Yoga is a practice that helps in tapping into the willpower while inculcating a sense of balance and discipline in the personality. The path of internal and

external purification comes into being with regular practice of yoga. Everyday practice of yoga is the best way to cleanse the mind, body and soul. There are three doshas in the human body according to Ayurveda. These three doshas are known as Vata Dosha, Pitta Dosha and Kapha Dosha. The Vatta Dosha includes all the constituents of the human body which are required for the functioning. The Pitta Dosha includes the constituents of the human body which control the chemical makeup and functioning and the Kapha Dosha includes all the constituents which are mostly responsible for the material configuration. When all the three doshas are clean and balanced the human body functions in the right way and stays healthy.

In yoga, there are some cleansing techniques or kriyas which are meant to keep the doshas balanced in the body. There are a total of six yoga kriyas also known as shat kriyas. These kriyas are a way of cleaning and purifying the entire human body. All these shat kriyas are important aspect of yoga and they are taught extensively in the yoga teacher teacher training in India. They have massive positive effects on the doshas. Keep reading to find more about these techniques:

1. Neti: Neti is a method which is used to clean the nasal passage of a person. The breath or pranvayu in yogic terms passes through the nasal passage and does require cleaning. Some forms of neti include Jal Neti, Ghitra Neti, Sutra Neti and Dugdha Neti.
2. Dhauti: The next purification technique is that of Dhauti which is a method used to cleanse the digestive tract and oesophagus. Dhauti usually consists of four main parts namely the Antar Dhauti, Hrid Dhauti, Danta Dhauti and Moola Dhauti. This yogic kriya is majorly responsible for cleaning the stomach and digestion in many ways.
3. Nauli: This shat kriya is done by massaging the parts of the abdomen region. The main objective of performing this yoga kriya is to cleanse the digestive organs. This yoga kriya is done by circular movements of the stomach muscles. Nauli is of four different types:

• Madhya Nauli: This includes the movement of muscles in the centre of the abdomen.
• Vama Nauli: The movement of the left side of abdomen muscles.
• Dakshima Nauli: The movement of the right side of abdomen muscles.
• Nauli Kriya: The movement of all the muscles of the abdomen.

4. Kapalbhati: Kapalbhati is the method by which the cleansing of the oesophagus and the lungs takes place. Kapalbhati is done while breathing in so that the muscles get contracted and subsequently get released while exhaling. This process involves the stomach going inwards and outwards frequently. After which, it involves forceful exhalation via the nostrils making a peculiar hiss sound. Kapabhati is an excellent way of keeping the mind or the Kapala(head) clear.
5. Basti: Basti is a cleaning method which is used to decontaminate the colon. The poisons are moved out of the body through the process of defecation, and the colon has high convergence of all the toxins. The medicated oils and ghee are utilized as Enema so as to cleanse the colon. This shat kriya scrubs the colon while evacuating the toxic waste and fortifies the stomach related frameworks. It also expands the immunity system.
6. Trataka: Trataka is a shat kriya which requires looking at an object consistently. It is a method of contemplation and includes focusing on the look. This encourages the brain to stop the unnecessary chatter. At the basic level, this is done with an object and afterward with a candle. Trataka helps in reinforcing the retina muscles which helps in restoring eye issues. It is likewise successful in expelling pressure and weakness.

Practicing these shat kriyas on a daily basis will bring about an immense purification of the human body in all ways. These kriyas must be taken seriously to maintain a healthy mind, body and the soul.