Basti

Basti

Basti is one of the six purifying actions or kriyas (shat-karmas), intended to rid intestines of drosses and toxins.

The Ayurveda says that the main course of aging of an organism is the accumulation and poor elimination of toxins (ama) from the body. The remains of food in the intestine begin to rot and then the poison is absorbed by the whole body through the walls of body organs. This effects the quality of life, and can also cause serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Svami Svatmarama in the text "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" states:

gulma-plīhodaraṃ cāpi vāta-pitta-kaphodbhavāḥ |
basti-karma-prabhāveṇa kṣīyante sakalāmayāḥ || 27||

Enlargement of the glands, disorders of the spleen, as well as abdominal diseases and other maladies caused by wind, bile and mucus are eliminated through the practice of basti. (2.27)

dhātviṃdriyāntaḥ-karaṇa-prasādaṃ dadhācca kāntiṃ dahana-pradīptam |
aśeṣa-doṣopacayaṃ nihanyād abhyasyamānaṃ jala-basti-karma || 28||

Due to the practice of jala-basti, the excess of doshas is completely eliminated, the fire [of digestion] is kindled and the purity of dhatu, indriyas and antahkarana is achieved. (2.28)

There are two kinds of basti, according to "Gheranda Samhita":

• jala-basti, which is performed while sitting in the water;
• shushka-basti or "dry basti" is a lightweight version, without the need of water.

There is also pavana-basti – cleansing the intestines with air.