. Do mistake me, yoga has solved my all other issues , except this one. this I got from heredity, so please share your opinion, or experience about the same. With regards, Deepak
Hello Deepak,
I have a situation quite similar to yours. I suffered severe constipation while growing up. I was introduced to LSP and SP about 20 years ago. I have been practicing LSP on a daily basis since then. It takes me about 45 minutes each morning to do the practice. It has helped me a lot. Every now and then when I still feel slight constipated, I repeat the whole LSP one more time which always seems to help.
For acidity, you may like to eat more of the alkaline foods. An online search should be helpful in deciding which of the alkaline foods are more suitable for your situation.
LSP is all about removing deeply seated Mucoidal Plaque in our colon which never gets cleaned.
Our colon has 4000 square feet of area – the average human’s skin is 2000 square feet and the average Indian home is 1000 square feet.
Also alkanise your food – eat more raw food. Remember the colon is alkaline unlike the stomach which is acidic.
12 consecutive weekly interval timed sessions of LSP have been known to have permanently cured Diabetes.
This is for Nidhi.
Vishaalji, What is TTK kriya please
TTK stands for Tad Asana, Tiryaktad Asana and Katichakra Asana
Drink 2 glasses of Lukewarm Water seated in Kag Asan ( REMEMBER NO SALT IN THE WATER). Do Tad Asana 10x times
Repeat above step with 2 glases of water with 10 x times of Tiryak Tad Asan and then 10x times of Katichakra asana.
Purging should ideally begin – if it doesnt sit in Kag Asana.
You may do this TTK Kriya every day for a week prior to LSP and then your LSP will be much easier.
You may google for Bihar School of Yog and TTK.
SIMPLE TRICK TO HAVE AN EASY LSP
1. Eat very light stuff a day before – fruits and juices is ideal
2. Practice the TTK Kriya for a week before doing LSP
Follow the above 2 principles and you will have a great LSP purge.
Sorry about writing Sureshji.
I mean Subhashji
Hello subhashji,
Finally I did my SP practice on 24th Saturday.
I closely observed and read more about practice before executing it on the day.
I started my practice around 7 AM in the morning
I prepared saline water and as directed in one of the website I have added lemon juice too.
I drank 2 glasses initially and started one round of exercise 8 times each.
Then I dank another 2 glasses of water and done 2nd round of exercise
This time I felt pressure in stomach and passed stool which was much liquid.
with 3rd round onwards I started passing yellowish water each time I did round of exercise.
When I finished 6 rounds I was passing slightly yellow liquid after exercise.
When I drank 2 glasses of liquid 7th times I felt like vomiting
I vomited whole liquid out so cleansing my stomach as well.
This time again I passed remaining liquid out which was light yellowish.
I was very tired because of all rounds of exercise. and because of vomiting I did not feel of continuing practice.
So I stopped my practice at this time.
I felt happy that with 3rd round onwards only I was able to pass liquid from stool
I felt like it is cleansed my entire colon very well.
I did not feel bloated with liquid infact I was able to pass all liquid consumed.
I felt relaxed when I did shavasana for prescribed time of 1 hr.
after 2 hrs I had khichri. and agin in evening I had another round of khichrii.
I was getting headache through out the day and subsequent day also.
I got nice and sound sleep in the night.
I felt light and very relax on next day.
This practice gave me confidence that I can do it.
I was little afraid before doing it but now I am not.
after six months I will definitely do it again.
Next time I will try to perform it with alo vera juice as suggested in one of the website. Alo vera pulls stuck material in intestine very hard so more cleasing of colon.
Sureshji, Please guide me more on alo vera as I am not confident on use of it in SP practice.
Thanks
Dear Anand,
Thanks a lot for your excellent and detailed description of your SP experience. I am sure many of the readers will feel inspired to try it out as well.
As for aloe vera, unfortunately, I have no experience with it and cannot comment on its use or otherwise.
I have tried FOREVER LIVING’S ALOE VERA JUICE as also Baba Ramdev’s.
The Forever Living – though definitely very expensive at around Rs 650 per 1 litre bottle – is simply too good. It removes even chronic constipation besides of course providing dietary supplements benefits.
Baba Ramdev’s had virtually effect.
Bottomline – you pay for what you get.
Thanks, Vishal, for these useful comments about the use of Aloe Vera juice.
Hello Subhashji
I did read your post sometime 2 year back. I haven been thinking of doing SP for quite a long time but could not fix up a day as it hectic on body. Finally I have decided to do SP on 23rd Oct day after Dasara as I have 4 days off (Thursday to Sunday)
I will be doing preparation for the SP by tomorrow.
I will follow the instructions fully.I hope I will do it successfully.
I will share my experience soon.
Thanks for being a inspiration to many of us who wants to SP
Regards
Anand
Hi Anand, best of luck with your SP practice. I will look forward to reading about your experience.
Hello Subhash,
Thank you for kindly sharing your experience with us.
Would it be possible for you to also send the 2 links about the Shankhaprakshalan to me ?
Thank you for your kind help !
Hi Lavi,
Hope you received the email with the links. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Dear Subhash ji,
I tried sp today and managed to do it successfully. I at khichri as prescribed, avoided heavy work and mostly rested or read books. I slept early, however my child woke me up at around 10:30pm and I felt very hungary . there was no khichri available and I ended up having a chapati with some lightly spiced pumpkin. Would it undo all effects of sp? Also my husband is diabetic. I read LSP helps diabetics. Can you please share the procedure, I’d be really grateful.
Thank you,
Nidhi
Thanks, Nidhi, for sharing your experience with the successful practice of SP. I hope your husband will find the practice helpful for his diabetes.
Hello Subhash!
I am so glad to finally come across your article – it is god sent! After years of general constipation issues and recent an anal fissure after my first delivery, I am eager to try LSP and SP. I did practice yoga during pregnancy and after but did not come across this technique. I will immediately start LSP. Could you please let me know which are the asanas that are need to be done? Also, is it ok to have tea everyday if we practice LSP? My plan is to practice LSP for few days before attempting SP.
Awaiting your response, thank you very much.
Hi Brinda, I am glad that you plan to practice LSP regularly. I am sending the links via email. Yes, it is OK to drink a cup of tea while you practice LSP. Wish you all the best.
Hello Subhash,
I have a query. By practising LSP everyday, does your system become dependent on it eventually? After doing it for almost a month, I feel I cannot empty bowels naturally without the use of salt water ?
Please advise.
Thank you.
Not advisable to practice LSP any more now in Northern India due to the cold.
Best to do it now after Basant Panchami 12th February 2016.
Hi Brinda,
You are right that there is always the possibility of becoming dependent on this practice. In my case, I have now done it daily for over fifteen years. I know my system is dependent upon it. But I do it as just another one of the daily rituals like eating and sleeping. It has been working great for me and I don’t see a reason to try anything different.
Hello Sir,
Please let me know how much glass of lukewarm water required for doing one round of LSP.
In starting 3-4 days it works excellent with two glasses of lukewarm water. after one week now I felt I need to drank more as result is not as effective as earlier. Drinking More than two glasses of water is quite difficult for me.
Please suggest.
Regards,
Neelam
Hello Neelam,
As per the instructions in the LSP document, you are supposed to drink 2 glasses of water and then do the 5 exercises. Immediately after that you are supposed to repeat the whole cycle two more times. I suggest you try the recommended procedure and see how it works. Good luck!
Hi Subhash,
Thank you so much for your generous sharings about this technique and for responding so kindly to everyone on this thread.
I first did SP 3 years ago as part of the Agama Yoga level 1 course. I drank about 15 glasses of salt water and my evacuations were not quite clear before Vamana Dhauti came upon me uncontrollably. That was the end of that cleanse. 🙂 My stomach and digestion (which has been chronically poor) felt much better in the following days, though the effects didn’t seem to last very long. I can’t remember what my diet was like in the days after SP, but it’s likely it was not strictly following the recommendations and less than sattvic.
I just finished my second SP and the first meal a few minutes ago. I did this after a 3 days of being on a restricted diet – eating raw fruit and veggie smoothie and avocado only. The last time I did the cleanse, the first 6 glasses of salt water was easy and then it got progressively harder to bear. This time, I found it very challenging to get through the first 6 glasses, but then it was much easier after that. Also the first time I had uncontrollable thirst by the end – this time it was much more controlled. I think that perhaps I must have used a little less salt this time.
I went up to 18 glasses this time and got pretty clear by the end. I didn’t do Vamana Dhauti at the end and found that I had to get up several more times while in shivasana to go to the toilet. Even after I ate my first kitcheree I had to go to the toilet again. So far so good though. I feel much more energized even just after than I did last time. We’ll see how it goes from here. I am planning to be much more strict with the dietary guidelines in the next 7 days than I was last time.
Thanks again for keeping for your sharing and dialogue. Many blessings to you.
Hi Jen,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with SP. I am sure the readers will find it inspiring and hopefully motivate them to try out this wonderful practice. I wish you all the best.
Hi Sir can you please send me the instructions for SP and LSP, my previous comments are missing from the page, i had written all the details about my problems in it.
Hi, I am 28 years of age and I suffer from serious digestive problem, excess gas, malabsorption, diarrhea(sometimes) and intestinal irritation. I’ve consulted many doctors but nothing worked from my research I think i suffer from Chron’s disease or SIBO(small intestine bacterial overgrowth). Yesterday I came across this term and found your page, I think this is the solution to all my problems. But what I’m afraid about is if the loose motions won’t stop then what should one do.
If you can please send me the instruction, I will first practice laghu shank prakshalan, if it works I’ll then try the whole process next week.
Thank You
I think I must give more clarity of my condition.
• I’m underweight
• I’ve anxiety problems
• I suffer from chronic weakness may be because of malabsorption
• My intestines have swelling and they are weak, although I do yoga everyday i perform Tadasana, Mayurasana, Sarvangasana, ardha matsyendrasana and after performing these asanas I get the urge to empty my bowels again.
• I was a state level WuShu(Kung Fu) player I don’t know how I got this condition, I can hardly practice now. I never feel energetic and positive most of the time I’m sleepy and I procrastinate a lot.
Will my condition improve, should I perform LSP and SP. Please answer.
Thank You
Hi Siddharth,
I have sent you the links to the two documents via email. Hope you will find them helpful. It is truly unfortunate that you have developed all these conditions. My recommendation would be to include some basic pranayama and meditation to your yoga practice. Pranayama can be very effective in detoxification of the system and strengthening the internal organs. Meditation will help you calm the mind and deal with every situation more effectively.
Wish you all the best.
Hello Siddharth,
I am sorry to hear of your health-related problems. It is good to see that you would like to try the LSP and SP practices to help you with your condition. I am sending you the links to the two docs via email. Please share your experience here. Thanks and good luck.
Thanks Sir for Your Valuable reply. Please let me know can we do LSP during my monthly period also?
Thanks & Regards,
Neelam
Sure, Neelam, you can do the LSP during your periods.
Hello Subhash,
Could you be so kind and send me the instructions to full and mini practice.
Thank you very much in advance,
Regards,
Tibor
Hi Tibor,
I am sending the links via email. Please share your experience here. thanks.
Hi,
I am constipated for several years. Last Evening I tried LSP after having two glasses of warm water with rock salt and did all 6 asans. It works great. With in 15 min I need to go to the toilet and after that I felt relaxed and happy. I ate my normal less spicy diet after 2 hours. I kept 6 hours duration after my noon lunch as I cant go to toilet in the morning. I have developed this habit in evening. I just wanted to ask can we do the LSP every evening ? is there any side effect ? I am 32 years old and unmarried girl and not having any medicine. Please reply me on my mail.
Regards,
Neelam
Hello Neelam,
I am so glad that LSP has been working for you. Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, it is OK to do this practice everyday. Have you tried it in the morning? That is what is usually recommended. However, if evening is working fine for you, keep it that way.
Read this post about two years back but seemed like an ordeal, was feeling bit hesitant to try SP out. Now on reading that so many had posted their experience that it is working for them, I am feeling bit more adventurous to try it out. Would you send me the two links of SP Cleanse? Would be very appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Medha,
Please do share your experience once you do the practice. Thanks.
Hi Subhash,
I did the SP two days ago, it got to five hours and nothing was running clear – still yellow. But I was exhausted so had to stop. The following day (yesterday) I had severe nausea and a migraine and was in bed all day. Today, I still have a slight headache and the nausea and have found myself exhausted and unable to tolerate the sight or smell of meat or fish. Is this normal and how long till it disappears?
Thanks, Martellen
Hi Martellen,
When I did the practice, like you I too did not get clear water out until the very end. So I had to give up because of exhaustion. However, i had none of the other symptoms that you mentioned – headache etc. I felt fine after a couple of hours and, in fact, felt great the next morning. I certainly hope you are feeling better now.
Dear Mr Subhash,
I’m just get to know Shankhaprakshalan from my friend and found out your page here. Appreciate if you would send me the full and mini practice.
Regards,
Celeste
Hi Celeste,
please share your experience here after you do the practice. Thanks.
Please explain the difference between Shankha Prakshalan and virechana.
Hello Atul,
The practice of SP does not involve any laxative or purgative. I do not practice virechana but I believe it does involve some kind of laxative.
Hi Subhash,
Pl send me the 2 links about the Shankhaprakshalan.
Regards,
RAj
Hi Raj, I have sent the links via email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Hi Subhash ji,
Please share a document containing detailed step on how to perform Shankhaprakshalan?
Regards,
Muniraj K
HI Muniraj, I am sending the link via email.
I have done the SP under the guidance of my yoga guru in India and have had a great experience. Not only do I feel light and full of energy, my skin becomes softer and clearer as well. I usually take 5-6 glasses of saturated salt water and I am good to go! The only thing which I do differently (as told by my guru) is that I end the procedure with a tsp of sugar dissolved in a glass of water at room temp. It is very cooling and calming on my system. Follow the procedure with eating khichari the whole day and avoiding all types of dairy products.
Thanks, Aki, for sharing your experience of SP with us. I am so glad to see that you had a great experience and that you are feeling much better.
Hello Subhash,
I’m going to pratice Shank Prakshalana in the near future. Pls send to my email for both SP and LSP. Thanks a lot.
Hello Anh, I have sent you an email with the links. Hope you find the documents helpful with your practice. Let us know how it goes.
जवाब देने के लिए शुक्रिया.
सर कल मैंने शंख प्रक्षालन किया था. दो वक्त खिचड़ी खाई जिसमें दो चम्मच घी मिला हुआ था. आज सुबह नाश्ते में दो केला और दही तथा दोपहर में उपवास होने के कारण फल खाया है. लेकिन मुझे गैस बहुत बन रही है और पूरा पेट गुब्बारे की तरह फूल रहा है. समझ में नहीं आ रहा है क्या उपाय करें? कहां गड़बड़ हो गयी?
Hello Sanjay,
मेरे विचार में दही और केला खाने से पेट फूल सकता है; The Bihar School of Yoga book specifically mentions that दही should be avoided. I think banana also can cause stomach bloating, especially after such a thorough cleansing as SP.
Hope you are feeling well now. All the best.
Hello sir ,
Can you please confirm that in LSP also the sequence of asanas is as follows
1) tadasana
2) triyak tadasna
3) kati chakrasna
4) triyak bhujangasana
5) udarakarshan
That I means is it the same as SP ? Is the only difference between LSP and SP is that LSP is done only after drinking 4-5 glasses of water followed by the above 5 asanas 8 times each and the cycle is not repeated whereas in SP the cycle is repeated many times?
Sir please clear my this doubt regarding LSP as I’m drinking 4-5 glasses of water then followed by the above mentioned asanas daily but have a doubt whether I’m doing the right LSP or if the LSP involves doing some other asanas.
Sir this thing is causing worry to me as I’m concerned that if I’m not doing the right LSP and rather if I’m doing the wrong asanas I then it can cause harm to my body.
Please reply soon .
Dear Harsh,
You are doing the right practice. The sequence is the same for both SP and LSP. Please continue the practice the way you have been doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL4EHCe8G7s
NEVER USE IODISED SEA SALT IN ANY YOGIC KRIYA – NOT EVEN IN LSP.
Dear Subhash Ji,
Thanks for sharing you experience. it is very helpful. i came to know about SP from a friend. for knowing more about SP i came to Google & reach to you. i am planning to do SP on this weekend. request you to send any document/Guide related SP which will helpful to me.
Hello Yogesh, I have sent you the link via email. Hope you will find it helpful. Please share your experience.
Thank You Sir..
I did SP yesterday morning…In first two round I didn’t feel any urge to empty the bowels and i did Omitting also… but after 3rd round i feel the pressure & the SP process has started working. I done SP successfully in 6 rounds. i omitted twicely in between that.
Afternoon iam feeling very fresh, light… it is a awesome experience..today im feeling little headache but it’s ok as you explained it will be fine.
thank You so much once again for your valuable inputs.
Hi Yogesh,
Thanks for sharing your lovely experience with SP. I am glad that you feel wonderful after the practice.
Hello subhash ji, I did SP first time yesterday with guidelines of my guru and after doing i felt very lightly immediately.1st day i had kichadi with ghee for two times. Next day i had headache and stomach pain. Early morning i had tulasi tea and breakfast kichadi with pinch of salt. What vegetables can i add with kichadi.
Please advice
Uma chetty
Hello Uma,
I would say any veggie that is easily digestible should be fine. Getting a headache on the day of the practice or a day after is not uncommon after SP. I hope you are feeling well now.
