Vaman (Dhouti)

Introduction

It is another easy method of dhouti. The washing up of the entire track starting from the mouth to the digestive path at the beginning of the small intestines, that is mouth, esophagus, stomach etc are included in this process. One can wash one's mouth, but in the daily routine one cannot wash the esophagus or the stomach. The impurities residing there are carried along with the food particles and are mixed in some proportion with the blood. This has adverse effects on the body. In the case of some patients, the stomach wash is effected by introducing rubber tube into the stomach. This process is done in Yoga without any external instruments, only with the physical movements of the internal organs in the body. This process of stomach wash is done with the help of dand (catheter), water or cloth. We will consider the process done with the help of water.

Process Heat pure drinking water till it achieves the body temperature and put a pinch of salt in it Initially, the proportion of salt can be kept a little high. Start drinking this water sitting at one place. Generally, nothing is felt till a liter of water is consumed. Keep on drinking the water. Afterwards, the weight of the water is felt into the stomach, which gradually causes strain. After intake of 1.5 to 2 liters of water, there is a nauseating feeling. Keep on drinking. While drinking the water (salted and heated as described herein above), it should be drunk sip by sip consuming it from a glass. Ultimately, there is a feeling that no further quantity can be consumed and there is an intense feeling to vomit. Try to consume another glass by keeping the feeling in check with mental efforts. Then stand up with a distance of 1 to 1.5 ft in the legs and bend down slightly. Insert the fore or index finger, middle finger and the small finger of the right hand into the mouth and press a little at the end of the tongue. This aggravates the feeling to vomit. The water in the stomach will come out in gushes. Try to bring out the entire quantity by inserting fingers into the throat. When the entire quantity of water comes out, the nausea stops and the feeling to vomit vanishes. Wash the mouth and perform shavasan. Shavasan should be performed for 10 to 15 minutes as per the need and then one can resume the normal routine. After one hour, a drink may be allowed. Duration The feeling to vomit becomes intense within 10 to 15 minutes of the start of drinking the water. The actual process of vomiting lasts for only 2 to 3 minutes. That means the entire process of vamandhouti lasts for 15 to 20 minutes. However, shavasan must be performed as per the need for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This process is not to be reiterated. It is a one time process at a given time. Also, it is not to be performed daily. This is to be performed as per the need under proper guidance. It is said in the texts that the process is to be performed after having food. However, for learning the process, it should be performed early in the morning, on empty stomach. After learning the process thoroughly, if it is to be performed with specific purpose in mind, it may be performed after having food. Physical Effects In this process, the stomach is filled with the water and then the same water is turned out from the mouth. Hence, the stomach and the esophagus are washed clean from inside. The impurities are thrown out. In the general digestion process, when the food and the water are consumed, they travel from the stomach to the small intestines and then absorbed into the blood. That means, poisonous substances when swallowed through the mouth or if generated in the stomach due to some internal problems, travel with the food to the small intestines and are absorbed into the blood in at least certain proportion. This process helps to bring out such poisonous materials. Also, the water drunk in the process includes salt. The osmotic pressure in the stomach is increased due to such water and instead of such water getting absorbed, the water in the blood gets absorbed into the stomach. Hence, the poisonous substances on the inner wall or lining of the stomach are brought into the stomach and thrown out along with the water. Due to some sort of problem, certain poisonous materials or deformed juices are generated in the stomach after consumption of food. This hinders proper digestion. If this process is performed immediately after having food, such poisonous materials are thrown out of the body and they do not get mixed into the blood. This vamandhouti process is useful for patients suffering from acidity. Precaution This process cannot be learnt from reading it in a book. It should be learnt under the guidance of the expert and then may be performed independently when learnt properly. Also, like asanas and pranayama, this process should not be performed daily. It should be performed according to the need under the expert guidance. People suffering from heart trouble, blood pressure - high or low, diseases of the nervous system, or trouble from ulcers, should not perform the process. It should be done under expert advice and to the extent prescribed by them. While performing the process, the same amount of water as consumed should be thrown out. However, if the exact quantity is not thrown out, there is no need to get scared. The water then travels across the digestive track and is thrown out of the body by way of diarrhea. It does not cause any trouble to the body. It is necessary to perform shavasan for 10 to 15 minutes. Also, if any food is to be consumed, it may be taken after 1.5 to 2 hours after the process. References in the ancient texts The first chapter of the Gherandsamhita states that : Bhojanante pibadwari chakantham puritam sudhih | Urdhwa drishtim kshanam krutva tatjalam vamayetpunah | Nityamabhyasyogen kaphapittam niwarayet || G S 1-39 Meaning -  Drink plenty of water after having food and vomit out the entire water after glancing upwards for a minute. The vamandhouti eliminates kapha and pitta. Here, the process is to be performed after having food. However, it is not expected that it is to be performed daily. Also, it states that the process eliminates kapha-pitta. That means when kapha-pitta are generated in excess and cause some trouble to the body, then this process should be used to get rid of them. When the kapha - pitta are in control, then the process need not be performed.