Why You Shouldn’t Drink Water While Practicing Yoga | Isha Sadhguru


Sadhguru looks at the importance of maintaining the right body conditions during hata yoga, and explains why we shouldn’t drink water during practice.

Source: Why You Shouldn’t Drink Water While Practicing Yoga | Isha Sadhguru


65 responses »

  1. This was a great reading. I never knew there was so much information on body sweat. I have been unconsciously wiping sweat back onto my body during intense workouts or dance classes. I am now wondering if the same effect happens when you use these method during workouts at the gym, taking cardio classes, or just naturally sweating in the heat. Can you take these practices outside of yoga? Does not drinking water while practicing control where your sweat comes from (referring to the mention of being a “fountain head”)? I am someone who sweats often and wanted to know if the difference of when I drink water controls that. When we do deep abdominal breathing in the crocodile pose my stomach tend to make noises even if I already eaten two hours before, if this process can help to limit my hunger that would be great. I am looking forward to seeing the changes especially when we are able to do the more intense poses in yoga class.

    • Great questions…yes you may think about your sweat for all activities similarly, however, it will be a result of your Hatha yoga when you begin to organize your energies in a specific way wherein the sweat will mostly be in your head and neck. Not drinking water during yoga will keep your fire building so that it can be useful for transforming your energy, even healing as a purification from the heat build up. Try having a banana 2-3 hours before class and ask me about the Apple cider vinegar regimen.

  2. I think so many of us have the habit, and have been taught in this society to simply drink something colder when your body over heats, and to actually wipe away sweat with a cloth when there is extra. But this article has taught me sweat is actually very good for you, so much so that it’s good to simply rub back onto your back when there is water waste. It’s really cool that sweat is the best way to work the water waste out of you rather than going to the bathroom during practice. I loved this sentence when referring to this action, “A cocoon of your own energy.” It makes a lot of sense now, how our own energy, in this case our own sweat, is being dispelled when it’s a natural thing for the body to produce.

    Another detail I didn’t know about was where exactly on the body is was best to sweat from in this practice. The article tells us it’s the top of your head rather than evenly all over the body. It’s clear now that the energy used for a practice like this could influence physical changes like how the sweat would produce in the head area for a sign of targeting your energy in the right place.

    I remember a past assignment from this class was about how physical our world has become, and loosing touch with our mental worlds. I think that idea applies to this tip in a way. This article informed me that when the asanas are done regularly physical compulsions/necessities aren’t needed to be taken care of as urgently during this practice, which would be good if the physical world distracts you from practicing yoga to it’s full extent, to become yoga as a way of living. I would love to not be governed as much by my physical needs like hunger, the cold, etc, but of course it can’t be eliminated completely when to an extent these are all needs. The question I have is this one, paraphrased sentence, “If you suddenly drink cold water you could catch a cold immediately.” Colds are caught by many kinds of viruses, so how would that apply to this in particular? Or were they implying how a cold is used as the literal word it means, cooling down the body immediately when it isn’t good for you to do so?

    -Sabrina Geffner

    • Drinking cold water is a shock for our interior organs that are quite warm when we are balanced. This shock can deplete our immune system and a whole host of things can go wrong from just choosing cold water vs. room temperature water.

  3. I never thought about how drinking water and going to the bathroom would effect your body that much in order to mess with you practicing yoga. I used to work out and play a lot of sports. Cold water always felt abnormal drinking. Your throat was dry and hot and the iced cold water always was a disturbance to my body. Instead of Cold water, I would choose to drink room temperature drink.

    The article made a really good point, that I never thought about. When you go to the bathroom during yoga, all of your energy is wasted in the toilet. Your sweat gives you more energy and thats a beautiful thing. When becoming Yoga, you don’t want any distractions. Having to go to the bathroom disturbs your concentration and releases your energy in a wasteful way. Drinking water and even eating food will keep your inner organs working when you want to be sitting at peace with the world.

  4. I agree with the article that drinking cold water is harmful to the body as highly differing temperatures can shock the body and harm you. Reading about how you should sweat was interesting because I hadn’t noticed before but it’s true that you only sweat from the head from the yoga exercises not the whole body.
    I also really liked this line from the article “To become yoga means that your level of perception is such that there is no distinction between you and the universe.” It is just a good line and says, what I feel, is the whole point of yoga in general to rise yourself up and be at peace with everything you can.

