Dhauti

Dhauti is one of the Shatkarmas (or Shatkriyas), which form the yogic system of body cleansing techniques.[1] It is intended mainly to the cleaning of the digestive tract in its full length but it affects also the respiratory tract, external ears and eyes.

According to the 18th century Gheranda Samhita,[2] it is divided into four parts: Antara (internal) Dhauti, Danta (teeth) Dhauti, Hrida (cardiac or chest region) Dhauti and Mula Shodhana (rectal cleansing).[3]

Dhauti is one of the six Shatkarmas, purifications used in traditional hatha yoga; Vastra Dhauti, using a long cloth to clean the oesophagus and stomach, is illustrated here.[4]
  1. ^ Sturgess 2004, pp. 117–122.
  2. ^ Dhauti - Internal Cleansing, in Yoga Magazine, a publication of Bihar School of Yoga
  3. ^ Dixit, Sandya (3 January 2016). "Demonstration on "Pranayam and Shuddhi Kriyas"" (PDF). International Conference on Advances in Asian Medicine.
  4. ^ Mallinson & Singleton 2017, pp. xxviii–xxxii, 46, 49–50, 71–79.