Do you often trouble with high acidity or indigestion after a heavy meal?
Well, it is a common problem for some people. It happens because undigested particles of food get stuck in the stomach lining. Apart from many external benefits of yoga, it also works on the internal system of organs.
For problems associated with the stomach, there is an easy technique in yoga called Vamana Dhauti.
What is Vamana Dhauti?
Vamana dhauti, a part of shatkarma, is the purification technique and one among different types of Dhauti to wash out the complete alimentary canal & stomach.
See also: Other 4 Types of Dhauti
Vaman is a Sanskrit term for ‘To Vomit‘. Just as a tiger vomits its food after a few hours after eating it, in the same way, vomiting is done in the Vamana dhauti. That’s why it’s also called vyaghra (Tiger) kriya.
Vamana dhauti removes the undigested food particles from the stomach lining. If these undigested food particles are not removed from the stomach lining, later it creates a sticky yellowish-white substance called ‘Aama’.
This substance (Aama) is absorbed in the small intestine & further travels in the body through blood. In this way, indigestion can create a number of diseases & toxins in the body.
How to Do Vamana Dhauti?
Under the guidance of an experienced yogi, you can do vamana dhauti according to following steps.
- Prepare a bottle of lukewarm saline water
- Drink water in a sitting position
- Perform abdominal moments
- Induce throat to vomit
- Relax in Shavasana
1. Prepare a bottle of lukewarm saline water
Heat 1.5 – 2 liters of pure drinking water up to the body temperature (almost 37.2°C). take 1 teaspoon of salt & mix it properly with water. A beginner can use a little high proportion of salt (2 teaspoons) to produce nausea. Place a glass aside to drink fastly.
2. Drink water in a sitting position
Sit in the squat pose on the ground. Spread knees apart so that stomach is not pressing against the thighs.
Now, pour water into a pot or glass and drink 1 liter of water as fast as possible. Nothing is felt till a liter of water is consumed. Relax for a few seconds and drink left water fastly.
Now, when you feel satiated or drunk at your full capacity, you must feel nausea in the stomach. It is a good sign of cleansing. Now stand up in an upright position as soon as you drink a full quantity of water.
3. Perform abdominal moments
Perform abdominal moments to let the water moments well inside the stomach so that cleansing would be more effective.
Fastly expand and contract abdominal muscles a few times, just as if you are performing Uddiyana Bandha. Now, when you start feeling straining because of the weight of the water into the stomach, you ready to throw it out.
4. Induce throat to vomit out water
Bend your trunk forward at 90° angle while keeping feet at a distance of 1 to 1.5 ft.
Now, press your ‘stomach in’ with exhalation in the same bending position. At the same time, insert your index and middle finger of the right hand deep down into the throat.
Generally, a little pressure of finger at the end of the tongue is enough to induce vomit.
Inducing let the water come out in gushes but sometimes it comes out in a small amount in the beginning. Water comes out in tasteless & yellowish colour in beginning but after a few gushes, water comes out comparably bitter in taste. This shows undigested residue has eliminated completely in the process.
In the end, drink one glass of water for final cleansing.
5. Relax in Shavasana
Wash your mouth and face with clean water. relax your body in Shavasana for 10-15 minutes. after that, you can continue daily routine work or asana practice.
One hour after vamana dhauti practice, eat rice pudding or take sweet milk to get abdominal organs back in its working.
NOTE – The procedure for jal dhauti is same as Vamana dhauti except that jal dhauti is performed in empty stomach at morning time.
See also: Stomach Cleansing Technique Using Cotton Cloth
Benefits of Vamana Dhauti
- Vamana dhauti stimulates working of kidneys, lungs, and heart. This stimulating helps respiratory organs to work effectively.
- It removes phlegm, mucus, infectious bacteria from the stomach lining. hence, Vamana dhauti cleanses the skin & heals unwanted spot from the skin.
- Vamana dhauti also applies in Ayurveda and Naturopathy to balance the Kapha-pitta doshas in the stomach.
- Salty water used in Vamana dhauti kriya produced osmotic pressure in the small intestine. Osmotic pressure absorbs water from the blood into the stomach, instead of getting absorbed.
- Vamana dhauti is good for people suffering from insomnia.
- It also helps in the mental purification, stress management & building self-confidence attitude in people.
Precautions
- Vamana dhauti kriya should not be performed daily like asana & pranayama practice. it is performed, only when you feel indigestion.
- People suffering from high or low blood pressure, respiration or ulcers problem should avoid this kriya.
- Make sure your fingernails are cut before you insert it on the throat, otherwise it can harm you.
- Try to throw out complete water in vomit as much you had drunk.
- According to the sacred text, this process should be performed only after 3-4 hours of a heavy meal, not an empty stomach.
Ashish,
I have gone through your answers. You sincerely answered many questions till recent date. It really helps. Thank you for your dedication.