  5. This was a very interesting read indeed. Every time I sweat from a work out or a run I wipe it on my body. Now that I think about it, every time I finish an intense work out I do feel like the sweat around me is like a cloak or kavacha as they call it in the article. The fact that sweat coming out of the forehead is good for the body is amazing and also very funny, at least the fact that eventually I can control where i sweat seems funny. I am very willing to try it during class and my practices, even keeping my ice cold water bottle away from me as I practice. The revelation about no bathroom breaks during practice strangely makes sense to me but admittedly it is very hard for me to give up the water. Water is my favorite drink and anywhere I go I love to have my bottle on me and stay hydrated. As the article pointed out though, drinking the cold water will flush all of the energies that I gain from the yoga practices out of my system in a way that isn’t good for my body, so I am willing to oblige. For next class, I will leave my water bottle at home.

    -Matthew Peralta (Wed. 8:30)

  6. I found this reading very interesting. I didn’t know you shouldn’t drink water when practicing yoga due to the fact that I have heard sometimes that yoga is such a great exercise; and when we think of exercise we usually need water. While reading the reasons why we shouldn’t drink cold water during yoga practice it all makes a lot more sense to me. “The idea is to reduce the compulsions gradually so that one day, if you sit, you become yoga – you are not just practicing yoga.” I really love this quote from the reading. It really involves yoga as a part of you once you really start practicing it. Yoga is such a natural practice-and reading this article explaining why we don’t need water because the sweat glands are there to produce natural water within your body and self. It makes you so much more aware of your body with using your natural fluids to cool you down. I am going to be more aware now when doing yoga practices that the sweat is the natural cooling.

    Alexis Porcaro (wed 8:30)

  7. I thought this information was interesting considering it is quite the opposite of what most people normally think when they do physical activity. I typically try to be hydrated before physical activity as well as after, but it was interesting to read the different effects of hydrating before when it specifically comes to yogic practices.
    The belief that sweat is both necessary but also so oddly specific was confusing to me. The idea that sweat should only pour from the top of the head while doing yoga seems somewhat impossible to me and I am interested in doing more research and paying attention to how I tend to sweat while doing yoga in class, because from my experience I tend to sweat very lightly but all over the body.
    To expand on sweat being seen as necessary and helpful for the body, I find this interesting considering our bodies are naturally doing a process to get sweat out of systems, but this article seems to see the sweat as a coccoon of energy that shouldn’t be gotton rid of immediately.
    I did mostly agree with the idea that drinking very cold water may may cause you to be more susceptible to developing more mucus. I do find that this is perhaps true when I exercise after drinking very cold water and I do understand why this could be a negative process when it comes to practicing yoga, considering breathing correctly is so integral especially in the different positions we do in Hatha yoga in class.

  8. It’s odd to think that drinking water in general could interfere with something as practicing yoga and meditating. At first reading this I was kind of against the idea… I mean water is good for you! But moving forward I see how cool water can shock your system when you are trying to remain focused and present within your meditation and practice. We’re taught from a very young age to hydrate and that water is basically the source of our lifespan so without it we’re no good. It’s interesting to learn about this other perspective and see that that may not always be the case in all things in life.
    I can see how when meditating or practicing yoga you must be very in tuned within yourself, so when drinking water you are popping a bubble so to speak and awakening yourself from something that shouldn’t be awakened from.

  9. This article is very interesting to me because before I even knew one should not drink water while practicing yoga, I always made sure to have water with me. This happened frequently, until one day, immediately in between practices, I had to use the bathroom, which for me personally, threw my entire energy off. Having to get off of my yoga mat, walk to the bathroom in another room with a completely different setting than the one I was in, wash my hands, fix my clothes, etc.- this made me lose focus of what I was doing. I was not even able to get back into the same or similar mind state until ten to fifteen minutes later… which is a long time.

    After reading this article, I learned that one must sweat from the head, rather than the entire body, while practicing yoga. Also, in certain instances, if one drinks water during their practice or at the wrong time, one might get a cold. The idea of yoga is to “grow beyond your physical compulsions”, as stated in the article. This saying to me, is absolutely beautiful and represents the ideology of yoga perfectly, in my eyes.

