I thought I would share with my readers some information about certain yogic terms and nomenclature that crops up from time to time when talking about the practice of yoga and allied traditions. Kapal Randhra Dhauti is one such term that you may have come across and which I would like to explore today. What is Kapal Randhra Dhauti and how is it significant or important for a yogi to know about?
What is Kapal Randhra Dhauti?
Literally, the term Kapal Randhra Dhauti is a practice that refers to the washing of the upper part of the head. It finds mention in old texts /traditions as being a recommended practice for good health and wellbeing. The Kapal Randhra is the crown of the head; the hollowed area where the fontanel of a baby (the soft part where there are no skull bones formed) can be seen. Kapal also refers to one of the seven chakras as defined in yoga. Randhra actually means ‘hole’; since the baby’s fontanel is rather like a hole; a visible depression during infancy. Dhauti of course refers to the washing or cleansing of that area.
Kapal Randhra Dhauti is thought to help soothe and calm a person; especially when physically stressed or mentally agitated. Alternatively it can make a person feel alert and wakeful at a time when they feel sluggish and low. It is thought that this kriya can instantly calm the mind and spirit and even help control conditions such as bipolar disorder or insomnia. Regular practice could also help guard against depression, which, clinicians are now discovering is something of a silent killer and much more common than presumed earlier. Not only does this cleanse the scalp it also helps to boost blood circulation to the head, which in turn has its own beneficial impacts. Practitioners also believe that this kriya stimulates the Sahasrara Chakra, which can make it easier for a person to meditate and concentrate.
How is Kapal Randhra Dhauti performed?
Kapal Randhra Dhauti is quite simple to perform. It requires you to cleanse the top of your head with water of a pleasant temperature (though some advocate the use of cold water for this) while simultaneously massaging the top of the head with the flat of your hand.
You then proceed to massage your temples or the side of your forehead with your thumbs, using circular motions first in one and then in the opposite direction. This will help to instantly soothe a headache if you have one. This second step is also known as kapal dhauti. Lastly, press your middle fingers to either side of the top of your nose, close to your eyebrows and massage gently using similar rhythmic motions. When you exhale, do so forcefully while stopping the massage momentarily.
Practitioners warn against using cold water for performing this kriya and warn that the head should be dried soon after, if one is prone to allergies or catching cold. This could trigger mucus production since it stimulates the kapha region of the body.