Dear Subhash ji !
I am having severe constipation from my birth I have taken all types of medicines like triphala also some medicated ghees .. exercises/yoga nothing worked for me . I have developed severe skin rashes i.e urticaria and its really irritating to have such rashes over the skin . I too have pimples ,menstrual disorders ,migrane and my weight is also increasing very fast .
I think I can try out LSP now for sometime. Can you pls share the instructions to my mail id ?This will be really helpful ! thanks a lot in advance
Regards
SubhaRao
Dear SubhaRao, I am sorry to hear that you have constipation related problems for a long time. I am glad that you are willing to try LSP for possible relief. I am sending the document link via email. I wish you all the best.
I enjoyed reading your experience. I do have a vietnamese translate on my health blog and I linked back to your website to help my readers understand more about Shank Prakshalana
Hello Nam,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I am glad that you found the article on shankha prakshalana useful and have referenced it on your Vietnamese blog. Hope your readers would find it helpful too.
Regards,
Subhash
Hi Subhash,
I suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Constipation. I have indigestion, bloating, pain, discomfort, etc. I have an excess of methane production in my bowel, as I could see in a lactulose test. This is probably caused by methanogens called archaea, produced by dysbiosis (based on Dr. Pimentel research). I don’t know if I have also any other overgrowth of parasytes or yeasts.
I am planning to do a Shank Prakshalana cleanse, to get rid of all the dead bugs and waste in my small bowel. After that, my idea is to take MMS to kill the living bugs that could remain and also to repoblate with kefir milk. Could I do this the same day of the cleanse? I would like to take the kefir and the MMS as soon as possible, in order not to feed the bugs with the food I eat after the cleanse.
Thank you!!
Dear Adrian,
I am glad that you are planning to try out the SP technique to help you with your situation. I am not sure about using MMS or any other type of food right after SP. I would prefer to go with the diet guidelines mentioned in the text.
Hi Subhash,
Though I received the LSP article long back but I practised LSP last sunday (14th June). I am feeling very light and my Gas Problem and Bloating has almost disappeared for the last 2 days.Here are my experiences and a few doubts :-
I used 6 glasses (approx 3 litres) of luke warm water mixed with 6 teaspoon full of salt.
1) I started with 2 glasses of luke warm water and Within in 2 set (s) of exercises (set of 5 exerises repeated 6 time each ) , i got motion almost 3 times .
2) After drinking 5th and 6th galss of saline water and continued with exercise
3) I started getting almost clean motion after 3rd round of exercise and I stopped after that.
4) I kept on getting Loose motion even after Stopping the exercise and motion was almost Clean (water).
Now my question is , I got almost Clean water just after 6 glasses of water .If one Practises Full SP , shall he continue after getting clean water untill and unless finishes more than 15 to 20 glasses of water? what if someone gets Clean watery motion just after 7th glass ??
Second question is , SInce I got Almost Clean Motion after 6 glasses , Should I take precautions in Food Habits as Prescribed for Full SP ?
I felt very tired and thirsty after drinking 6 glasses and 3 rounds of Exercises. How can one Continue when the person is so de-hydrated for Full SP ? Would not it result in dehydration and ill health.
To be on Safer side , I am taking precautions regarding Food and avoiding Dairy and spicy Food but started taking Tea after 2nd day.
Please Advise on the above questions.
Thanks,
Manoj Mishra
Hi Manoj,
Congratulations on practicing the LSP after deliberating on it for a while. I am so glad that you were able to get good results as far as your gas/bloating problems are concerned.
It looks to me that your system does not need a lot of water for the cleansing to happen. I would suggest that when you try the full SP, you may need to drink only a few more glasses. The criteria for finishing the practice is the same – the water coming out should be the same color and consistency as the water going in. It is strongly advised to follow the diet guidelines mentioned in the document.
Feeling tired and thirsty is quite normal after the practice. I don’t believe you run the danger of dehydration after drinking so many glasses of water.
Hi Subhash
Came across this site while digging on Colon cleanse. SP sounds interesting, may be I wanted to try LSP first before attempting SP. Can you please help to share the detailed links on how to perform LSP and SP?
Cheers
Siv
Hello Siv, hope you received my email where I provided links for SP and LSP docs. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Hi Subash
Thanks for replying to my post. Unfortunately I have not received the links to my email though I received the notification of your response. Can you please help to resend the links?
Cheers
Siv
Hey Subhash. I’m trying full SP tomorrow morning or the following morning. Just an easy question about the kitchari that I am supposed to eat.
Can I add veggies and is it okay to use full mung beans, or should I use spilt yellow? Which spices, if any, are appropriate?
Hi Lucas, I am glad to see that you will be practicing the SP technique in the next day or so. I wish you all the best.
Yes, you can add veggies to your khichadi. For daal, I think either one should be fine – whole mung or split mung, as long as they are cooked well. Adding ghee is also recommended.
Hi Subhash,
Please could you send me LSP technique. I am having digestion issues and would like to give it a try. Thank you so much!
Hi Hima, I sent the document via email a couple of days ago. Please share your experience with the practice. thanks.
Hi,
Thank you for writing about your experience. I did my shankhaprakshalana alone yesterday and drank around 23 glasses. I slept all night for over 11 hours and now i have woke up i feel very weak and I am experiencing quite bit headaches. Do you think this is just a normal detoxification or could there have been something i did wrong? I stuck very strictly to the after diet and did vamana dhauti and the purification kriyas. Blessings and thank you
Hi Sorcha,
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. I have a feeling that what you have is a normal detox effect of the practice. In another post in the past someone else also reported headache after the practice.
Hello Subhash,
Can you share the documents on LSP and SP. I have completed a round of SP with the help of my yoga guru last Friday. Would like to share my experience :
1. During the process after the second glass of water, I felt vomiting. They asked me to start walking round the room slowly. This helped to reduce the vomiting sensation.
2. I felt like using the toilet after my fourth glass of water and continued till the 8th glass. However I noticed my stomach getting cleaner when used the indian commode style.
3. They also mentioned not to go beyond 8 glasses.
4. Important was in between when we were tired, they suggested we walk slowly around the room. But not to sit or even lay down.
5. At the end of the complete session during the 45 min rest, it is important not to fall asleep. Else could get a headache.
The one thing they mentioned is complete rest for the next 24 hours, no mobile, no laptop etc.. this will
bring in complete mental and physical rest after the cleansing session.
Thank you,
Hello Priti,
Thank you so much for sharing your valuable experience here. I am sure the readers will benefit from it.
Subhash
Vomiting happens due to the water not having passed into the small intestine as a result of the Pyloric valve not opening fully.
DO TAD ASAN more to allow the water to pass through – that ways you will not have any vomitting sensation.
Dear all,
I wanted to perform this kriya since the last 15 years or so, but never worked on the planning part seriously. a month back my guru told me to do this and the long weekend of 01may came as a boon and went for it. i was skeptical if this would work at all at before staring the process!!!
While i was performing the asanas, i also visualized water flowing through and cleaning the internals, and after 2 rounds brown evacuation started and the 4th rounds onwards the evacuation was light yellowish, continued doing the kriya for 7 rounds and noticed only pale yellow liquid and then stopped.
i had been using triphala+amla powder for a month or so before the kriya.
Energy levels were down for the first two days but from 3rd day onwards started feeling very light and great. Could also feel a difference in my emotional state, i became very calm and peaceful…
i think this need to be done by every one, this is a greatest purification routine for the current state of stress and for the food that we consume (maida+processed items etc…).
Using triphala+amla regularly apart from performing asanas in a relaxed state and visualization of water cleaning me internally helped a lot and that may be the prime reason for a success in first go itself.
thank you for all the great insights and encouragement Subhashji.
thanks,
sarma.
Hello Sarma,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with SP. I am sure others will find your account inspiring and will be encouraged to try the practice.
Never consume too much of Triphala – the Amla in Triphala actually a very corrosive action on the inner lining of the colon.
Infact Stems of the Amla tree are used to line the well to clean the wells in rural India. So you can well imagine how corrosive it is.
A better alternative to the run up to LSP would be the TTK Kriya as advocated by the Bihar School of Yog.
Thanks Subhash for the quick Response.I have recived the email and wnet through the article. Planning to do this Activity on coming saturday.
Just one more question :-
1) Shall I start drinking 2 glass of prepared water the very first thing in the morning or first I can go to Toilet (as i generally do it) and then start the practise. Please advise.
Will update you with my experience.
Thanks
Manoj
Yes, Manoj, the recommendation is to drink water the first thing in the morning. Try it out and see how it goes.
Subhash
Hi Subhash,
Could you please send me LSP technique /link.I am 36 year old male and suffer from regular digestive issues.I would like to give it a try.
Thanks
Manoj
Hello Manoj,
I have sent you the document links via email. Hope you find it helpful.
Subhash
I accidentally stumbled on your blog, very good posts. I have been doing SP for 10 years now. I do during seasonal transition i.e spring and fall. I am very healthy but feel amazing after SP. I have been teaching Yoga for many years now and I have administered LSP/SP for hundreds of people. In my personal experience, if the SP technique is done correctly all the water intake should come out, no water is supposed to enter kidneys. Because of reverse Osmosis this salt water extracts toxins from the blood through the walls of the intestine, so it is important to expel all the water. If the individual is not completing all the exercises in the set in proper order then also water is retained. The trick here is to keep all the sphincters/valves of GI tract open at the same time. Every time I do SP I finish with the clear water expelled out and then finish with Vamana Dhauti . During SP all the Prana is drawn towards Apana, so we do feel tired. Completing with Vaman Dhauti I feel Udana Prana is stimulated.
Dear Shubha, thanks a lot for sharing your SP experience. I am sure the readers will benefit immensely by reading your thoughts on the technique and the experience.
Dear Shubha,
thank you for sharing your experience.
I have done SP twice in my life, both last year. The first one being very successful with clear water coming out at the end, after good 3 hours of drinking and exercising. The second run was not successful, probably a bit constipated, although I never have problems with constipation. I did enema to induce the “siphon” effect. Helped a little but had to interrupt and induce vomiting to at least have some benefit.
Since a year or so I have been doing water-only fasting, so far up to 4-5 days and gradually extending, with enemas. Surprisingly to me, even after 4 days of water-only fast there are still traces of stool in the water coming out after an enema. This just proves to me that enemas are not as effective as PS.
My current thought on how to increase success with PS is to proceed after 2-3 days of water-only fast. This could pretty much enhance chances on successful PS in my opinion.
3 days would be the maximum for the purpose of PS as longer fasts require gradual come-back to eating, first day being only on juices or teas and that would not comply with having to eat solid foods after PS.
What are you thoughts on proceeding with PS after 2-3 days fast? Is it a legitimate thought that it should only help passing the salty water through intestines?
Many thanks!
Dear Ghonzalo,
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. I personally have no experience with fasting for a few days before attempting SP. Maybe other readers can provide some guidelines.
Dear Sir,
Please send me the link for two documents. Thanks.
Dear sir
After reading your post n comments I m inspired to try LSP pls send me link
Regards
Thank you
Hello Jagadev, I am sending you the links to the two docs via email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Hello Subhash,
Hope this finds you doing well.
I did LSP last week as once a week routine. I didn’t get any urge even after 3 rounds, may be I think, due to the following reasons,
1. Less amount of salt in the water (Need to get the correct amount of salt decided)
2. I didn’t hold the breath while doing each asana (normal breathing).
Regards,
Chidambar
Hi Chidambar,
I don’t believe that the two reasons that you have mentioned are necessarily the cause for your not getting the urge for bowel movement. I suspect that you may have a severe form of constipation which may need medical intervention. In any case, let us know how it went after you made the two changes mentioned.
Hi Chidambar,
I can only tell my experience:
If I do not add adequate salt i.e.2 teaspoons for 1 and three quarters liters of water, I do not get adequate evacuation
If the water is not warm enough, I do not get adequate evacuation
If I do not sleep properly the night before I do not get adequate evacuation
If I am tensed up I do not get adequate evacuation
If I do not get adequate evacuation, I try anulom vilom pranayam, then I will get adequate evacuation.
If still you do not get evacuation, I agree with Subhash, there could be some problem for which a doc should be consulted.
Dear Sir.
I am 33 and have started doing Hatha Yoga now. I have constipation issues and due to which i turn out to be lethargic at times as there is no freshness. I would like to practice LSP and SP to have a healthly life. Would appreciate if you please forward me link for the same. Also can you please forward me link to the Yoga book so that i learn more
Thanks and god bless u
Ak
Hi Amkam, I sent you an email with the links. Hope you will find the practice helpful. Please share your experience here. Thanks and all the best.
Dear Sir
Yes there is no specific mention of salt in water in the study. I always correlated salt water with LSP. If you have apprehension about salt, possibly you can substitute with Triphala. But in my case, when I put less salt, the bowel evacuation was not satisfactory.
Regards
Dear Sir
You can go to this link
http://www.jaim.in/article.asp?issn=0975-9476;year=2014;volume=5;issue=4;spage=227;epage=235;aulast=Mashyal
which says LSP reduces BP
Regards
Surprisingly, this study only talks about the use of triphala but there is no mention of salt which is my main concern and interest!
Dear Sir,
If you cannot adequately evacuate bowels in LSP, you can do anuloma viloma pranayama for 20 or 21 times, then bowels will get evacuated. As far as impact of salt water on BP is concerned, there is a study published on the internet, which has found that LSP with salt water reduces BP. When ever I use less salt I cannot evacuate adequately.
I believe that BP is a questionable ailment propagated by the medical care fraternity. Each has different BP and varies through out the day and should not be controlled on the basis of statistical averages.
I have a premonition that LSP could cure almost all ailments.
As for doing it daily, Venerable swami Satyananda Saraswati a yogi par excellence (may peace be upon him) has said that it can be done daily as a matter or routine. My diabetes reversal is due to LSP.
Pranaams to Swamiji
Hi Prabhakar, thanks a lot for your insight. Could you please provide the reference source for the statement, “that LSP with salt water reduces BP”? Thanks.
Dear Sir,
As a victim of chronic tension headache since last 8 years (all diagnostic tests done for all areas above shoulder – culprits seem to be either mild cervical spondylosis or emotional blocks in mind due to some unpleasant episodes during childhood) I started doing LSP daily for last 10 days just after waking up to detoxify my body. But, I realized within few days that having a relatively unloaded intestines makes me feel perceptibly light physically as well as emotionally and is thus, improving both physical and emotional health. Hence, I am inclined to do it daily whole life.
But, have below concerns:
(1) From drinking water to finishing ablutions, it takes around 50 min with 30 min in washroom itself. As you have been doing it for many years, my question is: will this time particularly washroom time get reduced once my intestinal muscles start functioning optimally with few more weeks of LSP practice? (I really feel that as an optimization of precious time, LSP should get finished in 30 minutes if I am doing it on daily basis.) I do the same 5 asanas in same sequence with one difference that I drink entire 2 litre warm salted water in one go and then for next 15 min do 5 asana sequence and then go to the washroom – I changed to this as I did not feel any benefit of time saving while doing it 2 glass + 5 asanas + 2 glass + 5 asanas + 2 glass + 5 asanas sequence. In washroom, I also practise exercise of moving my body from waist up from vertical to front horizontal position and front horizontal to vertical position again and again as I found from trial and error that this gentle exercise helps in full evacuation and hence, I do not have to go to washroom more than once. Have you discovered any such trick over your year-long practice? Please share that.
(2) Doing it daily. Since salt water is used, can it cause BP problem in the long run? Do you believe that your BP problem might be caused by daily use of salt in LSP?
(3) I maintain minimum 10 hours’ gap between the last meal taken at 5:30 pm (with juice/honey in warm water taken after last meal till sleep if there is any hunger) and LSP time (4 am) as less than that make emptying intestines fully difficult. But, since I am still spending 30 min in washroom makes me wonder whether I should try for more than 10 hours’ gap now – I will do that from today as trial and error is the best approach for such things. Please let me know what gap you maintain.
My ideal routine will be to get up at 4 am daily and finish with LSP in 30 min and then practise 2-3 hours meditation from 4:45 am to 6/7:45 am because top quality, prolonged meditation is best done on empty intestines and stomach. But, need some solution/answer to above concerns. Thanks for your time.
Thanks,
Gopal
Dear Gopal,
thanks a lot for sharing your LSP experience and voicing the concerns that you have. Here are my thoughts:
In my opinion, having to spend 30 minutes in the washroom seems a little excessive. If possible, I suggest that you wait until you get a strong urge to go to the toilet before sitting down on the toilet seat. In terms of the overall time, in my case, I take about 40 minutes to complete the full LSP routine. Because I am on a mild dose of medication for high BP, I do not add salt to my water any more. I seem to be doing OK even without salt. On the other hand occasionally when I have trouble evacuating even after doing the full sequence of water and exercises, I usually drink additional two glasses with a pinch of salt in them. This seems to work really well for me. I like to wait until I develop a strong urge to go. While on the toilet seat, I haven’t tried any additional stretches to facilitate the bowel movement.
I think the 10-hour gap should be pretty adequate between your last meal and the LSP practice. In my case the gap is about 8.5 hours as I eat my dinner at about 7:30 PM and start the LSP practice at about 4 AM.
I think with regular practice over time, your system should adjust to your routine and bowel movement should become easier with time. Please keep us posted with your experience. Thanks.