  10. This article offered a new and interesting perspective that I never really thought about while practicing yoga. I was not aware about the importance of sweat and where it comes from in the body. Perhaps our sessions aren’t as strenuous as some different forms of yoga, or perhaps I haven’t been giving it that much conscious thought. In depictions of people practicing yoga I always see sweat coming from all around the body. I have been to sweat lodges, so I know about the importance of sweat in the body. Rubbing it back into the body to create a cocoon of sorts is similar to what we practiced there, except it was much more focused on sweat and connection with the earth. It is interesting to compare and contrast different rituals from different parts of the world, and how they share fundamental similarities to each other.

    I also thought it was interesting how cold water could have such negative effects while practicing water. It makes sense that a sudden change in temperature would be too much for the body to handle, as mixing hot and cold has generally been seen as a bad thing throughout many cultures. Still, constantly catching a cold is reason enough for me to not do it. I am curious though what the effects of hot water would be. I would assume drinking tea would be beneficial to the practice of yoga, would it not? Regardless, this was an interesting article that gave me a new perspective on the many benefits of yoga.

  11. I had no idea that drinking water during yoga is actually harmful to your body and your practice. As well as going to the bathroom during yoga. I can understand now after reading this the negative affects of these actions and in a way if you do them its counter productive to your meditation. I was very intrigued when it motioned to rub your sweat back onto your body to form a kind of barrier of your energy. I find yoga to be extremely interesting and there are so many different little things that you never realize that you need to take into account when practice yoga. Everday you really learn something new.

  12. One of the important things to know when practicing yoga is that you need to let yourself sweat, and it correlates to the energy you want to get rid of and receive. Drinking water during the practice is said to interfere with this transfer of good and bad energy, which is why you shouldn’t consume it. Another thing that interferes is using the restroom during the meditation, because you are getting rid of toxins directly.
    Part of yoga practice is to only focus on your breathing, movements, and the moment. You are not supposed to give any attention to your thoughts. If you are reacting to thirst or your need to use the restroom, you are letting yourself get distracted and it disrupts the flow of energy. You are supposed to let energy flow naturally through sweat, which is one of the subconscious ways we get rid of toxins through the practice.
    I believe that this makes sense and it is good to be aware of if you are wondering how to focus better during yoga. Something that some people don’t understand about yoga is that it is not like most other exercises in terms of it only being physical. It exercises your brain as well, and constantly trains and tests your ability to maintain focus. This is why you are not meant to let yourself get distracted and drink water or use the restroom during yoga.
    This is something that was a slight challenge to add to my Isha Kriya especially. I found that having to use my breath to speak through the practice for longer periods of time, my mouth was becoming dry and uncomfortable. In attempts to fix this I make sure to hydrate enough before I sit down for my Isha Kriya, so I don’t risk having to interrupt my meditation. I have noticeably been benefiting from my Isha Kriya improvement, mostly in the sense that I can focus better now afterward.

  13. Yoga builds a different kind of heat than going for a run on a hot summer day. It’s slow and deliberate, and while we aim to cultivate this heat, it is not necessary for survival to rapidly introduce cold water into the system to counter the heat. In fact, due to the unique nature of cultivating ‘ushna’ in yoga, drinking cold water can shock the immune system and lead to cold, flu, or virus susceptibility, as Sadhguru said.

    I haven’t been drinking water until I leave yoga class or after that even, but I’ll stop drinking it immediately after class from now on. I suppose I wipe my sweat away too at times, although I don’t really pay attention. But I’ll work on it.

    I have done the IK 4 times this week and have one more to do before next class. I still used Sadhguru’s video all 4 times just because of the need to time both the total 12 minute period, as well as the two sub-periods for steps 1 and 3, which I haven’t been able to do without distraction. I have turned the volume down recently to try to simulate doing it independently, but the transitions are still helpful. I did it once during the day but the others were still before going to bed in my room, a time I can get some quiet solace.

    The only thing I can really relate this to is my personal practice of using a steam-room when I can. I always try to drink as much water as possible and not use the bathroom beforehand, because it always boosts my ability to stay in the steam-room for as long as possible.

