general mental tension.
·    It is of great benefit for problems associated with the ears and eyes such as certain types of deafness, tinnitus, myopia.
·    Neti also works on the subtle aspects of the olfactory bulb which is closely associated with the psychic centre known as Ajna Chakra and helps with awakening of this centre for higher states of meditation.
·    It helps to stimulate better powers of visualisation and concentration and gives a feeling of lightness and clarity to the mind.
·   Neti is excellent for those trying to give up smoking. Since it reduces the tendency for mouth breathing, Neti re-sensitises the nose to the actual pollution of ingesting smoke, therefore de-programming the brain of the physical and psychological addiction.
·    Improves sense of smell thereby increasing appreciation of foods and the natural environment.
·     During pregnancy, as the reproductive mucous membranes soften in preparation for birth, it is not uncommon for women to experience the side effects of a runny nose, blocked ears, or dried blood in the nose. Neti definitely helps alleviate these discomforts, as well as helping to keep the nose clear for effective breathing during labour.

Kunjal Kriya - Stomach Cleansing
   The yogis discovered a way of very simply back-flushing the stomach. Just like the nasal passages, the oesophagus, the trachea, the stomach and the lungs, all have mucous linings which protect the insides of our body from invasion. Periodic cleansing of these mucous linings assists in eliminating a build up of pollutants and helps in maintaining the most efficient functioning of those organs.
   Basic Procedure: First thing in the morning, before eating anything, 6 cups of warm, slightly salted water are drunk in quick succession. A forward bending position is adopted and the two longest fingers of one hand are used to tickle the root of the tongue to stimulate the vomiting reflex. All going well, the water will gush out in several large bursts leaving the stomach empty and cleansed.
   The benefits of Kunjal are summarised as following:
·    Kunjal corrects digestive overload by removing leftover and fermenting food from the stomach helping with indigestion, gas, biliousness.
·    Saline vomiting flushes out the stomach and oesophagus linings by removing excess mucus. This helps in reducing throaty phlegm.
·   It tones the abdominal muscles and other internal organs making the whole digestive system more resistant to disease.

·   Helps regulate correct stomach secretions reducing hypo and hyper-acidity.
·    Kunjal helps improve blood supply to the whole abdominal and thoracic region. This helps to increase the assimilation of digestive nutrients and also relieves bad breath.
·   It is an excellent cleansing for the lungs and hence it is very beneficial for asthmatics. The strong contractions made by the pyloric sphincter send a shock wave along the main nerve to the lungs which can instantly release the spasm within the bronchial tree during an asthma attack.
·    Kunjal helps those with under-active digestion and stimulates the digestive fire, raising the internal body temperature and is therefore a good technique for those with perpetually cold extremities and underactive digestion.
·    Relieves morning sickness during pregnancy.

Laghoo Shankaprakshalana -
Intestinal Cleansing
   "Shanka" means conch, "prakshalana" means cleaning out and "laghoo" means the small or short version. The ancient yogis visualised their digestive system like a conch, a long, spiral passageway through which food travelled. The Gastro Intestinal Tract (GIT) runs from the mouth to the anus. It is some 7 metres long overall, with innumerable bends and pockets and, like the respiratory system, it too is coated with a mucous lining. Over time, due to a poor diet, bad eating habits and constipation, the bowels can become blocked with matter, which can ultimately produce auto-toxaemia. Many ailments and diseases are either directly or indirectly caused by accumulation of waste matter in the intestines. Periodic cleaning out of the GIT is one very beneficial thing which can be done to help relieve these blockages and restore the system to its proper function.
   First thing in the morning, before eating anything, 2 cups of warm saline water are drunk in quick succession. Then 5 specific yoga exercises are done to help move this water through the system. After the postures, 2 more cups of the water are drunk and the exercises performed again. A further 2 cups are drunk and again the exercises are done. Following these 6 cups, a strong urge to empty the bowels should occur. This will flush out, firstly solid, then liquid wastes from the bowels. Regular performance of this technique will gradually give a gentle yet effective cleansing to the whole digestive system.
   If everything goes easily with no blockages, the whole routine can be accomplished in 15 - 20 minutes and once learned under guidance, is easily done at home without assistance.