Hi Subhash,
I have been doing LSP for last 2 months every day with 1 tsp of salt and water. Results are good and it seems toxins are too much and I still have toxic load in my body. How long does it take to purify body with LSP.
Also another question- Does LSP deplete good bacteria also from the gut? If not why not? I note that with SP one is not allowed to eat dairy products for some days?
I am not questioning the efficacy of LSP but am inquisitive about how it leaves good bacteria intact?
Dear Vipin,
I am so glad to see that you are getting good results with LSP practice. Your question whether we loose good bacteria also with the practice is a good one. I haven’t read anything in that regard so far. If anyone else has any thoughts on this topic, please do enlighten us. thanks.
Dear Subhash,
Thanks for your response. I feel that LSP done with salt water does not kill good gut bacteria as salt is essential to life and is already present in the body for various functions. I have read that salt basically is very important for sustaining life as salt takes out toxins from the cells and moves them out of body through various elimination channels.
If LSP with salt water was killing good bacteria also then after some time a person would have issues with digestion and witness diarrhea what fortunately is not happening.
Any thoughts and comments by others are also welcome.
Hello Subhash,
Hope this finds you doing well. Last Thursday, I did LSP, 3 sets of all asanas 8 times each. After 2 rounds. When I felt that I can’t do further(because of tiredness), I sat in front of my computer. After 5 min., I felt a little urge to go to toilet, which resulted in a small quantity, but not to the total satisfaction. Then I continued with the 3rd round. No urge on completion. The whole experience was so tiring, that I couldn’t go to office. After lunch, I’d an urge to go to toilet, but again no total satisfaction. But felt little energetic than the other days. I’m planning to repeat the same this Thursday. Pl advise if the breath should be held (Kumbhak) in every position or normal breathing should be followed?
Regards,
Chidambar
Before you attempt the actual LSP, you may like to do EVERY DAY the TTK Kriya – google for it BIHAR SCHOOL YOG TTK Kriya.
Also try to eat a light meal the day before LSP. Try Triphala/aloe vera/Isabgol as laxatives.
Also if 8 glasses of water does not suffice go for 10-12 glasses.
Also look at Colonic Irrigation in a good spa.
Hello Chidambar,
Your experience is a little unusual as normally after a couple of rounds bowel movement should happen freely. Let us know how it felt after you repeat it on a few more days. As for breathing, you should continue normal breathing and not apply any kumbhaka. There is always a very small duration when retention of breath seems to happen automatically – which is OK.
Hello Subhash,
Thanks for the so much precious information.
I would like to know, whether the LSP or SP will give feeling of lightness only or it will help me to perform Yoga Postures better?
I mean the Yoga postures like Padmasana, Ardha Machhendrasana can not be perfectly achieved by me. Will LSP or SP help me in this direction?
Hello Anita, it is hard to give a categorical answer to your question. All I can say is the practice of LSP and SP does a lot of cleansing and detoxification in the system. As we know, toxins are a major reason for our muscles and joints becoming inflexible. So when the toxins are released from the body, it is likely that the muscles and joint will become more flexible. As they say “proof of the pudding is only in the eating”. So go ahead and try it out for yourself and share your experience here for everyone’s benefit.
Brihaspati Dev Triguna (Hindi: वैद्य ब्रह्स्पति देव त्रिगुणा; 1920 – 2013) was a Vaidya or ayurvedic doctor and an expert in nadivigyan, the ayurvedic technique of pulse diagnosis.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1992, followed by the Indian Government’s second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan Award in 2003.
Career[edit]
Triguna was president of the All-India Ayurvedic Congress[1] and held several government positions, including Director of the Central Council for Research on Ayurveda and chairman of the National Academy of Ayurveda. He was the personal physician for the President of India.[2] He worked towards standardization of ayurvedic medicines, certifications at the ayurvedic medical colleges of India.
Triguna collaborated with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and other ayuvedic experts to develop Maharishi Ayurveda.[3] His primary practice was in Sarai Kale Khan behind Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, although he traveled to many parts of the world, including Europe where he opened Ayurveda clinics.[4] His travel in the U.S. included giving talks on Ayurveda at medical schools such as UCLA, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins.[5]
In 2003, Triguna received the second highest civilian award given by Government of India, the Padma Vibhushan Award.[6]
Vaidya Brihaspati Dev Triguna died on January 1, 2013[7] at his home in Sarai Kale Khan, Nizamuddin New Delhi. His sons Narendra triguna and Vaidya Devendra Triguna carries on his practice at the same location.[8]
Hi Vishal, thanks for providing information on Vaidya Triguna. I had the opportunity to meet him and get medication from him while I was visiting India many years ago. I had developed a severe cough during the visit. One of the medications he gave me was “gomutra” or cow’s urine. I initially thought it to be a disgusting idea to consume cow’s urine. But after talking to another vaidya friend of mine, I did take all the medicines for the prescribed period. I had a chance to meet his son as well.
Dear Subhash/ vishal
Thank you for the feedback. Does LSP work for Type 1 diabetes also, where beta cells have been destroyed in pancreas. Can it recreate beta cells
Regards
Hi Prabhakara
Am not too sure about Type 1 Diabetes being cured. I can advise you to see Mota Vaid’s son at Nizamuddin Railway Station in New Delhi. Hes a world famous Ayurvedacharya.
Vishal.
I was doing LSP every day for a month. But I was becoming leaner. Within 10 days I could get FS by 100 and PB by 130. But it did not go down further after another ten days. But I am losing weight due to LSP. I now do it on alternate days. Is there any harm if I do it every day. Does LSP result in weight loss.
Tips for LSP
1. Avoid doing it on a rainy/overcast day
2. Always use Rock Salt – also known as Sendha Namak in India
3. Ratio of salt to water should be 1 tsp in 1 litre of water – this mimics the amount of salt in human bodies
4. Eat a light dinner the day before LSP
5. Once a week LSP is enough – too much can actually be bad as it also removes good bacteria from the gut
6. Ideally to permanently reverse diabetes, LSP once a week for 12 weeks is enough
7. Practise Kunjal and Jal+Sutra Neti a week prior to the Kriya
8. A good alternative to Basti is COLONIC IRRIGATION – I would recommend it in a good spa as it really flushes the descending colon a lot better than LSP
Hi Vishal, thanks for sharing these tips.
Hi Prabhakar, since a lot of cleansing is going on in the system, you are automatically tempted to eat healthier foods. That is why it is likely that you are losing weight. Eventually the weight will settle down to its optimum level. As Vishal suggested in his email, doing LSP on alternate days or even once a week is OK. I think the frequency will depend upon your individual situation – how often does your body need it to have good bowel movement and no constipation issues.
Hello Subhash,
Hope this finds you doing well.
Whenever I practise Vamana Dhauti for 3-4 days continuously, I experience severe constipation and general weakness, it helps to reduce the weight though, since the practice is believed to balance all the 3 doshas. Is it a common experience? Is there any specific reason? Can Vamana Dhauti be done daily? What needs to be done to avoid constipation? Pl shed some light on this and if you’ve any specific instructions to be followed, pl forward to my mail-id.
Have a nice weekend ahead.
Warm Regards,
Chidambar
Hello Chidambar, to the best of my knowledge, you don’t need to do vaman dhauti on a daily basis. Personally, I don’t do vaman dhauti more than once a year. You can possibly do it once a month. I would like to know where you got the recommendation for doing it daily. If it is from a book, let me know about it. For constipation, one of the best techniques is LSP which is the topic of this article.
Hello Subhash,
I’d downloaded the following PDF, in which it’s recommended that, Vamana Dhauti can be done on a daily basis,
Yoga_and_Kriya_Swami_Satyananda_Saraswati.pdf from brihaspati.net
Regards,
Chidambar
Thanks, Chidambar, for providing the reference to the vaman dhauti practice. I looked up the book and noted that they do recommend a daily practice. The teacher that I learned it from recommended a maximum of once a week or even less frequently. I guess the views vary from one teacher to the other. In any case, I think it is important to stay tuned in with the body. If it seems to cause any problems or unwanted side effects, we need to moderate the practice accordingly. I wish you all the best with these practices.
Thanks a lot Chidambar for providing a great book by the great master. He was divinity personified.The book clears all doubts regarding Laghu Shankha Prakshalana and this is from the yoga super master Venerable Satyananda Saraswati, (May peace be upon him) himself. One can practice every day. I was doing every day for a month and started on alternate days now, when my wife expressed apprehensions about it. It is great for a diabetic. I am thinking of doing every day till my sugar level falls to normal range and adjust the frequency later. A whopping 130 points drop in post prondial in 10 days without drugs is a great achievement with LSP.
Thanks Subhash/Prabhakara.
Can you pl let me know if you can download the other PDFs(Had downloaded Yoga_and_Kriya_Swami_Satyananda_Saraswati.pdf long back)? When I want to now go to brihaspati.net to download other PDFs, it’s directing me to http://www.hotashtanga.com, which doesn’t allow the download. Also, the site language is not English.
Regards,
Chidambar
Hi Chidambar, I don’t know anything about this site.
When I did laghu shankhaprakshalana with lesser salt, I failed. So proper amount of salt and warmth in water is required. Further, I am afraid that I am addicted to it.
Thanks, Prabhakara, for sharing your experience.
Hi Prabhakar, as long as your body needs it, doing daily may not be called an addiction. However, I recommend doing it at the minimal required frequency. If you have no constipation and the bowel movement is good, then you may do LSP maybe once a week or so.
Very interesting information – I have enjoyed learning about this. Would you please send the links to my email? Very much appreciated.
Sure, Jennifer, I have sent the links via email. Hope you find them helpful.
Sir,
Very Interest to do SP & LSP.
Please send me details regard to my mail.
Thanks,
ARUN
Hi Arun, I just sent the links via email to you.
Hello Subhash,
Can you pl forward the document to provide the detailed guidelines for the diet?
Thanks & Regards,
Chidambar
Hello Sir,
I had done Laghu SP(lasting 2 hours of asanas, drinking saline water and bowel movements and the cycle went on) a few years ago under the guidance of my yoga teacher in India. I just did it yesterday in USA but I forgot the dietery restrictions to be done the few days following it. I did have 2 meals of Khichdi yesterday after LSP. But today onwards I totally forgot what I should be doing dietwise. Can I have tea today – thats my morning routine or tomorrow? what fruits and vegetables allowed the days following LSP. Kindly advice. Thanks
Hello Lavanya, it is good to see that you are trying the SP routine again after a few years. I am sending the link to the document that provides detailed guidelines for the procedure as well as diet. Hope that will help you regulate your diet.
Thank You for your reply . Can you please send me the link to the diet document you mention about?
Thanks.
Hi Guys
I am 31 yrs old healthy male . I live in London UK.I have tried done SP twice .
Once I went to Haridwar to do it . The second time I did it myself in England. First time I did it in 2010 . It was a great feeling . But I did not do the things they advised like do not eat any dairy ,fruit juice etc. Due to which I had loose motions for nearly 3 weeks.
The second time I did it myself and made sure I kept strict discipline on what not to eat.
There is a strong urge to eat but you have to make sure you don’t.
After 3 days I got bored of eating khichdi ,but I kept on going. Food never tasted any better as it tasted after the SP.
Never had constipation or any other issues after that. If anyone require assistance I am more than happy to assist . I live in london and free on weekends .
Nice sharing with you guys . good work Subhash.
Thanks, Aman, for sharing your experience and stressing the need for proper diet for a whole week after the practice. Proper diet both before and after the practice are keys to deriving maximum benefits from the practice.
[…] My experience with Shankhaprakshalan (Deep Colon … – To Yoga with Subash, 1. Satyananda Yoga Academy Ltd (SYA) is the duly authorized representative of the exclusive rights holder of all literary, dramatic, musical and …… […]
Mate I tried it but was feeling a bit comity and stopped after 6 glasses… I want to know when should I try it again?
Hi Piyush, I am assuming that the word “comity” was a mistype for “vomitish”. If so, it is quite common to feel that way in the beginning. I suggest that you try after a week or so and see how you feel.
Hi Piyush
The correct yoga poses are the mere necessity for the SP to be successful.
if the yoga asanas are not done correctly the Valves wont open and you will feel bloated very quickly.
Regards
aman
Hello Subhash,
Can you pl let me know the warm-up asanas before doing LSP, if I want to do after waking up.
Regards,
Chidambar
No need for any warm up asanas.
A week before you decide on LSP, practice Jal Neti and Kunjal Kriya.
Some tips.
Always use Sendha Namak for any yogic kriya – esp Jal Neti and LSP.
Eat a light dinner – khichdi or fruits the night before
Always use Badam Roghan oil or organic ghee for Sutra Neti
Kunjal Kriya may create RATCHETING syndromes – u will feel like puking water even before you have drunk it all – for this do Kaavala Gandoosh (white sesame oil mouth swishing and rinsing). After Kaavala Gandoosh brush teeth with Dant Kanti (Ramdev’s) toothpaste and also do light gargling.
Be calm while doing LSP – believe me its the easiest kriya to do. Focus on your breathing. Drink water only in Kaag Asana as it opens the anal sphincter muscles properly.
Our stomach holds only 1 litre of food or water or both. So in Kunjal Kriya try to consume say 1.5 litres of water – that will enable a good flushing OUT of the stomach.
The Kaavala Gandoosh and gargling will help you avoid Ratcheting.
LSP solution should be 1 tsp of Sendha Namak in 1 litre of water – its just like human blood salt concentration of 0.9 %.
Post LSP, Jal/Sutra Neti and Kunjal, you must do Shashank Asan to take out any excess water in the stomach.
Thanks, Vishal, for sharing these tips.
Chidambar, the LSP asanas are a form of warm up if you them carefully with proper breathing.
The LSP asanas are to open up the 5 food valves.
Always drink water in Kaag Asan.
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/nutrition/table-salt
Thanks, Vishal, for providing these very informative links that describe some of the dangers of using table salt and the possible benefits of using rock salt. This information, along with my own positive experience of using table salt, can help the readers make their own best judgments.
Hi Vishal,
I just realized that I was providing my comments assuming that I was on the “jala neti” thread. That morning I was reading that thread and didn’t realize that your comments were in fact related to LSP/SP. To clarify, I began practicing LSP around 1997, and started out by using salt in the water. However, around 2001 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and am currently on low dosage medication for BP. Since that time, I have stopped adding salt to the water. My system must have gotten used to “no salt” and I get excellent result.
Yog does more harm than good if done incorrectly.
Sendha Namak is advocated in Yog and not Table Salt. Ditto for Ayurved.
http://easyayurveda.com/2013/09/27/saindhava-lavana-rock-salt-benefits-ayurveda-usage-side-effects/
Try PEG (Polyethylene glycol with electrolytes)instead salt water.
Hi John, could you provide some reference as to how and why PEG is preferable to salt water?
Never try anything apart from Sendha Namak (Rock Salt) unless you wish to wreck your internals.
Also it should be a 0.9% isotonic solution.
1 tsp salt in 1 litre water.
Hi Vishal, could you please provide your source for this information? I have been using the standard table salt for over 20 years (once a week) for jala neti and it seems to have worked well for me. Please share the reasons for the use of rock salt and also how the table salt can “wreck the internals”. Thanks.
I learnt LSP under a teacher who has been doing it since age 3 and has attended the Bihar School of Yog as also done a Masters in Yog Sciences.
Also in many South Indian families they cook only with Sendha Namak. There is some merit in using it.
Hi Vishal, I am glad to see that you are learning yoga from a very experienced teacher. I would still like to know why and how the use of salt other than rock salt can damage your internals. Please provide some evidence based on research, or some scriptural reference. A statement like this when unsubstantiated can cause a lot of confusion and unnecessary fear among the readers. I would like to repeat that I have used standard table salt for jala neti for about twenty years with perfectly good results and no negative consequences.
Subhash/Vishal,
I have a query. Does LSP also remove good bacteria from the gut along with bad bacteria? If it does should we not replace with yogurt which is not allowed after SP.
I have been doing LSP for some time now. When I use salt the output is quite bulky and I feel the cleanse is complete but without salt output is not as good and feeling cleanse is not complete. LSP with salt gives sleep afterwards but without salt LSP I donot feel sleepy.
Any comments or suggestions
Dear Vipin,
I really have no idea if LSP removes both good and bad bacteria. As for diet, as far as I know, there are no diet restrictions after LSP. There are strict guidelines after SP, though, which must be followed.
Salt does have some cleansing properties. So it is natural to have a better output when you add a pinch of salt in the water. In my own case, when I started practicing LSP (around 1997), I started out by using salt in the water. However, around 2001 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and am currently on low dosage medication for BP. Since that time, I have stopped adding salt to the water. My system must have gotten used to “no salt” and I get excellent result.
Hello sir , I did SP but the result was ulta instead of passing stools , my body starts omitting, why it was so??
Hi Aaradhya,
Some time the body cannot accept a sudden change and it takes the easiest route to avoid change. You should try a few more times and see how the body reacts.
As an additional note, it is in fact recommended that after you complete the SP process, you should actually do the “kunjal”, also called “vamana dhauti” practice. In this practice you drink several glasses of lukewarm, saline water and then putting two fingers at the back of the throat, vomit the water out.
Hi sir,did sp feeling good .
I wanted to do faneer diet of yoga.Just let me know what can I eat on first and last day ?
1st Day —- Can I eat tomatoes , papaya , apple ,oranges, pulses (steam cooked with salt ), cucumber , carrots ???
3rd Day —- Can I drink milk , sugarcane juice ,orange juice ,tomato soup ?