  14. This was an interesting article because I never knew or thought about the idea of water being harmful while practicing yoga. I remember you mentioned it during our first class together to not drink water but I never put any thought into it. What I do on Mondays is I will drink water until about 4 pm because I always drink water but I cut it around that time so it gives me enough time to use the bathroom and be ready for our class. I notice that I am sweating from my head and know I know to not wipe the sweat off. This was a very informative article and had my boyfriend read it because he is always telling me to stay hydrated during exercising and I couldn’t explain it to him but this article was great and he appreciated it.

    I am practicing the IK about 5 times a week. I am still doing it during my lunch break and before I go to bed if I did not have time during lunch. I am still using the video because it is very helpful and soothing to hear his voice. I can do it on my own but I like to follow the video.

  15. In this article, it talks about how while you’re doing a yoga practice you can’t drink water. One thing I did not know is that if you drink cold water during yoga practice then you can get sick quicker. what I do before any yoga practice is I drink tea, At the beginning of the year, I made a goal for myself that I would drink tea before doing yoga. if you don’t do yoga you won’t progress.

    Another thing I noticed is that if you drink water or use the bathroom in the middle of the yoga practice you’re basically going to lose the flow of the practice and it will cause other reactions. Also, you can’t use the bathroom during a yoga practice because you’re working out the water in the form of sweat.

    This article also talks about how you have higher dimensions, you have to focus on yourself and keep yourself healthy and in check With my Isha Kriya practice, I see that my chest has been so much congestion. I drink a shot of Apple cider vinegar. I’ve been eating one fruit once a day and with yoga, I feel more healthy.

  16. What I interpreted from this article was that by controlling your physical urges while practicing your asanas will lead to better discipline and a more complete yoga experience. When you drink cold water, the ushna that you are building up in your body decreases and you can become more susceptible to outside elements. It also describes the way that the body should be sweating — from the head. If the body is sweating, it is good to rub the sweat back in to act as an energy cocoon. With repetition, this grows and you get stronger.

    Personally, I agree with the idea of ignoring physical urges while practicing yoga. It’s important to prepare your body before you start your asanas. By fortifying your body in this way you are better equipped to receive the healing powers and be strengthened by the practice.
    Drinking water can be distracting during the session, and not having a sip every 5 minutes isn’t going to kill you.

    This article says that its generally a bad idea to drink water during the session. It’s not proven by western science to be bad for you, but they claim that it disrupts your energies and is a general distraction to everyone else who’s trying to concentrate.

  17. Georgia Cummings
    Monday Yoga 6:30-9:50

    This article focuses on achieving the right conditions for our bodies to be in during yoga and explains why we should not be drinking water during our practice. According to Sadhguru, doing so can make us susceptible to allergies and colds. Sadhguru also recommends that we do not use the restroom during yoga because any water is supposed to be expelled in the form of sweat. This sweat will pour out from our head rather than all over the body if we direct our energy in the right direction.

    The reason we should not eat, drink, or use the bathroom during yoga is to learn to “grow beyond physical compulsions” (Sadhguru). While I understand that this is to practice control, I believe that listening to your body and its needs are very important.

    I looked up more articles to see what other people thought about this and found a post on a yoga blog called “Pros and Cons of Drinking Water during Yoga (+ Helpful Tips)”. It includes cons such as the one Sadhguru discussed, putting out our ushna or inner fire that helps us detoxify with the water. Others included needing the bathroom, being distracted, or feeling uncomfortable if we drink too much. However, the article also included that some rooms can be very hot, especially rooms used for Bikram yoga. In this case, it is very important to hydrate, but not so much that we should be uncomfortable.

    Source: https://www.bookyogaretreats.com/news/drink-water-during-yoga

    I did my Isha Kriya 6 times last week, each time in a room by myself so I would not have any distractions. I normally do it five times a week, but I felt that it would be helpful as I had trouble falling asleep one night to do something that normally relaxes me. I have a gentle alarm set on my phone to keep track of time and I have moved on from both the video and the visual guide.

  18. What an interesting reading. This is the first time I have heard the term “become yoga”.

    “The idea is to reduce the compulsions gradually so that one day, if you sit, you become yoga – you are not just practicing yoga. To become yoga means that your level of perception is such that there is no distinction between you and the universe.”

