Kriya

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Kriyas ( Sanskrit , f., क्रिया, kriyā, "action, deed") are physical cleansing techniques in Hatha Yoga . They are designed to help cleanse the physical body by stimulating and supporting the body's excretory systems in various ways. Time and again, these exercises are also attributed spiritual effects in the yoga scriptures.

In certain yoga directions, kriyas also refer to a series of exercises. These should then z. B. awaken the Kundalini or direct their ascent. These types of kriyas must be clearly distinguished from those described here.

In the Hathapradipika , an important yoga script, six exercises are described, here called Shatkriyas or Shatkarmas ( Sanskrit , shat, "six"). They are the most important of the kriyas, of which there are countless more:

  1. Trataka ( staring at an object from about one to three meters away)
  2. Neti ( nasal rinsing and massage of the nasal mucous membranes )
  3. Kapalabhati (lung cleansing through rapid breathing , fire breathing )
  4. Dhauti (cleaning of the upper digestive tract )
  5. Nauli (cleansing of the small intestine , colon cleansing )
  6. Basti (cleaning the colon , enema ).

Both in the motherland of yoga ( India ) and in the west there are yoga schools (directions / traditions) that teach the purification techniques, and those that use the kriyas little or no.

The sense of these exercises can be seen in certain beliefs of Hinduism and against the background of the origin of Hatha Yoga. In some currents of Hinduism, the body is considered the temple of the immortal soul , and this temple should be kept pure. For this reason, the different techniques arose to cleanse the body internally and externally and to free it from waste products and deposits. Some of the exercises are normal cleanings that serve physical hygiene (not a matter of course at the time), such as washing, rinsing or removing plaque (tongue). Other religions also know forms of ritual washing (e.g. Islam ), which are often related to certain dietary regulations (pure / impure). Today it is assumed that this is generally less about the spiritual background and more practically about the health of the population.

Against the background of their time of origin, the meaning of the kriyas becomes clear, as the hygienic conditions cannot be compared with today's. Intestinal parasites and intestinal diseases were common. To this day, pulses are one of the most important sources of protein in India . These are difficult to digest and cause gas . There is also the risk of various pathogens being absorbed by contaminated water. For these reasons, the food in Indian cuisine is extremely spicy. The heat is supposed to kill bacteria and stimulate the metabolism .

Since yoga is also about balancing the gunas , a yogi should not eat so spicy because the spiciness promotes guna rajas (activity) too much . In order to keep the body free from bacteria and pathogens, the Kriyas were / are practiced.

In the Hathayogapradipika, next to the Upanishads , the Bhagavad-Gita and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, one of the most important source texts of yoga (dated around 1500), it is said that the kriyas are only important for fat and lazy people (tamas guna). Active and lean people don't need these because they have a well-functioning metabolism.

Opinions differ on whether and to what extent western people need kriyas. In some schools / traditions they play a major role and are taught. Others argue that Westerners already have an exaggerated tendency towards cleanliness and hygiene in relation to the body (daily showering) and the living environment (no dust, being able to eat from the floor) and practicing the kriyas can increase this tendency. Since yoga is primarily about spiritual and spiritual purity, only some of the kriyas are considered useful in these schools for Western people, for example nasal rinsing (jala-neti) to prevent flu infections, free the sinuses and protect the Mucous membranes from drying out. Or Kriyas to stimulate intestinal peristalsis (Nauli), as modern people of civilization often suffer from indigestion and indigestion due to lack of exercise .

See also

literature

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Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Search results for "kriyA". In: spokensanskrit.org . Retrieved April 28, 2020 .