And how much weight can I reduce doing faneer ?? Our teacher told that u can reduce 2-3 kgs doing this …
Please reply …
Dear Visha,
I am not familiar with the term “faneer diet”. Can you please let me know where you got it from and what it means? Thanks.
As for diet, you may want to consult the article on SP for detailed diet guidelines. How much weight one can reduce can vary from one individual to the next. Once you do the practice, you’d know it for yourself.
Hi Subhash, Im Damiana from Argentina Im a ICU Nurse and a yoga student form many years
I did my first Shanka Prashalana in my country in a yoga retreat with an indian Yoga teacher it was hard to drink all this salted water and as you comment in this first time I could not reach the yellow o transparent liquid stage…but after two days i felt fantastic! One year after that I had the big blessing to travel to India and I did it again the in bangalore and as I knew the profit of the process worth it I did it with some much gratitude and It was the key to my success! I could complete it and I felt like a new born baby after that! actually Im in Argentina and I just finish my Ashtanga end of year retreat and we did it again but with some new end after finish with Shanka Prashalana we did Vamana Dauti( as we been practiced every morning the previous 3 days) and this time was better than ever! I recommend it but not to do it alone I think people need training to do it by itself otherwise can become harmful ( this is the nurse coming out form me ;)) get a good yoga tecaher! practice yoga and do tho the cleaning process also this feeling of group is gorgeous! nothing better than Sangha to share the path the hard times in it and the gratitude and blessings coming from the practice!
Namaste
Dear Damiana,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with SP. I am so glad that you visited India where you were able to practice it more and then again back in Argentina. I am sure the readers here will benefit from your experience and advice regarding Vaamana Dhauti after SP. Regards.
Subhash
Would really appreciate you sending me the two links .. plan to do the full SP day after.
MANY THANKS
Hi Himani,
I have sent you an email with the links. Please share your experience here.Thanks.
Thank u Shubhash sir for ur reply, it help me alot ,some more questions I need to ask u….
1) Can LSP nd SP done in periods ie MC ? And why ??
2) Two yrs back I had my gall bladder surgery, can I do it ?
Hi Visha, in my opinion LSP is quite safe during the periods. However, you may want to avoid full SP during those days. Also, since you had the gallbladder surgery two years ago, it should be safe to do both SP and LSP practices now.
How much weight can be reduced ?
As much as you would like to.
Sorry sir ,
But not satisfied with ur answer .
Will u explain how weight will get reduced ?
Hello Visha,
The practice of LSP and SP gradually help you control your diet to be more sattvic which may help you loose weight. In general, weight loss is more a function of the mind than just the body. Most of us know how to loose weight – exercise and proper diet! It is due to our mind that we are not able to follow through the basic guidelines. Yoga practice helps purify the mind and thus give better control over our diet. Along with proper diet, you need to get in regular physical exercise through the practice of asanas. Hope this helps.
Dear Subhash,
I have been doing LSP for last one week with very good results. My bowels clear very well and in the last I pass almost clear water.
My question is can I do it daily? I use appox 2 liters of salt water. How about eating? Is it must to eat rice and dal within one hour of LSP or that is only if I am doing SP?
I find it very powerful and have read extensively about SP. I have read that it removes blockages of nadis and chakras and has profound effect on body. What is your opinion on this?
Hi Vipin,
My suggestion would be to do the practice daily only if you need to. Otherwise, if you are getting good results with, maybe, once or twice a week, then you may want to practice it accordingly. As you may have read in the LSP instructions, there are really no restrictions related to diet. If you practice it on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, it is a good idea not to overeat or eat heavy, oily foods. Keeping the diet light is always helpful.
As regards its impact on nadis and chakras, my information is also only based on what I read in books. I really don’t have any opinion as I have no direct experience in that area.
hello, I wanna try it to. what i want to know is that it is safe if i got hemorrhoid?it cures or it is helpful in any way? thanks!
Dear Ralu, I am glad that you would like to try out the practice. Unfortunately, I don’t have a definitive answer for you as to whether it is fully safe if you have hemorrhoids. As per the text from Bihar School, the only caution given is to avoid it in case of ulcers. My gut feeling is that it may help since hemorrhoids are usually caused by constipation. LSP/SP practice helps in relieving constipation. I suggest it is worth a try. Let us know how it goes.
Thanks for the info. I will try this practice as soon as a can and i will inform you about how it goes.
Hi Subhash, thanks so much for sharing your experience on SP (and LSP)! I was Googling for more information and I found your site :). Currently, I’m experiencing an extremely bad outbreak of eczema (with weeping sores -_-) and I think it has to do with my recent attempt at dry-fasting / reducing food intake (resulting in constipation [my frequency of bowel movement has dropped to once every 2 or 3 days :(). I’m thinking of trying LSP (and later, SP), would you mind emailing me the links / doc on the procedures to follow? Would really, really appreciate your help! I’m looking into buying the book too, but it takes quite some time before it will arrive… ><
Hello Keng,
I am sorry to learn of your eczema and constipation issues that came up as a result of fasting. I haven’t heard of this kind of reaction from fasting before. I certainly hope the practice LSP and SP will help you with your situation. I am sending the links via email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Thanks!
I tried LSP on Tuesday morning, and it was very effective :). I went to toilet around the 5th glass, and I had another one shortly after doing all the asanas. However, it took me around 1.5 hrs to finish everything (warming up the water, mixing in the salt, checking to make sure I was doing the asanas correctly, and visiting the toilet). I did 2 LSP two more times, on Thursday, as well as this morning (Sunday), and the total time I took stabilized to around 1 hr.
My constipation issues appear to be resolved, but my eczema didn’t clear up, unfortunately :(, I’ll keep doing this and see how it goes…
Thanks so much for all your advice and support, Subhash! 🙂
Organics India – bought their Cow Ghee at Aarogya India – exhibition at Pragati Maidan.
Simply awesome even though its a tad expensive at Rs. 550/ 1/2 kilo !!
Did TTK Kriya this morning – good relief – something which can be done every day if one cannot do LSP.
Bihar School of Yoga has come out with a new book exclusively on Shankh Prakshalan – not yet available online.
Price is Rs. 150.
That’s good news, Vishal. I would love to get a copy of this new book on SP when it becomes available online.
Hello Subhash,
I tried doing Laghu Shankhaprakshalana, consuming 2 glasses of warm salted water. During every asana waited for 5 seconds in the breath-holding mode. After first set of 5 asanas 8 times, I got so tired, I couldn’t continue further. Can you pl suggest something on this?
Regards,
Chidambar
Hi Chidambar,
I understand how doing each asana five times can get challenging. My suggestion would be to start by doing each asana three or four times and see how it goes. That way, you can go through the suggested amount of water, along with the asanas and hope to get good results.
Hi Subhash,
I would really appreciate it if you could send me the links too. I am looking forward to complete Shankhaprakshalan in the coming week.
Much thanks!!
Hi Aisha, I have sent the links via email. Let us know how it goes. Thanks.
Dear Subhash,
I would appreciate if you could send me the links as well.
Much obliged,
Sincerely,
Irina
Hi Irina, I have sent the links via email. Thanks for sharing your experience here.
Dear Subhash,
Pl send me the 2 links about the Shankhaprakshalan.
Thanks
S.Seenivasan
Singapore
Sending via email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Do you or anyone reading this have personal experience of lowering blood sugar after doing this practice? I’ve done the full one three times in my life, each time with wonderful experience. I did this only once after I became diabetic, but did not record my sugar readings on that day or on the days following it. Some people, such as Swami Ramdev, have popularized it in his camps and he says that the blood levels are checked every day and they have found that it falls dramatically over several days after doing Shankaprakshalana. Anyone with firsthand blood glucose readings before and after?
Good question, Krishnan. I don’t have any personal experience with it. Hopefully some of the other readers would care to comment.
Yes while doing LSP be very careful if you are diabetic or have low blood pressure issues.
Doing LSP over 12 consecutive weeks (interval of 7 days between each LSP session) permanently reverses diabetes – meaning you get cured of diabetes forever.
Also be very careful about water retention post LSP – for this 2 minutes in SHASHANK ASAN is a MUST – not many teachers will tell you this.
Body temperature also drops.
A good but not so effective Kriya is the TTK Kriya – drink 2 glasses of just lukewarm water and do Tad Asan then again 2 glasses of water and do Tiryak Tad Asan and the 2 glasses and Kati Chakra Asan – this you can do EVERY DAY.
I taught a neighborhood chemist Jal Neti a few days back – he had severe Maxillated Sinus – whatever that means and as usual was being coaxed for surgery by money hungry allopath doctors. He says he has had huge relief in just 4-5 days and says he feels he doesnt need any surgery. He is now eagerly awaiting me teaching him Sutra Neti.
Spread the good word around about Yog – dont cling onto information if you have about Ayurved and Yog. I have personally now cured people of Sinusitis, hyper acidity, IBS, arthritis and even women’s disorders, migraine etc.
good morning I am from Mumbai I have been diagnosed with bronchietasis and emphysema kindly help.
Lots of love
Dear Sir
Thanks for providing lot of information on Laghu Shankha Prakshaalana. I am a diabetic and I started practicing LSP. When I began 22nd Jan 2015 my fasting sugar level was 267 and Post Prondial was 420. After doing LSP for ten days regularly on 30th Jan 2015 Fasting sugar came down to 178 and Post Prondial came down to 293. I was thrilled with the result. But now I am confused. I got my sugar checked today 10th Feb 2015, there is no variation. Is it because I did not sleep properly yesterday (I had disturbed sleep for only 4 hours). I was mentally disturbed the whole last week. Is it the reason. I request your kind advice.
Warm Regards
Prabhakara C S
Hello Prabhakar,
When you start a new practice which seems helpful, the initial impact is always high. However, the benefits will begin to taper off over time. I don’t think you can expect to see continuous decline in your sugar levels with the practice of LSP. My feeling is that if you continue the practice, it may stabilize your condition so you may not see big swings in your numbers.
Thank you sir for your prompt reply.
Does it mean that I will not be able to reach the normal levels of 100 fasting and 130 post prondial. By continuous practice can I not get rid of Diabetes.
I remember that I did this continuously 15 years back, when I was border line diabetic and I was pronounced non-diabetic by the doctor after 2 months.
Regards
Dear Prabhakar,
To be able to heal any disease or ailment, you need to go deep inside and find out what caused the disease in the first place. Is it your diet? Is it your lifestyle? Do you have stress? Is it genetic? Is it age related? If you think Shankhaprakshalan can fix all these causes, then you are good to go and should get complete relief if you keep practicing. Remember, unless the tree is uprooted from the very roots, it is likely to grow again!
I just checked my blood sugar. Post Prondial is 221 and HBA1C is 7.8. I am getting close to the normal range. I have come a long way from 400 post prondial in Jan 2015. A large part of the progress is due to LSP. I thank guru Satyanandaji (May peace be upon him) for ushering in this kriya from yogic texts and Sri.Subhash for spreading the message across. LSP surely helps Diabetics. I think it should help other ailments also
Does LSP recreate beta cells in the Pancreas.
Regards
Hello,
Thank you for this informative post and for the time you take answering all the comments.
I have been planning to do SP for years (I used to watch my mother do it when I was a kid), but I have low blood pressure issues and was told it would require supervision. I would like to try LSP once a week though, could you please send me the details?
Hi Valia, I am sending the link via email to you. Good luck!
Subhash
Dear Valia
Regards low blood pressure try taking MUKAT VATI or MUKTA PISHTI – it Normalises Blood Pressure.
You can then attempt LSP.
Yes LSP should be done with caution – it can be quite enervating. Overall its very relaxing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihaspati_Dev_Triguna
Sir
Thanks for such a valuable information. U hv been doing a good job to get people out of their miseries as having fit body and mind is the ultimate happiness.
As it is said “nirogi kaya” is the biggest happiness one can maintain throughout one’s life.
Sir, I hv been suffering from stomach ailments for 5-7 years now and I hv also thought of committing suicide at times but after reading your post and your experience I request you to kindly grant me wisdom on this issue.
If by god’s grace I am well again that will be my rebirth and I’ll be thankful to you throughout my life.
I hope u’ll reply soon.
thanking you
TRY LSP – it will cure your stomach ailments for sure.
In case you are based in India and esp New Delhi – try meeting Mota Vaid’s son in Sarai Kale Khan – he is the leading Nadi Chikitsa – reading your pulse for your tridoshas. Ayurvedic Doctor.
Also try consuming Aloe Vera from Forever Living – possibly the best in the world.
Good luck with LSP – nothing comes close to it – personal experience.
Vishal / New Delhi, India.
Hi Shaan, I think you will benefit from attending regular yoga classes in your area. As a part of the yoga practice, you may want to include the practice of LSP for giving relief to your stomach. I wish you all the best.
Hi! Could you tell me please how long time after my fasting, can I make a sankhprakshalana? Thank you! Miroslava
Please tell me a little more about your fast – what kind of fast and for how long; also, are you talking of LSP or full SP? Thanks.
ORGANIC GHEE PRODUCER FROM INDIA
http://www.organicindiashop.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=84
CONCEPT OF JATRAGINI (THE GASTRIC FIRE)
NEVER drink water after the main meals. Doing so extinguishes the Jatragini (The Gastric Fire) and converts our food into Uric Acid.
KAVALA GANDOOSH (Important Yogic/Ayurvedic mouth rinsing Kriya)
Take 1 to 2 tsp of white sesame oil (safed til oil in Hindi). Swish it in your mouth for say 5-10 minutes – later you can progress to more.
It cures all mouth related disorders – no need for Listerine, Plax etc.
Dirt cheap to do – safed til oil costs just Rs. 100/litre in Delhi if taken from a cold oil presser (Kohlu).
Boycot Listerine/Plax – they are harmful.
Hello Shri Subhash,
Can you pls share the method of both the Laghu and Long way of Shankhaprakshalana in details and the precautions to be taken before and after the procedures.
Also would appreciate if you could let me know the name of the Book which mentions the process about both of them.
Can we perform Laghu Shankhaprakshalana daily and how much time it takes to complete? Is there same precaution as that of Full Shankhaprakshalana
Looking forward to your early reply
Regards
Deepak
Hello Deepak, I am sending you the links to the two documents via email. The docs contain all the necessary procedures and precautions. The name of the book is “A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya “. It is from the Bihar School of Yoga by Swami Satyananda.
Yes, it is safe to do the LSP practice on a daily practice, if that’s what your body needs. You may want to start with maybe once or twice a week and see how you feel. The total time to do LSP should be under fifteen minutes.
Subhash Jee
Could you please send me that doc file as well on LSP? Thank You !!
A good yog teacher always begins with LSP – am so impressed that you teach it.
Some useful tips from my end on LSP.
1. Eat a fruit bowl + fruit juice the night before
2. The Khichdi should be cooked in Sendha Namak and with excess ghee and a tinge of haldi – no jeera, no masalas etc.
Jal Neti and LSP Water ingestion should be Sendha Namak (Rock Salt) water – ration 1 tsp in 1 litre of water.
3. You have not mentioned about Kunjal Kriya and Jal and Sutra Neti – these are a must post LSP.
4. Sutra Neti tip – apply Badam Rogan Oil or desi ghee to the Sutra
5. Do Shashank Asan post LSP, Kunjal and Neti – it takes out any excess water from stomach
6. Do Kapaal Bhatti and Yogic Nidra post LSP, Kunjal and Neti
7. Eat excess ghee laden khichdi and drink warm water along with it – if you can get Chukkuvellam water – nothing like it. C’vellam is a Keralite concoction of herbs – mostly dried ginger based and very effective in digestion
8. Try to sleep with no fan on post Kriya – even though some LSP Gurus say it bring in lethargy – the body needs immense rest
These sound like good tips. Could you please share the source for this information? Thanks.
1. Personal experience my yog teacher is an MSc in Yog.
2. Youtube Videos by Baba Ramdev and other Yog Gurus also mention the same points.
3. Read books such as the one from Bihar School of Yog + articles on the net.
I found my yog teacher’s tips the best – not many will tell you to do Shashank Asan to take out any excess water from the stomach.
Also the khichdi we got to eat was made from Organic Ghee – the calf was always fed Organic Chaaraa (fodder). It comes from a Gaushala in Bangalore (will get the name in another post).
Chukuvellam is my idea – Keralites drink it after every meal. It gives water a light rose pink color tint and is very beneficial in digestion.
NEVER DO LSP ON A DAILY BASIS.
The most frequent one can do is it on a weekly basis and its said if done for 12 consecutive weeks it permanently reverses diabetes.
ALTERNATIVE TO LSP IS TTK KRIYA (MENTIONED BY BIHAR SCHOOL OF YOG)
TTK stands for Tad Asana, Tiryak Tad Asana and Kati Chakra Asana
Wake up in the morning.
Drink 2 Glasses of lukewarm water and then do 10 rounds of Tad Asana.
Repeat it for another 2 glasses of water then Tiryak Tad and then again 2 glasses and Kati Chakra Asana.
This is a therapy which can be DONE ON A DAILY basis and is a fairly ok therapy for those constipated.
Even in LSP typically around 5th-6th glass the bowel movement begins.
Hi Vishal,
Here is an excerpt from the book by Bihar School (introductory para in the chapter on LSP) “It can be done daily as part of your early morning routine, or it can be performed occasionally whenever it is justified.” Could you please provide a source for your information that it should NEVER be done daily? Also, could you provide the page/chapter in BSY book where TTK is described? Thanks.