    So far in this class, I’ve learned some very positive things about yoga and the practice of yoga. As I am only in the infancy stages of learning about yoga, much of it is new and exciting. I do try to keep an open mind but I do not go into anything blindly.

    As with water consumption during yoga, I can see it from the point of view that there is a time and place for everything. If the idea is to “slowly grow beyond our physical compulsions”, then I can see the virtues of abstaining from water during yoga. We have to exercise self-control in many aspects of our daily life, and I don’t see why yoga should be any different.

    I’m not sure I want to “become yoga” yet. There is still so much to learn. I have been practicing my isha kriya ever evening before bed. I do reap the benefits of it with a better sleep and clearer mind. It is also a rare twenty minutes I have for just myself. As a wife and mother, I do spread myself quite thin most days. This practice allows me to stop and let everything go and know that in twenty minutes, I will still be able to face whatever is still there. But for a brief moment in the day, I am not the body , I am not even the mind.

  19. Before taking this yoga class, I generally associated yoga as being a form of exercise. Given that assumption I would have also assumed that drinking water before and during yoga is necessary. But as we started practicing and learning more about the asanas and after reading this article, I can see how drinking water can hinder proper yoga practice. Aside form the reasonings provided in the article, I can see how any consumption of food or water would counter the effects doing yoga have on you because your body is focused on breaking down and digesting whatever you consume. Also the part about not using the restroom during yoga is interesting being that I have been in the predicament where I had to use the bathroom and held it towards the end of the practice, and it wasn’t so pleasant holding it in. However if I do recall correctly did this cause me to sweat and mostly from my head which according to Sadhguru is supposed to be beneficial. The article was very informative however there is little to no evidence that supports the claim in the reading.

  20. In result, of drinking water the decrease in ushna can lead to becoming vulnerable to having an allergic reaction and excess amount of mucus. For example, if you’re doing intense asanas and all of a sudden you drink cold water it’s possible that you can catch a cold immediately. So, it’s recommended that you don’t drink cold water before or during the asanas. Also, it’s important that you never go to the bathroom during session because you should sweat out the water. While doing the asana you should sweat from the top of your head directing all the energy in the right direction not all over your body. It’s all about practice and keeping your ushna waste water upward.

    During last week session I really had to go to the bathroom and the reason. I had to go was because during practice when we had to put our knees to our chest to bring some circulation to our digestive system, I got the need to go to the bathroom. I held it in because we were going to start relaxation. Reading this article it was good to know that we are not supposed to use the bathroom during practice. Also, it was interesting to learn that our sweat acts like a cocoon to our own energy that creates an aura and strength for the body. The ending of the article I found to be funny because they state that people who have done yoga by using books or other ways they have lost their mind. Does that mean they went crazy? They also say that don’t sit and wait to receive out of nowhere the higher dimension, you have to climb high and be with it.

    I remember in high school during gym class my teacher told us before we started to run around the track outside that it is important that we don’t drink water before, during, or after running because it’s like we’re putting out the fire we are built inside of us while in practice. It’s interesting to see that it applies to yoga as well. It makes sense when I think about it because if we drink water it’s like we’re cooling our system and not getting to the level of purification.

    I usually work around everybody’s schedule so it’s better for me. I usually like to practice the Isha Kryia after everybody has left to work and school or at night. There are days where I start school at 10:30am or 12:30pm, so I have plenty of time to meditate. If I can’t do the IK in the morning, I’ll do it at night once everybody has gone to bed because the house is quiet, and no commotion is going on. But I would do the IK in the downstairs bathroom, so no one can hear me. Practicing the Isha Kryia has helped reduce my stress due to work, family and school responsibilities. My experiences doing the Isha Kryia was relaxing because the I feel like everyone especially college students are used to being in this fast pace and not taking a minute to take a breath and slow down. So, it’s great to do this meditation because it shows that it’s good to take a step back, breath and appreciate the things we have in life.

