Nauli kriya is a cleansing technique that involves the abdominal organs and muscles moving laterally and vertically in a wave-like motion. It is ...Home»Yoga»NauliKriya:HowtoDo,Precautions&BenefitsNauliKriyaisoneoftheShatkarmamentionedinancientyogictext,HathaYogaPradipika.Shatkarmaisbasicallysixyogicpurificationtechniques.OtherfivetechniquescombiningShatkarmaare:Dhauti–WashingoffoodpipeNeti–CleansingofNasalcavitiesKapalbhati–PurificationoffrontalbrainTrataka–EyestrengtheningexerciseBasti–WashingofthelargeintestineTheregularpracticeofthesetechniquespurifiesthebodyfrominside.Itmakespranayamaandmeditationeasierandeffectiveasitpreparesthebodyandthemindtobecomealertandfreefromfatigue.ContentsMeaningofthe“NauliKriya”WhatexactlyisNauliKriya?WhattoDoBeforePerformingNauliKriya?TypesofNauliKriyaHowtoDoNauliKriyaBenefitsofNauliPrecautionsContraindicationsConclusionMeaningofthe“NauliKriya”SanskrittermNauliismadeupoftworootwords“Nau”and“li”.Naumeans“boat”andli“toclingto”.Itisthenjoinedwiththeterm“kriya”.Kriyaisanactionorgroupofactionsandeffortstoreachaspecificgoalortarget.Itcanbeaseriesofeventsperformedsystematically.ForExample;YogaAsanaisapartofkriyaasseriesofasanasareperformedtoattainthestabilityofbody&mind.Meaning:Byreferringtheseterms,innaulikriya,abdominalmusclesclingtotheabdominalwallwhilebeingincontinuousmotion,likeaboatflowsinrollingwavesoftheocean.Nauliisalsoreferredtoas“laulikikarma”inSanskritscriptures.Thewordlaulikimeans“tomovehitherandtither”or“rollingandagitation”whichisexactlywhatthistechniquedoes.Itrolls,rotatesandagitatestheentireabdomenandtheassociatedmusclesandnerves.WhatexactlyisNauliKriya?Naulikriyaisacleansingtechniquethatinvolvestheabdominalorgansandmusclesmovinglaterallyandverticallyinawave-likemotion.Itiswellillustratedasaprocessofupanddownmovementofaboatinastormysea.InNauliKriya,abdominalmusclesespecially“rectusabdominis(absmuscle)1”isusedtomassageandstimulatethedigestiveorganse.g.thestomach,liver,spleen,urinarybladder,pancreas,gallbladder,andlargeandsm