Will email you the TTK Kriya – I have it some where as a doc file.
Regards LSP not to be done daily is that the saltish water really dries up the inner lining of the GI Tract. My yog teacher said once a week is fine.
Its mentally a tough practice – if you include Kunjal, Neti in it, it takes 90 mins. Not many can endure it.
Great comment, Vishal! Thanks for sharing.
hello subhash,
thank you for this post. please email me the LSP procedure detailed thank you. i have ibs too.
regards,
lenswork imagination
Hi Lenswork, I am sending you the links in an email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
A good strategy to have a great LSP is to eat fruits for dinner and also have some fresh juice.
I took a fruit bowl around 7 pm the evening before – NO KHICHDI.
I had to use the washroom JUST ONCE POST LSP.
Also if you have never done Jal Neti – learn that and do it for a week before LSP. It helps.
Hi, I would like to know the procedure of doing LSP.
Thank you
Hi Sunitha, I am sending you the links in an email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
http://brihaspati.net/downloads/Yoga_and_Kriya_Swami_Satyananda_Saraswati.pdf
Thanks, Vishal, for sharing the link.
I did Laghu Shankh Prakshalan in May 2012.
Had am amazing feeling after the Kriya. I had Frozen shoulder and IBS – all gone in 90 minutes.
On the day prior to LSP eat a dinner of fruit juices and fruits. It helps. I needed to go the washroom just once during LSP.
It makes your mind and body so light weight. I feel one can do it even 5-6 times in a year – avoid rainy and winter weathers.
Thanks, Vishal, for sharing your wonderful LSP experience.
My yog teacher said this
If done on 12 consecutive weekends, it fully reverses even DIABETES.
What more can one ask for?
I am told it cures some 95~97 % diseases.
Dear Subhash – This is a wonderful post. I am looking to include LSP and SP in my routine. Can you please send me links you are referring to here?
I am sending the links in an email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
sir i have ibs for last 5 years straight . bloating and constipation is just not ending ..i am happy to come through this blog and read the experiances..can u pls send the details of sp and lsp..i hope this might resolve my ibs….
I am sending you the links in an email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Dear Manoj, I understand your concern. Actually, after LSP there are no strict diet guidelines. The general guideline is that the first meal after the practice of LSP should be relatively light. Instead of khichadi, if you have access in your hostel, try to get simple rice and daal. You should give a gap of about one hour after the LSP to eat your breakfast/brunch which should be light. Hope this helps.
First I thank you thousand times for this blog as it is useful for a lot of peoples and replying their problems also. I also want to do this yoga. If you could please send me the links to both SP and LSP I would greatly appreciate it. I want some question can i do LSP with my regular diet? How frequently I can do SP?
I will share my experience here.
Dear Manoj, I am grateful to you for your kind words. I am sending the links via email.
Thanks for the links and LSP and SP techniqes, I have practice this today and my stomch completely empty. But I have one querry that after LSP can I go for normal diet? BecauseI am leaving in hostel and I can not manege to get khichadi with ghee can u suggest anything else that I can take after LSP?….
Hello, please be so kind to mail me the link for the short and long versions of the colon cleansing. Thank you indeed!
Vivi
Thanks, Vivi, for your interest in learning the colon cleansing routine. I am sending you the links via email. Please study the instructions carefully and follow the guidelines for the practice. I would appreciate your sharing your experience on the blog here.
Hey Subhash. I tried doing SP many times in the past and had some success with it for my severe constipation (due to parasites). But now if i try doing it, i can try driking as many cups of salt water as i want but i will not pass any stool and the salt water gets absorbed into my bloodstream and it eats up all my muscle mass and bone mass because the water gets stuck somewhere in my intestines. Do you think i should continue? Or try other variations? Thanks
Mohammad, unfortunately, given your situation, I cannot offer any further guidance. You may need medical intervention.
Hi. I did my first ever LSP yesterday only. I was with my teacher. Was painful at start drinking the saline water. I had bowel movements only after the 11th glass of saline water. Before the bowel movements though I puked like 5 to 6 times of the saline water. Only then I had bowel movements. Then I had the khichadi without spices at all. I was requested to drink lots of water and eat only liquid food, no non-veg, milk, coffee during three days. On the first day I was feeling very tired and sleepy and I had a terrible headache which woke me up at night. 2nd day was better but feeling so hungry. And I had khichadi again. After reading all your articles, I am now willing to do this diet for the whole week. And after this 1 week, I will never ever look or cook khichadi…
Thanks, Kshama, for sharing your experience. I am surprised that it took you 11 glasses of saline water before bowel movement. I guess, everyone goes through their own individual experience. I understand how you feel about khichadi. However, it is considered good eating practice to eat khichadi every now and then to keep the stomach light. All the best!
Hi sir,
I am staying in USA, after my delivery I gained alomost 10kgs weight and I have a hard stool problem also. Shankaprakshalana heard this from my friend and now I want to try this method, but am not finding any yoga teacher near my place, can I start this process alone. Is it safe? please suggest me…
Dear Cherry, the practice of Laghu Shankhaprakshalana (LSP) is considered safe and can be done frequently, even daily, if needed. However, the full SP needs many more precautions and must be learned either from a teacher or followed strictly as given in the book by the Bihar School of Yoga. I am sending you via email instructions for LSP. Try it out and let me know how it goes. All the best.
Hi Subhash,
I was searching shank prachalan and I came across your blog which I find very useful for it gives details and a platform where people can interact and share views. I live in Toronto and have been facing health challenges for last 2 years. I believe that I have lyme disease and various symptoms show up. At the moment I am doing coffee enemas 2 to 3 times a day and passing a lot of mucus. I have done one shank prachalan way back 30 years ago in Swami Derendra bramchari’s ashram in Delhi and I must admit it was a good experience and afterwards I felt like new born.
My Question is how long after laghu shank prachalan can I do coffee enema? That lead to my second question why would I need coffee enema after LSP. Coffee enema removes stagnant bile along with gallbladder stones from liver. Does LSP clear gallblader stones from liver and gallbladder?
I am looking forward to a response.Also if you know any yoga practioner in Toronto who can help me do LSP and SP. And please send me detailed procedure of LSP and SP through email.
Regards
Dear Vipin, I am sorry to learn of your struggle with Lyme disease. I am not familiar with coffee enema and am not able to make any recommendation that relates to its practice. The practice of LSP helps with cleansing the colon system quite well. And, of course, the full SP practice does an excellent job of cleansing the entire digestive system. Again, I am not aware of whether or not LSP or SP will help with Lyme. you may want to do some internet research to see if there is any such reference available. I am sending you the LSP and SP links via email. I would love to hear about your experience with the practice. Unfortunately, I don’t know of anyone in Toronto who might be able to guide you with the practice. I suggest you start with LSP following the instructions given in the document that I am sending. In the meantime you may ask around for someone in your area who can help you with SP. All the best.
24 cups since almost 5 hours…
I am sorry that you are having trouble with the practice. Unfortunately I am not able to suggest any remedy. I wish you all the best.
what happens if I just stop? Did it actually clean the colon?
should I also eat only rice?
Actually, in my case also, I had to finally stop even though nothing was coming out. It didn’t feel quite right at that time. However, after the bowel movement the next day it felt absolutely marvelous. Yes,the diet should still be the same – khichadi (rice-lentil cooked), as prescribed in the text.
you may want to repeat the whole experience once again in about six months and see how it goes.
Hi,
I am just doing the Sanka Praksalana and I had 23 cups (5,75l). I could only go twice to the toilet with the normal stool, since then nothing came out. Could you advice me, what I could do now?
Shall I keep going? I might be able to drink a few more cups, but I feel sick and full of water.
With best regards,
klingsor
Day- 91
I am fine. More energetic.
Thanks Sir.
With regrads
Himanshu.
It is fantastic way to cleanse your digestive system.Ouryoga guru Mr.Ramdas Thosar is a great person
Hi Sir,
I am suffering from Constipation and fisher last 6 years .
Advice me .
If you could please send me the links to both SP and LSP I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you
Hi Rahul,
I am sending you the SP and LSP links in an email. I hope you will find the information helpful and that the practice will help you with your health issues. Please let me know how it goes. All the best.
plese can you send me sp and lsp instructions. thanks in advance
Sure, Ivana. I have sent you an email with the two links. Please share your experience here. Thanks and all the best.
Day-72
I am feeeling better day by day. More energetic.
Thanks Sir.
With regrads
Himanshu.
that’s great, Himanshu! So glad to hear that.
Hello Subhash,
If you could please send me the links to both SP and LSP I would greatly appreciate it.
I will share my experience here.
Thank you
Certainly, Halei, I am sending you links via email. Please share your experience here. Thanks and good luck!
Pls email me docs and links
Hi Manoj, I have emailed you the links. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
I agree with Trey – thank you for maintaining the blog and the quick replies. I’d like to try the LSP if you would kindly email the program. I’ve always gone the herbal route and now Triphala doesn’t seem to work anymore.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Diane,
I am sending the links via email. Please share your experience here. Wishing you all the best.
Hi,
I want to start lsp for colon cleanse. Pls send me docs, material, links so that i can prepare and exute
Please email me both links. Thank you for actively maintaining this blog for so long, it has been inspiring and informative.
Hi Trey, I am sending the links via email. I would love to hear about your experience.
Day-50
Successful.
Hello again,
Oh thank you so much Subhash!! I was a bit worrie about that salt.. You add to me a bit more of confidentce.. So every day more &more until I really be ready.
Ann
Hello Subhash,
I am 7 month after the childbirth, giving breastfeat. Well smth like 3 weeks ago I did noticed that something was going on with my bowl… Together with it I become more lazy, sometimes feeling dizziness. But the last shock I got when I checke’d my weight and there I found 68kg, then day after labor were 65kg!!! Normal 58kg & I mean that’s happen in 2weeks!!! My shape use’d to be pretty stable 65kg last 6month. So this made me worry.
I dont have constipation, but my daily routine has been changed. It use to be quick wright after woke up, now i can take my time…. At the evening i feeling gassy inside, seems like my hoses are mowing
I started to pay more attention to my meals habit, But alsou I thought I’ll do some inside out washing.
I did sport before i get pregnant, I am pretty got emotional statement. Now I’m planing to rehearsal for a week with asanas and a straight diet and then full LSP
Well i am wondering what kind of kidney problem having people should not attent that?..In my childhood ones i has inflammation of the gallbladder.
Do I need tightening stomach muscles & the body during asanas?..
sea salt is that ok?..
How much per 1liter?..
Thank You so much!!
Anna
Hi Anna,
I am so glad that you are planning to practice LSP to address some of the issues that you seem to be facing now. Start out with the LSP technique first. Stay with it for some time. When you feel very comfortable with the technique and you also feel that you are getting the desired benefit from the practice, you can plan to do the full SP technique.
The amount of salt should be just enough to make it taste salty. In one liter you can add about one teaspoon of salt. The water should be lukewarm in temperature.
You don’t need to be in any kind of shape for the LSP practice. The asanas associated with it are quite simple and you should be able to do them easily.
I wish you all the best,
Subhash
Thank you very much for sharing your experience of the full SP.
I have been willing to try it for a long time but didn’t dare to do it on my own. Could you be so kind as sending me the full process ? Furthermore, I sometimes have high blood pressure. Is there any risk linked to that practice in that case? Thank you very much for your help.
Kind regards.
Sylvaine
Hello Sylvaine, it is so nice to see that you would like to try the full SP practice. I am sending the link to the document via email. If you have BP which is uncontrolled despite medication, you may want to add only a very small amount of salt in the water. Otherwise, I don’t believe there is any harm in using the recommended amount of salt. I wish you all the best. Please do share your experience here.
Day-31 Successful.
Day-32 Successful.
Day-33 Successful.
Day-34 I could not get bowl movements even after 3 glass of water and 3 sets of 5 asanas, 8 times each. I stopped at this point went for stroll. After 15-20 minutes I felt bowl movement. The possible reason I figure out for not getting bowl movement was that I over slept in the morning. Usually I leave the bed at 5 am but today I overslept. I will take care of it tomorrow.
Day-30, Tuesday.
Successful.
Day-27 Saturday
Fully Successful.
Day-28 Sunday
Fully Successful.
Day-29 Monday
Ya, Successful.
Please send me the information about how to do LSP
Hi Dhara, I have sent you a link to the document via email. Please share your experience here. thanks.
Day-26
Successful.
Day-25
Successful.
I have reserved full LSP for saturdays and sundays onlt as it takes near about two hours to complete. I mean to get evacuated all the solid material and to get watery jet only. Even some times I was not successful in getting watery jet and felt bloated.
Now I only practice LSP till I do not get bowel movement. Usually it takes 3 glass of water and three sets of 5 Asanas-8 times each. Today I got the bowel movements after taking 2 glass of lukewarm water and two sets of asnas. I feel my digestive tract is coming inline ‘n’ I too.
Thank you sir. May god bless you.
With best regards
Himanshu Pandey
Hello Chidambar,
“Not successful” to me implies no bowel movement. I practice LSP on a daily basis and have been doing so for almost fifteen years now. I started the practice as I used to feel constipated on most days. In my experience, occasionally I just have to wait a little bit longer but for the most part I am “successful” in getting bowel movement. I have a feeling that gradually Himanshu’s practice will also be successful on majority of the days.
Subhash
Hello Himanshu,
I really appreciate your efforts in practicing LSP on a daily basis and really motivates me to take up LSP. One thing i couldn’t understand is, what is meant by “Not Successful”.
Hello Subhash,
You also practice LSP daily, what’s your experience w/ LSP in terms of “Not Successful” on a particular day? What does it mean?
Regards,
Chidambar
Day-6 Not Successful.
Day-7 Successful.
Day-8 Successful.
Day-9 Not Successful.
Day-10 Not Successful.
Day-11 Successful.
On 11th day I feeling younger and more energetic than I was 11 days prior to practicing LSP.
Thank you Sir, may god bless you.
Thank you sir for guidance.
———————————————-
Day-4, Not successful. I could not figure out what went wrong with my practice. Though the energy level was as usual as on third day. In the evening it was normal bowl movement.
———————————————-
Day-5
Morning hours-successful.
If you don’t feel any fatigue after LSP, you can do your yoga practice immediately after you are done with LSP. As for food, I have been eating regular meals even though I practice LSP every day. I think it is good to eat khhichadi every now and then but it is not necessary to do so the previous evening.
Sir,
1-May I do my regular yoga after LSP.
If Yes.
After what time period?
Immediately
or
after giving some gap.
Any Asana which may be refrained from practicing after LSP.
2- I eat “khichadi with Ghee” after LSP in morning, regular food i.e. Daal, Rice, Chapati and Sabji in lunch and the same in Dinner.
It was advised that one should eat khichadi in the evening the day before practising LSP. As I am practicing LSP on daily basis. Should I stick to Khidadi in evening (i.e. for ‘DINNER’) or may have normal diet.
Thank you sir for guiding me.
Regards
himanshu
Day-3
better than Day-2. Feeling more light and cheerful. .
Regards
Himanshu Pandey.
Hi Himanshu,
Looks like you are getting some good results with your LSP practice. Habit forming? Maybe – but it is a better habit than taking laxatives on a regular basis. As for BP, I don’t believe it should cause a problem if you use only a very small amount of salt. If you already have high BP, then you may like to avoid using salt. Otherwise, a pinch of salt should be OK.
Day-2
Started at 6.00 am.
Took two glasses of warm saline water mixed with lemon juice.
Did one round of 5 asanas 8 times each.
Felt nothing.
Took two more glass of above said warm water.
Did one round of 5 asanas 8 times each.
Went to the washroom. only urine came out and nothing.
Took two more glass of above said warm water.
Did one more round of five asnas 8 times each. went to washroom. Nothing happened.
Took two more glass of water as said above.
Did five asanas 8 times each.
After completing “KATICHAKRASANA’ I felt MOVEMENT in my intestines and had to rush to washroom. A semi liquid jet came out.
I was just out of washroom. But had to rush once again in. A Liquid jet came out.
After finishing just I was wishing to come out of washroom, I had to sit once more and more liquid with full force came out.
Now I stopped taking water.
Did one more round of 5 asanas 8 times each and went to washroom. nothing happened. Took 2-3 minutes walking in living room and did one more round of 5 asanas 8 times each and went to washroom. A little liquid (more water, less fine digested food material came.
I stopped here practicing asanas. Took a rest for ½ an hour. Took bath with warm water.
Ate ‘KHICHADI’ of Moong dal And Rice with Ghee. I had to go two more times to washroom. But only left over, in little quantity, watery fluid, came out.
Today no mild headache, no mild burning sensation in eyes, no blotting after eating and no gas. No acidity. Feeling lighter and better than yesterday.
Here one thing I want to know. If I practice it daily with saline water as described above, will I be in danger for High Blood Pressure? If I practice it for longer period on daily basis will it be habit forming. How long I can do it on daily basis?
Thank you sir, very much. May GOD bless you.
Regards
himanshu.
Day-1
In the evening I hardly got any bowl movement. was hard and very little. During day hours I felt mild headache and mild burning sensation in eyes.
In dinner I dined with “KHICHADI” mixed with “GHEE”. Will see in the morning what is the effect on bowl movements.
With regards.
Himanshu.
Day 1.
Started at 7.15 am.
Took one glass of warm saline water mixed with lemon juice.
