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Move sluggish digestion

A morning practice for a digestion that feels slow and heavy, combining abdominal breathwork with twists, squats and gentle compression of the belly. Traditionally this kind of sequence is done on an empty stomach, before food, and many people find it works best when it becomes a daily habit rather than an occasional rescue. Drink a glass of warm water beforehand if that suits you.

18 min · 12 steps · Beginner · best morning · for sluggish digestion, bloating, constipation

See a clinician rather than practising if:
  • there is blood in the stool, or black tarry stools
  • you have a lasting change in bowel habit, unexplained weight loss, or a mass or persistent pain in the abdomen
  • constipation comes with vomiting or you cannot pass wind at all

Before you start

  • practise on an empty stomach, ideally after emptying the bowels
  • a mat and a rolled blanket for under the heels in the squat

0 of 12 done — tick each step as you go

  1. Thunderbolt Poseवज्रासन1 minute

    sit tall and settle the breath before you begin

    Asana · block, bolster, blanket · avoid with recent knee or ankle injury, or joint replacement, acute knee arthritis pain, numbness or pins and needles in the feet (come out and move) · how to do it

  2. Skull-shining breathकपालभाति2 rounds of 15 breaths

    light and rhythmic; the belly does the work, not the shoulders

    Breath · avoid with pregnancy, high blood pressure, heart disease, hernia, during menstruation, on a full stomach · how to do it · watch

  3. Fire-essence churningअग्निसार क्रिया3 rounds

    only on a completely empty stomach, and never to the point of strain

    Breath · avoid with pregnancy, menstruation, hernia, ulcers or hyperacidity, hypertension, heart disease, empty stomach only · how to do it

  4. Cat–Cowमार्जरी–बितिलासन8 rounds

    Asana · blanket, chair · avoid with wrist injury · how to do it · watch

  5. Garland Poseमालासन1 minute

    heels on a rolled blanket if they lift

    Asana · block, blanket, wall · avoid with recent knee or hip replacement, acute knee injury or meniscus tear, Achilles tendon or ankle injury, pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy · how to do it

  6. Triangle Poseत्रिकोणासन45 seconds each side

    lengthen the side ribs rather than reaching for the floor

    Asana · block, wall, chair · avoid with neck injury (keep gaze neutral), low blood pressure · how to do it · watch

  7. Seated Easy Twistपरिवृत्त सुखासन1 minute each side

    turn from the base of the spine upwards

    Asana · chair, blanket · avoid with acute disc injury or nerve pain, recent abdominal surgery, pregnancy (turn gently from the shoulders only, keeping the belly open), sacroiliac joint instability · how to do it

  8. Cobra Poseभुजङ्गासन20 seconds, three times

    Asana · blanket · avoid with pregnancy, recent back or wrist injury, peptic ulcer · how to do it · watch

  9. Extended Child's Poseबालासन1 minute

    Asana · bolster, blanket, block · avoid with knee injury, late pregnancy · how to do it

  10. Wind-Relieving Poseपवनमुक्तासन1 minute each side, then both knees

    hug in and breathe into the belly against the thighs

    Asana · strap, blanket · avoid with recent abdominal surgery, late pregnancy · how to do it

  11. Supine Spinal Twistसुप्त मत्स्येन्द्रासन1 minute each side

    Asana · bolster, blanket · avoid with acute disc injury or nerve pain travelling down the leg, recent abdominal or spinal surgery, second and third trimester of pregnancy (avoid lying flat and closed twists) · how to do it

  12. Corpse Poseशवासन2 minutes

    Asana · bolster, blanket · avoid with late pregnancy (lie on the side) · how to do it · watch

Cautions for this sequence

  • leave out the skull-shining breath and the abdominal churning if you are pregnant, menstruating heavily, have a hernia, ulcers, reflux, raised blood pressure or recent abdominal surgery
  • skip the deep squat if it hurts the knees; sit on a low stool instead
  • keep the twists gentle and let the belly stay soft enough to breathe into
Cautions carried in from the individual practices (32)
  • Thunderbolt Pose — recent knee or ankle injury, or joint replacement
  • Thunderbolt Pose — acute knee arthritis pain
  • Thunderbolt Pose — numbness or pins and needles in the feet (come out and move)
  • Skull-shining breath — pregnancy
  • Skull-shining breath — high blood pressure
  • Skull-shining breath — heart disease
  • Skull-shining breath — hernia
  • Skull-shining breath — during menstruation
  • Skull-shining breath — on a full stomach
  • Fire-essence churning — menstruation
  • Fire-essence churning — ulcers or hyperacidity
  • Fire-essence churning — hypertension
  • Fire-essence churning — empty stomach only
  • Cat–Cow — wrist injury
  • Garland Pose — recent knee or hip replacement
  • Garland Pose — acute knee injury or meniscus tear
  • Garland Pose — Achilles tendon or ankle injury
  • Garland Pose — pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy
  • Triangle Pose — neck injury (keep gaze neutral)
  • Triangle Pose — low blood pressure
  • Seated Easy Twist — acute disc injury or nerve pain
  • Seated Easy Twist — recent abdominal surgery
  • Seated Easy Twist — pregnancy (turn gently from the shoulders only, keeping the belly open)
  • Seated Easy Twist — sacroiliac joint instability
  • Cobra Pose — recent back or wrist injury
  • Cobra Pose — peptic ulcer
  • Extended Child's Pose — knee injury
  • Extended Child's Pose — late pregnancy
  • Supine Spinal Twist — acute disc injury or nerve pain travelling down the leg
  • Supine Spinal Twist — recent abdominal or spinal surgery
  • Supine Spinal Twist — second and third trimester of pregnancy (avoid lying flat and closed twists)
  • Corpse Pose — late pregnancy (lie on the side)

Source: Ojastha editorial — classical hatha yoga and modern therapeutic yoga practice

Reviewed by hraovvs@gmail.com

Educational yoga and pranayama guidance, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, recovering from surgery or managing a diagnosed condition, check with your clinician and learn these practices with a qualified teacher.