Shatkarma: The Six Cleansing Practices of Hatha Yoga

Yoga basics 3 illustrations Updated 2 Nov 2026

Shatkarma, also called shatkriya, is the set of six cleansing practices described in hatha yoga: neti, dhauti, basti, nauli, trataka and kapalabhati. Shat means six and karma means action. The texts say these practices prepare the body for pranayama by clearing mucus, excess fat and sluggishness, especially for people they describe as heavy or phlegmatic.

Some shatkarma in yoga are simple and widely practised, like trataka and kapalbhati. Others, like internal dhauti and basti, carry real risks and should only be learned in person from an experienced teacher. Here is what each involves and how to approach them safely.

Meaning: Shat: six, karma: action
Source: Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita
The six: Neti, dhauti, basti, nauli, trataka, kapalabhati
Home friendly: Trataka, kapalbhati, careful jala neti
Teacher only: Internal dhauti, basti, advanced nauli
Purpose: Prepare the body for pranayama

The six shatkarma at a glance

Practice	What it involves	Home safety
Neti	Nasal cleansing with salt water (jala neti) or a soft thread (sutra neti)	Jala neti with care; sutra neti with a teacher
Dhauti	Washing the upper gut, for example by drinking salt water and bringing it back up	Teacher only
Basti	Cleansing the colon with water	Teacher only
Nauli	Isolating and rolling the abdominal muscles	Learn with a teacher
Trataka	Fixed gaze on a small flame	Usually fine
Kapalabhati	Quick active exhales	Safe for many, with exclusions

Shatkarma in pictures

Jala neti nasal rinse with a small neti pot pouring water through one nostril over a sink — Level
Beginner
Hold
1 minute each side
Works on
Nasal passages
Jala neti rinses the nose with lukewarm salt water. Use boiled and cooled or sterile water only.
**Teacher's cue:** Tilt the head sideways over the sink and breathe through the mouth.

Trataka practice gazing at a steady candle flame at eye level in a dim room — Level
Beginner
Hold
1 to 3 minutes
Works on
Concentration
Trataka, steady gazing at a flame, is the gentlest of the six and is used to train concentration.
**Teacher's cue:** Blink if the eyes water; the aim is steadiness, not strain.

Standing with hands on bent knees preparing for abdominal control practice — Level
Advanced
Hold
Short rounds
Works on
Abdominal control
Nauli starts from this stance: hands on the knees, breath fully out, belly drawn in. Learn it from a teacher.
**Teacher's cue:** Practise with an empty belly and halt the moment anything hurts.

Neti yoga: jala neti safely

Jala neti uses a small pot to pour lukewarm, lightly salted water into one nostril so it flows out of the other. Many people use it for nasal congestion and allergies, and saline rinsing has evidence for sinus symptoms. Use only boiled and cooled, distilled or sterile water, never plain tap water, to avoid rare but serious infections. Clean the pot after each use and dry the nose afterwards by gently breathing out. Skip it with nosebleeds, ear infections or a completely blocked nose.

Trataka yoga and tratak

Trataka yoga, also spelled tratak, means fixing the gaze, traditionally on a small flame about an arm away and level with the eyes. After a minute or two the eyes close and you watch the glowing after image fade. Hatha texts value it for steadying the mind. Keep it brief, blink whenever the eyes water, and leave it out if you have glaucoma or other eye disease, seizures or migraines set off by light. More eye care practices are on yoga for eyes.

Dhauti, basti and nauli: teacher only

Dhauti yoga practices such as vamana dhauti, drinking salt water and vomiting, and vastra dhauti, swallowing a long strip of cloth, and basti yoga, also called basti kriya in yoga, colon cleansing with water, can cause injury, electrolyte imbalance or infection. They are not suitable for self teaching from the internet. Nauli yoga, rolling the abdominal muscles, is safer but needs careful instruction and is not for pregnancy, hernia, high blood pressure or recent surgery.

Do you need shatkarma?

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika itself says these practices are mainly for people with excess mucus or fat, and that others may not need them. Most modern practitioners do well with asanas, pranayama and meditation alone, perhaps adding jala neti and trataka. Shatkarma yoga is a specialised area of hatha practice, described in more detail on the Hatha Yoga Pradipika page.

Practise on an empty stomach, move slowly into each position and stop at any sharp pain. If you have an injury, a health condition or are pregnant, check with a doctor or an experienced teacher first.