Did one round of 5 asanas 8 times each.
Felt nothing.
Took one more glass of above said warm water.
Did one round of 5 asanas 8 times each.
Went to the washroom. only urine came out and nothing.
Took one more glass of above said warm water.
Did one more round of five asnas 8 times each. This time I noticed some ‘HULCHUL’ in the stomach.
went to washroom. Nothing happened.
Took one more glass of water as said above.
Did five asanas 8 times each.
Went to wash room nothing happened.
Took one more i.e. Fifth glass of above said water.
Did one round of 5 asanas 8 times each. I literally felt as some ‘GAADHAA’ liquid is being pourd in my colon from the upper part of intestine. While I was doing ‘TIRYAK TADASANA’ and “KATICHAKRASANA’ I felt MOVEMENT in my intestines. While performing ‘TIRYAK BHUJANGASANA’ and more specifically ‘UDARAKARSANASANA’ Ifelt some thing pourd in every time when I turned my body to the right side.
I went to the wash room. Now it was the D day. A semi liquid jet came out.
Took one more glass of water i.e. the sixth glass.
Did 5 asanas 8 times each.
Went to waashroom. One more watery jet came out.
Now I did not take water. But practised 5 asanas 8 times each and went to washroom. nothing happened.
I stopped. Took rest for 1/2 an hour. Took bath with warm water.
Ate ‘KHICHADI’ of Moong dal And Rice with Ghee. Took the same kichadi for my lunch and came to the office.
It takes 2 hours to rach my office from my home. I used to release gas 15-20 times while I was travelling. In office also it was a continuing process. To day did not felt the urge to release gas neither while travelling nor in the office till writting to you. Thank you sir, very much. may GOD bless you.
Regards
himanshu.
Hi Himanshu,
Thanks for sharing your experience with LSP in detail. I am glad to see that after trying for a while you were able to see good results. Please keep us posted with future progress with this practice. All the best.
Thank You Sir for the link.
Regards
himanshu.
Hallo Subhash,
I’m disappointed that the Shanka Prakshalana didn’t go well. I started a bit late in the morning, at 9:00 am. I went to the toilet after drinking the first 2 glasses of sea salt water. I passed soft formed stool. I continued drinking up to 4 liters of water. But, I didn’t get an urge to pass the stool. So, I ended the procedure at 3:00 pm.
I drank the first two glasses quickly and after that I slowed down. I performed the asanas pretty well. I took some rest as well. I have to accept that I’m always constipated.
Could you please tell me, what did I do wrong? Thank you!
Hi Usher, I am sorry to see that you SP procedure didn’t seem to work for you. It is really hard for me to figure out what might have gone wrong. You may want to give it another try after maybe six months or so. I certainly wish you all the best.
Subhash Sir,
Please send me the links for LSP and SP
Regards
himanshu.
Hello Subhash,
Please send the links for LSP & SP.
Regards,
Chidambar
Hi Chidambar, I am sending the links in an email. Let me know how the practice goes. Thanks.
Dear Sir
Thank you for giving information about laghushankhapraskhalan.If we do it daily is there any bad effect of it
Hi Prabhakar, No, there is no bad effect if you do the LSP practice daily. Only the full SP practice should be done maybe once or twice a year.
Hello iam suffering from a paraciet. Now for 7 month. I am thinking of doing lsp. Does anybody has some experions with it. Is it so that it could kill the paraciet . Could you send the ibstructions. Of i made any mistakes in mine english ot is not mine mother language.
Thank you and a good en haelthy new year
Marjanne
Hi Marjanne, I don’t have any experience with the treatment of parasites with the practice of LSP. I am pretty sure it can not harm; on the other hand it can definitely help. I am sending you the instructions in an email. Let me know how it goes. Thanks and good luck!
Hi Subhash,
You have explained the process in detail.Thanks for that. I am planning to do SP coming monday. Have a few questions
1) We drink 2 glasses of water and then do the 5 exercises repeating each one 8 times. Do we do exercise one then two then three then four and then five and this is one cycle which needs to be repeated eight times or do exercise one eight times and then proceed to second?
2) Can we add salt and spices to the khichidi on day one( I dont mean chillies but many be asafoetida or
fennel)
3) If we do not get bowel movements after a set of exercise do we need to wait to get them before starting the next set or can we just drink water and start the new set of excercise
4) Can you please send the pdf for SP and LSP.
Thanks for your help in advance.
Sorry for not responding to you earlier, Jahnvi. I was out of town during the Christmas time.
Each exercise is done 8 times before proceeding to the next one.
Yes, you can add small amounts of salt and spices to the khichadi.
If you don’t get bowel movement, you may just want to sit on the toilet seat for a short time, then continue with the next set.
I am sending the SP and LSP docs via email. Please update us with your experience. Thanks and all the best.
Hi Subhash,
After months of planning I and my husband did SP today. Before I write my experience I would like to thank you for the wonderful blog which has been of help to many people.
1) It took us around 3.5 hours and around 16 glasses of water for the process at the end of which mine was clear water with lil bit specks of solid(mustard size). I not sure whether I completed the procedure. Though I had the stamina to go ahead I had read somewhere that if we go beyond a point of clear water then bile is released. Do you know why this happened? My husband had light yellow color liquid.
2) I felt like puking before my second round and felt like stopping but i didnt want to so I reduced the quantity of salt to 1.5tsp/lt and added some lime to it. I had read adding lime helps the process. One thing for readers who feel like puking after drinking water is to start tadasana immediately. It pulls the water down.
3) We both ending up sleeping during the three hours of rest but I was ok after that and my husband had a mild headache for sometime after we got up.
4) Someone mentioned that one has to go to the toilet only if there is a urge but from my experience its better to go after each set (5*8) of excercise and it helps you drink more water as water is evacuated during bowel movements.
5) Suprisingly for us the asanas were getting easier with time(esp the last one) which seemed impossible first. May be that was practice.
6) I would like to share a book with readers which helped me understand the asanas better.
Regards,
Jahnvi.
Hi Jahnvi,
It is so nice to see that you and your husband both practiced the LSP successfully. As I mentioned in my own experience, I too had a slight coloration of the fluid coming out. So, I think you both did real well in your practice – congratulations!
I am sure other readers would benefit from your experience.
Thanks for sharing the link to the book. I have deleted the comment, as suggested.
Subhash
Hi Subash,
Thank you for your article. It is good to see all the discussion too.
I have constipation which is part of my CFS. I was using water enemas in the past six months, every day, to empty the bowels. However, I seem to need more and more water to do that. The stool seems to get stuck higher in the bowels. So I decided to find some other way how to work with my B-issue.
I am think of practising my LSP every morning. I am trying to gother more info on LSP now. To encourage myself. You say that it is ok to practise LSP everyday. Would you be able to provide us with more resources on the fact that LSP can be done every day?
Thank you,
Dalibor
Hi Dalibor,
I have sent you an email with the link for the LSP technique. Please share your experience with the practice. Thanks.
Wishing you all the best in taking care of your constipation problems.
Please send the link for mini version instructions.
Dr Goel, I am sending you the link for LSP in a separate email. Please share your experience here. Thanks.
Hi Subhashji, Thank you for your reply. how many glasses have to drink for daily laghu shankhaprakshalan? Can I do full SP after one week?
Dear Nidhi,
The text from Bihar School of Yoga recommends that you drink 6 glasses of water. In my own practice, though, I find that drinking four glasses is adequate for the practice to be effective. I suggest that you experiment with the practice and see what is most effective for you. As for full SP, it is recommended that you practice full SP only once or maximum twice in a year. If your question is doing SP one week after LSP, then certainly you can do that. I would love to hear about your experience with full SP.
In how many days one can see the benefits of shankhaprakshalan? Day before yesterday I tried it and came successful. During day I eat khichadi but at night i eat sambhar chawal. I know i made a mistake. I want to try it again. Tell me when should i do it again?
Hi Nidhi, congratulations on your successful completion of the SP technique. You should start feeling good almost the very next day. The procedure does so much internal cleansing that you begin to feel light and energetic the very next day.
It is important to follow the diet guidelines very strictly as given in the text from Bihar School. The guide also says that you need to do the full SP practice only once or maximum twice in a year. Of course, the Laghu SP version can be done every day or on an as needed basis.
Wish you all the best,
I have just completed this practise for the 11th time and do it every year. However I do so under the guidance of a trained Master. The BYS states in its literature on the practise that it should always be done under the guidance of a Guru that does not mean via the WWW but physical presence . The reason being the practise has the potential to be dangerous if not completed correctly. This is a spiritual cleanse as much as a physical one and can be to much for some People causing them to
Stop have way through which can have potentially fatal results as the kidneys can go into failure if the asanas are stopped before the water has started to release. Please practise this with a master who will guide in the correct manner. You also did not mention not using sugar in any form after the practise. This article is very irresponsible and could have potential devasting affects to someone’s health
Dear Prashantananda,
I truly appreciate your taking the time to write your experience and your thoughts on the practice of Shankhaprakshalana. I cannot agree with you more when you say that it is highly advisable that the practice be done under the guidance of a qualified teacher. However, in the absence of a teacher, one can follow the guidelines provided in the BSY book and still derive the full benefits. Here is a quote from the BSY book, “Actually we are breaking tradition here by publishIng full details. But we do so with the explicit understanding that we prefer you to practice the technique of shankhaprakshalana under expert guidance. However, we have published details of this technique in order that those people who are unable to find a suitable teacher can practice by themselves. It is such a wonderful and beneficial method of cleansing the body that we would like it made available to as many people as possible and not limited to a few.”
As you can see, BSY fully intends to make the technique publicly available, to be followed when no suitable teacher is available. At the same time your cautionary note about diet before and after the practice are well taken. I do not see any mention about sugar in the detailed text that I have. It would be helpful if you could provide me a reference to the use or otherwise of sugar after the practice.
Thanks again for your kind feedback.
ehi all, yestarday i been eating only brown rice with ghee and today i wook up at 5am, made the lukewater with salt ready… my experience stop at the 4th glass i was drinking when i had to stop cause i got the urge of vomit and i did vomit all the 3 glass i drank before , i did last round of exercise and drink normal water, than i am going to rest cause i feel really frustated that i didnt manage to do this cleaning , planned since a week already
Dear Subhash,
I have recently started practicing Yog. I am aware about SP but I am really interested in knowing & practicing LSP comfortably before attempting to perform the full SP. Request you to send me the procedure for LSP
Regards.
Hello Bharathi,
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with Laghu Shankhaprakshalana. It is so nice to see that you now have a significant reduction in pain associated with menstrual cramps. I am sure your feedback will inspire others to also try out this technique for a variety of reasons. As you very rightly mentioned, the benefits of the procedure go far beyond simply taking care of constipation.
Please continue to share any further insights into the practice.
Regards,
Subhash
Hi Subhash
I have taken long to respond to observe the results over a long period.
I was able to practice laghu Shankhaprakshalana once a week for past 6 weeks and now I can say with full confidence that it works wonders.
Helping with constipation might just be the superficial result but deep inside it works to eliminate any imbalances in the body.
I used to suffer with severe menstrual cramps ever since I know and I was left with no option but to resort to pain killers and as is the case with pain killers the body slowly stops responding to the those drugs and will have to resort to more powerful drugs…..
I was taking one of the most powerful combinations as the basic pain killers stopped working on me.
Later I learnt that the drugs I was using were banned but I still have the stock of those drugs with me.
Since I started Laghu Shankhaprakshalana my painful days seems to have become better.
I was able to manage without those banned medicines.
I had a very active painless time for the first time in my life.
Thanks for giving me the procedure.
It amazes me what a simple procedure can do that even medicines don’t.
I wish I had tried it earlier ……….
Thanks and regards
Bharathi
Hi Subhash
I suffer from chronic constipation for past 6 yrs.
I tried performing SP unsuccessfully today. I drank 3 liters of salted water in between the kriyas for over 3 hrs. However I was not able to pass any bowel movement even once and feel bloated. What could possibly have gone wrong?
Pl advise if I can repeat SP as per your guidelines again next week.
Also since SP was unsuccessful this week, is it safe to go back to normalize diet.
Pl email me LSP document along with mini version.
Hello Subhash,
If you could please send me the links to both SP and LSP I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you,
M.
I sent the links via email a couple of days ago. Hope you find them helpful. i would love to hear about your experience with the practice.
Hi Subhash
My age 28 and I am over weight by 20 kg
I practice yoga occasionally and I also perform surya namaskar.
I always wanted to do shankha prakshalana but as I live in UK it is difficult find a guru and it is expensive when I find one.
I believe if my colon is thoroughly cleansed it would be easy for me lose those extra kg.
Can you please mail me how to do lsp and sp?
Your post is very interesting and I find it good as unlike other posts it is consistent .
Thanks and regards
Bharathi
Dear Bharathi, I am sending you the links to the instructions for SP and LSP. I hope you will find them helpful. I would love to hear back from you.
Regards,
Subhash
You can do this practice in London with supervision through Satyananda, this is the same group that wrote the books. They do this twice a year. You can find out more at Syclondon.com I heve done it several times.
Thanks, Peter, for this useful information about practicing SP and LSP in London with qualified teachers from the Satyananda tradition.
Hello Subhash,
Kindly
send me the link for both the SP.
Thank you.
Thanks, Priya, for visiting my site. I am sending the link for LSP and SP in a separate email to you.
Hi Subash
Amazing you have responded to all the hundreds of comments here thank you for sharing your knowledge! I did LSP as part of my yoga teacher training program with Sri Sri Yoga under guidance and the process happened exactly as described. I am feeling less appetite and also no craving for any sweet or junk food. My one major issue is an enormous amount of pain in my lower back and sacrum area and generally all over my hips, pelvic region… it’s very strange because I have been doing 6 weeks of yoga with the program and no issues like this. The twisting and abdomen asanas , I could really feel soreness in abdomen next day but that has worn off. I’m worried about because I am in day 3 after cleanse and still have a lot of pain. Have you heard of this? Is my body just detoxifying? I just want to understand why… I can deal with the pain.
Hello Geeta, so glad to know that you are doing your yoga TT with Sri Sri Yoga. The pain after LSP is not common although cannot be ruled out. The sequence of five asanas during LSP do a fair amount of stretching, twisting etc., and you end up doing each eight times. If the body is not used to it, and you go through the whole sequence, it is possible to develop pain. I think it is a combination of the body detoxifying and the strain of all the stretching. Take if easy for a couple of days.
My age is 40
I am suffering from chronic constipation from last 10-12 years. I am also suffering from piles problem.
I have tried every pathy & every kind of diet, exercise etc but in vain!!
I have gone through many posts. I also want to get rid of constipation, and pile.
Can you please send me the complete procedure and diet for LSP?And ur opinion to get releif from constipation and piles?
Pl. guide me..thank u
Thank u
Dear Charu,
I am sorry that you suffer from constipation and piles. In a separate email I have sent you links to the LSP documents. Please try it out and let me know how it goes.
All the best.
Fascinating experience, Etand! Thank you so much for sharing it here.
Hi Subash and readers.
I want to share my experience of practicing the Laghu Shankhaprakshalana yesterday.
As mentioned in the post above, I was suffering some symptoms for the past week and decided to do the short cleansing (Subash, I actually only checked your prompted reply a few minutes ago – seems like the ‘Notify me of follow-up comments by email’ feature didn’t work…)
Anyway, I had the house for myself so less commotion as recommended in The Bihar University of Yoga book I followed.
The sequence of 5 yoga asanas is familiar to me as those are part of my daily morning exercise, however I took the time to read all the directions and notes again and found many things forgotten in my daily practice. About 3 years back I had first practiced the cleansing and had photo copied the relevant pages so the asanas are laid down before me and no need to browse back and forth as I go through the process.
Because I was weak I took it slow and eventually stopped after 1 and half sets (2 cups of senile water, 8 times 5 asanas, another two cups and another half set).
I had good bowl movements and eventually ran almost clear water out (just little brownish)
I rested 30 minutes then started cooking the Kichadi. I added cumin and turmeric but no garlic or chili pepper that I do on regular days). Also added carrot, cabbage, pees and green beans
After eating about 3 bowls of Kichadi I had a long burp, that means the stomach is full.
I took mellow boiled Chai with fresh ginger that I had cooked earlier in the morning adding honey and squeezing lemon.
I took a warm shower with a minute of cold stream in the end.
Then I went for a walk. It was around 7:30 pm and the sun was allready beyong the horizon. I usually stop for a sample coffee at the local Trader Joe market. I didn’t feel like having too much and thought it may be to pungent but after walking about one kilometer i felt I could handle it. So I had to mini cups (about 50ml. each) with one teaspoon of sugar and a dip of half-&-half cream. Then I rested and had two glasses of water in another cafe and then, about 9pm, walked another kilometer to the house.
In the evening I had a hard boiled egg, fresh green vegetables with olive oil. The green onion tasted much spicier then in regular days.
Today I feel my stools are little soft but also slide out much smoothly then before.
My damp respiratory system is still so but I feel somewhat better.
That is so far…
Here’s how it looked: http://jpgmag.com/photos/3573480
Hello Subhash,
Thank you for sharing your experience and maintaining this lively thread of comments.
My question is, can I practice Laghu Shankhaprakshalana when I have some symptoms of sinus, ear, lung infection (like a cold) and feel weak for a few days now.