Carrot red colour is what I am getting when I do the kriya early morning.. for few days it was light brown and some times light red .. is that something can be cured ?
It could have several reasons; a yoga expert will better assist you in an in-person consultation after reviewing your procedure.
I was having intense nausea as well as too much indigestion and followed by fever for the same reason. I performed vamana. After drinking 3 glass, water was thrown out of my stomach which was yellowish + some pieces of food too. but I was unsatisfied as I wanted to do more and ‘en at end I am still feeling a little uneasy in stomach. previously I was having intense throbbing in the head too which is now gone
Thanks sir, but I did one mistake I didn’t able to vomit out saltwater of 1.7 liters, what should I do now? And also I did it on an empty stomach
I have hyperacidity problem I used to do it. But now I am pregnant first trimester. Can I do it? Food is not digesting properly. I am practicing it for many years.
Vamana dhauti is not recommended in pregnancy, though, It’s common to have hyperacidity problem during pregnancy. If you want an alternative yoga remedy for it, you can do Supta Baddha Konasana for instant relief. Hope it’ll help!
I have been practicing Jal dhauti for a few years. After throwing up water, I noticed it was reddish. This was the first time when I noticed this color. Is this normal? What does it indicate?
Thank you.
Usually, a change in watercolor (yellowish) that comes out in jal dhauti shows the impurities of the stomach. This water must have a bitter taste as compared to normal water, has it?
Reddish color of water comes out might because of some hormonal changes (excess of iron in the body) or what you have eaten prior to it. There is nothing to worry about this.
I perform the Jal Kriya once a week along with laghu-shankha prakshalana. The water in jala kriya comes out like clean water for me because there is no excess of bile. if there is excess of bile the water would be slightly yellowish and bitter in taste (I experienced it initially). Reddish is not experienced by me, but it may indicate some other causes like ulcer… Please check with an expert.
Totally agree with you, Jagdish! But he told “This was the first time when I noticed this color”, he may have scratched his throat with nails while inducing vomit.
But yes, if it’s regularly coming then it needs expert consultancy – and it might be an ulcer.
Hi Ashish,
Same thing even I experienced. First the water was clear, but later it was reddish. This was the first time. I was doing it from last 7-8 days as I had acidity issues. Do you think I should continue doing it, even if there is reddish water coming out? Also, how to check for higher iron contents in the body?
Thanks
Hi Amol, as you’re a beginner in this practice, I would suggest you to do perform Vamana dhauti under the guidance of an expert. Reddish water generally isn’t expected in this kriya, sometimes there could be minor causes of it (ignorable) but sometimes it could have severe causes. It can only be better assisted in a personal consultation.
Thanks a lot Ashish. Though I have been doing it since a long time, this is the first time I experienced it. Though will check with an expert.
I had been under gone surgery of hernia before 9 years. Can i do vanan kriya?
Usually, Vaman Dhauti isn’t advised to people having abdominal surgery and hernia but as it has been 9 years since you have the surgery, you can do it but make sure to practice under an expert teacher.
Can I do jal dhauti 1st thing in the morning Everyday ?
I am facing lots of imbalances in my periods and getting breakouts on my face.. I want to remove heat and impurities from my body
Please help
If you think there is some imbalance going on in your internal system of organs, you can do it every day, first thing in the morning (for limited time only).
Ideally, jal dhauti is recommended once in a week. It will definitely help you during the menstrual cycle.
Hi,
My 10year old son is complaining of acidity since last 7-8 days. We are ensuring he has timely meals.Can we try this process and expect results?
I think it’s not advisable to do Vamana dhauti at this little age. You should personally consult an expert about this.
Can we do it daily morning?
Yes, you can do it in morning time but it’s not advised to practice on a daily basis as on daily practice it can harm the abdominal organs.
Can Vamana Dauti ( omitting water) can be done on next morning of fasting without water
Water is the medium of cleansing through which undigested food particles are driven out in Vamana Dhauti. If you don’t use water, it wouldn’t be possible to vomit.
Shatkarmas are not the practice of daily routines like yoga asana, pranayama, and meditation. Only when you feel the internal system need cleansing, practice it. After fasting, your internal system automatically works at their best so it doesn’t need any external cleansing.
Hope, your doubt has cleared.
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Vaman Dhauti to be done on empty stomach in the morning or after 3-4 hours after taking food? There is contradictory in your narration.
If no digestion problem, at what intervals it could be done for cleanse our system?
Vaman Dhauti is a very similar process to Kunjal Kriya. The only difference between these two is: Vaman Dhauti is performed after 3-4 hours of heavy meal to removes out the undigested food particles while Kunjal Kriya (Also known as Gaja Karani kriya) is performed empty stomach in the early morning which has the cleansing effect on impurities causing hyperacidity, halitosis, phlegm, and sore throats.
Even if you have no digestion problem, you can perform kunjal kriya in the interval of 2-3 days. It increases the effectiveness of glands present in the stomach lining.