Salt Water Cleanse
Saltwater cleansing practice purifies the digestive system and draws impurities out of organs inside the body. Salt-water cleanses may be used to treat common colds, high blood pressure (it's important to have salt from a natural source that has not been processed), digestive ailments, fever and degenerative related ailments.
We recommend this inner body cleanse with natural salt prior to spiritual consultations, meditation groups and retreats.
Before starting a new healing program, taking a new herb/vitamin, fasting or changing diet, you need to rid your body of built-up toxins and schlock. Getting rid of the old stuff, will make way for the new program to take effect. How else will you know that a healing program is working if you are just putting new things on top of the old?
NOTE: persons with very advanced forms of ulcer, appendicitis, intestinal tuberculosis, or cancer are recommended not to practice this technique.
Prior to Cleanse
If you have problems with constipation, please clean your bowls with a safe herbal laxative (i.e. senna or garcinia) for one or two days before this cleanse.
During the Cleanse
Avoid alcohol, spicy foods, fried foods and anything rich or heavy during this week of cleansing. You will take your digestive tract back to its childhood state. Feel what would be best to feed a small child and you will know what to eat.
Salt-Water Flush Recipe
2 Quarts (2 Liters) Water - boil to tea drinking temperature
1 Level Tablespoon Natural Salt - from sea or ground
Juice from a Lime/Lemon - if required to offset the taste
16oz (1/2 Liter) Serving Cup
Alarm Clock - set to sunrise for 7 days
Toilet Paper
Salt from a natural source is better for cleaning the body than iodized salt. Sea salt is fine, evaporated salt is fine, and ground-based salt is fine.
Your Daily Program for Saltwater Cleaning
The organs of the body have open channels in the early morning hours between 5AM and 7AM. This is the best time to drink salt water and a common time in most spiritual practices to perform a morning ritual.
Face the four directions: North, South, East and West.
East for Water
West for Earth
South for Fire, and
North for Air
Ask for blessings, purity, strength and anything you might need. Drink the hot salt water facing the four directions until finished.
When you drink in each direction, feel how the associated element effects your life. Example: Water - "Thank you water. Biological life comes from water, thank you. Humans come from water, thank you. I came from the water of my mother's womb, thank you. I relax in the surf at the beach, thank you. I drink this yummy salt water to heal my body, thank you..."
If you find yourself with a full stomach, even after the first glass, the following exercises will help. The idea is to get the water out of your stomach and into your intestines.
Exercise 1 - Rub your stomach with the palm of right your hand clockwise 21 times and counter clockwise 13 times.
Exercise 2 - Raise your arms over your head (still standing) and sway them left to right.
Exercise 3 - Spread your feet shoulder width apart and spin your body at the waist from left to right. Let your arms swing with your body. Feel the stretch in your lower back and abdomen.
Exercise 4 - With knees and feet together, bend your knees and squat. Reach with your left hand and touch the tip of your index finger to the outside of your right foot. Now try to do both together with your head facing somewhat forward. You should find your left elbow touch the outside of your right knee when you're in the full squat position. This exercise is of course a little (sic) difficult. If too difficult try something else.
Exercise 5 - Doing the Hatha Yoga Cobra Position is also good as are other exercises that get the intestines stimulated.
Results from the Saltwater Flush
What to Benefits to Expect from your Intestinal Cleanse
As with any cleansing program, reactions vary from people to people. You may take more than one hour to drink this much saltwater. After a little practice, most people can drink the water in 30 to 45 minutes. Some people throw up the first glass; keep trying and you'll be glad you did.
You should expect to make trips to the toilet throughout the morning. Some people finish cleaning their bowels in a couple of hours. It may take a little longer during the first few days.
One thing that is very common, is to have LOTS of additional energy and a great appetite. This too may take a couple of days.
Plan to take it easy on the first few days, especially if you have never done any kind of cleansing before (headaches commonly occur during detoxification.) Very soon you will be amazed at the effects on your energy, mood and emotions. Physical cleaning is often connected to a deeper more psychological and spiritual cleaning.
You will be taking your digestive track back to its childhood state and this can be serious work. Eat light (no fried, heavy, spicy food) during the cleanse and do not drink alcohol. Consider what you your feed a 5 to 6 year old child (not McDonald's). When you stop cleansing, watch what you eat and bring your body back to your normal diet slowly.
After the first 7 days, you may choose to continue. During the second week, drink every second day, the third week, drink every third day, the forth week, drink every fourth... until you drink salt water one time in one week for the rest of your life. Or... whenever you feel you need a cleansing.
People over 25 years of age can drink salt water once per week as a laxative and to keep the immune system up to par.
For more information about the Yogic Practice of Shank Prakshalana(Internal Purification) see the summary below.
Here is a short exert of the information below:
Salt Water Flush Benefits
The effects won't appear immediately, but after 2-3 days, manifesting as freshness of the breath, better sleep, disappearance of rushes and pimples, a general state of lightness in the body, improved digestion.The sweat becomes odorless.The skin and especially the complexion bright, the glance becomes radiant and magnetic.
Increases the strength of the immune system.Regulates the metabolism, bringing balance in the body - therefore people who are overweight might harmoniously lose some weight and people who are too skinny might gain a few kilograms.Salt Water Cleaning Provides relief for these ailments
Chronic headachesDiseases of the eye, nose, teeth, heart, abdomen, and rectumAppendicitisDamaged intestinesInflammation of the digestive tractIntestinal wormsMenstrual irregularitiesDiseases connected to the organs of reproductionAll the 25 kinds of urethral infection and affections known in the Ayurvedic medicine.
Disclaimer: Please note that this information is provided as a guideline only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own intuition, nutritionist, physician or trained professional. If you have special circumstances or in doubt whether this is for you, consult a professional before starting this program.