Here is my experience of few years back practicing Pancha Karma (Ayurvedic) cleansing at a Rajasthan university: http://jpgmag.com/photos/2799056
Dear Etand,
Thanks for sharing your experience with Panchakarma from a few years ago. I enjoyed reading about it.
As far as I know, it should be safe practicing LSP with the conditions you have listed. In fact, it might even help with those conditions. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
– Subhash
hello sir namaste
its a great knowleadge that you have shared here about “laghuu shankhaprakshalan”.i have been too suffering with promblem of IBS\constipation since years.
i think colon cleaning would bring out much better result for me.few days ago i came across to this wonderful vedic remedy for colon cleaning and found out that this is best and safest way of natural colon cleaning.
i would share my experience after performing “shankhprakshalan”.
but i know one time cleaning won’t be sufficient enough. i have to perform several “mini version of ‘shankhprakshalan” for long lasting result. could you please provide me the instruction for mini version of ‘shankhprakshalan’.
it would be great help to me.
regards
prakash”
Thanks, Prakash, for your kind words. I am sending the link for instructions for LSP via a separate email to you. Please update me with your progress. All the best.
Hi Subhash,
I have never attempted SP or even LSP, having know about the benefits of this practice since a few years. I guess i am a little afraid, that, i’ll end up doing it incorrectly and cause more harm than good. But i have now decided to give it a try. I have one question though. Do we need to use a specific kind of salt or our regular table salt(used to cook food) ok ? Any other advice will be highly appreciated.
Cheers
Sumit
Dear Sumit,
I am so glad that you would like to try LSP. It is a very safe practice and the initial fear will disappear after you try it a couple of times. I have been using the regular table salt for my practice. It is best to do it first thing in the morning. Let me know how it goes. All the best.
Hi Subhash,
I think i have been suffering from IBS(although i am still not completely sure) since many years. My only symptom is a kind of heaviness in , especially left side, of my head (and also sometimes fatigue), which is actually very debilitating. As i had mentioned in my previous correspondence with you, i tried LSP and would like to share my experience. I performed LSP on two consecutive days following the routine exactly as per the guidelines. Immediately after the practise i felt very nice and clear in my stomach as well as my head(and i was really happy with the results). But then immediately after having breakfast, i again felt the same heaviness which is so irritating. Now i am confused whether i should continue with the practise. I have been facing this problem since many years, and intially i thought it was a sleep problem because the heaviness i mentioned hampers your cognitive abilities and you always feel sleepy and fatigued. I would like to get rid of this condition once and for all and any advice from you or anyone for that matter will be highly appreciated.
Being able to think clearly (and thus confidently) is a prerequisite, i suppose, for living a healthy and happy life.
Thanks
Sumit
Dear Sumit,
I suggest that you continue with the LSP practice. In addition, you may also want to include pranayama and meditation as a part of your daily routine. That should help you with heaviness in the head. All the best.
Here is my ecperience with the deep colon cleanse.
Is written while ago, and now i have to say that my irratated bowel syndrom is gone and haven’t
got pain in the stomach since then. Really recommend it. 🙂 but do it right and with a good rest.. i went too fast back to my physical and busy life.
GOOD LUCK.
Dear Suhash,
I have done it today and here is a little view how it has gone with me. If you wish, I can post it also to your page about the experiences.
I started in the late morning to do the practise with plenty of water prepared. After 2 rounds I needed to empty the bowels, and it was all already kind of loose. I kept on going on, starting to feel a tiny bit dizzy and after some more glasses I had bleeding nose for few minutes. That’s not really unusual for me so I kept going. After 6 rounds (and 10 glasses) I continued in the bathroom cause all was going out so fast. Waterish kind of bruin liquids all coming out. I finished after 3 hours of practise with 22 drinken glasses of water (3 litres) when the excrement was clearer, anyway not ending up with completely water like but mainly yellowish liquids coming out. I felt tired and rested, my face felt heavy and as well eyes a bit. I felt a bit swallen and tired but was not too extreme to handle. I rested and ate rice+lentils with ghee but actually had no idea how much ghee I should use..(have you got an advice???)
Well after more and more rest and I started to feel really cold. When more than 3 hours had past, I took a short nap and now I am feling better. Still a bit “spaced out” of the exhaustion and stomach feels really sensitive (meaning that I would really watch out what I eat now). Actually this evening i am not further in the experience, so I can not say more but I will email you again in couple of days to let you know how it is going. Interesting experience so far, the salty water and asanas really worked to increase the movement of the bowels (have to say that kati chakrasana and tiryaka bhujangasana felt the most effective ones for me). I think this will definately do something 🙂
kind greetings and best wishes,
Cathrin
Dear Cathrin,
This is so nice of you to share your experience here so everyone can benefit. It is wonderful to see that the practice has helped with your Irritable Bowel syndrome and stomach pain. I am sure others will feel highly encouraged to try this wonderful technique for total inner cleansing.
Subhash
If you sent me an e-mail I did not get it. I wasn’t registered with the website.
Can you please e-mail me the detailed instructions for Shankhaprakshalan (Deep Colon cleanse)?
http://yogawithsubhash.com/2012/02/16/shankhaprakshalana-colon-cleanse/
Thank You!
Hello Joe,
I just sent you an email with the two links. I would love to receive your feedback. Thanks.
i would like to have the links to both the short and complete version. I have not so flexible lower body – bending and stretching, would want still want to try. How different is this when compared to colon irrigation?
Best wishes
Juntz
Dear Juntz, I have sent you the document links in an email. I would love to hear about your experience. Thanks.
Greetings Subhash!
I’m in the same boat as bumblebee. Only sadly I’ve grown to not know how to properly care for my body. Laziness wreaks havoc on me. So tired all the time, Difficulty breathing, constipation, severe internal pain, Mental unstability, depression, heavy heavy overeating, Something seems to be attempting to kill me through the corruption in my mind. Although realized, one must admit. The flesh is full of temptation. Can you please send me the full, and short disciplines, I don’t wish to die. Ego battles are very tough. the path to enlightenment is no easy road.
Now is the time for health,
Love, light, and life
33,000,000,000 blessings!
lheureux.raymond@gmail.com
Thanks, Ray, for your interest in the documents for colon cleansing. I have sent the links in an email to you. Please update me with your experience. Thanks and wishing you all the best.
Hi!
thank you for sharing your experiences.
I am really curious to try this.. will share my experience here then too 🙂
would you send me the information or link to download the mini and full detailed
LSP, i am looking for all information and sources.
i would appreciate a lot.
hope you are doing well.
Hi Cathrin,
I have sent the links to the two documents in an email to you. I am so glad that you would like to try this cleansing technique. Let me know how it goes. All the best.
Hello Subhash,
Hope this finds you doing well.
1. As per your advice, I’ve started w/ LSP. Please confirm if all the following 5 asanas to be done 8 times (only 1 set), since I found different versions of “LSP” on the net.
Tadasan
Tiryak Tadasan
Kati Chakrasan
Tiryak Bhujangasan
Udar Karasanasan
2. If you feel the urge to go to toilet in the middle of these asanas, should you continue the remaining after coming back from the toilet?
3. Even after 8 times(1 set), if nothing happens(no urge), should we have more water and continue again with 8 times or end there and repeat the same the next day?
Please advise.
Regards,
Chidambar
Hello Chidambar,
I am glad to see that you have started the practice of LSP. I hope this will help you with any issues with digestion that you might have. The sequence of the asanas that you have mentioned is right – that’s what is recommended in the book from the Bihar School of yoga, the practice that I personally follow. If you have to go to the toilet in the middle of the sequence then you should restart the sequence from the beginning the next time. If nothing happens after one set, you should try at least one more set. If still nothing happens, then, of course, you give up for the day and try it back the next day. I hope this is helpful. Please keep updating here with your practice and future experiences. Wishing you all the best.
Are u online.need help
Yes, I am online now.
Dear Subhash,
Today is the 2nd time I have done Shankhprakshalan. The first time was last December 4 months ago. Both times took 4-5 hours & went well except I was pretty sore in the last hour, soft toilet paper notwithstanding!
I tried Shankhprakshalan because my digestion wasn’t very good & my toilet habits were irregular my entire life. Last year it almost seem I was suffering symptoms of IBS (my Dad has it). After the first Shankhprakshalan, I did feel much better, lighter, not bloated. Together with daily hatha yoga & eating yoghurt, I started to have regular bowel movements soon after. From January I took priobiotics every 2nd month.
2 months after the first Shankhprakshalan my digestive powers seem to weaken although the constipation didn’t come back. I kept putting off doing Shankhprakshalan again because it takes up an entire afternoon of a weekend. Furthermore it is very challenging to avoid yoghurt, dairy products, meat & acidic food for one week. I confessed that I went back to my regular eating habits after 48 hours…
Having just finished the 2nd Shankhprakshalan process less than an hour ago, I seem to be feeling better already although slightly tired. In fact I feel hungry!
May I know when exactly can we resume drinking normal water during the end of Shankhprakshalan?
Both times I became very thirsty in the last hour. I started drinking water when I had 4-5 bouts of passing clear (slightly yellow) water. Is this correct?
Hi Bel,
First of all I would like to congratulate you for going through the SP process the second time in four months. Yes, I agree it can be very exhausting. I have only done it once so far; I too felt very tired during the last hour of the practice. As for drinking regular water, my understanding is that you should wait for at least 45 minutes before consuming any liquid or solid food. I am assuming you had been drinking saline water during the procedure but had the urge to drink regular water. In the text from Bihar School, they mention that one should eat only “khichadi” (a cooled mix of lentils and rice, with extra ghee in it) during the whole day. All the best.
Hi Subhash
Thank you for letting me know I have to wait around 45mins before resuming drinking regular water! Yes the urge to drink regular water became more & more pressing in the last hour. After the first time I had porridge with leafy vegetables because I am not experienced in cooking lentils. I am from Singapore, so admittedly it is not a very good excuse since it shouldn’t be difficult to source for Indian food stalls that sell lentils. Must plan better next time.. Thank you again for your advice and fast response, greatly appreciate it!
Bel, you should eat first within an hour after finish SP then drink water, because if you continue drinking, you will continue visit the toilet. So eat then drink 🙂
Dear Mr. Subhash,
Its unfortunate for me but to tell you, I lost my father-in-law on 22nd March. He was practicing the Shankhprakshalan procedure under the guidance of Dr. Narayanrao in a special camp organized to teach the technique at the Veer Savarkar Smarak, Dadar, Mumbai last week.
My father in law was a diabetic and was on insulin for the last couple of years.
He was told by the organizer that this therapy would get rid of the insulin for him. He also had a history of heart problem that was diagnosed just a couple of years ago.
He died of a cardiac arrest just after practicing the therapy in the morning of 22nd March and collapsed just after reaching home tired and exhausted with breathlessness.
I want to know from you if practicing the technique could have led to increased stress and pressure on his heart as it was the last day of the camp?
Also, wouldnt his life have been saved had the yoga teacher/doctor noticed the symptoms and persuaded him to stop the exercises right away?
Isn’t it a wrong practice to advice a treatment to someone and convince him that an ailment like diabetice would be cured permanently with it?
Your valuable thoughts shall be highly appreciated.
Regards,
Amit
Dear Amit, please accept my heartfelt condolences on this very tragic and unfortunate happening. I don’t consider myself an expert on the shankhaprakshalan technique so it not possible for me to comment whether this particular practice could have played a part in your father-in-law’s demise. It could be a combination of multiple factors which worked together to cause his death. In my own experience, though, even though I have been teaching yoga for over 17 years, I can never make a claim that the practice of yoga could cure anyone completely of a chronic disease. Even though I myself practice yoga regularly every day, I am on medication for blood pressure for the last ten years or so. All I can say is that the practice of yoga can help stabilize the ailment. More importantly it teaches us how to deal with any eventuality in life. I hope this helps.
Wishing you all the best.
Hello Bumblebee / Subhash,
Just wanted to inform that, I’ve read that the people w/ acute intestinal problems should do the Shankh Prakshalana exercises under the supervision of a yoga teacher after consulting the doctor. I don’t intend to discourage, but it’s better to be careful.
Regards,
Chidambar
Thanks, Chidambar, for this cautionary note. I fully agree with you that anyone with acute intestinal problem should consult with a doctor before attempting the full SP routine.
Dear Subhash,
I really wanted to ask you if you could send or give me the instructions for the mini version.
I have seem to have lazy bowels and constant constipation, my belly is totally full and sometimes very painful. Stools only come once every 4 to 14 days. I suspect it is the cause of my tiredness, which has a very big effect on my life. I stopped school and such. Last fall I had surgery for an infected appendix, and after that it got even worse. I am only 28 but completely feel like an old lady.. 🙂
I would love to try this way in addition to what my doctor is doing/trying. I am not sure if he understands that it takes energy, and maybe does not see the fullness of the problem.
If you can, please send me the instructions. I would be very grateful and I will follow them with care.
Bumblebee
Dear Bumblebee, I am sorry to hear of your constipation problem. I am sending you the document for the mini version via email. I hope you will find some relief with this procedure. Let me know how it goes. All the best.
ear Mr.Subhash,
My age is 38 & I stay in Pune.
I am suffering from severe & chronic constipation from last 20 years.
I have tried every pathy & every kind of diet, exercise etc but in vain!!
Can you please send me the complete procedure for LSP?
Regards
Madhav
Dear Madhav,
I am sorry to learn that you have a bad constipation problem. I certainly hope that the practice of LSP will help you. I am sending you the link to the full document in an email. I would love to hear about your experience with the practice. All the best,
I tried the shanka prakshlana two weeks ago. It was a really good and healthy experience, though it was somewhat tiring. It left me with a very light feeling overall and not just in my stomach. I am going to repeat it after a 40 days gap.
Hi Deepika, yes, that was my experience as well. After almost four hours, I was quite exhausted. I would love to know how it goes the next time.
Dear Subhash,
I have had constipation for years. I tried laghu this morning since for the moment I don’t have enough time to do the full SP. However, it didn’t start any bowel movement. Is it normal since it is the first time I’m doing it? Maybe I didn’t put enough salt in the water? Do you have any advice for me?
Thank you very much for your help.
Dear Chloe, I was introduced to LSP several years ago because I suffered from severe constipation pretty much all my life. i now use it everyday and almost never have problem with bowel movement. I think you need to be patient and try it a few more times. Your body may take some time to adjust to it. No, I don’t think you need more salt – the water should be only mildly salty. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. Wishing you all the best.
The practice of natural colon cleansing dates back to ancient Greece. In the U.S., cleansing the colon — the large intestine — became popular in the 1920s and 1930s. But when the theories behind it lost support, it fell out of favor. Recently, though, colon cleansing — using, for example, teas, enzymes, or colon irrigation — has experienced resurgence.`
Look at the most current posting at our personal web blog
<.http://www.foodsupplementdigest.com/asparagus-benefits/
I do not have constipation; will this kriya still help me?
Thanks
Certainly, Vish, this kriya will help you cleanse the entire digestive track, colon and the intestines etc. It is a part of the six cleansing routines mentioned in the Hatha YOga Pradipika. You may practice the LSP kriya maybe twice a month and the full SP kriya once a year or so for the purpose of cleansing the system.
Hello,
I have just tried sp for the first time, after preparing mentally for a couple of months. While I an quite happy with the procedure – it was easier than I had thougt – I have a couple of notes.
First, even after 20 glasses of water evacuations never became clear but persistedly stayed an acidic light yellow, and second, towards the end evacuations (and the cleaning of the area) started to hurt as my skin was getting increasingly sore.
I did use more time on the procedure than most as evacuating several times during each set of exercices became necessary, also I did not manage to drink rapidly. I suspect the cause of skin rash might be due to an excess of gall in evacuations (also explaining colouring)? What can I do differently next time?
Dear Catherine, let me congratulate you on completing your first SP kriya. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. As I mentioned in my article, even I had the same experience of not getting pure, clear water at the end. Another reason for the rash could be the constant wiping of the area. Maybe you can try a super-soft toilet paper next time. When do you plan to do it next? I still haven’t made up my mind when I want to do it next. Please keep us posted with your future experience. Thanks.
Hello, I am making enquiries for my sister who has a lot of digestive issues. She has had a section of bowel removed, which included the ileosecal valve, and this has left her with both constipation and diarrhoea at different times. She has been having colonic irrigation but this makes her quite ill afterwards and I am concerned that this is not the right thing to do with no valve to stop access to small intestine.
I think she is not strong enough for the deep cleanse but I’m thinking the short version might be a good starting point and she could progress to the deep cleanse later. Could you please send the links, and also which book would be best to obtain.
Thankyou so much for the great information on your site.
Kind Regards,
Judy
Hello Judy,
I have sent the information in an email. I would love to hear about your sister’s experience with the practice. Thanks.
Hi Judy, I hope you and and your sister have tried out the LSP practice. I would love to hear of your sister’s experience.
I too didnt get clear water instead kept getting soft stool simetimes and sometimes nothing. Tired i gave up. may b wil try another time
Good idea to try another time. Maybe you want to wait about six months before doing so.
Thanks for your detailed explanation. I did the Laghu Shankaprakshalan (LSP) based on the instructions given by Yogi Ashwini in youtube. There were no other instructions for diet. Please let me know if there are any diet restrictions when we do LSP.
Also, can you please email me the procedure for LSP?
Thank you
Dear Paddu, I am not aware of any serious diet restrictions for the LSP practice. What is mentioned in the instructions is that you should take an early, light dinner the previous evening. That will help you better with the cleansing process. I am sending you the link to the instructions via email. Please share your ongoing experience here so others can benefit from the practice. Thanks.
