As the body is the vehicle of the soul, it is very important to do certain practices to purify (the physical & etheric layers) and strengthen it. The last few articles walked you through certain techniques from Sanatan Kriya, practice and the strict discipline of which only, will help you achieve a balanced and disease-free body.

In Yog, optimal utilization of resources is the key to a healthy body. Our body is run on Prana, the force that runs the Creation. Excess prana is not a guarantee of sound health; the key is to balance the various nadis and chakras, which regulate the prana in the body. 

Chakra Santulan Pranayam redistributes the prana as per the requirement of the chakras, filling where there is depletion and removing where there is excess.

To do the kriya, Sit in Vajrasana. Close your eyes and take a full yogic breath (combination of abdominal and thoracic breathing).

Release the breath and take the palms down facing the Mooladhar chakra (Photo 1). (Photos Left – Right from top)

Begin inhalation in ujjai and simultaneously raise your palms to the Swadhishthan (Photo 2) continue inhaling and raise palms to Manipoorak (Photo 3), Anahat (Photo 4), Vishuddhi (Photo 5), and Agya (Photo 6).

Finally extend your palms towards the skies and be aware of your Guru with “OM Shree Guruve Namah OM” (Photo 7).

Stop the breath as in antara kumbhaka (i.e. holding the inhaled breath) and then slowly exhaling, bring the palms down, stopping momentarily at each chakra, till you come down to the Mooladhar.

This completes one cycle of the kriya. A set of seven such cycles would complete one set of the Chakra Santulan Kriya. The key point to note in this kriya is that one cycle of hand movements has to be synchronised with one breathing cycle. Do not under any circumstances strain yourself. Build up very slowly.

 The first few times, maybe for a month you would find that your hands are moving very fast up and down. It is alright. You need to slowly and steadily increase your lung capacity with regular practice of Sanatan Kriya.

The Chakra Santulan Pranayam has an immediate effect on the chakras and nadis, opening blockages in the nadis. As you progress in the practice under the guidance of a Guru, certain higher senses awaken and you are able to perceive and monitor the changes in the size, colour and shape of various chakral points. Sadhaks at Dhyan Ashram use these chakras to detect existing and future imbalances in the body, and also correct them. 

Yogi Ashwini is the Guiding Light of Dhyan Foundation and an authority on the Vedic sciences. His book, 'Sanatan Kriya, The Ageless Dimension' is an acclaimed thesis on anti-ageing.Log onto to www.dhyanfoundation.com or mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more.