  21. This article is an interview talking about why one shouldn’t drink water while doing yoga. By drinking water, it is decreasing your ushna which you are trying to raise through the practice. One of the other points is that you may get a cold if you were to drink cold water while doing asanas. Another point that comes up in the text is talking about when you sweat from your head, it means that you are doing it right.
    After reading this, it made a lot more sense as to why you shouldn’t drink water before or during yoga as it disrupts what your body is trying to do and can be worse off for you. I wonder if it is the same for if you drink water right after you finish your practice? As for my Isha Kriya, I have been doing it 4 times a week in my dorm while my roommate is in classes. This varies anywhere in the timeline from 8-10 pm.
    I found an article titled “Pros and Cons of Drinking Water During Yoga” just to see if anything interesting popped up, and it had helpful tips for how to remain hydrated for yoga, but to not drink right before or during your practice. It was saying to have a lot of water about 2 hours before your practice, to do the corpse pose in the middle of a practice if you need to slow your body down, and it even answered my question of what about after class, saying to drink plenty of fluids afterwards.

    • Yes I agree that you can drink water after class, you may even find if you hydrate regularly all week long you may be able to finish class without being thirsty and keep the yogic fire longer, Namaste

  22. According to the article, “Why you shouldn’t drink water while practicng yoga” discusses it’s importance of that. The importance of not drinking water while performing yoga in Sadhguru will help maintain the body conditions. During this practice, it will be systemically raising the ushna in the body. If you consume cold water than it will fail. As well as you’ll be getting some considering reactions too.

    My impressions of this subject is very impressive. The fact that there’s a article written on this topic is outstanding. Honestly, I used to drink water during my yoga practice sometimes I wouldn’t feel right afterwards. So, due to these experiences that I’ve noticed now i don’t normally drink water during my practices, it’s normally before or after. Also, the reference source that I would use and continue to use in the near future is this website in particular because it provides a lot of interesting information and some interesting facts that you wouldn’t even think of at the time performing yoga.

    My home IK practice has been progressing better than usual. This week i’ve been trying to get at least two IK practices in my schedule, and it’s been working out. But, I’m trying to aim for a third one, so I’ll try to squeeze that in by the end of this week coming up. Therefore, I’m pleased that I’ve been trying to make some available time when i can to perform my house IK’s and performing it at my best effort.

    • Great that you have posted successfully on the blog! Please make a schedule and do your IK 4 times every week because it will show up in your mat work progress and ultimately your final grade. Don’t you deserve these benefits daily, can you love yourself for 12 minutes a day? No need to print this out. Namaste

  23. I never understood why my teacher would say to not drink water while doing yoga would be problematic. Water is one of the most beneficial things to your body, but I understand now though. You don’t want to mess up that energy, and while doing bits of softball outside in the hot days of high school, I always resorted to water and Gatorade to replace the cells and keep me hydrated. I feel I always manage to get dehydrated quickly, and that makes me feel nauseated at times. Especially when downing cold water, it hits you fast and quick, a soft pain but it’s relaxing, and I feel renewed.

    The piece makes a suitable point though. When you pause at yoga, all that time you invested into certain positions and movements, all of it go to waste when you stop for a break, because when in the bathroom, you feel relief, but you feel like you’ve accomplished nothing, and I feel like if that has to unite with yoga, then all that time you put yourself to work hard is gone. It’s a disturbance and drinking water even while doing yoga, I feel like it shouldn’t have to be a thing because you are diverting yourself.
    Mackenzie Depietro, Spring 2019, Wednesday Class

  24. In the article, it is suggested that drinking water before doing yoga is not to be done, specifically cold water. The article goes on explaining the reasoning behind this: “the idea is to be reduced the compulsions gradually so that one day, if you sit, you become yoga”. In drinking water before and during yoga, restricts the natural flow of sweat that should and the water being work should come from our bodies, specifically from the top of our heads. The article also says that when drinking water we are more susceptible to catching allergic conditions and other medical problem that may arise. The silver lining, when not drinking any water before and during the yogic experience, is once one gets into the habit of doing so, we become more aligned and tuned with the natural excess of our bodies and we will be yoga.
    This week I practiced my ik 3 times thus far. This week I did in a corner of my room, with the lights dimmed and the shades closed. This week I had really bad cramps, and I found that when I did my ik, the pain that although the feeling is unbearable, that when I used my energy to allow it travel through my body and exhaling the energy. It was an interesting experience.