One more question. Did you find that it cleaned out your whole digestive tract so you could do most any yoga posture?
Thanks
It was the morning after the practice that I really felt that my entire system has been cleansed out. At that time I was able to go back to my usual yoga routine without any restriction.
I have known about this for 40 years. I tried it many years ago for about 4-6 rounds. I was drinking the water but none was coming out my bowels. I felt very bloated and somewhat nauseaus. I gave up after an hour or so. What do you do in a case like this? Did I do something wrong?
Blessings
Since I have done this practice only once myself, it is hard for me to draw any conclusion from your experience. For me, the first couple of hours were quite successful. It is only in the last (the fourth) hour that I started feeling bloated. I stopped the practice after about four hours. The bloated feeling went away after I urinated frequently during the day to get rid of the excess water.
You may want to try it once again just to see if you can successfully cleanse the system. Did you add salt to the water? That is supposed to help. Also doing the prescribed exercises is an important step to get the proper bowel movement. I wish you luck!
Dear Subhash,
Namaste and Many thanks for all you’ve shared 🙂 May I request the link for LSP that you’ve mentioned above? I am very keen on starting the cleanse and am so glad you endorse doing the shorter version daily. I was going to begin with unsalted water for a week… when we do the cleanse, when can plain water be drunk?
With warm regards,
N
Dear Nidhu, it is great to see that you would like to start practicing the shorter version of SP cleansing routine. I wish you all the best. I was just wondering why you would like to start with unsalted water. Unless you have problem with high BP, it is recommended that a small quantity of salt be added as it helps in the cleansing process. I am sending the link for the LSP document in an email to you. Please do write back with your experience.
Regards.
Hi good to hear everyone else’s experiences. I did this practice in full for the 3rd time yesterday. It took a lot of water about 22 – 24 and then I did vamana dahouti and netti after I did a yoga nidra and then had my meal. My face is swollen (this always happens)and I have the most horrendous headache you can imagine, and I feel far from light, also I’m very irritable, however I think this is due to sugar and caffine withdrawals as well as having small children running around, and the smell of roast Sunday dinner being cooked downstairs haha but it will pass in a couple of days. I can’t wait for the burst of energy and well being I normally get.
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for sharing your experience. I must say that your experience of swollen face and a headache are rather unusual. I certainly hope that you feel well soon and get that “burst of energy” that is normally associated with this practice. As I mentioned in my blog article, I felt totally exhausted on the day of the practice. However, the feeling on the following day and for several days afterwards was one of total exhilaration.
Good day.
Could you please advise whether it is safe for a person with type 2 Diabetes to do Shankha Prakshalan both deep and short version?
Regards.
Dear Vikas, as far as I know, it is safe to practice either of the two versions, SP or LSP, when one has diabetes. I haven’t seen any such statement that links SP with type 2 diabetes. Not being a medical person, I don’t know if there are any hidden dangers in the practice. In case of doubt it is best to double check with your personal physician. I would love to hear your experience with SP and LSP.
Dear Vikas
I have already posted my experience as a diabetic with LSP. You can see my posts, where I have indicated how I could bring down my sugar level with LSP
Regards
Dear Prabhakar,
Providing a link or a reference to your post would be helpful as you are responding to the post after two years.
Thanks
Hello Vikas
Did you try it? Is it safe for diabetes?
Hello sir. Please tell how to perform the mini version of this technique everyday.
i have been suffering from constipation for the last 10 years. i want to get rid of it all costs. Please help me. what all asanas to be performed in mini version
where can i find bihar school of yoga booka. they are not available online. Please tell.
I am presently living in ambala cantt , haryana. Please suggest any teacher or institute near by , who an teach me this technique.
Thanks
Chetan
Dear Chetan,
I am sending you the link to download the instructions for the mini version in a separate email. Hope you will find it helpful. Unfortunately I am not familiar with yoga teachers in your area as I live in the USA. Please visit this page http://yogavision.net/publications/ypt-orders/ where you will find information on how to order Bihar School books within India. I hope it will work out for you. Regards,
Subhash
Thanks a lot sir. Please send me the link asap , I will start doing mini version then.
My email id is yahchetanyah@gmail.com
Thanks
Chetan
and sir please tell which of the bihar school of yoga book has details about lsp technique , i am unable to figure out from the title.
which are other useful books provided by bihar school of yoga for good health .
Thanks
Chetan
Link for Asanas please.
Id also like a link to the asanas for LSP please. Thank you.
Hi Gurveer, I sent you the link via email. Hope you will find it useful. I’d appreciate your sharing your experience here.
what is a mini version of shankh prakshalan..could u send me th elink too please. Would finally like to try now.
I have sent the docs via email.
Hi subhash, can you please send me the 2 docs? Lsp and full sp?
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience!
Sent via email.
hi sir, could you share the mini version of LSP with me too?
Regards
Chhavi
Just sent you email with links to the two docs.
Did you do Vamana Dhauti after the deep cleansing? It’s recommended as a good ending for the Shank Prakshalana.
My experience was semi-successful I would say. I drank about 5 glasses doing the asanas properly: slowly, relaxed, breathing normally. Everything seemed to work but then I realized the water is still not going out. I used the lavement to help. It started going.
Then I realized that the first batch of water was not salty enough and my body did not want to get it out, but tried to digest as a salty vegetable soup or something. I added a little bit more of salt in the next batch and the process started exactly as it should be: 1 glass – 1 exercise routine – 1 toilet visit.
After about 5-6 glasses I was tired and the water stopped going out effectively, I needed 2 exercise routines now to get one glass out. I was out of energy after nearly 4 hour of the procedure and decided it’s time to stop. The water coming out was orange/yellowish but at first it had some non-liquid stuff in it, and by the end it came out totally liquid YET not as clean as the water I drank first obviously. I was satisfied with my first experience at that point. I finished the procedure with Vamana Dhauti (drink 3 glasses of salt warm water and puke) as recommended (to remove the leftover water and clean the remainings). The only discomfort that I experienced was that I bent too much during Vamana Dhauti and my eyes have swollen a little bit after it. It was not anything too bad though, became ok after 2 hours. It is also very important to maintain a strict diet after Shankprakshalanah, as you need to restore the good bacteria. It is a very important part of the whole procedure. At least 2-3 days of very simple diet (rice, porridge without any salt or sugar), no dairy, no acidic fruits and no fresh vegetables, definitely no drugs: alcohol, coffee, cigarettes etc. A week or two of simple vegetarian diet should follow, with limited intake of dairy/acidic fruits, preferably no meat or fish and again no drugs.
I’m going to try the shankprakshalana again in about 4-5 months if I feel that it’s worked. I still need to see what I will feel in 1 month, mostly I am focusing on how my skin will look, if it will clear from acne that was caused by problems with my digestive tract and intestine.
Dear Anton, thanks for sharing your experience. No, I did not do Vaman Dhauti at the end of the practice as I was too exhausted to try anything else. However, as I have mentioned in my blog post, I did feel wonderful the next morning. The whole experience seemed totally worth all the effort and energy. I would definitely like to know how you feel after your next experience.
– subhash
Hi, In the country I live in there is no moong daal. Can you please suggest an alternative? The only Indian daals I get are tuwar and Chana and masoor
Hello Gowmukhi, I don’t think it is very important that you only add moong daal to the khichri preparation. You can actually mix both Toor and Masoor daals in rice to make the khichri. Have you tried the Shankhaprakshalana yet?
Yes. Many times since many years. But this year am in a country where moong daal is not available. Moong daal has a sticky consistency so I guess it’s for this reason used in order to give a lining to the stomach…just guessing.
Dear Gowmukhi, you may be right about the consistency of moong daal. Since you have practiced Shankhaprakshanlana many times, it would be great if you could share your experience with the practice. Where are you located now?
[…] to appreciate my hard working GI Tract (if you are interested, I use the Bihar school ‘Laghu Shank Prakshalana‘ which is a short salt-water […]
Colon cleanse is really necessary if you want to keep your colon free from polyps.,
Latest piece of content on our homepage
http://www.healthmedicinelab.com/pain-in-left-side/
It is much more than just keeping the system free of polyps. It is a complete detoxifying practice. You can do the mini version everyday and the full version once a year.
Hi Sir,
I had 3 small hyperplastic polyp in 2010 removed and i did shankaprashalana under my yoga master guidance twice in 2016 to 2018.Now in 2021 i have been detected with 1 hyperplastic polyp again. Is there any evidence if i do cleansing regularly it can avoid reoccurence in future.
Hello Kishore, I have not seen any such report. Maybe you can be the one to try it out and see if it works. All I can say is that regular cleaning can do no harm. Go for it!
Sir, Can you Please send me the instructions docs you were referring in comments. My email is kishoreravi1903@gmail.com
Thank you
I have sent the email with the links.
Dear All,
Its really a great technique to cleanse the colon. I did it under the super vision of a senior most yoga master who was at the age of 95 when he trained me.
what I experienced was full clean water comes out in the final. I felt no exhaustion because it was done systematically and slowly.
We have to do until the water itself comes out without any substance in that. Some times water may be yellowish but it should not contain any substance.
What I observed is dissatisfaction comes because of two things,
1. Drinking water quickly and more at a stretch
2. Performing the asanas fast or incorrect manner
My master advised me
1. we should not go to latrine until it becomes emergency
2. We should continue until clear water comes out
3. Drinking water or bathing may lead to high fever, so we should avoid water, if we are thirst we should do sheetkari pranayama.
4. After only water comes out in the final we should do vamana dhouti with normal water without salt.
5. We are advised to take rest on the floor on the mat if possible.
6. We are advised to practice this 4 times in a year for every season change
Regards
Ramakrishna
Dear Ramakrishna,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the Shankha Prakshalana technique. Your guidelines are valuable indeed. It is impressive and inspiring to see that you were taught by a teacher who was 95 years old!
Let us know what other yoga techniques you practice. Thanks.
Hi , i took my shankhprakshalan yesterday . I ate spicy food today with paneer in it.now i am having severe unbearable pain in my stomach. I hv had 3 glasses of water and a combiflam but it is not helping? What can i do…..shud i see a doctor ?
Hi Tripti, Without knowing more of your history with digestion etc, I don’t think I can suggest anything at this point. I think it might be better to see a doctor. In future, you may want to follow the strict diet guidelines for a whole week after the SP treatment. I wish you all the best.
Hello Subhash / Ramkrishna,
Greetings!
I’ve been reading a lot about – Shankha Prakshalana and relly wished to do. But the following things rather fear prevented me not to try,
1. It should be done under the guidance of an experienced yoga therapist/guru.
2. I’d approached one guru, who followed Bihar Yoga School teaching to propogate yoga and teach others. There’re some pre-requisites and he told me that you shouldn’t do it alone but under expert advise, and someone should be monitoring your blood pressure since if the BP goes down drastically it may prove fatal.
I stay in Pune, India and is looking for a yoga therapist/guru, who can help me in Shankhaprakshlana. Please advise.
With warm regards,
Chidambar
Dear Chidambar, it is so nice to see that you would like to practice Shankha-prakshalana technique for internal cleansing. As you have rightly mentioned, the full technique should indeed be practiced under the guidance of a yoga teacher. Since I live in the United States, I really have no information about teachers in the Pune area. As for the lowering of BP, I have not read anything about it in the texts from the BSY. HOwever since this statement came from someone associated with BSY, it cannot be ignored. I wish you luck in finding a suitable teacher for you.
As you may be aware, the Laghu Shankha-prakshalana technique can be practiced safely, even on a daily basis. My suggestion would be to start practicing the LSP technique on a regular basis and start deriving its benefits. As and when you find a suitable teacher to guide you through the full SP technique, you can try that out. I wish you all the best.
Hi Kay, I am so glad to see that you are planning to try Shankhaprakshalana to help you with your constipation.
As mentioned in the post, I avoided all dairy products for one week. Other than that I continued with my regular diet which is mostly the typical Indian diet consisting of roti, veggie curry, dal (lentils), fruits and salads (raw veggies like cuke, tomato, raddish, carrot etc.). As for yoga practice, I went back to practicing and teaching yoga the very next day. Even though on the day of the kriya, I felt quite listless and lacking energy, the next morning I woke up feeling really good and had my full energy back. So I was able to get back to my regular yoga routine quite easily.
I would love to hear about your experience.
– Subhash
I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time now. I have a history of constipation and also have acne even though I eat very well, do yoga frequently, and almost never drink any sodas, alcohol, etc.
I am sure that I would feel much better after doing this cleanse. Like you said, I’m waiting to find the right time to do it – a time when I have all day to spend recovering.
ANyways, I’ve read other instructions online that are very detailed, saying you can’t bathe the same day that you do the cleanse because the change intemperature is too drastic for your body, etc. I’ve also seen very specific lists of foods that cannot be eaten the entire week after performing this cleanse.. Can you tell me which foods you ate the week following the cleanse?
Finally, how long should you wait before going back to a yoga class?
Glad to read about your experience with Shankhaprakshalan. I’ve tried it several times and experienced the feeling of lightness that you described on the day after.
You were more persistent than I’ve ever been though. I always stop after 10-14 glasses. By that point, the excretion is completely liquid but not always as clear as water. It usually has a slight yellow shade.
One difficulty people may experience the first time is an urge to vommit if you drink too much and too fast. It’s important to pace yourself. In my experience, 2 hours has been adequate for the full routine. If you have a history of constipation, more time may be required.
Thanks, Prakash, for sharing your own experience with Shankhaprakshalana. I persisted with the procedure for as long as I did only because I was going with the instructions from the book. It was only when I felt fully bloated up and nothing was coming out did I decided to call it quits. But I still believe that the overall experience was great. The feeling for the following few days was amazing. I plan to try again some time in late summer or early fall this year.
Hi subhash,
after completing the yoga can we take simple water if we are feeling thirsty?
Sure, Manish, a few sips of water are OK.
I feel that the laghu version is still very effective in its own right. Each time I do the exercise the results improve. I drink 2 liters of the salty warm water like it suggests but have found that 3 sets of exercises isn’t enough. I usually do around 5-7 sets for the complete (short) practice. The first meal after the laghu really hits me great. It’s like I can feel my body being nourished on a cellular level when I digest the good food I’m consuming. Light and airy for sure. Haven’t done the full version. I want to do it under supervision first.
Hi Teddy, Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience.
To Yoga with Subash,
1. Satyananda Yoga Academy Ltd (SYA) is the duly authorized representative of the exclusive rights holder of all literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works produced by Satyananda Yoga® organisations worldwide, and the staff of these organisations, all of which are subject to the protection of copyright. Copyright material includes all Satsangs, kirtans and classes given by Swami Niranjanananda, Swami Satyananda and Swami Satsangi irrespective of location. No copyright material may be published, reproduced or distributed in any way.
2. These exclusive rights would be violated by your offers to send scanned copies of pages from BSY publications as indicated on your site at the following URL:
http://yogawithsubhash.com/2012/02/16/shankhaprakshalana-colon-cleanse/
3. These exclusive rights include the right to reproduce the Work, and to publish and communicate the Work to the public (including by way of sale, broadcast or putting the Work online). It is an infringement of copyright to do any of the acts comprised in the copyright in relation to the whole or a substantial part of the Work, or to authorise such an act, without the permission or licence of the copyright owner.
4. Under penalty of perjury, SYA state that the information contained in this notification is accurate, and that SYA is authorized to act on the behalf of the exclusive rights holder for the material in question;
5. SYA may be contacted by the following methods Satyananda Yoga Academy, (Agent for Yoga Publications Trust, Bihar, India), 300 Mangrove Creek Road, Mangrove Creek, NSW, 2250, Australia, +61 2 4377 1171, and poornaseva@satyananda.net
I hereby request that you remove or disable access to this material as it appears on your service in as expedient a fashion as possible. Thank you.
Regards,
Swami Poornaseva Saraswati
Satyananda Yoga Academy
Dear Swami Poornaseva Saraswati,
I truly appreciate your reading the blog post and pointing out the potential violation of copyright. I have since removed any reference to the “scanned copy” of the text. Please review the blog again and let me know if it looks OK now.
As I have mentioned in the blog post, I am a big fan of the books from BSY. These books have been my main source of all yoga-related information.
With kind regards,
Subhash
Can I get the detailed version of Shankhaprakshalan (Deep Colon cleanse)? Thank You.
http://yogawithsubhash.com/2012/02/16/shankhaprakshalana-colon-cleanse/
Really? Spread this knowledge no matter what. Some people will pay for it some wont. Accept that fact and move on. Plenty of people purchase you classes, books, music, etc. Don’t worry about about milking every last ounce of profit from the masses. Not something I would expect to see from a Swami. Unless that is just a title you gave yourself to feel like you’ve accomplished something. Subhash. You gave props to BSY in your article. I already own the book and practice from it daily. Sometimes an electronic reference is helpful when the book isn’t handy. Keep spreading the knowledge
hari om
The great seers and yogis who gave us this excellent procedure and also the whole science of yoga did not even publicise their names let alone copyright the procedure. Just think about it.
hari om
So true!
After doing shankh prakshalan. Now it’s even 23 days after, i am not feeling energetic. I became very lazy and i am not able to do my chores properly. As you mentioned I have taken dairy products after doing kriya.
Please help me sir
Dear Manik, it is hard to determine what may be causing your current situation. You may want to try the short version LSP one more time and see if that settles you down.