Other cleansing techniques

1 - Tadasana (The Heavenly Stretch Pose)

This is a slightly different variation of Tadasana to that usually taught. It is not done slowly with concentration on balance but much faster to assist water movement through the abdominal organs.

Stand with the feet together. Interlock the fingers and turn the palms downwards (a). Inhale as you raise the arms up over your head. Slowly rise up on your toes, stretching and lengthening the abdominal area (b). Hold the breath in whilst up in the tip toe stretch for just a few seconds, then exhale as you slowly come down again, resting the hands on the top of your head between rounds (c). Repeat (b) and (c) 7 more times on consecutive breaths with no rest between. All 8 rounds should take no more than about 40 - 60 seconds.

2 - Tiryaka Tadasana (Side Bending Stretch Pose)

Stand with your feet a bit more than shoulder width apart. Interlock your fingers, turning the palms downwards. Inhale as you raise your arms up over your head (a). Exhale as you bend to the right side (b), then inhale as you straighten back up to the centre (a), then exhale as you bend over to the left side (c), then inhale as you straighten back up to the centre position (a). Repeat bending to right and left 7 more times without any break in the breathing. All 8 rounds should take no more than 60 seconds.

3 - Kati Chakrasana (Waist Rotating Pose)

Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Inhale as you raise your arms level to shoulders (a). Keeping the feet flat on the floor, exhale as you twist the upper body to the right side, wrapping the right arm behind the waist and the left hand onto the right shoulder. Turn the head fully to the right to look behind (b). Inhale back to the centre position as in (a). Exhale as you twist to the opposite side (c). Return to the centre position (a). Do 7 more twists to each side, flinging the arm loosely and fast from side to side. All 8 rounds should take no more than 30 seconds.