  25. I now see how important maintaining the right body conditions for yoga is. What I find funny is that for the first two yoga sessions I had my water bottle with me as I bring it virtually everywhere I go. Gradually, I just started leaving it in my car instead of bringing it with me and I wonder if this is my body trying to tell me that I don’t need water during our morning yoga practice. I understand now the importance of not drinking water during yoga as it is clear that it will disrupt overall flow of your bodies energy. I found the focus on sweating from the crown of the head to be fascinating as it really does make complete sense the body would be cleansing from this point.
    What does not make as much sense to me is not using the restroom during yoga practices. I understand the point about trying to excrete as much negativity and cleanse via sweat but still, not using the restroom for some reason doesn’t compute with me. I think my biggest struggle with this is that if for some reason I really do need to use the bathroom and I ignore it, it becomes distracting to the practice. However, I hope that as my discipline in yoga increases I will be able to ignore this sensation.
    I am an early riser, and because of this im able to drink my morning coffee at-least two to three hours before yoga. I was under the impression at first that this was okay, and that I had given myself enough time as to not distract from the practice. It is pretty clear now that maybe this isn’t the case. I know now to stray away from any sort of diuretic before coming to yoga. Ive learned my lesson.

    My IK practice has gotten a bit better from last week, however I am still not where I want to be. I practice 5-6 times a week (more recently almost explicitly 6 times) and feel as if Im regressing. As I have stated before, I do my own meditation practice everyday and have done this for a while. I actually use the insight timer app on my phone to help time myself which helps (the bell for ending my meditation session always jolts me out of the practice though). Ive been trying to approach the practice from a different angle lately. Instead of doing it in my usual spot I switch it up and go somewhere else. Ive also stopped letting all of my dogs in the same room as me when I do the Isha Kriya. This was hard as they seem to be constantly stuck to me and definitely do not like being closed off in another room but they’ve adjusted and hopefully Ill see some better results soon. I think part of my issue is that I do not do well with change and maybe once i’ve had time to adjust to new aspects of my life right now my thoughts will settle and I will be back to enjoying the IK as I had been.

    -Rebecca Hartigan

    • Great that you are challenging yourself to try different locations for your IK practice. If ever you need to use the restroom please don’t restrict yourself. Gradual changes happen best when we prepare properly, Namaste

  26. This article talks about how in yoga you raise the ushna in your body. If you drink cold water, the ushna will fall rapidly. You will become more susceptible to allergic reactions and mucus. If you are doing intense asanas and suddenly drink cold water, you may catch a cold immediately. Also, don’t use the bathroom because you should work out the water in the form of sweat. The main sweat forms on top of your head. If you keep working up your ushna, it will naturally take the waste water upward. During practice, if you are dripping with sweat, usually your clothes will soak it up. But if you are bare-bodied, rub the sweat back into the body. This is because there is a certain element of prana in the sweat, which we do not want to lose. Rubbing the sweat will create a certain aura and strength for the body known as kavacha.

    It’s interesting how water is not a good idea to drink during yoga. During class I always bring a water bottle but noticed how I never even open it or drink it. Also, I hardly sweat during a yoga session and I’m usually covered up from head to toe in heavy sweats. So, this article confirms how if you do yoga, you become yoga. Hot weather, cold weather, hunger, and thirst will be completely free if you do yoga.

    So far my home practice of the Isha Kriya has been getting better. I try to do it at least four times a week and I usually do it in my bedroom. I sit on the floor and lean against the wall. I sleep alone in my bedroom so it’s usually quiet and I have more peace as I lock the door. The Isha Kriya has decreased my anxiety and I no longer have trouble breathing.

  27. This interview with Sadhguru on why one should not drink water or go to the restroom during yoga was very interesting to me. I am used to drinking water constantly, so since the start of class I have always wondered why drinking water wasn’t allowed during yoga. I figured the reason being was that drinking water would be a momentary distraction from the yoga taking place. I did not know that cold water causes the ushna to rapidly fall, and can even result in susceptibility to allergic conditions and mucus. Further more, I was surprised to find out that drinking cold water during intense asanas can result in one catching a cold immediately. I understand now that by resisting urges to drink water, go to the bathroom, or even eat, you are building up your system to become yoga. Its all working towards having a more connected yoga experience by silencing your physical compulsions.

