The shat kriyas (six actions) are perhaps the least widely adopted in today’s hatha yoga, but these purifying practices offer wide-ranging health benefits confirmed by modern science. By bringing balance to the pranic body, these six cleansing actions can positively affect the vagus nerve to calm the central nervous system and aid digestion. Sandra Anderson demystifies the shat kriyas and offers advice for how and when they should be implemented in a yoga routine.

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