Practising safely and cleansing practices

Before practice: cleanliness (shauch), a quiet place, an empty stomach, a level mat, light clothes; not when tired or ill. During: start with a prayer, move slowly with awareness, breathe through the nose, never strain, and respect each practice's limits; consult a doctor for chronic or heart problems.

After: wait 15-30 minutes before a bath or food; relax in Shavasana; end with meditation and Shanti Path.

Yoga for wellness works through cleansing (shodhana kriyas), a yogic diet and lifestyle, asanas for physical and mental balance, pranayama for breath control and emotional stability, dharana for focus and dhyana for calm.

Neti cleans the nose: jala neti with lukewarm salted water poured through one nostril and out of the other (breathe through the mouth); sutra neti with a soft thread, only under guidance and after jala neti is mastered.

Kapalbhati: forceful exhalations by the abdomen like bellows, passive inhalations, 30-40 strokes a round (start with 10). Agnisara: holding the breath out while rapidly moving the abdomen. Both are avoided with high blood pressure; kapalbhati also with heart disease and ulcers.