What is Nauli?
Nauli is one of the Hatha Yoga Kriyas known as Shatkarmas.
It comes the root word Nala or Nali that means ‘hallow stalk’.
It is also called as Lauliki Karma or Lauliki Kriya, which means ‘to move hither and thither’.
Nauli is divided into 3 main stages.
Madhyama Nauli (Central Abdominal Contraction), Vamana Nauli (Left Isolation), and Dakshina Nauli (Right Isolation).
Practitioner Level
All the Shatkarmas are at an advanced level, the reason why we say it is advanced is that it mostly concerned with the energy level rather than at the physical level.
When the changes happen at the energy system, naturally improvements get reflected at the physical level too.
This is an advanced level Shatkarma which can be performed by the one who is already been practicing the yogasanas or pranayamas taught in our previous sections.
Do check out our yogasanas section to learn yogasanas from scratch to advanced level.
Do check out our pranayamas section to learn pranayamas from scratch to advanced level.
The practitioners of yoga who is been practicing for a few years will get a huge benefit out of it.
However, there is nothing wrong with practicing this Nauli Kriya as a beginner under the guidance of a teacher.
Nauli Effects
Nauli’s main effect is at the abdominal part and Solar Plexus (Manipura Chakra).
Do check out Nauli Types for more information about the different types of Nauli.
Most amazing 12 benefits of Nauli Kriya
- Nauli helps with the abdominal massage.
- It will make use of the abdominal muscles that you hardly ever use individually.
- This helps in speed up the gastric secretions.
- Nauli naturally neutralizes the anxiety accumulated daily.
- It will strengthen your liver and pancreas.
- This practice of Shatkarma will improve your immunity power.
- It removes dyspepsia and increases digestion power.
- It will help tone up the entire abdominal area including muscles, nerves, intestines, reproductive, urinary, and excretory organs.
- The heat generated at the abdominal part from this Kriya will stimulate assimilation, absorption, and excretion.
- It helps to balance the adrenal component of the endocrine system.
- This removes constipation, nervous diarrhea, acidity, flatulence, depression, hormonal imbalance, sexual and urinary problems.
- Practicing this kriya daily will increase mental clarity by cleansing the Manipura Chakra.
Things required to practice the Nauli?
There is nothing needed to perform this Kriya except your abdomen. 🙂
Let us now look into how can we perform each stage of the kriya one by one.
How to Perform Nauli?
This Shatkarma Kriya has four stages.
- Madhyama Nauli.
- Vama Nauli.
- Dakshina Nauli.
- Abdominal Churning or Rotation.
How to do Madhyama Nauli?
This is the first stage of the kriya which focuses on central abdominal contraction.
- Stand with the feet about a meter apart.
- Take a deep breath in through the nose and then exhale through the mouth, emptying the lungs as much as possible.
- Bend the knees slightly and lean forward, placing the palms of the hands on the thighs just above the knees.
- .The fingers may point either inward or outward.
- The weight of the upper body should rest comfortably on this area above the knees.
- The arms should remain straight.
- Perform jalandhara bandha while maintaining bahir kumbhaka, external breath retention.
- Keep the eyes open and watch the abdomen.
- Suck in the lower abdomen Contract the rectus abdominal muscles so that they form a central arch running vertically in front of the abdomen.
- Contract the muscles as much as possible without straining.
- Hold the contraction for as long as it is comfortable to hold the breath.
- Release the contraction, raise the head and return to the upright position. Inhale slowly and deeply allowing the abdomen to expand. Relax the whole body.
- This completes one round.
- Relax in the standing position until the heartbeat returns to normal.
- Repeat the practice for 3 more rounds.
Remember, you need to perfect this practice before going to the next stage.
How to do Vama Nauli?
This is the second stage of the kriya which focuses on the left part of your abdominal area.
- Stand with the feet about a meter apart.
- Take a deep breath in through the nose and then exhale through the mouth, emptying the lungs as much as possible.
- Bend the knees slightly and lean forward, placing the palms of the hands on your thighs just above the knees.
- .The fingers may point either inward or outward.
- The weight of the upper body should rest comfortably on this area above the knees.
- The arms should remain straight.
- Perform jalandhara bandha while maintaining bahir kumbhaka, external breath retention.
- Keep the eyes open and watch the abdomen.
- Suck in the lower abdomen.
- Isolate the rectus abdominal muscles at the left side.
- Contract the muscles to the left side as strongly as possible without straining.
- Return to Madhyama nauli.
- Release the abdominal contraction, raise the head and return to the upright position.
- Inhale slowly and deeply, allowing the abdomen to expand.
- Inhale slowly and deeply, allowing the abdomen to expand.
- This completes one round.
- Relax in the upright position until the heartbeat returns to normal.
- Repeat the practice for 3 more rounds.
How to do Dakshina Nauli?
This is the third stage of the kriya which focuses on the left part of your abdominal area.
- Stand with the feet about a meter apart.
- Take a deep breath in through the nose and then exhale through the mouth, emptying the lungs as much as possible.
- Bend the knees slightly and lean forward, placing the palms of the hands on the thighs just above the knees.
- .The fingers may point either inward or outward.
- The weight of the upper body should rest comfortably on this area above the knees.
- The arms should remain straight.
- Perform jalandhara bandha while maintaining bahir kumbhaka, external breath retention.
- Keep the eyes open and watch the abdomen.
- Suck in the lower abdomen.
- Isolate the rectus abdominal muscles at the right side.
- Hold the contraction as tightly as possible while retaining the breath.
- Do not strain.
- Return to Madhyama nauli.
- Release the abdominal contraction, raise the head and return to the upright position.
- Inhale slowly and deeply, allowing the abdomen to expand.
- This is one round.
- Repeat the practice for 3 more rounds.
- Relax in the upright position until the heartbeat returns to normal.
Proceed to abdominal rotation or churning only after perfecting this practice.
Abdominal rotation or churning
This is the fourth stage which is considered to be an advanced level in Nauli Kriya.
This has to be attempted only when you master the above three stages of Shatkarma.
- Practice Vama nauli, then rotate the muscles to the right, Dakshina nauli, and back to the left, Vama nauli.
- Continue rotating the muscles from side to side.
- This process is known as churning.
- Start by practicing 3 consecutive rotations, then release the abdominal contraction.
- Next start with Dakshina nauli first, this time rotating the muscles from right to left, left to right 3 times consecutively.
- Then perform Madhyama nauli, isolating the muscles at the center.
- Raise the head and return to the upright position.
- Inhale slowly and deeply, allowing the abdomen to expand.
- This is one round.
- Relax in the upright position until the heartbeat returns to normal.
- Repeat the rounds three times in total.
NOTE: Please watch the video and you will find the nauli kriya @3:09.
Follow-up Yoga Kriyas after Nauli Kriya
You can do any of the 5 yoga kriyas after or before doing Nauli Kriya.
Do check out them for more information on list of all Yoga Kriyas.
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