  28. When I first read this question, I found it very interesting that it was even a question, but after learning about the reasons, I realized that this can also be an essential point in any athletic activity. I used to run track, and I didn’t question why we didn’t take water breaks, but later on I realized how it slowed my body down during the winter season. “When you practice yoga, you are systematically raising the ushna in the body. If you drink cold water, the ushna will rapidly fall, and this will cause various other reactions.” I thought it was an important point that we should never had to drink water or go to the bathroom while practicing yoga, we should be able to sweat it off if anything. “Slowly, as you practice, as your yoga takes shape within you, if you do any asana, the sweat must pour out from the top of your head – not all over the body. “ I thought this was interesting too, because when I practice at home, I do sweat from my head rather than my armpits or anywhere else. Even when I’m weight training, this is a important part of my growth. Yoga is about using the body to its maximim benefit. It is very important that you build your system in such a way that the higher ways of living and doing things will naturally come to you.

    Kathy Mathews
    Wednesday 8:30 am Yoga Class

  29. There are few times in which the consumption of water is not recommended by health professionals, and it would seem one of them would be while practicing Yoga. As the author explains, by drinking cold water you’re causing your asana to descend rapidly, culminating in uncomfortable symptoms like being unable to control ones sweating. The author also goes on to explain that this is simply against the point of yoga; which is removing the compulsions. The compulsive need to look at one’s phone, check the time, abscond to the restroom, or to simply drink some water results in a lack of progression. To actually succeed at yoga, one must gradually relieve themselves of these compulsions in order to effectively become Yoga.

    This idea is interesting. Normally people are told to drink as much water as they can, and this is notoriously false information. There is no required daily dosage of h2o; needs are dependant on the individual person, therefore there is no standard of water consumption.

    I was able to accomplish my own IK through the week four separate times, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. I am lucky enough to have a single apartment and can complete my IK without disturbance as frequently as I wish. I at this point only refer to my guidelines before the IK so as to reintroduce myself to the material, but otherwise, I am not as dependent on the visual component as I normally am.

  30. Such an interesting piece. I have really been trying to be conscious of habits which are formed less on logic and practicality and more based on “the norm.” It is important that we act in ways which are beneficial to us, not just do things because we feel we are supposed to due to common opinion. This was directly related to the article. I go to yoga classes frequently and see people with their water bottles. As a result I would begin drinking water during the classes as well. I am very glad to have encountered this article because it falsifies a common misconception about staying hydrated while practicing.
    I was also intrigued by the information on sweat during class. As someone who has a tendency to sweat a lot (ew!) so i’m Conscious of how much I am sweating during class and am always wiping the sweat away. It comes as a comfort to know that the sweat is not that weird and even normal! I will definitely keep this in mind as I continue in my practice. Thanks for the interesting article.

  31. This article was truly surprising to me. I had never been told or heard that drinking water during yoga was bad. Throughout my practices, I always had assumed that yoga was like any other physical activity, where water is beneficial, and sometimes crucial. This article explains that drinking cold water while practicing asanas can cause your body’s ushna to rapidly fall. This leaves you at higher risk of the likes of allergic reactions or excess mucus. It also explains how the body should sweat during your exercise. If you practice the asanas correctly, then your energy will be directed to your head. The article goes on to say how using the bathroom during yoga will also disturb the body, and one should get rid of their waste water through sweat. On the topic of sweat, the article also discusses how if your body does sweat during yoga, then you should rub it back into the skin. Rubbing the sweat back into the body creates an aura and strength for the body made up of your own energy.
    As I previously mentioned, this article came as a shock to me. Looking back, I can’t say that I’ve ever noticed a negative reaction from drinking water while doing yoga. However, I wasn’t looking out for those negative reactions and it’s possible that I dismissed them for something else. This information has definitely changed the way I think about my asanas. They are my favorite part of yoga, and I now feel as though I can practice them correctly. A nice cold swig of water can be the most enticing thing while sweating it out during yoga, but now I know that in order to recieve the maximum benefits yoga can have, you should wait until you have finished your yoga practice before you drink any water. Furthermore, using your own sweat to your benefit has not been a common thread. But doing these things can create a fortitude in yourself that can resist physical compulsions. Doing so, growing beyond basic physical compulsions that we all experience, will allow one to focus on enlightening themselves and distance themselves from their physical form.

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